settling in...

I've been meaning to post a few glimpses of where I'm calling home for the time being; most of these photos were taken a while ago but somehow I just haven't managed to get myself organised to put them on here.

So, having been here 7 weeks now, seems about time! There is a slightly strange feeling of impermanence about renting - I have a minimum tenancy of 6 months and think its very likely that I will stay longer but I am conscious that its probably not a long term arrangement. There are pros and cons to this I've decided; on the one hand I have to live with the ill fitting doors and dodgy light fittings but on the other, I didn't have to pay for the chimney to be rebuilt!!!

Considering the array of places I looked at, I'm pretty happy with where I have ended up. I have a reasonable sized kitchen for an old Victorian city terrace...

...plus an additional utility room area, which is a bonus. And I have space for a table and chairs in one room and living room at the front of the house - believe me, some of the places I looked at were SO small! At 45, I am definitely too old to have to eat every meal on my knees!!! (nothing wrong with the occasional 'sofa' tea, but I definitely prefer to sit at a table - call me old fashioned...)

There are plenty of shelves and wonky cupboards...

...so much so, that I can collect more books, and random bits and pieces (with no one to say 'why have you bought that toot?!'). An Indian friend gave me two lengths of sari fabric, one made a pair of curtains for this room, the other in the front room (no photos of them yet). They are such lovely fabrics and although this pair are unlined and more decorative than anything, I am really pleased with them - they just made the room feel a bit cosier somehow. 

I have just a little piece of garden...

Its a very long way from the garden I have left behind, with its views across open fields - and when I popped back last weekend, there is the biggest patch of snowdrops yet and lots of daffodils springing up - definite pangs there :-(

However, I have space to hang my washing outside when the weather is nice enough and I am quite enjoying seeing what is popping up in this little outside space.

This bed seems to be a favourite with the local moggies - haven't actually seen the offender yet but they seem to have managed to unearth a load of bulbs and left 'presents'! Grr...may have to find a way of putting them off!!

There seemed to be a few gaps this side, so I planted a tray of wallflowers I picked up in the reduced bit of the DIY store. They looked a bit tatty when I bought them, but soon picked up with their roots in the ground and I'm hoping they'll more than pay for themselves with colour and scent later in the year. There seem to be a few bulbs popping up and I've added a few more - snowdrops and crocuses (I may have to stay another year to see the benefit from those!) - and this is the bed, that has a confused rose in it. Don't know if you can see it if you look carefully in the middle - at this point it was in full leaf and had a bud. Now it has an open flower, which is going a bit brown round the edges with the frosty mornings!

I found I was really missing my fresh herbs, so I have put a couple of pots in this space by the back door - rosemary and thyme are the ones I can't do without. Later in the year I will probably add marjoram and/or oregano, parsley, chives and maybe some mint.

I am really enjoying flowers. Nearly every week I have picked up a very cheap bunch of something bright - either late in the day from the market or the supermarket.

This week I have bright yellow tulips in this vase on the table, daffodils in the front room and gerberas in the kitchen and bathroom! Lush! And whilst I wouldn't recommend drafty old windows and doors at this time of year, the flowers seem to last longer!

And I do love being just a short walk from the city centre...

One morning I walked into town early, when there was just such a lovely golden light across the rooftops. It doesn't feel as though there has been much blue sky just lately but that morning it was enough to brighten anyone's day...

The Roman Catholic cathedral was almost glowing...

And although I'd beaten most of the market traders that morning, the colours of the stalls seemed particularly cheerful...

Looking back through these photos has reminded me of some of the positives of this life change - of course, there are things I miss (and people I miss, goes without saying!) but I am able to live independantly for probably the first time really. And, you know what? Most of the time it's ok...

On a completely separate tack, and for those blogspot experts out there - I have a question! I tried to change my header tonight and it says I have exceeded my photo limit. Didn't realise there was one and don't quite know what to do about it (and holding my breath that all these pictures upload...). Has anyone come across this and do you know how to fix it?

Thanks!

Til next time then

Sx