I haven’t looked back once since
moving out of Blackberry Drive, Frampton Cotterell. I am now resident in Clifton, Bristol living
the city life.
The week leading up to the move
started slowly. A severe lack of
motivation brought on by the thoughts of leaving the family home after 13 years
and quite frankly I still had a stack of packing to do.
Once again family and friends
rallied around accelerating the packing and cleaning. By the end of the week I was ready. Everything was packed away ready for the
delivery men (who I highly recommend www.kwikmove.co.uk). Well almost everything! My memories of Caroline and the kid are
cherished and locked away in my heart. They
will be with me all the time no matter where I am.
On my final day at Frampton
Cotterell I had a last look around all the rooms wearing a wry smile remembering
some of the many great times we had. I
locked the door, posted the keys through the letterbox, then Joe and I jumped
into the car blasting my car horn all the way down the road whilst waving bye
to the neighbours.
“Adios! Onwards!”
“Goodbye Frampton!”
“Hello Clifton”.
The new home is so much better
than I remembered when viewing. An open
plan style apartment in a Georgian style house dating back to 1872. Considering I am living in Central Bristol it
is so quiet. As quiet as Frampton
Cotterell. Although the difference is
quite stark when you wander a short distant in any direction from the
doorstep. Literally 250 yards from Park
St and 150 yards from Whiteladies Road both bustling streets full of shops,
bars, restaurants and history.
Absolutely perfect for a single man who wants to live the city life. The location has not gone unnoticed by my
friends all of whom are eyeing up Joe’s room as a crash pad when he’s away. I could easily become the most popular man in
Bristol.
The move to Clifton is a big step! The past two and half of years we have been travelling
through the wilderness not knowing what challenge we would face next, living
through a period of guilt and indecision.
The priority has been to ensure that me and the kids become the people
that Caroline would have been proud of and a credit to her memory. I believe we are doing this. We move on with our heads held high. Our new
home now provides the perfect platform on which to live the rest of our lives. We
take the next step with strength and courage:
you never know what is around the corner!
Before being able to enjoy this
new lifestyle there was the little matter of dealing with unpacking the
boxes. At one point, as my worldly were
being unloaded and placed in my new living room, I began to wonder if it all would
fit. This is despite selling, donating
and chucking out so much. Thankfully
everything fitted in. Just! One of the disadvantages of an open plan
apartment is that the contents of my former living room, dining room, study and
kitchen are now all in the same room.
Nothing matches! Who cares? I love it here.
Now that I have been living in my
new surroundings for just over two weeks I feel very settled. Most of the boxes have been unpacked (or placed
into Joe’s room). However, sometimes you
have to be careful what you wish for: I
have already received a few calls “can Paul come out to play? I will have to watch my weight!!!!
Now for the next episode!
