Working on the vegetable garden

Peas, mangetout, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, spinach, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, strawberries, runner beans, french and courgettes all planted.  Lets hope we are lucky and they grow!!  These are

We have chickens - first step to becoming a smallholding

Say hello to Basil, Doughnut, Noodles and Old (named by Emily)

Its been a hellish few weeks

I would love to be posting that it has been great moving into our new dream home but in truth my surgery I had on my teeth the day before our move did not heal and has caused me to be in so much pain.  I have been on a constant cycle of many pain killers which still haven't taken away all the pain.  I have cried and whimpered because the pain has been so bad I've just not known how to deal with it.  I am usually good with coping with pain but this, this is something else.  I've been told that I have dry socket and it can take up to a month to heal.  I was told to be patient - how can you be patient when you are in so much pain.  I couldn't unpack the boxes, I couldn't bare being around my kids, I was totally at the mercy of the pain.  I slept (if you call it that - dozed) upright for three weeks.  Finally I decided to stop eating because it was just too much.  At first I tried putting soup through a sieve to remove any bits!  But in the end I just lost interest in food especially when I was cooking meals for everyone else but couldn't eat them myself.  Even in the most picturesque locations cannot distract you from the pain.  A week later I was celebrating being off pain killers for 24 hours!  i had an appointment with my surgeon who confirmed it had now started to heal nicely.  I started to be able to sleep.  What a change!  I lacked energy even to walk the dog but I was nearly pain free.  I am now eating again and starting to feel a lot more positive however I have an appointment in a few weeks to have another 4 teeth removed!!  I'm making the most of my recovered self before the next surgery!!

Moving Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Its arrived.  We are finally in our new home.  From waking up this morning I did not think this would happen.  I thought something was bound to go wrong.  I wouldn't even let Mark drive the kids to school because I was scared he would crash!! Lots of other things had in the last few months.  My mouth was still very sore from have teeth removed yesterday but I was determined not to let it affect me.  We were told the completion went through mid morning.  We collected the keys from the estate agent at midday.  We drove up and went to make a slow entrance into our drive only to find the sellers removal lorry still there!!  Talk about ruin the moment lol!!  They were of the understanding that they had until 2pm to vacate.  We had assumed that because the keys were with the estate agent, that they had already left.  So off we went to have some lunch and give them some time.  Eventually when we arrived back they had gone.  Dave was on his way back from Kent and would be with us soon.  Now to explore........

Second batch of teeth removal!! Day before we move - oh dear

Had another hospital appointment today to have two more teeth removed.  One of which was a wisdom tooth that had been causing me a lot of trouble.  Unfortunately this did not go too well.  The damn wisdom tooth did not want to come out.  It was a unusual shape, had three roots and had to be snapped into several pieces to get it out.  It was a horrific experience.  The dentist joked that I might have hamster cheeks the next day - I didn't doubt her after the amount of force used to get the tooth out.  This is not particularly good as we are moving tomorrow!!!  Need to have a good night sleep and feeling good tomorrow!!!

A very long walk!

Went for a stroll that turned into about 8 miles from Llanrwst to Betws y Coed and back.  Picnic followed by ice creams by the river.  Beautiful day.

Mum and Dad came to visit...

A visit to Conwy Water Gardens and found these guys...

A day out to the Great Orme via the tram...

No gas!!

Sometimes you do wonder if things happen just to test you.  Luckily we had the septic tank emptied this afternoon so we can use the toilets but now we have run out of gas so we have not showers, hot water or gas to cook on lol!!  Luckily we have our camping stove with us so we can at least cook on a hob.  My poor parents came to visit from Kent as all this was going on!  The gas was ordered but couldn't be delivered for another 5 days (the day we move into our new house!)  We cheekily used my parents hotel room to use the shower lol. What else??  The way things are going I don't think we will be moving into our new house. I'm certainly not confident!!

No drainage!!!!

Oops the septic tank at the holiday rental has filled up meaning we can't use the toilets, showers or drain any water in the sinks!  Not good especially as we are getting close to our moving date so time is dragging and we are desperate to move in.  Its difficult as it is for all 5 of us and the dog to live in the house on a long term basis and we have spent long enough trying to juggle around the place.

