Sunday 17 March 2013

Of Late


Can you reminisce fondly about a place even before you leave it? This past couple of weeks I've been cataloguing sights and sounds with near-obsessive detail, building a cache of snippets to call upon down the line once this little old house and I part company. It's a creaky sort of place; stoic, patient beams and uneven floors, pockets of bare brick wall and huge sash windows with many a gap in the frames for a determined gust to whistle through. It will be a bittersweet goodbye. A sad farewell to the view of rooftops and trees from my little desk, the sloping ceilings, and visits from the glossy black hobo cat who frequents our courtyard. I won't miss the bad-green bathroom suite or the chipboard kitchen units though, even with my prematurely rose-tinted spectacles sat firmly on the bridge of my nose. The scores of things I love about this small town on the edge of the Peaks, and this house, have all added up to make it feel like home - I have been so happy here. Yet there is adventure afoot, new possibilities in a city well known to us, T and I are on the hunt for to somewhere live there - but until the right thing comes along I'll be homeward bound to spend a month or two with my family and that is no bad thing.

My in-between moments have been either a flurry of list making - moving is a brilliant excuse to indulge my list habit - or quiet, reflective little things full of simple pleasures. Finding a stunning edition of Keats' Realms of Gold for fifty pence (really!) made it a very good Friday, even if the daffodils I picked up for a pound resolutely refuse to bloom - save one. You cannot beat a bag of snowies for a Saturday treat but during the week I spoilt myself with an epic letter-writing session, then sat back to paw through my collection of old postcards and appreciate their penmanship all over again. The last photo speaks to what triggered our move. T closed the door on being unhappy and unfulfilled in his work, back he goes to freelancing and (hopefully) more room to make dreams a reality - that is something I am more than happy to up sticks for.

21 comments :

  1. You take beautiful photographs x

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  2. I wish you and your T all the very best for your new adventure. I am such a nostalgic soul, and I always find it hard to leave things behind. Your Keats book was a great find!

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  3. You always write post that make me feel inspired. That edition of 'Realms of Gold' had me in a trance for a moment or two, it is simply beautiful and such a bargain!
    Best of luck with moving and following dreams

    Hannah
    x
    www.daintyandivory.blogspot.com

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  4. Beautiful pictures! I love your blog, the snippets of peoples' past lives through the treasures you find are facisnating :) x

    annatha
    prattleandfroth.blogspot.co.uk

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  5. .... adore your images ... and don't forget "..... what ever you do in your life do it with all your heart" .... and that does include following your dreams too .... good luck to you both ... Simona

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  6. Oh, your letter paper is just gorgeous.

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  7. I feel restless staying in one place for too long and I have a hard time letting things go... isn't that a messy combination?! Moving is so hard for me as well! I wish you the best on your fresh start. :) It's always exciting to go someplace new.

    xx

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  8. good luck with your new adventure! I definately believe in following your dreams, life is way to short not to!

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  9. I wish you all the best with your fresh start :) I perfectly understand how you feel about letting things go !
    You truly take beautiful pictures <3

    xx
    Valeria

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  10. I'm sure you'll find such a lovely little house to live in, you're going to love it so much. Moving is such a scary, precarious time - but it always has a happy ending :) xx

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  11. Good luck with your move Jem. I'm sure you will make your new place your own and be just as happy :)

    Jen | sunny sweet pea xx

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  12. Leaving a place is always such a bitter sweet moment! Treasure all the memories.. and I've no doubt your next home will be suitabled beautifully cluttered up in no time ;) xx

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  13. Ah pretty old postcards <3 I can't wait for us to move, luckily I don't have my ties to our apartment complex and yeah my tolerance for our neighbors decreases every night when they blast their music. But I felt the same as you when I left Newcastle after university, I still miss that city and I think I always will. Moving is a daunting task and I dread packing our life up into boxes.

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  14. PS: forgot to say that first postcard- the bit of address I can see is really near me! How odd.. I do love old postcards.. :) xx

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  15. I love these sorts of posts.. there is a reason you are a bookmarked favourite!

    Lisette Loves
    p.s. I love jazzies!

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  16. Wishing you all the best with your upcoming move! Following dreams is SO important, they're always the best of adventures <3

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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  17. These photographs are lovely! x

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  18. I've been meaning to email you since reading your last post where it seemed you were on the move, but I've been too caught up in mine! We go a week today and looking around, nothing could seem less likely! Trying to sort out all our stuff, the kids toys and try to find new schools hasn't left much time, but then I'll suddenly look around and realise how many memories are bound up with this house. We took the wooden letters spelling the boys' names off their bedroom doors, but the paint has yellowed underneath, so you can still see them - things like that make me a bit sad. But it's exciting too - where are you heading to?

    xx

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  19. Hello!
    Very nice blog! wishing you all the best,
    would you like to follow each other?
    www.jkvintageaffair.blogspot.ca
    you can also like my page on www.facebook.com/jkvintageaffair
    thank you in advance for the support, I will follow back
    xo

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  20. The answer to your first question is yes, and you are doing an admirable job. I wish you luck in your move. Are you perhaps going to my home city? Wherever you go I'm sure you will make a success of it as the reasons for going are spot on.

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