2007 - a year of new beginnings ............

That was the year that was ( as the old TV programme used to say ... or was that week! ...) well whatever 2007 for us has been the most wonderful year for us -

January saw us excitedly packing suitcases, making lists, putting together cot bed, buying clothes for a child we had never seen and managing to get through 19 days before flying off to Hong Kong and then train to CHina to meet our amazing, wonderful daughter....

February was our return home and the chance for Nelly to meet all those friends and relatives who had been waiting as long as we had....Rob finished full time work and spent the rest of the year Gardening!!!!!!! he then made it his mission to find us a house out of London . After an evening with friends who live in SOuth Northants - we narrowed our search down to this area...Nelly had her first birthday and started walking!

March - Rob saw Yew Tree House -

April we made an offer, June we put St Julians F Road on the market and July Yew Tree house was ours!

with Nelly we went to lots of playgroups and classes - London opened itself up to me in a way I did not know existed and we met some amazing people who will stay long term friends as where we are now is only an hour from Marylebone on the train...her vocabulary grew every day

Spring - and we spent hours in various parks - Dulwich, Bel Air, Brockwell Regents and Hyde to name them!

the summer passed through a grey cloud of rain, we had lot of worry about not being able to sell the house and being landed with two houses! but...

August we had a week where we got 4 offers on the house ! 3 in one afternoon! we sold to a very understanding family who were happy for a long completion as YT House was in a state renovation! Ceilings came down, new joists were fitted, floorboards ripped up, skirting boards replaced, black rooms banished! fireplaces out , shutters being made, bathrooms ripped apart, new bathrooms in etc etc etc

September - Rob spent a lot of time up at the house project managing builders - a job he said is a lot harder than going to work every day!

October - still not in the house - we carried on with our life in London

November - we did it Pickfords arrived and took all our stuff and we officially moved to the country! - a new round of finding toddler groups, managing to fit in some work , walks to see the horses and donkeys,

December - Nelly met father Xmas at least five times , spent two days in London and were glad to get back to the house to get ready for Xmas in YT HOuse.....

Happy New Year to all who read this ....