Thursday 31 December 2015

It's Almost Over


Well this is it ... 2015 is almost over.  

I usually do an in-depth review of the year on this blog, but I can't bring myself to do it this year.  It started off so badly losing Charley, the building work that started in March and only finished a couple of weeks ago got me down to such a degree I fell completely and utterly out of love with our house and it's land.  I feel as though I somehow have to rebuild a relationship with it, the polytunnel helps and soon I will be out there planting again and setting in motion our food plans for the coming twelve months.

The house has continued to let us down during the wet weather and we obviously need more work done before we can paint the exterior and finally call a day on the renovations.  Two years of decorating, building, waiting for things to be done and planning complications that are now ongoing again,  as we have found out that the previous owners never got building regulations approval for the work they did to the house, after another inspection, due soon, we are hoping we will get approval for their work .... we already have it for ours.

So as you might have gathered I am feeling almost as gloomy as the photo above which was taken at lunch time.  

Yes, we have sheep back in our field on this wet and gloomy New Years Eve ... it would be wrong not to .... the farmers round here have lost large swathes of their land to the constant rain and flooding, any higher, dryer and lush grass is desperately needed to feed last years lambs and this years pregnant ewes.  

We have 14 of last years lambs grazing the field.  They are a nervous but self contained lot, on their own for the first without mature ewes to show them the ropes in our field, but they belong to a good farmer and he treats his sheep well, and they know to watch, learn and trust.  We are getting them used to the routine of us walking the dogs around the paddock, which we do at least twice a day.

  They are learning that if they stay together and move ahead of us and then position themselves in one of the top corners the dogs will never go within twenty feet of them and they can relax.  Although as usual Suky is desperate to be one of them, she stands staring and copying as if to say 'let me join you I can eat grass too', their look of disdainment at this strange little creature copying their every move is laughably funny.

So there is lightness in our damp, soggy days, funny moments that we grasp at and that hopefully that will lead us into the New Year with a smile on our faces.  We need to enter this New Year with renewed enthusiasm for there is a lot for for us to accomplish in this coming year.  It's time for us to reign in the spending on all but the most important of things and to prepare even more thoroughly for the day when our only income will be what we can grow and produce on our land.

As usual then there are exciting times ahead, and it will be lovely to share these with you as we continue Our New Life in the Country, and we would both like to wish all the very best for this coming year to all our family, friends, fellow bloggers,  followers and readers.

Thank you for being there.

Sue and Lovely Hubby xx


41 comments:

  1. It's not easy to stay positive when everything seems to go against you is it but hang in there spring will come and problems will be solved and you'll look back on all this and wonder why you worried so. Here's wishing you all the best for 2016.

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  2. I find it so interesting reading about Your life in the country,since I've been a city"girl" My whole life.I'm sure I romanticize it a little too much-just a dream of Mine. I'm sorry Your down and feeling blue but so glad to know in life,for most of Us, these moods pass.I wish You joy in this New Year.Sometime this Morning I plan to write a New Year post-please do drop by for a visit.Denise

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  3. Sue
    I'm praying you have a much happier and blessed 2016. I love reading of your life in the UK and even with our down and sad times you just can't beat country life!! Happy New Year!
    Rita

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  4. Thinking of you and wishing you all the very best for 2016.
    With love from me and George x

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    1. Thank you Sarah, and all the best to you and George too. Thinking of him makes me remember Sophie, happy times :-)

      All the best for 2016 to you both. xx

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  5. Here's hoping you have a happy and healthy 2016!
    Very best wishes
    Rose H
    xx

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  6. I have discovered your blog just recently, and I love everything about it - from the carrots that you harvest to the gifts that you drop off at the charity shop. Seemingly never ending renovations and gloomy weather can get one down. A little sun on the skin can be so uplifting. There is nothing to do but put one foot in front of the other. I with you and your family all the best for 2016 and I am looking forward to many interesting posts to come!!!!!

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  7. I love reading your blog and hope 2016 is kind!!! Sarah

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  8. I always look forward to reading your blog and I really hope that everything gets back on track for you next year. All the best for 2016.

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  9. I always enjoy reading your blog, and hope you soon rediscover the joys of living where you do. I can imagine the ongoing building and landscaping works lasting so long have almost taken away the feeling of it being your place, but hopefully that is over now and you can take it over for your own home, and a good place to be for a long time to come. Happy New Year!

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  10. Wishing you all the best for a brighter and very happy new year-x-

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  11. I enjoy reading your blog, but seldom comment. I hope you feel more positive soon: I can imagine things are a little depressing at the moment, but the sun will shine again soon. God bless. Wishing you a peaceful and contented 2016

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  12. Thanks for sharing your life with us! Really love reading about the dogs and Ginger. Happy New Year!! All the best to you and your husband as the adventure continues. Judy

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  13. Im looking forward to you sweeping the board at the 2016 flower show
    Happy New year old bean , hoping 2016 will be a cracker xxxxxxx
    My friend

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    1. Thanks John, I've never been called a 'bean' before ... although less of the 'old' .... cheeky ;-)

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  14. Same views held by us, have a good New Year.

