I've got so much to tell you...

Well it has been 10 months since I managed to write anything on this poor, neglected blog of mine but I do have a good reason.  A very good reason.

And here she is.

Allow me to introduce Kitty Anne Elliman, born 11th June.

I found out I was pregnant shortly after my last post, then work went into silly season and I was trying to keep up, along with trying to keep my news secret. Then came Christmas and then our 20 week scan and then everything changed.

I will write a separate post about what happened and our journey, but the good news is that it has a happy ending. 

I also promise to start writing more regularly and not to abandon you for so long again!

Since we last met...

Blimey, has it really been three months since I last wrote anything?  That really is utterly hopeless but goodness me I have been busy.  There has been lots of getting used to our new home, exploring the countryside around us, lots more DIY, a new boiler...the list goes on.

Life nowadays is rather different to our Twickenham existence in almost every way.  The house itself couldn't be more different and it has taken us quite some time to settle in.  For a long while we only lived in 3 rooms, we had about maybe a fifth of the furniture we needed and most days we would look at each other thinking what have we done?!  I now commute to work, our friends are an hour away, I can't hop on a train to London without considerable planning and the most exciting restaurant within 10 miles is Pizza Express!

All that said I am certain that we made the right choice and I love our new life.  We can walk into amazing countryside from our front door, we have an incredible farm shop on our doorstep, and we have space, more space than we really need but who's counting! The best change has been being able to have friends and family to stay and having the room to relax and enjoy without tripping over each other and playing musical chairs every two minutes!

I've got lots to show you, room updates, DIY projects, country walks and I will.  I promise.  In the meantime I'll leave you with a picture of my favourite little man because I know you'll have missed him!

Home, sweet home...

Well, we've done it!  The husband and I have bought our new home together. Nearly a whole year after selling our flat and rather a lot of house hunting later we are the proud owners of our very own Hampshire residence.

There is rather a lot to do and it is all a bit scary but I can't wait to get started.

Home, Temporary Home...

This weekend we took up residence in our temporary home for the next few months.  We are now in our Twickenham stop-gap until we make our next and more permanent move.

I was sad to leave our little flat in the end.  It has been a good home to us for the last few years and has some very happy memories.  But, onwards and upwards.  We have upgraded to a little Victorian cottage and will have rather more space than we are used to.  We've just moved our existing furniture in and so far it is looking pretty good.  Once we've spent a few weeks actually living here we'll know if we actually need anything else and then fill in from there.  As this is just home for the short term I don't want to buy too much or spend too much on items that we won't want to take to our next house.

For now I am looking froward to having stairs again and to exploring our new area - even if it is only a mile up the road!

(Estate agent's photos)

Sold...

Today is a very exciting day.  After rather a lot of too-ing and fro-ing with solicitors we finally exchanged contracts and I can begin to believe that our flat is sold!

Today marks the start in the next stage of our plans and I am beyond excited. Well once I find somewhere to move into I will be beyond excited.  Until then I will be packing and calling estate agents.  But after that there will be much excitement!

P.S.  That picture isn't of my flat unfortunately.  If it were I suspect I wouldn't be so excited to leave.
Did I mention that I am excited?!

Sorry...

It has been an absolute age since my last post and I can only apologise.  There are reasons; I have been super busy at work, I have been travelling again for work and I am rather down in the dumps.

First things first:  work.  My show season is approaching and the office is pretty busy right now.  I have an event in Glasgow in three weeks and then another two before the end of November.  I find work at this time of year all consuming and struggle to think about anything else.  The only silver lining is that I love the shows I work on and it is amazing to see them come together.

In preparation for the shows I have been out and about to various meetings.  This week I flew to Glasgow for the day to taste the menu we will be serving at the MasterChef Restaurant we are running at our show.  The food was super yummy and I totally recommend lunch there and a day at the show for anyone who is nearby!  BBC Good Food Scotland at the SECC 21-23rd October if you are interested?!

So, onto feeling blue.  I am usually a positive person, very much a glass half full kind of girl but lately I have been out of sorts.  You see the thing is the husband and I have a plan, and step one of our plan is selling the flat we live in.  We've tidied and cleaned and de-cluttered and had some lovely photos taken and we've had lots of viewings.  But no second viewings and no offers yet.  It has only been two weeks but it has really affected me, much more than I thought.  I love our home and am disheartened that no one else has loved it enough yet.  And we can't move onto step two of our plan until this one is out of the way.

I have my lovely friend from Madrid staying this weekend and we have lots of nice things planned.  I am hoping that this will cheer me along and that normal service will resume shortly.

In the meantime I shall leave you with a photo of Bingo.  He always cheers me up!