Pros and No Cons

Things you should know: 
There are more advantages than disadvantages

I moved to Dumfries and Galloway at the end of 2013 after more than 20 years living in cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Wellington, NZ. There's really very little I miss about city life. 

• I used to spend over an hour every morning and evening travelling 10 miles each way on the number 25 bus. Now, it's a 3 minute drive into the village or a 3 second walk to my homeworking desk.
• There were people everywhere, especially in Edinburgh in August. The memories of trying to get to the bank in my lunch hour still raise my blood pressure.  
• I didn't know any of my neighbours. When I first moved to Auchencairn, my neighbours all introduced themselves within 20 minutes of my arriving and post like this used to arrive without any problem. 

There's very little about country - or farm - life that makes me grumble. Occasionally, I feel like being able to walk to a restaurant, cinema or exhibition but then I remember all the great things about living where I do. 

• Through Ivie I have an extended adopted family who have been welcoming and wonderful, especially during lockdown. 
• The noisiest thing I usually hear all day is bulls bellowing at each other. 
• People bring us things all the time, like carrots and cabbages for us to plant or juicy raspberries from their garden. 

No shortage of planters around here

One of things I'll never tire of is the view from The Spittal. There are views from the top of the farm that only a handful of people have ever seen. Those of you who know Ivie will know about his Instagram posts with the hashtag #anotherboringview. It's true that he takes it slightly for granted but I think he's appreciating it a little bit more as I get to know my new surroundings. 

It makes every day more than a little bit better. I reckon I'll stay for a while 😉