Friday 28 March 2008

A Moving Tale

Well in more ways than one my life is a moving tale. We have been busy de-cluttering. It is a mammoth task that can only be done in dribs and drabs owing to my spouse's ill health. It is traumatic and stressful for us both. We are thinking of where and when we should next move. There is still a part of me that wishes to move back to my old home county of Surrey. In fact when I was up there in December I did have a cast around looking at various locations. I even went as far as going into a few estate agents. In one I found them busy with a painter/decorator in the middle of refurbishing their office. When he heard where I lived (he himself commuted from Stockland near Honiton), he wondered whether I was 'taking leave of my senses' to want to move back to the mad hurly burly of the south east.

By the time we had finished talking and reminiscing about Devon I felt quite homesick. I'd only been away from home for 4 days! The pull of the south east is the family network. I would enjoy being near my sister, sister-in-law and the rest of the family for emotional support when things are tough at home. But having left Surrey over 37 years ago I have a feeling that I will find it difficult to settle there.

We had an uncle who emigrated to Australia in the 1960's. After 25 years he returned to Cornwall where he did nothing but moan about how cold and wet it was and what a beautiful life was his in Australia. Then he'd return to his daughter and grandchildren in Western Australia where he couldn't wait to get back to the lush green fields of Cornwall again. So he was forever discontented and unsettled in both locations.

I wonder whether those of us who have left our home counties are forever doomed to be footloose and rootless.

8 comments:

Maggie May said...

You are thinking of moving then? Greatly traumatic. Took me a long, long time to realize that I was not a Northerner! After years & years of living here I think I finally belong! I am definitely not a northerner any more!
I guess the grass is always greener on the other side though! Maybe some people will always straggle 2 places!

Anonymous said...

Home is where you hang your heart. And even though I still live in the same general area that I've always lived in, I do know well the feeling of always wanting to be somewhere else or wishing I could be in two places at once. Very unsettling.

Casdok said...

I live in East Surrey. Its changed abit in 37 years!!

Penny Pincher said...

Yes maggie we are getting ready for a move in near future. We live on top of a hill and my husband has been told no more climbing hills - difficult to get exercise from our house without doing so. Need to look for home on the level.

I know teeni - my heart is here but I know my husband feels that this area has been 'unlucky' for him - he also needs to live somewhere less hilly and my heart is also where my family are an area which happens to be far less hilly!

I know Casdok - I regularly visit Surrey, Sussex so have kept up with many of the changes over 37 years.

Mark Wadsworth said...

It's a good question, for which everybody has a different and perfectly valid answer. For my part, I always wanted to live in London and, via living abroad, I have done for 15 years and I don't regret a bit of it. Apart from being mugged, of course.

Mopsa said...

I'm not sure that rootlessness is about external location.

merry weather said...

I often think of leaving North Surrey in exchange for more space - but then again, we're close to London and never far from shops, entertainments, kids pursuits etc here. Hmm. You do have a lovely garden there LT, but I guess you'd soon organise a new one elsewhere! Good luck!

Penny Pincher said...

Mark we also get muggers in Devon towns you know - we just don't get the policemen or CCTV etc.

I know what you mean Mopsa - I'm wondering whether it's something that creeps up on some of us in older age? Maybe because I'm beginning to find the drive to visit family - wide spread over Surrey, Suffolk n Sussex - more onerous.

Merryw - I'm sure with a young family you have so much entertainemnt on the doorstep - and if you moved to the country/coast then where could you go for school holidays??