New Beginnings

Well, having been absent for a short while, all thanks to moving home, I'm glad to say that things are gradually returning to normal. As for moving, never again! And I recall saying that four and a half years ago when my family and I first moved to the delights of rural West Cumbria. Nestled within the Vale of Lorton, surrounded by the West Cumbrian mountains, I finally felt that I was home. Sadly our Cumbrian cottage was only a temporary home and as such it was inevitable that one day we would have to move on. That day came last Tuesday.

Moving is so stressful. If you work from home as I do, there is the added pressure of ensuring that your work is properly packed, labelled and easily identified once you reach the new home. Well, you can imagine that even with the best intentions this is not always possible. Top tip -do not take your eyes off the removal men for a second. They work like streaks of lightening, packing items into boxes randomly at top speed.
It has taken me five days to retrieve the hair dryer! I'm missing my much needed notebook, books for research along with a 'tomb' of a novel that I'm currently reading and reviewing. I truly hope the publisher does not mind waiting a little longer for the review.

So, the work has almost ground to a halt. Add to that the fact that when we moved I think I left my writer's head behind -or should I say heart, or maybe spirit -who knows. All I know is I need it back in one piece.
It has been incredibly frustrating, stressful and sad. I miss my old cottage. The house had a warm, beating, nurturing heart and  now I find myself in a strange, old house wondering where it's heart is and if I'll ever find it. Perhaps it will find me.

And now the work really begins. Unpacking and storing, placing furniture, finding shoes, toys, books -the list is endless. All the boxes I'd stored in the attic over the years in previous houses now have to be unpacked and ruthless decisions need to be made. It's de-cluttering time. Tell me, how does a writer de-clutter?  Yes to old clothes, ornaments, stuff. Absolute and resolute NO to anything writerly. That includes all stationery, paper, books, notepads, newspapers, cuttings, magazines, endless notes of research. Face it, we inhabit literary tombs and that's just the way it is and needs to be. My writer magazines are piling up and yet the old  ones still provide me with useful information and for that reason I simply can't bare to part with them.

So, December is here and there's much to be thankful for. November has left us, taking NaNoWriMo with it for another year. I met some great people but even so it's not for me. I tried it for the first time ever, but the method of speed writing 50,000 words in 30 days, irrespective of how good or bad the writing is, just does not work for me. Add my house move into the equation and that was me out of the race. However, it's not all bad. It fuelled the writing and gave me extra fodder for the next project so I can't complain. I think sometimes it's useful to go beyond your regular comfort zone and try something new.  And whilst I work on attempting to regain my writing stride whilst desperately wishing this house to accept me as its new mistress, I'm wondering where on earth to squeeze in the Christmas tree . . . .