2014 Making The Big Switch

The decorations are down and its the end of the year, what a year it has been

2014 the year we made the big switch, leaving behind a rural living on the outskirts of a growing city, it was nearly 30 years in the planning,

 there was many a time I became disillusioned and thought we would never get there,

We trundled on battling against the odds and 2014 was the year it happened.

The year started with the sale of one of our rental properties, at last there was hope and we could start seriously looking for a new home, we had our wish list

minimum of 5 acres

Rural location not in a village

Set well back from main roads

Smallholding / small farm

Detached

Outbuildings

Land suitable for paddocks not seriously sloping

Wooded area

3 Bedrooms

Open Fires

Solid Fuel Rayburn /Aga

We were sure the place of our dreams was out there somewhere, estate agents sent us lots of information, we went on trips and looked at potential properties nothing seemed to come close, on our last viewing trip we had 6 properties lined up, it rained all week end, again property after property I was starting to think we would have to re-evaluate what we were looking for,

 heading up the drive on the last on the list in sideways rain and wind we suddenly realised this was it, this was the place we had been looking for.

It ticked all the boxes and was in our price bracket, that was in March, we put in an offer at the same time we had an offer on our house, 

July the 4th saw us leave Milton Keynes and head out to a new life in Wales

 I never thought we would get to the end of the boxes

2014 also saw us venture into livestock 

January we took on two Alpacas that were looking for a new home 

Nick Nack and Odd Job, we have now increased our little herd to 7

With the additions of the girls.

2014 also saw us trying our hand at home reared meat for the first time 

With the addition of our 2 pigs

 we now have freezers full of home reared meat.

Five fluffy ducklings also joined us 

After a fox visit we are left with a breeding trio 

Next to come was Lambert

Then of course was Kara

It has been a big year of change for her too, retiring after 8 years of service.

2014 saw us putting up the shed

 Recycling an old greenhouse

 rebuilding and re-using the little poly tunnel

 Building the craft cabin

 putting up fences

Put in raised beds

 2014 saw the closure of my shop

2014 we have discovered new places

 2014 has seen us make new friends

2014 we learnt new skills

I want to thank every one of you for taking the time to read my blog throughout 2014, taking the time to comment and taking the time to follow our journey, it has been a great year there has been some moments of despair but I would rather end the year remembering the good things.

Reading others blogs has inspired me, they have filled the space when I am here alone, I have picked up lots of hints and tips, there have been moments of sadness and lots of laughs.

I raise a glass to everyone out there and wish you all in blog land, new friends and old lots of joy, good health, wealth and happiness and what ever troubles you have I hope they are small ones.

Its exciting to see what the new year brings.

Here's to a roller coaster ride of 2015.

Its going to be a good one.

Lang mey yer lum reek.

Mey the best ye hae iver seen be the warst ye'll iver see.

Mey the moose ne'er lea' yer girnal wi the tear drap in its ee.

Mey ye aye keep hale an herty till ye're auld eneuch tae dee.

Mey ye aye juist be sae happy as A wiss ye aye tae be.