It's been another morning of packing for me. I have nearly finished boxing up my books for the move to our new house at the end of November. At times of change, I always begin to reflect, especially when moving house. Of course the last time myself and Darrell relocated, was in January 2017, leaving the UK for Spain. That was a very different time; tension was running high, stress was in abundance and our future unknown. Today we are moving in a far more positive light, looking forward to the challenges ahead and opportunities yet to come.
Reflecting is an important part of healing; my time spent living in this house has been eventful, full of ups and downs. I have not enjoyed living here as much as I thought I would however. These four walls were never right for us in the first place. When we chose it online, we had to take pot luck in reality. Now we are more seasoned residents in Gran Alacant, we are well aware of where we should be living and the type of accommodation that suits our needs.
By the time we leave, I would have been living in this town house on the edge of a windy ravine for twenty two months. In the winter, it is cold and uninviting, unheated, damp and wet. It was never the best choice for all round occupation. As a holiday rental it would have been perfect.
Sadly I have lived in Spain far longer than Darrell; he spent seven months in Australia caring for his Mother, who was diagnosed with cancer and a brief period in the UK working, whist Darrell's status in Spain was finalised, collecting paperwork and completing the application process. Previously we had never been parted for any length of time, so this was a huge wrench for us. Today, we are finally together, legally and officially, both working and without the need to be separated, at least in the short term. Neither of us know what will happen in the future. Darrell will have to return to Australia to see his Mother at some point, as I will have to travel to Britain to see my family.
Both Precious and Lily, our much loved cats, who traveled with us to Spain, died in this house. This remains a great source of angst for us both, there are so reminders of them within these walls and a fresh start is needed to move forwards, without them. Sorting through old memories, from the UK and Spain is actually quite a therapeutic exercise, especially where our cats are concerned. Pet passports, toys, collars and locks of fur all put away in a memory box. For me it is important to have these keepsakes; I have always been afraid of forgetting, various aspects of my life, which is one of the reasons I blog in the first place. Documenting everything; leaving an important footprint behind, gives me great pleasure. Telling a story, one that could help others in their endeavours, is a kind of a vocation for me now; I've signed up for the duration, until I run out of things to say.
So, back to packing boxes it is; with just over a month to go, I want to make sure I am fully prepared for this move, one of the first I am actually looking forward to. As a Taurean, my home, security and stability are important, which in recent years, I have had very little of. This time I am hoping to gain a few of the things I lost along the way; the years wasted living in the UK. Our current house, was never meant to be our long term, forever home, just a stop over, while we explored Gran Alacant. I will be glad to see the back of it, so we can finally start living again, without the impressions of the past!
