Category Archives: General

We’ve moved house!

Toby writing this blog post

Toby writing this blog post

I’m sitting here on our new patio in the shade, the sun is shining, and finally I have been able to catch a breather… for a little while at least.

This post is a somewhat belated update. We moved back in January and have been in our new home in Terrington St Clement for 6 months. It has been a rollercoaster. We’ve finally had some electrical work completed ensuring our ~60 yr old chalet bungalow won’t spontaneously combust or electrecute someone (slight exageration).

The workshop (all 25ft of it, including inspection pit) is and was the selling point (for me at least) as well as garden with lawns worthy of a ride on mower. We managed to secure a couple of mowers with the sale, both in varying degrees of disrepair, but at the moment functioning. We’ve finally got space and a detatched property. I can play Slayer at midnight (only attempted once so far, but why not!) and can play the surround sound for films loudly without disturbing anyone. We’re in a cul-de-sac far enough away from main roads for our two cats and have friendly neighbours.

Frontage

Frontage

I wouldn’t recommend moving in January into an older property. We soon misjudged how much heating oil we were quite literally going to burn through to keep an older home heated. We had our front door and patio doors replaced with double glazing as a matter of urgency, for both security and heating purposes, but 90% of the others either need replacing or are still single glazed… so this is a priority.

As always my lovely wife has kept me on the straight and narrow, and my parents have been a tremendous help in clearing the garden. We’ve now got a garden incinerator bin and a garden waste bin, and the works continue.

In the house, much DIY works continue and I’m nearing completion of updating security features including CCTV and outside lighting.

Front and garden

Front and garden

I’ve been able to get out and about in the Mazda and my other German motorcar will soon be returning and have a warm place to live.

 

 

 

 

I should also add that both me and my wife have been able to move to Norfolk thanks to being able to work from home! If you have the opportunity to move out somewhere where there’s less hustle and bustle, and a more relaxed pace of life, then I would highly recommend it.

A quick look to 2024!

The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Bob Dylan

I’ve lived in Northampton for 9 years, and I’m currently in the process of boxing up our house. It’s a weird feeling. Lots of people have moved multiple times. There are items I’m clearing out that I hadn’t cleared out when moving from my parents in 2014. But on the grand scheme of things, haven’t hoarded too many items.

My wife has a big collection of books, that and clothes and shoes, seems to make up the majority of items we’re in the process of boxing up.

I have already moved one car, the Porsche is being worked on, and I’m going to start organsing the rented garage ready for boxing. We have all but cleared the loft already.

I’ve nearly lived 1/3 of my life in Northampton and my wife has known no different so moving away from here will feel strange.

A lot has happened in the past years, both good and bad… but ultimately we have outgrown our current home and I need a bigger space to work on my cars, which I’ll be getting.

The biggest change will be for my wife. I’m lucky, that I can work from home. She will also be continuing with her current job, but traveling back to collect work material, so she can continue to make shoes.

Our cats will also need to adjust to a new house, but they will be pleased to be getting a much larger garden, I’m sure.

To everyone, hopefully the New Year will be productive and rewarding!

An Inspirational Journey

I’ve been quiet on here. I’ve been busy. We’re currenly in the process of selling our house and that’s a whole different level of stress… I don’t tend to deal too well with matters out of my control. Most of the factors there including Estate Agents, Solicitors, and other 3rd parties are out of our control.

I came across a recent video posted by Moog from Mighty Car Mods on their second YouTube channel covering his journey to compete in a CrossFit competition, having never done any serious exercise for decades (he’s now in his mid 40s). It’s a great documentary film, and should inspire many to get up and experience the outdoors.

I’ve exercised on/off for many years as it’s a good way to destress, and the exercise I do at home (5BX variation) is something that can be done anywhere, at no cost, without a massive amount of time required on a daily basis.

Following my cancer diagnosis and treatment 3 yrs ago, I needed to learn to walk again, but it was the determination (and requirement) to exercise and get strong again kept me going and focused.  I still needed to seek therapy following that exerience, but the exercise and determination to get back doing the hobbies I enjoyed previously kept me on the straight and narrow.

I should add that it was MCM that led me down the slippery slope to turbocharge my MX5, before it was really popular here in the UK. I’ve still got that car, and following 8 months of chemo, all I wanted to do was to get that completed and running properly, which I now have. It kept me driven.

Enjoy the film, and thanks Moog.