My House

September usually marks the start of the new academic year for most people in some shape or form, but, for the first time in my life, I’m not getting ready to go back to school. I’ve known this for months, since my health condition means I can’t be a teacher anymore, but it’s still hit me harder than I thought it would- I’m actually really upset! So this year for September, I’m doing another month-long blog challenge, which is writing about gratitude around different themes for 30 days. I started journaling earlier this year and liked it. Being positive and being grateful are completely separate. Positivity can sometimes mean you’re in denial, and trying to find a silver lining or positive outlook on everything just masks what you’re struggling with underneath sometimes. Being grateful is completely different: it’s taking stock of what you’ve got and what it means to you.

Today’s topic is My House and why I’m happy at home.

We didn’t actively start looking to buy a house 5 years ago, it kind of just happened. My husband and I both had decent jobs, but it would have taken us about 90 years before we could have saved up a deposit with the price of our rent. We saw one of the government schemes with 0% deposit running in the area and stopped by for a look. Then we realised the scheme was coming to an end in the next week and decided to apply and were accepted. We were really lucky that we happened to drive past the advertisement that day!

I like our house. It’s not massive but it’s not small either. Coming from the countryside, I like the fact that there are shops over the road and a train station nearby, but we’re not in the middle of a city. I spend a lot of time at home because I don’t work, mostly I sit in the living room, ‘study’ and garden. One of my favourite things to do in the day is to read in the garden or in a stripy armchair inside, which was one of the first pieces of furniture we bought specifically for our house. Or I like to watch TV and colour or knit. The study has a piano and my computer in- I used to use it everyday as part of my job, now I use it as a place to write blogs when I can.

Our house is a newbuild, which meant it came with absolutely nothing in it except for the kitchen and bathroom. So every carpet, curtain rail and toilet roll holder was chosen by us. It’s not very often you get the chance to have complete choice in what your house looks like, and it was fun deciding on things. Our garden was literally a square of mud, so we designed it and made it all ourselves. It’s not as well kept as it used to be, but it’s still a lovely place to sit in.

I’m happy here for lots of practical reasons- it’s warm, comfortable and a safe place. But it’s also got lots of memories with friends. I moved around a lot as a child, so I don’t feel the same kind of attachment to houses as other people might, but my house is definitely also my home because I feel settled here.