It seems like a lifetime ago now that I had my Landlord came around to check on the rear garden fence that had blown down in some high winds back in June. I’d spent the majority of my tenancy fixing the fence, making good where I could and creating a secure environment for the Wife and Percy Pup. However, this visit didn’t go as planned. The Landlord arrived with the raging hump, this wasn’t unusual to be honest and I wasn’t surprised that he was late, at least on this occasion it was only by half hour or so as opposed to a day or a week, which quite frankly was the norm. We exchanged pleasantries, he wasn’t interested, it was what it was. I led him to the back garden and showed him the fence that I had propped up with some posts to try and safeguard our property. His immediate question was “What do you want from me Steve?” I replied with a fence that does it’s job please Mark………. His next comment, which wasn’t uncommon was; “what are you going to contribute? I don’t need a fence, if I had my way I would rip it down, burn it and leave you with the dwarf boundary wall!” Any way, I’ve set the scene, and despite being told in writing that I could count on a tenancy continuation in February the same year! We were then told on Friday 13th July 2017 some Two weeks after our contract had ended, that we would not be getting a new tenancy and we were now on two months notice…….. PANIC I tell you. It’s hard enough to find a rental property as it is let alone with a Percy Pup and a Pindie Cat! Can you believe it, not everyone in the Lakes is a pet fan!
The weeks that followed were spent house hunting and viewing every conceivable property that would allow pets. We travelled all over the Lakes and surrounding areas. We lost out on one as we were pipped to the post by a couple that only had a cat grrrrrrrr! Is there going to be light at the end of the tunnel we asked each other. We had to keep hoping and looking. I tell you, the stress was tough and everything went on the back burner and painfully this included the photography, we just had to find somewhere to live.
The wife had started packing immediately after we were told as packing a five bed house that’s over three floors is no mean feet and a challenge in itself. We lived around boxes for a month or so and then we see the light, it was there in the distance but, it was there! Suddenly, the ideal property, not just A property, the IDEAL property suddenly popped up on Rightmove and I was the first to call in, this had become a job and we were beginning to perfect it. Could this be ours………. We learnt not to get ahead of ourselves but stayed optimistic!
We viewed the beautiful Farmhouse in Watermillock, four minutes walk from the shores of Ullswater, our favourite lake, the one we got married next to. This was THE ONE! We want it we told the agent, you have to make this ours! After a few weeks and lots of competition we were finally advised in mid August that we had secured the property, YAY!
Only people in this position will understand what stress and pressure this event puts you under, were put in a very difficult position and with support from our wonderful family we managed it and overcome it!
We now live in a lovely Farmhouse on the shores of Ullswater in the heart of the Lake District National Park. We wake up looking over Ullswater and mountains, this view looks different every day. I can walk to some lovely locations to shoot, we have our own Jetty and some truly wonderful views to capture. I’m out more than ever with the camera and growing as a photographer, practicing this craft on my doorstep.
I guess the point of this long blog is to say that every cloud as they say, does have a silver lining and, in this instance, it really did. You can’t always think that way during the stress but try to stay optimistic and positive. I was always told throughout this Impromptu Move that something will come up, it always does. Again, not always easy to see this when you are knee deep in pressure.
Anyway…………… I think I’ve rattled on long enough now. It’s been a while since I have written anything or posted any updated images on my website and I just wanted to provide an insight in to why.
Time to move onwards and upwards and Happy New Year to all my readers!
Thanks for reading, feel free to like, share and comment
All my images can be purchased via my Store pages