I am back, I am here writing and it feels so good. I have missed being in this place and sharing all that I love. Well to say it has been a bit stressful is a bit of an understatement. I don’t think my life could have got more stressful the week of my big move across the country. Moving from the North to South, and around 230 miles away from family and friends. I knew it was coming the stress, I just didn’t anticipate the kind of impact it would have on me.

So the week of the move, my 6YO gets Chicken Pox. He is covered from eyes to his private parts, I don’t think there was an area of skin not covered. He was really poorly with it too. Then on Saturday my eldest who is 19 wanted to stay at our house for the night. He ventured off out to meet a friend and came back within half an hour. He was in agony. I got him in the bath and he didn’t care if I saw him naked, which was very unlike him I can tell you! So that was strange, then I got him into bed and after a couple of hours I came in to check on him and he was reeling around in agony. It was decided it was best to take him up to A&E on a Saturday night eek! Yes, that’s right sitting with drunks who had been fighting. My son didn’t get seen by a doctor until 8 am. It was decided it was most likely his appendix, which would need to be removed asap. All day we waited and then my son went down at midnight to have his operation.

It was so weird because up until that point I was so stressed. I felt I had to do most of the house move on my own. Living in a house for 13 years and then having just over 3 weeks to clear is a very tall task. Seeing my son made me realise that actually nothing mattered apart from knowing he was going to be ok. It was so upsetting to see him so ill. Thankfully his operation went ok  and the day my house was being cleared the hospital allowed him to come home. The next morning was going to be a drive, not just any drive, but a drive I have never done before which had a journey time of 5 hours. In the car was going to be my little boy still ill with Chicken Pox. My eldest in the front seat, with great care needed to make sure he was comfy. In the back my 11-year-old cat who cries just going to the vets 5 minutes down the road. I knew it was going to be a tough trip. On the way down my cat cried for 3 hours solid. Constantly stressed and crying very loudly. Even though I had paid £50 for every cat soothing spray and cream I could get my hands on. It did nothing!

At about the 3-hour mark, An old man in front stopped his car boom just like that. It seemed as though he was having a heart attack. Immediately I had to do an emergency stop with my eldest at the side of me looking extraordinarily fragile. I had no choice but to pray and hope that my son wasn’t going to have his stitches all bursting open and that we didn’t have to go to another A&E dept. We survived and thank goodness we made it to our hotel for the night on time. A quick borrow of a wheelchair I whisked my eldest to the hotel room. Straight back in the car for another 30 mins to drop the cat now completely traumatised by travelling and cars to take her to the cattery. Thankfully when I got there, the cattery was beautiful. It reminded me of Ireland, as it sat on a farm near Southwick and had the most beautiful and peaceful views. Straight back in the car to drive to Southsea to pick up the house keys to our new house.

The feeling when walking in your new home is lovely and scary all at the same time, as you’re not quite sure if your furniture will fit. It’s very exciting though and I have loved the process of making this house into a home for my family. The next day the removal men spent all day moving us in. They did an amazing job and I am grateful for all their help.

Settling in has had its ups and downs. One part being my son needed to recover and was very grumpy for most of the 2 weeks he stayed with us. He could hardly walk at all and I felt so worried about him. Probably the last 2 days he really perked up and it was lovely to see him walk to the beach finally and see the sun set over the sea. The other thing was my hubby had to work till very late every night and wknd for a while to finish a project at work, so the moving in part was on me. My 6YO hadn’t started school yet and was needing to be distracted from such a large move! plus I had a relapse in the first week settling here because that’s what happens when I get too stressed or get a virus. Especially hard because it means I couldn’t walk very well and was in a lot of pain. Oh, and did I mention I had moved to a Georgian town house with 4 floors! Yep, I don’t think my body or my mind could take on any more stress, which is why I have been so quiet on here. I honestly thought my brain was completely fried and would never have a creative element again, but here I am with a touch of enthusiasm back and I don’t want to be anywhere else!

Well, Southsea what can I say? I really had a good vibe about it only coming here twice before. Because I love independents and I love lots going on, I just thought I would fit in easier than moving to a sleepy village in Hampshire and not having so much on my doorstep. What I have found is so much more than that though. It’s a whole lifestyle change and for the better that I love. In a morning pegging out my washing I hear the seagulls in my garden and I never tire of that noise. I get to be 10 minutes from award winning cafe’s, pub’s, shops, and one of my favourites ‘The Pie and Vinyl shop’ it’s just such a good place. Everyone cycles around on cool bikes, vintage and new ones. There are some amazing bike shops in Southsea. Friday nights were always spent at home with a bottle of red, but now we always go out for dinner with my little boy. Then walk to the beach to collect pebbles. This also seconds as wearing him out so we get an extra hour in bed on a Saturday morning yay! As the sea air and the walk back just knocks him out 🙂

There is much more than that though, you literally have to walk 10 -15 minutes to be anywhere you need to be. The train station straight in to London is 10 minutes away. Gunwharf Quays is a 15-minute walk. Portsmouth is a 10-minute walk to be at the start of the city. In Southsea which is so quick on my bike 🙂 there is a Waitrose and a High Street which has a Debenhams and a John Lewis! A library on the main street, and then around the corner fantastic cafes and restaurants to eat. I have used my car 6 times since moving on the 1st June and one of those times was to travel back home to Sheffield. No one cares what car you drive here, its’ all about where you live and what bike you have. The schools are very important in Southsea and there are lots of private schools, as well as good local schools. The Southsea common is a 10-minute walk to get to. Then a further 6 minutes to look at the sea. On the common is a park, a water park, a swimming centre, a castle and a lighthouse. There is a boating lake and a skate park. There are 2 piers and it is a lovely walk to get from one end to the other. Every wknd there is always something happening, whether that be a Farmers Market or a Music Festival.

Some days I really do miss Sheffield. I just want to drop into my favourite spots and I can’t. Although I am trying to venture up there as regularly as I can. One thing that is amazing though has to be the weather! It has rained 4 times since the 31st May and we are now on the 16th July! This one good thing is so good for my health and especially my bones so I am one happy girl. I feel like I will have lots to share living on the south coast. One thing I am looking forward to is hopefully working in the big city. Building up contacts and making new friends but for now, I can live with having one friend and that’s the sea x

Featured Image by Southsea Scene