I had such a vivid dream last night. We all were transported back to our first home, a tiny flat in Lewes in Sussex. It was nowadays, as the place was a bit worse for wear (the last residents had left a mess for us to clear) and we were planning on staying there the night (all 4 of us in a flat designed for 2 at a push). It was a far cry from 18 years ago, when we moved in to our brand spanking new pad! We'd been looking for a place to buy whilst I was still at Uni and Adventure Husband was settling into his first job, and stumbled upon this lovely new development a few miles out of Brighton. We found just enough money for the deposit and fees and moved in with only 2 pieces of furniture...a bed and a sofa bed (both of which we still own, although the bed has had several new mattresses over the years)! The flat couldn't hold much more than that actually - the kitchen/living room was bright and airy and I stencilled any ivy border around the room. It matched the curtains and cushions I'd made one day whilst skipping lectures (it was clinical week, the pharmacy equivalent to reading week and I couldn't face any more gorey slides from enthusiastic clinicians). Those curtains were still there 8 years ago when we drove by last.
Cleaning was a breeze back then, I could whizz around the place with a Dust Buster in 10 minutes in the days before children, toys and crumbs.
I haven't been able to get it out of my mind this morning, as looking back everything seems so rosy. I feel rather sad that it was so long ago. Seems like another world, whilst feeling like yesterday. It's strange how we only dwell on the good.
But then I remember the hours and weeks I spent alone, working on my final year project, as my then boyfriend worked overseas for weeks at a time. The first year after I qualified as a pharmacist meant a 24 hour on call rota 1 week in 3 and I was often in work early and finishing late, just to prove myself. In summer the place felt so claustrophobic and loud from the railway station announcements (which was next door) with the windows open, and for some reason I remember the blare of motor racing on television which A.H. is still a fan of. I used to sit in the sun by the back door with my text books, but seem to remember those train announcements more than clinical pharmacology....
....and here I am, happily back in 2010. My lovely boys, lovely husband and lovely home!
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