A trip to Newborough, Isle of Anglesey

A visit to the beautiful Newborough Forest and down to Llanddwyn Beach.  Love this place!

Lamb after just been born!!

Had a nice walk along river

Teeth extraction eek!!

I have a fear of dentists but today I went to hospital to have two teeth extracted.  The surgeon was so nice that I was able to trust her and it went fairly well.

Some lovely views on my dog walk

Kids bike ride around Llyn Brenig

Adults and dog had to walk!

Sunny Llandudno - beautiful day x

Finally safe to celebrate!

With the house sold and the exchange taken place on the purchase, we felt it was safe to celebrate. We went to the local award winning Indian in Llanrwst - delish!

What a couple of weeks but it has turned out ok in the end!!!

Well I don't really know where to start.  I've mentioned in an earlier posts that over two weeks ago we were told we were exchanging contracts on the sale of our house and also on our purchase and had a agreed completion date of 7th April.  That didn't happen!!  There are five of us in the chain, we were told that we were already to exchange but it turned out the lady at the bottom of the chain decided to change her mortgage at the last minute and the offer letter had not been received.  Everyday for the next week, we were led to believe that we would exchange.  Each day came and went without any change.  Then we were given an ultimatum by the chain above us.  If we didn't exchange contracts by 31st March then they could not move on 7th April because it was not enough time.  This was fair enough as like us, they were moving some distance away and the removers would need more than one day. This constantly waiting for a phonecall and the disappointment at the end of each day was causing us so much stress that it was making us ill.  Mark and I even started shouting at each other, it all just got too much.  However on 31st March the ladies mortgage offer was still not in place and she was on her way back from holiday (god I wish I could have had a holiday!!) our hearts dropped as we absorbed the consequences.  Still we decided to travel down to Kent to pack up our house as the bottom of the chain were still agreed to complete on the Friday as planned.  The week of the planned moved commenced and again each day we waited for the call to say we were exchanging and each day we were disappointed.  We were so worried that it was going to fall through, that we could be back to square one, our house may need to go back on the market yet we were packing everything up.  Wednesday morning we were advised that the lady at the bottom of the chain was pleased to announce that she was ready to exchange and still complete on Friday!!! Well thank you very much, she's mucked up the chain above but that didn't matter to her, not only that she was still expecting us to complete on Friday.  By then we had lost our Friday booking with the removers which meant we had to ask them at short notice if they could collect our stuff the next day.  Thankfully they could, however yet again we did not exchange contracts that day!  We were told that they would exchange tomorrow (thursday) and complete the following day! (Notice how I like using the exclamation mark lol).  We felt we'd taken a risk getting the removers in prior to exchange and I couldn't get a niggle out of my mind.  I couldn't trust the bottom of the chain and kept thinking she would drop the agreed offer on the property at the bottom and cause everyone above to panic.  Fortunately the panic was over by 9.30am on Thursday we exchanged contracts but only on our sale and we completed on Friday.  By early hours on Friday morning we were on way back to North Wales, exhausted but extremely relieved.  It is unbelievable how the stress was literally wiped away.  We were smiling again and dreaming.  The worst was over.

We were now ready for the next part of our journey to exchange contracts on our purchase.  To our surprise this went fairly well.  We thought that we would need to negotiate a completion date because the one put forward originally was 12th May - about 5 weeks away.  We couldn't stand living out of suitcases and plastic bags for much longer.  We have no tv or washing machine and generally felt unsettled.  We have been doing this for over 6 months now and we just needed it to end soon.  However the people we are purchasing from agreed to move out early by putting their stuff into storage and taking a holiday, similar to what we are doing but we are not on holiday.  Our completion date has now been arranged for 26th April, a little longer away than originally wanted but we were glad they were willing to compromise from the original date.  Now just to wait a few more weeks......

We have moved once again

Because of a previous booking, we have had to move out of the holiday let we have been in for the last couple of months. This would be the fifth time we have moved and doesn't include going back to Kent a couple of times.  I hate moving and the fact that we do not have a permanent home.  Its hard work.  We have moved into a station house right next to the station.  A lovely lady has let us use her home for a couple of weeks whilst we wait for our house to complete.  Although it is a nice cosy home, I'd prefer that we are not here for long!  I so long to be in our new home and want to settle.  We have been here 6 months now although it feels longer.