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  15. Happy new year to you and hubby x

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  16. Yes 2015 has been a mixed bag for us too and I am certainly looking forward to seeing the back of it! Happy New Year to you both and of course the ménagerie! :)

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  17. Happy new year, Sue & LH! Here's hoping 2016 will be better & brighter.

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  18. Happy New Year to you all! So much happened for me in the past year, I married right at the close of 2014 and celebrated a BIG birthday right at the beginning of 2015. I graduated with a first in the summer after returning to study after a break of almost thirty years and welcomed a lovely grandchild. I astounded myself by landing a full-time job I enjoy very much and a place to study as a post-graduate in the autumn. As I look forward to celebrating another birthday tomorrow I am just thankful that after serious illness several years ago I'm still here to enjoy the good times and have the strength to endure the bad. Wishing everyone health and peace in 2016!

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  19. Hi Sue, will you be blogging about opening the sealed pot challenge for 2015? Lesley

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    1. Tomorrow over on 'A Year Without .....' http://ayearwithoutclothesbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

      I may put it on here too the day after :-)

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  20. A very Happy New Year to you and yours. I hope your dreams about the house come true this year.
    xx

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  21. Happy New Year Suee, raising a glass (or two..or three...)to you and your hubby :)

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  22. Best of luck with the inspection and remaining renovations and a healthy New Year to you all.

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  23. I am still new here so I haven't been with you the entire year, but you seem a tough cookie and one that marches on. Wishing you a healthy and happy, 2016.

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  24. Happy New Year! I hope that 2016 will be a good year for you and bring good things your way - and only good things! xx

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  25. Wishing you a Happy New Year. I started reading your blog this year and thoroughly enjoy it as from the comments, so do many others. Love the pictures of your poly tunnel through the year and all your animals and birds. I really like your header picture of the new gates etc its nice to see the finished results. I hope everything gets sorted soon

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  26. We had building work going on for just 6 months and that was plenty long enough so I expect you will be really glad to get the place finished and back to yourself again. I hope there are no more problems with the planning permissions and all your plans for living off the holding go well. We would have loved to have done it for longer than the 3 years we managed but never mind.
    Happy New year

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  27. Happy New year, Sue and lovely hubby, and the doggies, especially my bestest favourite, Mavis.

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  28. Here's hoping 2016 brings you a finished, working, beautiful house and all of the things you hope for x

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  29. Hi Sue. I discovered your blog early this year and have enjoyed joining you, Lovely Hubby and the dogs in your exploits. Have a wonderful 2016. I'm sure it will be bigger and better than ever.

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  30. Happy New Year to you all..especially Mavis(the girls love her to pieces)..next year will be filled with many blessings for you all.
    love
    sara,fern,iris

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  31. I too, have only recently discovered your blog and enjoy reading and sharing your life in the country.I can imagine the difficulties endured during your renovations taking one step forward and two steps back....it can be very stressful. The sun will shine again soon and those small steps are leading to a positive conclusion. Wishing you a peaceful and happy new year...Heather in Victoria, Australia.

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  32. Happy New Year. May 2016 bring you everything you wish for. A great blog and one of my favourites.

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  33. You have been doing a lot of work and it seems slow to you, but you have achieved a lot. Happy New Year.

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  34. I'm sorry you feel discouraged by the work on your house/holding. I have been envious of how much you have achieved! You have done so much and your views are wonderful.( We are 35 years in here on our holding and there are still things to do!)
    Hope 2016 is all you want it to be. I know we shouldn't have favourites but special love to Mavis.
    Gill

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  35. Hi Sue, I hope you can find your enthusiasm for your small holding again. It must be discouraging at times to keep running into problems. Hopefully it will all work out in the end and you will realize the dreams you have for your special place in Wales.

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  36. New year new beginnings. I hope you manage to overcome those feelings, I understand just how you feel. We had rain pour into the house 10 weeks after it was freshly plastered due to the lack of mortar and porous brick work. January 2014 was the wettest in years and we had to wait 3 months before we could get outside to mend anything. The repairs worked and it became home once again.

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  37. Hi Sue I've just found your site. I just wanted to say that we have had 4 years of 'doing' our old cottage. SInce we moved in, we've needed a complete kitchen (including floor being dug up and roof off!) - builders, dust, dust dust. Lived in the dining room cooking on top of the tumble dryer for a year, only water was in the bathroom! Then the bathroom needed complete alteration for it to work - all done by my husband and myself. The whole of the rest of the (small) cottage needed redecoration (F & B expert now!) and most of our furniture from our previous house didn't fit, so..... The garden required digging up and re starting, including taking down a rotting shed (only storage outside) and husband building a new one, a year with no storage outside at all. BUT - we are virtually there and it DOES get better. I too fell 'out of love' with our longed-for cottage but as it has emerged into our home instead of a messy building site, I have grown to love it again and, like childbirth, the pain, dirt and disruption gradually fade with time and the here and now take over. So go and enjoy your land and your home. You are so lucky to have the space! Spring is around the corner and all will be well.

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