The last post!

Well, this really will be our last post. Two weeks ago we put our Swiftf Escape 686, AKA "Hugo" on Ebay and after much interest, last Saturday handed him over to a lovely young family who plan to use him for weekends away as they surf their way around the wonderful Cornish coast. It was a day of mixed emotions for us, as for the first time since we returned, we spent rather a long period of time showing Steve all the details of the van, how to connect the electric hook up, how to heat the water, how to cook, how to conserve energy as much as possible and of course (crucially) it was Ed who told him how to empty the toilet cassette!!! 

All the things that we did as part of our daily routine just a few months ago have now melted away into memories. Fond memories. Very fond memories. And so we can look ahead to our future, which is an exciting challenge in itself. I will be teaching full time, the children will be starting a new school after this Easter holiday, and Ed has already started working part time. It's a complete role reversal for us as a couple, and a new start for our family. We know that we will need some time to adjust, but after all that we have experienced, nothing can phase us, and we know that as a stronger unit we can deal with it if it does. 

It's not possible to put a price on what we have done for the last 8 months. The rewards are huge. If you get the chance to do it, go on and do it! Take time out. Be yourself. Be a family. Live the life you love. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

Clare

X

The beginning of the end

Bye bye Hugo?

So Hugo is now officially up for sale. It would be lovely if the next people that buy him would continue his adventure.
In the meantime, our adventures continue as we pile on back into 'normal life'. We have been back exactly two weeks. On day 3 I was offered work. On day 4 I went to work. Clare too has been to her new work. We have been finding schools for Jasper and Maya, trying to buy a car, and in addition, not only will it be a sad farewell to Hugo, but also a sad farewell to our deeply beloved 'Sunny'.

I just need some support now for my used car deals on the Clements forecourt.

Also apologies for the prolonged quietness on the blog front, we have just been so so ridiculously busy and overrun with one thing and another.

Rest assured all our good friends across and around Europe, please give us time, but we will be in touch. We have some amazing friends here, but also around Europe and in due course we shall be in touch with you all.

Love to all on this slightly sad but momentous occasion as this whole dream slowly begins to close.

Home

The writing of this post is in a warm comforting home, wood fire burning away, supper had and a glass of local cider fizz being quaffed in an appropriate post bath moment. We have arrived home! This physical joy expressed well by Jasper.

The opening of the front door generally lead to whoops from the children and silence from the adults. In fact the silence fell all around as the children found their rooms and became immersed in dragging all toys out and having a good play. The adults however, wandered around in quite a lost moment. We didn't in fact know what would happen when we walked through the front door. The overwhelming feeling of a) we are home, b) we've done it, c) look at all our stuff, d) it's quite a nice place to live, and e) we have a list of jobs of things we wish to change, is what cultivated the silence. In fact this lasted some time as we wandered around, looking and remembering what felt like a museum of our life. It was all exactly as we had left it 223 days ago. Imagine taking a snapshot of your life and visiting it once again at a later date, being able to be immersed in it. Well that was us!

So now it seems that this adventure really has ended. The next one is always in the making. Hugo needs cleaning up, servicing and then putting up for sale. That will be a sad day that brings almost to completion the loop of what we have done. Getting a job will also be the next thing to do. This will certainly seal the end of this chapter of life. In the meantime, the fizz is flowing down very nicely (thanks Mum), and we raise a glass to everyone who has supported us. We've done it and we've made it home!

(Thanks to Catherine and John next door for the "loan" of some WiFi too. We are not yet connected so that is a great help!)

Last journey

Today we leave for Ilminster. It's an odd occasion with many emotions about what life will be. The blog has fallen silent for a while for which we must apologise, but we have been staying with family and friends. A great thanks to all for a super last 10 days or so of beginning to help us drift back into normal lives. We shall in due course catch up with one and all when we are back in Somerset. As it stands now though, today's challenge begins with the M6, muddles onto the M5 and ends with the 'great unpack' at the other end.  The last travelling day, the last journey for Hugo, but not quite the last post!

Goodbye Lancashire!