New Life!!! The country life...!!!

We moved!!!! We have been here just over a week now and still not unpacked!!! But, we have, despite the remaining collection of boxes, settled into this new lifestyle so very well indeed!

It suits us &

we suit it!

&

Elbi LOVES it!!

I was a city girl, born and bred and I had no idea that

this country life was really me but, in my last year in Tokyo, perhaps from overdosing on buildings and pollution, I steered myself in this countryside direction.

My husband, Ian and I had talked about this kind of living for a while now. We dreamt of long walks with our dog, relaxing in the garden or local fields, baking at home and general enjoying an amazingly chilled pace of life. Well, now that we are here, I can safely say that it is all that and so much more!

In the past ten days of 'countryside life', there have been lots of deliveries, lots of unpacking, lots of putting clothes on hangers (tedious), but lots of local shopping trips, meeting the neighbours and small talk with delivery people too.

This area is lovely! There is the town centre, with a shopping centre and department stores on one side, and a lot less on the other. It is on this east side that we live, but not near the station, a walk away from the station, around 30 mins! It makes for a nice bike ride in the sunshine, but a slightly harsh walk in the rain, as I learnt this morning.

Across the way is a rice field, and we live on a cul de sac of just four houses. When you walk towards the local lake, which is just 5 minutes away, you pass the house of Uenomoto san, the local ceramic makers. They have great vases, plates and cups for sale, all home made, and apparently they have classes! Cannot wait to get on board! They are also making us a sign for outside the house! Am very excited!

Yes, so far, so good! I feel healthier already, more relaxed, much more relaxed and am very much enjoying it. Thankfully I still have four more weeks of holiday to enjoy before I start work, and even that looks to be a lot of fun. I met with the kids today and they are lovely; we are going to have a lot of fun here!!