OMG we made it.
WE ARE IN DEVON
Actually, we have been here for 7 weeks and it felt like home from the get-go. I LOVE it. Its fantastic. The house is wonderful and the kids are (when they aren't bickering!) happy - Daisy asked me if we could stay in Devon forever!
Although we have been very busy, I havent' got an awful lot to report. Its all been about moving, moving furniture around, finding the way to Tescos/Beavers/Train Stations/Hairdressers (most important you know).
Shaun is slowly managing to get things done. It took us a while to get our bit fenced, then we had to fence in the other bit - that took about 4 weeks all in all. Now he has been moving the veggie patches that are Mum-in-Laws over to her side so he can level the ground to put up his sheds.
We are getting quite excited about what we are going to grow next year. We can't do much yet but there is a nice patch of ground which Shaun is attending to at the mo - he's spending an hour or so a day removing rocks. Nice job if you can get someone to do it!! Poor boy. But its good soil. Medium to Sandy loam by the looks of it (can you tell I have been looking at my course? Can ya? Can ya?!) which will be great for growing stuff. I am working on the planting side of things, drawing up a 4 year rotation and sorting out successive cropping/companion planting etc. All very complicated for a little beginner buts its becoming clearer!
We have great neighbours - Mike and his wife Gill and Mikes brother Garth. They run the nursery which produces various things including tomatoes and courgettes (WITH the flowers on) for the hotels etc. They grew up in this house which is very useful! We call Mike "The Oracle" - there's not alot he doesnt know!
I have been riding a couple of times which is excellent. I did start to work for rides which I absolutely LOVED but I found I had too much still to do at home and had to start the business up again so I can't do it anymore. GUTTED was not the word. I was very upset actually, but if we want to do this self sufficiency thing I have to make time for my course too and something had to give. Stables had to go <sob> but hey, I'm OK now.
The funniest thing I have to tell you is about the tree surgeon. We have had 3 pines taken out - sounds drastic but they were spoiling the view from the In-Laws point of view and stunting our orchard from our point of view. So up crops this guy. And we notice he is missing a few fingers. Quite darkly amusing! Until we find he is also missing a leg.............. And apparently he does a "Proper Job!"
And so he did, but we did wonder...... and stayed out the way!!!
