Adjusting to a more solitary life!

Waking up on Friday morning, I was struck by how cold it was. Now when I say cold, I don't mean below freezing, which is commonplace in The UK, but it was noticeably colder than usual and really did feel like Autumn had arrived. Walking to work at 7am, with an umbrella and mac, I was reminded of my time living in Portsmouth. Thankfully, I am no longer there, but I suddenly felt down and a little depressed. It has been a long time since I last experienced a winter, well over a year, so the inclement weather is sadly a sign of things to come.

Apart from the rain, which is as rare as hens teeth here, I've had a pretty ordinary week. For me, that is a good thing; I've had enough drama in my life to last a lifetime, so anything that points to convention and routine is welcome. Even after being in Australia for six months, I am still waiting for word from my solicitor and the Department of Home Affairs about my visa. However, no news is good news and for now I am playing a waiting game, until the powers that be, decide it's time to make my status official.

For the most part, I am just getting on with life, building a new future in Australia. We are continuing to decorate the new house and make our home as comfortable as possible. Of course, there is something in the back of my mind that keeps on chipping away, warning me of what could happen, if my application for residency is rejected. This isn't a scenario that is likely to happen according to my solicitor, but it could, and that is enough to keep that worrying nature I have, alive and kicking.

I'm enjoying being a homeowner again, despite the expense involved. Darrell and I aim to pay off the mortgage in superfast time, so we are having to channel a lot of money into our monthly repayment. At the moment we don't have any problem with this, but if interest rates continue to rise unchecked, then we won't be able to keep these high payments up indefinitely. On top of paying the mortgage and bills, we do have to renovate the villa as well; this all takes money and a lot of time and resources. Thankfully, we have gone as far as we need to for now, making the place habitable. Over the next few years we will concentrate on each room in more depth - recarpet, rewire, paint and decorate; this isn't something we have time for presently, but we are constantly looking forwards, and planning just what we want to do with this place long term.

I am following events from back home in the UK closely; I may well be an expat living in Australia, but Britain will always be my home, and I am interested in the direction it takes after Brexit. The reality is, Darrell and I are settling in Perth, Western Australia, because of Britain's departure from the EU. Like most people, I had no idea that my original life plan of moving and living in Spain would be unachievable, after Brexit. Naively, I thought life would carry on very much in the same vein as it always had; how wrong was I.

Perth was never our preferred option, Spain was always our dream, and I do feel rather cheated as I rebuild in Australia. Nevertheless, we are where we are, and I have to live with the consequences of the vote to leave Europe. Western Australia is a good second option; in fact, if I think with my head, rather than my heart, it is probably the best option. I really don't think I would have a career in Spain, paying the huge wage I have here, and be a homeowner after only a few months. So the reality is, we have made the right choice at the right time.

Like most places we have lived over the years, it does have its ups and downs and despite loving my new life and home, I am mindful of the negative aspects of living in Perth. Darrell and I are very much on our own, and we have put in all the hard work ourselves, without the help of anyone. We have always been that way - very independent and able to survive without the bank of Dad, but we are also without our support network, that we had built up in Britain. We don't have friends around us, and I am finding that quite a struggle.

Our friends have always been our family, they were the ones there for us at important milestones in our life and without them, we just wouldn't have survived. Similarly, when I worked for Tesco, my colleagues were very much akin to family; they were the people who were close during an extremely stressful period, with the pandemic raging across the World. All the individuals, the great and good who have been a part of my life, in some cases as far back as the 1980s and my time at school, are suddenly not there and that is quite disconcerting.

Just before I left for Asia in September last year, I managed to spend a lot of time with friends. I was humbled by just how many people wanted to say their goodbyes, as we headed for pastures new. The emotions I felt were indescribable and made me realise just how much people cared about Darrell and me. That is why I found it particularly difficult to leave. Having said that, now I am well aware of where my future lies and luckily there is social media, which does help me stay in contact with friends and family. It is making the transition to a new life easier to deal with, but despite how successful we are, it doesn't detract from the people we left behind - I miss them every day.

It is important Darrell and I keep moving onwards and building on the foundations we have created, but we should always remember our roots, and the people who made us who we are, affording us unconditional love at traumatic crossroads in our life. I am happy to be away from the more challenging aspects of life in Britain, but I will forever be grateful, for the abundance of friends, who will always remain in the memories I carry with me, wherever I am in the World. Links to the past, through those who are important will always be there, unbroken, unrelenting and without condition. I am lucky to have been entrusted with such a wonderful collection of characters, and will continue to keep them close, as I finally settle down into a more sedate, relaxed way of life!

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