Progress Report: Love and Lists

We nearly bought a patch of pine woodland, all prickly and sweet-smelling and blooming with potential but not quite right for practical purpose.

Mr fell for the wetland meadow with the railway bridges, I for the land with a sea view, where the wind had buckled every tree.

The woodland was a mutual crush.

Dog loves every bit of land we find, her purpose being that much simpler. She has minimal need of shelter or planning permission or financial forecasting. Happy Dog.

At the time of writing, happy Dog is sleeping, a light huff emitting from dreams. I am daydreaming of the life we nearly had or may have had in the weird woods, or anything other than this island of Rural Planning Law upon which I have marooned myself, and where I have become like a vintage cup, a thing of privilege with fine cracks under my glaze.

I am writing this in hope of looking back and admiring.

I am writing this because there was a time when we didn’t know how we would get here.

Progress can be tired and confused. Dreams can be a labour. This I write with the shame of self-pity, as I am not made of china at all.

I love a sting of fear, revel in (mild to average) peril.

Also - however - wary (on older, wiser days) of defining myself with the struggle of this journey.

I am made of learning curves, of granite, of choices, of accidents, of rubber, of instinct and impulse. I do not require a definition.

I am pouring over property maps with a sensible face and tearing up the map of self with happy-maniacal laughter; it is possible that I need to pause here for coffee.

Coffee: cold-brewed, served in a cup-mug hybrid. A lack of pattern matching amuses my attention; the drink is dark, chocolate hinted, centring.

Perked and calmed and back to where we are with this:

Our land requirements are:

Access.

Water.

Power.

Planning potential.

Rural.

Established trees, or area suitable for planting.

Space for polytunnels, sheds, charcoal kiln, sundry working areas.

Lake or potential for lake; or river.

Area suitable for wild camping.

In suitable distance of other workplaces.

We have to love it enough to graft for it. We have to remember if it does not match requirements we have chosen a different life.