Anna Rashbrook's Blog, page 15

House moving is never easy…

I think this corona situation is making what would already be fairly difficult , even worse, not to mention Brexit. Firstly the UK housing market has gone nuts. We’re looking at Wales and the places we can afford and like are being swept off the shelf in a couple of weeks at asking prices.

We decided that as we can’t get over to view due to the quarantine hassle there and back, and that we want to see the place ourselves, we would rent. All those we that are in our budget (as this will eat into our capital) are either snapped up, only for a years let, or not dog friendly.

And the car, do we sell it here? Or drive it back and flog it to a Left hand drive company in the UK? We will need to drive because of the dog. And then, as we wouldn’t do it in a day, can we stop anywhere in France overnight?

We have quotes for moving our stuff, and one really on the ball company told us the Transfer of residency form which stops us having to pay import tax when we enter the UK. We have to have a complete inventory of the household good, details of us, the car and the dog. I’m just pleased they told us.

Or do we leave the furniture here and collect it later ourselves in a truck? Except Austria has now banned entry from the UK due to the Indian variant, for all except business and residents, and we’ll have to give up our residency when we leave…

So it goes on. It’s a bank holiday weekend, so I’m going to forget the whole flipping thing. We can now go out for a coffee and maybe we’ll just take off for a trip somewhere!

Being creative

This is on one of our afternoon walks in Tamsweg by the Mur. Two guys have been beavering away for ages, making this little pond off the river. Not sure why. Maybe they just had time on their hands. It’s grown since these pictures with flowers and sculptures from things found in the river. Note the Salzburg land flag, and bird box. Wonder if kids will paddle in it in the summer?

Doubt

On early mornings as the dog and I wander along the lane, I begin to think, have we made the right decision? The bird song and the flowers have been such a joy. It is lovely here in the summer. I enjoy my library job, my friends. Making wine, walking in the hills, when we get a chance. We have the most amazing health system here too.

Then I think back to winter and ice. Walking the dog is no fun. There’s nothing to do here as we don’t ski and never want to. The church here is dead on it’s feet. We arrived, so full of excitement, but no one would listen or let us try anything new. I was on the PCC and tried to show people Jesus. What I’m getting at is, we have integrated which was always our goal. I have good local friends. Yet, I find it odd, when acquaintances in the village say, we’re so sorry you’re going. But when did we meet for more than a casual chat?

I’m tired of working in another language. But I’ll be proud to speak it when we get back.

We never wanted to get into the Expat gang, but did for a while. I don’t see the point of going to a country and just knowing people of my own nationality. My best friend is English, but that’s because we hit it off, and I will miss her so much, but we have internet communication, and we’ll meet in the UK.

The travelling and sadness when we leave family. Yes, of course, it’s a special situation when you visit. But I would like to see a bit more of the family. Never be so far from them when there’s trouble.

I miss huge, English supermarkets and the choice. Here, for someone who hates cooking, the choice is limited. I miss worshiping in my own language, in a big congregation, arms raised to God. I’ve only see one cautious hand raised here. We will find a loving, full on Christian community and have a study group, a witness.

Then I look at the rust on part of the roof on our block of flats, the larch tree that will eventually block my beloved view of the castle, the bathroom that needs and extractor fan, and feel relieved, I don’t need to think about these any more.

The flat is sold, so there’s no going back.

New Release; Finding

I’m thrilled to say the second book in my memoirs is out! Ebook and paperback.

In this second memoir, Anna’s rollercoaster life continues through the 1980s and 1990s.

The chronicle begins with a college placement as a Zookeeper, where she makes new friends and meets many exotic animals. Not wanting to return to study, she luckily gets her work extended. But nothing lasts forever.

In another frank chronicle, Anna runs a smallholding in the New Forest while working as a cleaner, has babies, goes through a traumatic eviction, and struggles through the homeless system of the time.

Has she finally found love? Does she find a new home, life, and peace? Will God find her?

Time trickles on!

Having sold our flat, we are waiting to hear when it has been cleared by the local court. Then we should be paid, and no, I won’t be going shopping! We had always known our budget would be tight, so it was a complete blessing when our daughter said she wanted to be in on the idea. We will get a better house and she will have a foot on the housing ladder. She lives in London and no way can afford to buy there. Corona has meant she has saved a bit and paid off debts and can afford a mortgage. Wow.

It started when I sent the kids a picture of a house I loved near Rhyl in Wales. Near the sea but also a quiet location, but near shops etc. We will have to tie it all up legally. We will pay the deposit which is also her inheritance. If the house ends up in her name, she could stick us out on the street! Wills and conditions will have to be clearly stated. It might be that we don’t need to get a mortgage, if she just tops us up. We’ll see.

We found we can get a mortgage despite not being resident with a specialist firm, we might even have a credit score as we still have a bank account and an address.

But, we’ve had to stop house hunting. Most of them are being snapped up quickly. We have said Wales, but what if we don’t like it, and want to move again? To this end, we’ve decided to rent when we first arrive, and spend time hunting.

We’ve heard of someone taking an empty van travelling to the UK from Austria and he could take our furniture. We think we’ll be going in the first couple of weeks of July, after Dave has had his second jab. Our son has blessed us with two new sofas, so we don’t need to bring ours which is really uncomfortable. We will give him his share of the inheritance in advance too, it messes our budget a bit, but will help his mortgage payments.

I just need to curb my impatience!

Special Offer!

The first book of my Memoirs is reduced! Click on the link for the special price of 99c, and a bit less on the UK site. This is because the new book, ‘Finding’, will be out on May 1st!

Brought up by a warring Mother and Grandmother, Anna Rashbrook had to make choices that no child should have to.

In this first memoir, she begins the quest to understand the threads of faith, horses, and love, which weave and intertwine throughout her life.

Years of diarying help Anna in this frank and honest chronicle of her childhood and teenage, as she explores the scars and the dysfunction that was all around her. Not to forget pony mania, the Tremeloes, David Bowie, and some terrible teenage behaviour!

Anna travels to Switzerland to work on a farm in Switzerland for a year before college and finds her first true love, but will it all work out?

Weather Cross

These are part of the Lungau culture, out up to bless the fields. All the ones I’ve seen so far have been old and made of wood.

This one is sparkly brand new and we found it near Zankwand.

Can you read all the symbolic symbols that are on it? It’s also a special Easter blessing too.

He is Risen!

Every year it saddens me as the world moves away from belief and God. Especially this year.

Now is the very time we need unconditional love. healing and hope. There is only one man who gives you this. To prove it, he died and rose from the dead, taking on all of the sin and hurt in the world for you. He brings healing, forgives and an everlasting love. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RABBITS OR CHOCOLATE.

Fake Spring

After a couple of warmish weeks, winter suddenly returned. On Sunday we had another 10cm.

Now it’s coming on the wind, tearing down the valleys and disappearing. I feel sorry for the birds who had been so full of joy.

Hopefully it will blow away in the next few days. Some of my author friends in the US have had the same, but more so.

I just hope it means it will finish and there will be no late, sudden surprises that nip the buds off the fruit trees and bushes!

Mini me!

On a recent walk, we saw this traditionally decorated house. Note the ‘Running dog’ pattern, which I think has Roman origins, you see it in mosaics.

Directly opposite on a shed wall was this mini me bird house, in the same decorations if not the layout! Lucky birds.