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Call of the Wild













Three years ago we moved into a large, attractive house on the edge of a village, close to the coast and with beautiful views of the Preseli hills (and Preseli Mags of course!). We’d escaped to the country, but didn’t want our friends and family to feel we’d abandoned them. ‘Come whenever you like,’ we said. And they did!

The last three years have been a brilliant, sociable time with many visitors and lots of laughs. Considering we live in a quiet close, our neighbours are a very convivial bunch too. We’ve got to know more people here and had more invitations than when we lived in a Victorian end-terrace on a busy street in the middle of a Surrey town.

Sooner or later all parties come to an end and lately we’ve been feeling a bit restless. We’ve found our feet here, in this lovely location, but now we’re ready for the next adventure. ‘Hotel’ H is on the market and we’re looking for something a bit more remote. ‘More remote!’ is the usual retort from anyone visiting us from the South, but yes, the plan is to try for rural isolation whilst we’re both still up for it. A place to write, to paint, to dream and yes, to entertain... but not on such a large scale! Oh well, we’ll see what the future brings.

The immediate future brings a trip to the South to check up on the Aged Ps who all need a bit of an inspection and some tlc. And then, on Wednesday, I’m off to St James Palace as my daughter Rose’s guest to see her receive her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Rose has also got an interview with a major publishing company on Tuesday so she’s got quite a week ahead. Stop worrying about it all, Rose. Just be your lovely self and you’ll be fine!

Comments

Pondside said…
I'd wondered, from a couple of comments, if there'd be an announcement regarding an upcoming move. Go for it Chris! If remote is what you want, now's the time. Our friends think we live in the back of beyond, but there's just enough distance to help us feel 'apart'.
Congratulations to your Rose - well done!
Lane Mathias said…
What a beautiful house! Sure to be snapped up.

I would love to 'go' remote so I'm really looking forward to your adventure.

Good luck to Rose. I'm sure she'll sail through the interview.

And did you find a frock for the ceremony??
Jude said…
Go for it Rose..the only way to go is as you are!!
I'd head for Snowdonia if I was in your neck of the woods, honest!!
The roads/motorway connections are far far better than when I was up there,but it's still remote...
What a beautiful house, although I love your idea too. Hope you find what you're both looking for soon.

Best of luck for Rose. What an exciting week she has to look forward to.
Pipany said…
Ooh, I wonder where you'll end up Chris. as far south (westish) as us or more Wales than that? Good luck x
mountainear said…
I hope you find your remote idyll - I'm sure visitors will still beat a path to your door though.

Enjoy your day with Rose (well done on achieving her Gold) and hope her interview goes well too.
We are looking as well - just one more adventure before the OAP bungalow. I need to move just to get rid of some junk. Have a lovely day with Rose - clever girl.
Elizabethd said…
A village house in France, maybe.............??
Chris Stovell said…
Pondside, thanks for the encouragement - we'll see what's round the next corner. If it's half as lovely as your home 'in the back of beyond' I'll consider myself very fortunate.

Lane, it's different when you have folks still living at home - we're fortunate to have a space in time where we can think about 'remote'. Outfit not a problem in the end - Rose told me what to wear (and it wasn't a fig leaf bikini!).

Jude - yes, it's no good trying to be what you're not, thanks for the good wishes. Thanks, too, for the suggestion of where to head - why not?

Debs, your views sound fantastic and you always sound contented about where you live... but I don't think we can afford to join you.

Pip, I think your part of the world is a bit dear for us, too. If we can find a remote part of Wales, which I love, I'll be very happy.(Well, I'm pretty happy now... but we're ready for a change).

Mountainear, I think you live somewhere special - if we find something like yours, people will definitely come visiting.

SBS - don't knock those bungalows - they often come with huge plots! Thanks to you and Mountainear for the good wishes for Rose.

Elizabeth... shhh! Tom would be there like a shot!
Frances said…
Chris, the house you've been living in, and sharing with all those folks who also find it wonderful, is lovely.

Your plans to relocate and find a place that will feed the creativity that you and Tom already call your own, ... well, that is a marvelous direction to take.

Perhaps you can tell from my posts that I also am very, very ambivalent about the status quo.

I so look forward to seeing where you all will find yourselves.

Meanwhile, more congratulations to your Rose!

xo
Edward said…
Good luck with the move - I'm very envious, in the sense that I wish I had the nerve to do it! And congratulations to Rose - I know how hard you have to work for the DoE award.
Brown Dog said…
What a lovely, welcoming house - I'm not surprised everyone's always coming to visit. I'm sure you'll find an eager buyer soon - in the meantime, bake lots of bread and endless pots of coffee. REALLY good luck to Rose - wondering which publishing house she's going for. Whoever it is, it sounds as though they'll be lucky to have her - and WELL DONE for getting her gold. Does she get it from Phil himself?
Maggie Christie said…
Fingers crossed for a quick, painless sale and good luck with the move. I was really envious of your home - it's a really lovely house. Good luck to Rose for the award and the interview. What a week!
Flowerpot said…
This all sounds really exciting Chris. Life should be about adventures and quite right to make the most of them while you can. Wonderful news re Rose too - you proud mum, you!
Sally Townsend said…
A house move, how exciting and invigorating, Hotel H from a new location. Good Luck. x
Expat mum said…
Someone needs to tell Sexy that most of us aren't tri-lingual!
Anyway, fab house, it should sell in no time.
I would love to do "remote" too but I hate getting in the car for everything I need, so it's probably not a good idea until I can afford a personal assistant!
Amanda said…
How exciting - good luck with your adventure x
Chris Stovell said…
Frances, thank you for your good wishes. I hope you find a path that's clear to you too.

Edward, well, that's the plan.. whether we can find what we're hoping for remains to be seen. And thank you on Rose's behalf.

Brown Dog we've spent a fortune on flowers so far! No news on the interview front yet - we are keeping everything crossed.

Mags, thanks for your good wishes - I would love to find a place as quiet as yours but without the responsibility of the land. And thanks for congrats to Rose - she has had quite a week.

Fp, here's to adventures! And yes, I am bursting with pride!

Sally, not so much a hotel this time, I hope, more a quiet retreat!!

Expatmum, I have banished 'Sexy' to cyberspace! We've had some training in getting in the car for everything so hopefully we'll be used to it - we'll see!

Amanda, thank you!
Cait O'Connor said…
I hope you won't leave Wales Chris. Let me know what you are after and I will keep my eyes and ears open.
BT said…
What you need is an old cottage in County Clare!! lol. We're as remote as can be and most people don't even know we exist! I hope you sell quickly too.

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