Musing on a Monday {Improving what we have}

Yesterday I took the girl out on a run and we headed slowly out to the village just up the road. Running that bit slower means I take in more of my surroundings and having her company is lovely. Thinking about it, it is our only time just mother and daughter that we ever get. Our route took us past one of two houses in the village that I had fallen instantly in love with many years ago, when I first pushed my girl in her pram on our first solo walk out together in the world, and I spotted the For Sale sign. My heart did a little leap of excitement! Could this be a sign? Deep down I knew this wasn't possible as any house in the village came at a premium and, even though we didn't necessarily want to live in this village, I was straight onto Rightmove as soon as we were back. Then my heart really sank. The figure staring back at me, even knowing how crazy house prices have become, still came as a shock. I did the only sensible thing any girl dreaming of a house move would do; I sulked. Not because that I couldn't afford that particular house but that it pushed our dream forever house - a cosy cottage out in the country with a bit of land for some pigs - way out of reach.

I then decided there and then that I could either carry on sulking and getting mad with the the world or shut up, be grateful for what I do have and make the most of it. Surprisingly I plumped for the latter. Approaching 40 is clearly making me grow up a bit.

So this is what I said to the husband;
"Let's accept we are here for the foreseeable, we love our little house, we may not love the on street parking but it is quiet, the neighbours are ok and we feel safe and secure. Let's look at it through fresh eyes; let's imagine we've just moved in and make some plans."
Genius!

My thoughts instantly turned to the chimney breasts in the front and back rooms. The front room houses an ugly gas fire with marble surround whilst the back room has an original tile hearth but has long been bricked up, woodchipped over and modernised with a radiator. One of these rooms needs a woodburner particularly when a friend told me, "A wood burner really creates a heart in a home."

So with that I was straight back online and looking for ideas on Pinterest!

And that is my first home goal to improve what we have; sort out the fireplaces and ultimately create a family room with cosy kitchen area, cosy seating, cosy woodburner and peace and quiet. 

x x x

Thanks to Ali for the quote!

Musing on a Monday {Changing Rooms and Growing Up}

Quite some time ago I made some home decorating plans; February 2015 I was going to paint the children's rooms and buy a high bed so they could finally fulfil their plan of changing rooms. Now, I have been known to make lots of plans when it comes to our home and they rarely come into fruition. My compact, shabby chic kitchen that I tried to transform back in 2012 is much the same, albeit a bit shabbier and less chic. The walls around our home still display the same colours that I painted them with back in 2005 when we first moved in; but with the addition of smudges and fingerprints from little people that have increased in size over the passing years. The carpets have changed but much remains the same.

I need to fall in love again...with my home!

We're two days in to a new year and I declared to make no resolutions, instead creating a Mood Board, but I do have the intention of getting back to work this year. Initially the reason for this was for me to reengage my brain and feel of value again but also it will give us an opportunity to move house. A while back my husband's position at work, and my state of mind, was thrown into turmoil and we thought we would be forced to move to the Midlands. A nice part of the Midlands it has to be said but we didn't want to move the children to somewhere where none of us knew anyone. A bit of me thought - fresh start, new house but the reality of no friends or support soon kicked in. At the time of writing things are still not 100% but it looks more than likely that the husband will go to that area two days a week so we can stay here in Wiltshire. Although not ideal it means the childen stay settled and I can start job hunting.

So back to me falling in love again - with my house, or more importantly my home. The idea of going back to work has got me on the moving house train of thought again.

"We could get a house with a fourth bedroom - a spare room / office space we will need for all my teaching paraphernalia and a space to plan"

"We could get a house with a driveway!"

"We could move to 'the village'!"

The first thought is the crucial one as for now this is my work area and there is NO space for all of my files and resources etc that are currently weighing down the floorboards in the loft:

A crammed area in the corner of the dining room/family area/kitchen space - cosy!

I did the sensible thing and thought about finances and went online on a scary mortgage calculator. The interesting bit is the How much can you borrow? element. I furiously started typing in figures. Just my husband's salary = we'd be lucky to buy the house we are in now. The fun started though when I typed in a full time teaching salary alongside my husband's - good grief, I cannot believe the banks are still willing to loan THAT amount of money! Wow, we could move to the village into a 4 bed house with a garage - how exciting would that be? But then I checked the monthly payments. That's where the excitement stopped - yes, we could move but most of my salary would cover the mortgage, just the mortgage - nothing else. If I had to stop work for whatever reason we would be stuffed. We live where we are currently with just my husband working and just about cover the rest of the outgoings every month. However, if I get back to work and stay put we could 'live' a bit more - actually have a proper holiday with the children in the summer beyond a few nights in the tent. We could run a second car again. Be happier with ourselves. Be grateful for the fact we can even afford a house however modest or compact. And my workspace? I have a solution - we have a long garden and I've thought about a little home office at the bottom!

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