A move back to Adelaide, Australia.

Yes, we have made a very big decision.   We are moving back to Adelaide, Australia.    And why, many people will ask, are we making such a big change in our lives, now that we are in our seventies.

Well there are many reasons.   

For us, it all started with the referendum vote, in June, 2016, when 52% of the voting population in the UK, decided that Britain should leave the European Union.   Both of us are 'immigrants', and Walter has a Dutch passport.   No one has said anything personally, but we feel unwelcome.    And we could see that it was going to be an economic downhill slope for the country.   Since then the antics displayed by the ministers in the cabinet, do not bode well for any future success. 

We do not wish to grow old in this country, together with the rest of the ageing population.   The prospect fills us with gloom, as to any prospects of future support and help.    We do not mind paying for our care, but there does appear to be a limited amount of services, where we live.    In Australia I will have to pay for medical care, luckily Walter has a Gold Card, due to having served in Vietnam, and we will have to pay for aged care, but with less people we hope that it will be better there.

Finally, we will no longer have any family members in Britain, as Emma, Steve, Jackson and Isabel are also moving to Adelaide, Australia this year.     A very exciting time for them.    We will have Aaron, Kylie, Mia, Abi and Raphy in the Netherlands, and we will miss having them so close, but we can visit them from Australia.     

Although we made the decision a year ago, we had too much planned last year to begin organising the move.   The planned start to the action was to be 2018, and as soon as the holiday period finished we put into place a plan.

The first item was to get the house ready for sale.    

A couple of jobs we had already started, such as getting a new side fence beside the house.   The old one was falling down.  Looks very smart.   

 We had the height of the silver birch reduced as it was becoming too high and there were crossed branches.    Apparently this type of pruning should be done every three years.

The very ugly arbour, which we call the 'bush shelter' will be knocked down.   We are amazed that it is still standing and has not blown away during a storm.

 An aside.   The moles have been very busy cleaning out their tunnels.   No doubt the worms are extra luscious at the moment.

We have cleaned out our cupboards and drawers, in readiness for the big move.    How can one collect so much electronic bits and pieces and old spectacles.

We are currently getting our bedroom ceiling plastered as there are fine hairline cracks in the centre of it.   The insulation above the ceiling board is pressing down on the ceiling boards, we think.    We are also getting the shower screen fixed, as it had come away from the wall, and cracked the wall tile.   There will also be some touch up of paintwork here and there.    Plus the carpet will be shampooed on Saturday.  We would like the house to look good of course, but mostly we do not want anything for prospective buyers to start bargaining about.

The photographs will be taken on Monday, and the house will go up for sale.

We spent last year feeling very sad about leaving the home we have lived in for nearly twenty six years but are feeling positive about it now.   Certainly being able to buy a larger house, with two bathrooms, feels positively luxurious.

We will miss being close to the most beautiful woods, which is a pleasure to walk in, no matter the time of year.

But most of all we will really miss all our wonderful friends and neighbours.    Thank goodness for Facebook, which is fantastic for keeping in touch with people.   We will be returning to visit as often as possible, plus we are keeping our caravan in the south of France.   However we will miss the close contact we have with people here.