Tuesday 12 January 2010

Settling in

The snowy weather and icy conditions continue here and we have been told that more snow may be on the way today. I have been out for a walk each day, taking it very carefully, and have enjoyed it. However, I have been spending the majority of my time indoors. I do have plenty to do as I am still unpacking boxes from our move. Still? you might ask and it has been a long drawn out process but I have had a month's holiday and Christmas festivities in the meantime. I think though that I may have unpacked the last box and just have a few bits and pieces left to sort through. Also, it has been "decision time" - do we need it, love it, have we used it in the past year? Unpacking has been like pouring a quart into a pint pot!

I am not sure if I mentioned that when we moved we "downsized" from a 3 bedroomed house with a garden to a 2 bedroomed, first floor apartment overlooking the beach with views to the Quantock Hills on one side and the Welsh coast on the other. When we said what we were doing friends and relations asked "won't you miss your garden". The short answer is "no". I rarely sat in the garden and definitely won't miss working in it as it was becoming more and more of a chore, a challenge, to keep it tidy. If I do suffer "withdrawal symptoms" my daughter has a large garden and can always use help. We do have a small balcony and have put a few pots out there and will have a table and a couple of chairs there in the summer.

I will miss the wildlife, the birds and the squirrels and of course, the pond. But it wasn't a decision lightly made, we feel very relaxed here and I have seen squirrels and hedgehogs at the rear of our apartments and birds, obviously. We have had plenty to look at from our front windows. On Christmas Day the weather was beautiful and apart from folk out walking, once the tide was high there were yachts and wind surfers taking advantage of the sunny breezy day. We can see the local lifeboat launch from here and have seen it out on excercise a few times. I must add that we don't just sit staring out of our windows, life goes on as before. It's just that instead of a garden aspect we have one that entertains, doesn't need any input from us and the flower beds and containers are dealt with by the local authority. Perfect!

Here are a couple of recent shots - the first from our front windows, of the Quantock Hills



and this is a shot of a local landmark, taken from our back windows. (click on each picture for more detail)

14 comments:

Monalisa said...

With a fabulous view like that, who needs a garden...

Cezar and Léia said...

Hello dear Anne!
You have a wonderful view, I loved these shots.
Glad to know you are fine and everything is already settled.
God bless you and your new place!
hugs
Léia

joo said...

What a view Annie! I'm sure you'll love the place deeply! Packing and unpacking is a hard work:)
Hugs
Joo:)

Pam said...

Oh Anne it looks gorgeous! I would love those views and would swap them for my garden any day. Good luck unpacking and disposing on unwanteds! When we left for the USA we downsized from a two-bedroom house to 3 suitcases and it was actually quite refreshing! X

Mara said...

I've been thinking of maybe moving to an apartment, since I hate gardening. But I also hate noisy neighbours and I only have one neighbour at the moment. A neighbour I only hear when she sneezes (very loudly). I couldn't do with people on all sides.

Hope you will be done with the unpacking and sorting soon and will be able to fully enjoy the view.

DeniseinVA said...

I can see you are going to be very happy there Anne. With views like that so would I. We have friends of ours who did exactly as you three years' ago and they are very happy they made the decision. I can see we'll be making the same one in two-and-a-half years when Gregg retires.

Deb said...

beautiful view...and you didn't have to work your tail end off to get it....it was provided for you...

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful view, always something to look at from a window. I hope you will be very happy in your new home, and you will manage to get unpacked very soon!

Best wishes, CJ xx

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Monalisa - that's exactly what we thought.

Cezar and Leia - Thank you for your lovely comment, it does feel like home now.

Joo - I think you are right!

Pam - I know exactly what you mean. Very therapeutic!

Mara - we are lucky here, only 5 apartments in the block and we are the youngest!

Denise - we certainly gave it a lot of thought but are so relaxed here already.

Deb - that was part of the attraction!

CJ - Thank you for dropping in and leaving your kind message. It feels like home now all is unpacked!

Maggie May said...

You have great views. The sea is ever changing and it
I don't blame you for down grading will be seen in all its moods.
We have had more snow but I am not reckoning on going anywhere for a week or so!

Nuts in May

cheshire wife said...

Lovely photos! With views like that I could be tempted to forgo my garden.

Tammie Lee said...

You have lovely views, I hope you enjoy your new home.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I agree those views are fabulous, I wouldn't miss the garden either.

Gill in Canada

Jay said...

Wow, you do have some splendid views from your windows, don't you?

Much as I love the green countryside and a sizeable garden, I do sometimes envy those with a view of the sea.