We have had a very stressful few days and we really need relief from it.  I'm finding it more and more difficult to hold things together.  I even broke down in tears in front of my employer today, only a little but how embarrassing!  It was just a build up of months and months of worry and it needed a way out. We are waiting for the news to say that we have exchanged on our house sale and purchase.  It feels like it is taking ages.  Every day is painful, another day gone then another!!

Mothers day

Spent a lovely sunny morning walking around shops in Betws-y-Coed and a coffee to finish.  The back to our holiday let to sit in the garden and eat our bakery bought oggies.

I've also started packing today.  We are having to move out of this holiday let and into another.  I am grateful that I haven't done it for a while but this will be 5th or 6th time and I was hoping to avoid having to move again.  Now its not the case of just a few bags.  We have gradually accumulated more stuff over the last 3 months of living here.  Additionally its having to clean the place top to bottom (fair enough we have been here 3 months but the previous lets have been a few weeks at a time) and cleaning the ovens and fridges etc. I keep thinking though its a means to an end.  Keep our fingers crossed for progress next week!

A glorious spring day in North Wales - The Great Orme

Wow it has been a fabulously sunny day today.  We decided to take a trip up to the Great Orme.  Couldn't have picked a better day.  Hardly a cloud in the sky giving us fantastic views.  This has been a great pick me up for all of us.  Just what we needed and reminds us why we are going to some much trouble to move here.

Not going to plan

Today is beautiful.  The sun is warm the sky is bright blue and free from clouds.  I'm so glad it is as when we were told that we were not going to exchange contracts today, we quickly hit the ground with a thump!! Its amazing how it affects you.  We had already had a bad night sleep and were already on tender hooks waiting for the news to say that we have exchanged, then the bad news came and I just lost the ability to move or talk.  Just had to sit there and take it all in.  Ordinarily you can think we'll just exchange Monday but we have been told that the people at the bottom of the chain are not just a couple of days not ready but at least a week!!  Then we have the people at the top of the chain threatening to pull out if they don't complete on a certain date.  This could all go to pot, we could lose everything!!

I navigated my way home in the car with a horrible headache. I grabbed the dog and Dave and I went out for a walk to clear our heads.  We went to my favourite thinking spot.  I'm drawn to it when I need to put things into prospective.  How can you not when you have a view like this:

This picture wasn't from today but is still breath taking.

I come away thinking we will see what next week brings.  There is no point worrying over what might be.  We will have to deal with what is thrown at us and just hope for the best.  There is still a good chance that this might still go through ok.  Please let it be ok.

Went to see our house

It was a beautiful sunny spring like morning! What a perfect day to see the house we are buying.  Until this point we had not allowed ourselves to get excited in the fear that it all may well fall through to the point I had wondered whether we actually 'loved' the house or not.  We hadn't see it since November so it was a vague memory and felt unexplored.  Today, with only weeks to go until we complete, I found myself standing there taking it all in, asking myself 'is it ok to start getting excited?  Is it safe?'.  Seeing it on a warm sunny day bought the best out of the house and garden.  Your mind starts to wonder to days when we will be sitting or pottering around in the garden, picking fruits of the numerous amounts of trees!  Oh I so want to get excited!!

Half term - Off for a tree top adventure

It had been a pretty poor half term for the kids in terms of weather especially with storm Doris only hitting yesterday.  This morning I had discovered a little pocket of dry weather to take the kids out to Zip World in Betws to go on the Treetop nets.  2 hours of fun, 2 hours of peace and quiet I thought!  40 minutes! That's how long they could last before coming back to moan at me that they were bored and that one was hitting the other with the inflated balls.  They wanted to go home but I insisted they went back on to get my monies worth.  Another half an hour went by.  Off they came again. Too be honest it was exhausting for anyone on the nets.  They were like trampolines so every step required a lot of effort.  I treated them to a hot chocolate, with marshmallows and cream of course!  I then convinced them to go on again for the last half an hour.  As usual a bit of food = energy.  By 12o'clock I was trying to find them to drag them off!  They still insisted that they found it boring but secretly I think they enjoyed it!