New year, new home, new starts
Last summer we found out that Mr Tin Box’s next Royal Navy job was going to be in Dartmouth in South Devon. It’s an area of the world we know well and we were excited by the prospect of living somewhere we’d always seen as a holiday destination.
So we sold our house and four months later, on New Years Eve, we moved into our new home on the hill above Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.
Of course it wasn’t quite as simple as that. Mr TB was working away from home right up until Christmas, the lovely lady who bought our house in Hampshire wanted to move in before then, and our Devon house wasn’t available until the end of the year.
So from mid-December the Tin Box girls and I moved in with my parents for a few weeks and our furniture went into storage. It was lovely having help with the girls again but I’m not sure my folks were prepared for the early mornings and the amount of washing we created.
Mr TB arrived home the Friday before Christmas and we enjoyed the rest of the week with our families in Hampshire.
Then the day after Boxing Day it was time to go.
I experienced a few different emotions as we drove through Hampshire and Dorset and then on into Devon. The process of packing, unpacking and repacking, welcoming home Mr TB and celebrating Christmas had shielded me from the reality that we were leaving an area where I had lived for more than 30 years. Having some time to reflect on this during our five hour journey brought on a touch of sadness and then a lot of excitement.
Our first few days in Dartmouth were spent on a farm just outside the town along with our parents who were there to help look after the girls while we got the house ready.
It was nice to get back out in the caravan after quite a few months at home as Mr TB is the only one with a licence to tow. The recent wet weather had left the site a bit damp so we had to be towed on and off our pitch by a tractor, much to the delight of TBT.
The country was in the grip of Storm Frank and while the south had no where near the worst of it I have never been in the caravan when it has been so battered by the weather. Luckily the girls slept through the storm. The same could not be said for Mr TB and I.
After two nights of listening to the skylights rattling and feeling like we were at sea we could not wait to get the keys to our house. Unfortunately on the morning of the move in we got a call from the removal guys who said they could not come because of weather warnings for the day. As it was New Years Eve the next day we started to wonder if we’d have our belongings before the first working day of 2016.
Thankfully the weather did improve. Our removal van arrived and we were able to toast the New Year with our parents…at 10pm because everyone was too exhausted to wait until midnight.
We are already firmly in love with our new home. It is a MOD married quarter and is very similar to one that we lived in up until two years ago. From the back of the house we have views across the Dart Valley and it’s just a short drive or slightly longer walk into town (if you’re feeling fit enough to walk back up the hill).
We’ll be exploring our new area much more in the months to come.
Today there were new starts for the whole family. Mr TB began his new job, I officially finished my maternity leave – although I have a month of holiday to take – and the girls spent their first half day at a new nursery.
Tin Box Tot has been going to nursery three days a week for a couple of years, but this was the first time Tin Box Baby has been. She is a super social baby and I knew it would never be a problem for her. I think it might have been emotional for me if I had had more time to think about it and we hadn’t already spent a lot of time a part during the move. Still, my baby is growing up so fast – sob!
2016 seems to have come upon us from no where but I’m glad it’s here. We’re going to be doing some amazing things – watch out for my 2016 adventures post – and I can’t wait to get to know our new area.
If you live in Devon or have ever visited I’d love your recommendations for places we should visit. Please pop them in the comments below.
