Down-sizing

Well I have been here over two months now and felt at home from the start. I have been planning this for over two years and can hardly believe it has happened at last. So how did it start?

In September 2010 my son and his first wife moved to this housing association flat as soon as it was built. I loved it from the start. Well a lot happened in the last ten years and now son has been with his partner for 6 years. 3 and a half years ago they married and they have a two year old daughter so the one bedroom flat became rather cramped.

My three bedroom council house with a large garden just became too much with my own health not being good for the last couple of years and DB too disabled to help and needing help himself. So a plan formed of finding a family in a two bedroom house to do a three way swap. Our council will not let you move to a property that has more bedrooms than you need. I could stay in my large house for the rest of my life but once I left it had to be one bedroom which suits me.

The plan was held up while DD sold her house and with furniture and dogs moved in with me while she looked for somewhere she could afford. It took longer than she planned but finally last July she moved into her home and we could look for a suitable property for son's family.  That didn't take long as so many people wanted a bigger house in our area. Also as I had lovely neighbours I wanted to find a nice family to be their new neighbours. Anyway we found them and after all the forms and inspections etc we finally moved in November.

I can't believe how smoothly it all went. At ten to eight in the morning two men and a van arrived to load my much depleted belongings. Before ten we arrived at my new home. DS and DDil were loaded and ready to go so they drove round to their new home. The people there had a little delay with their van but were nearly ready so then they were off to my old home.

I am about 6 minutes walk from my old home so less work than when we moved there over 31 years ago from a village about 40 miles away. I am a bit nearer to the town and Sainsburys and also the town park which is a couple of minutes away. The river is just as close so here are a few pictures of my walk by the river the other day.

I don't have a garden but am on the ground floor with doors out to my patio so am happy with that and having so much green space nearby without all the work.  Once I get the patio how I want it I will take more photos.