I'm a manager now at TVW, with my own team of people. I no longer live in Folkestone. Jim and I have a hot tub. Things are getting very domestic (in the good way not the boring way). It is very odd.
My promotion remains a little over wealming 5 months on. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually but sheesh there is a lot to do!
Moving from Folkestone was not as painful as I thought. Folkestone is not only my place of work and the place I grew up. It is the "literal" place of my dreams. My whole life my dreams have always dwelt on the places around Folkestone I know best. Moving away again and having to return to commuting was a daunting, but necessary, prospect. But it has not only be less painful that I imagined but it has been pretty damn awesome. Eastry is a beautiful place. Seeing birds and animals I've not seen in years (and in the case of the green woodpeckers who are besotted by the ants in our garden, I've never seen!), being able to take nice long walks with Ayden and just having a house surrounded by orchards; it is a fantastic village.
And the commute is far less annoying that I imagined. The worst bit is the 10 minute wait for the bus on the way home in Sandwich. Doesn't even compare in terms of awfulness to the old Greenwich to Hammersmith commute in London.
And our house is worth any commute. A converted barn with plenty of space and a large drive and patio area with only two neighbours. We have a hot tub outside our front room which Jim spent two weeks bringing back into service (he's also now done a fab job with our outside lights).
It is pretty mind-blowing to have gone from living in the middle of Folkestone above a shop with no garden to living in the middle of the countryside with plenty of space and a hot tub to relax in after work. I'm sure none of us expected this Dear Constant Reader!!
Happy.