More goodbyes
Just after our daughter left home for university, our son found work away from home, so he moved to Wells last weekend. It's a lovely small city (the smallest city in England) which is only 25 miles from Bristol, but that's just too far to commute daily on the slow traffic-filled routes between there and here. Saying goodbye was a strain, as he had to find digs quickly in order to start work as soon as possible, so he is lodging with an oldish single man. It's not what we wanted, but Wells is a small town, and needs must. It's not a long term decision, as we hope he finds somewhere more convivial soon. But until then, at least he has a decent room and access to an acceptable kitchen and living rooms.
Moonface and I have had a short break in the North, but next week we will be a couple, living by ourselves for the first time in more than twenty-five years. It's quite a frightening prospect: there will be just two of us rattling around in this huge house. The dynamics of living here will be changed, and I foresee that we will change the way we live to match the way we did so before children. I can't imagine that we will take lodgers again, although it worked fine when we were in our twenties.
Acquiring lodgers was accidental, and easy. When we moved house from Ash Road to here, one of our next-door-neighbour's friends asked if she could stay a while, as she had just been thrown out of home by her father. So, one day after we moved, she did. Then her boyfriend more-or-less moved in, too. She later told us that she was pregnant, which was why her Catholic father played the Victorian paterfamilias so sternly. And since we had one person living with us [or one, one half, and a foetus] and three more rooms to spare, we advertised for and found two more. With changes of people and circumstances, living with lodgers lasted for five full years, until just before Moonface gave birth to Tom.
Now, living here with just the two of us is going to feel strange. It's hard enough when I am working in my garret with the others scattered throughout the house, but their psychic presence helps. On our own, it will be harder.
:-/
Moonface and I have had a short break in the North, but next week we will be a couple, living by ourselves for the first time in more than twenty-five years. It's quite a frightening prospect: there will be just two of us rattling around in this huge house. The dynamics of living here will be changed, and I foresee that we will change the way we live to match the way we did so before children. I can't imagine that we will take lodgers again, although it worked fine when we were in our twenties.
Acquiring lodgers was accidental, and easy. When we moved house from Ash Road to here, one of our next-door-neighbour's friends asked if she could stay a while, as she had just been thrown out of home by her father. So, one day after we moved, she did. Then her boyfriend more-or-less moved in, too. She later told us that she was pregnant, which was why her Catholic father played the Victorian paterfamilias so sternly. And since we had one person living with us [or one, one half, and a foetus] and three more rooms to spare, we advertised for and found two more. With changes of people and circumstances, living with lodgers lasted for five full years, until just before Moonface gave birth to Tom.
Now, living here with just the two of us is going to feel strange. It's hard enough when I am working in my garret with the others scattered throughout the house, but their psychic presence helps. On our own, it will be harder.
:-/
posted by Moses at
1:39 pm
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