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Hurray, a neighbour! 😉 we haven't been to Salcombe but we have visited Totnes and that fab boat playground. We ate at Pie Street the same day – it was lush! We were also at Blackpool Sands today – it's our closest beach 🙂 x
It is an exciting new chapter and we're loving it already. Do let me know if you're passing. Although I hope to see you at BML16 too 🙂 x
Thank you! It was a bit hairy. I'm so glad the girls were too disturbed otherwise it could have been a nightmare x
Thank you! Me too x
It was a bit hairy at times, but it would have been worse if the girls knew more about Christmas – we had no decorations at our old house at all. We'll be back in Hampshire quite a lot so there will be more from that area 🙂 x
Thank you! X
Thanks so much! I hope we can inspire you to make a few trips this way 🙂 x
Thank you! Yes, we're getting into our Dartnouth rythem now and loving it x
We love Dartmouth, it's only about 30 minutes from us. There are so many places that I could suggest you visit that I don't know where to start! Have you been to Salcombe yet? It's lovely there. I also like Totnes and they have a big boat playground down by the quay which is great for the kiddies. Blackpool Sands is lovely if you want a beach or even Ness Beach in Shaldon. I could go on lol
How exciting Claire!! The place looks amazing!! I'm sure you will find new places to explore and take lots of photos!! This is another chapter in your life and there will be lots of new stories to tell. If I happen to go around Devon I will definitely pay you a visit as I would love to meet you!! Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS, 🙂 x
Being in the caravan in the storm sounds quite scary, glad you managed to get everything sorted now and are in your new home. I hope you have an amazing year in your new house with lots of fab adventures! 🙂 x Thanks for linking up to #whatevertheweather 🙂 x
Lovely Dartmouth. Good luck in your new home. My hubby is from Cornwall so we tend to pass by a fair bit. Last visit was to a little pub next to the river in Buckfastleigh on the way down for Christmas. Exciting start to the New Year for you. Nicky #KCACOLS
I hope that you all settle in to your new home soon and that you make lots of amazing memories xx
Oh wow what a crazy few weeks. I can't wait to see your Devon adventures. I want to hop across the Cornish border a bit more so it'll be great to discover some new places to go. I'm glad the move went smoothly and wow to all those firsts. I hope you all get on your feet soon and get back into family routines and spending time together. Thank you so much for linking your adventures to #whatevertheweather. xx
Congrats on finally moving into your new house hon, here's to making new memories in it! I hope that things have also finally started to slow down for you now and that life is less hectic. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday. xx #KCACOLS
Oh gosh, you have been so busy. I think I would have had a complete melt down if I had to move over the Christmas holidays. Glad you are all settled in your new home now. Will miss your post about things to do in Hampshire as I've found them really useful, look forward to reading about all you adventures in Devon though 🙂 xx #kcacols
How exciting! Wishing you happiness in your new home! x #KCACOLS
Thanks! There will soon be plenty of Devon posts here to inspire your travels 🙂 X
It's so exciting! I'm really looking forward to discovering lots of new places. I need to put together a wish list of days out soon – the past few months have been so busy I haven't had time yet!
It is a bit strange. I think my subconscious is going to be in Hampshire for quite a while. I feel like I'm on holiday 🙂 X
Wow sounds like you have had a busy couple of months. Congrats on finally getting into your new home. Can't wait to read some of your adventures, it's a place we want to visit with our boys x
Happy new home hope you settle into your new home well, I'm sure you're going to have so much fun in Devon there are so many exciting places to visit. #whatevertheweather
So glad to hear it all went okay and you're all in. I've lived in Southampton all my life and couldn't imagine moving away just yet, I look forward to reading all about your new adventures in Devon x
We are! Devon is a fantastic place to raise a family. I'm not sure how long we're going to be here. We'll be making the most of whatever time we have 🙂 xx
Thank you! It is so pretty and very quiet at the moment which is allowing us to begin exploring without competition. During the summer months it's awash with tourists. I know, I was one 🙂
Thank you! I'm surprised how homely it feels already. We're really looking forward to exploring and it will all be here 🙂 x
Thanks! It feels like home already 🙂
Hurray to the move! Ah it must have been so hard having lived in the area for 30 years though. But how EXCITING! I love love love Devon having been as a kid, it's just beautiful and what a wonderful place for the tin box ladies to grow up in 🙂 I hope you're getting settled in! x x
Congratulations! It must be a relief finally to be in but having just moved myself I can sympathise with the stress and sheer number of boxes… Dartmouth looks stunning, not a part of Devon I know well so looking forward to discovering it with you!
It sounds like you have had a busy few months. I'm really pleased for you and your lovely family, it must be really nice to finally be in your new home. I hope yous have settled in nicely and that you are enjoying the new place. We can't wait to see what new wonderful adventures you guys get upto!xx
Exciting 🙂 hope you will all settle in nicely in your new home!