Overheard

Before we moved to the countryside we lived in a suburb of a large city. The city centre was just over a mile away, life was busy, noisy and fairly typical, I would think, of city living.

Here there is a different pace of life. No one hurries. There is time for conversation and people actually chat to you in shops, on the street, on the bus.

I have been amused by conversations I simply would never have had nor overheard in the city:

" the wild boar are such a nuisance in the garden"

" I need pellets for my air rifle"

" you need a polytunnel. It is useless trying to grow anything in the garden with the deer"

" there was a snake sunbathing on my patio"

" the price of oil has gone down so much. I wish I could fit more than 500 litres in my tank"

" do you have your candles and paraffin ready for the power cuts"

" you can borrow my chainsaw"

" I'll bring you a bale round"

" do you want to barter"

" it is such a pain, the Forestry Commission closing paths for felling, I have to ride for miles"

I never thought I would:

Wear a high visibility vest to go out at night.

Wear crocs as standard footwear - and wellies.

Live in jeans and fleeces.

Chop wood.

Wonder what kind of livestock to have to add to our hens and ducks.

Bake my own bread out of necessity not choice.

Freeze milk.

Buy a spare freezer for home grown produce.

Join the WI.

I love it here!