Monday 20 July 2009

Devolution accomplished

The last few steps down the devolutionary ladder were expectedly frantic.

We attempted to build the bathroom extension and, thanks completely to English mafia Nick, made an excellent start. But we didn't have enough time, so we focused our efforts on: waterproofing and laying a floor in the Shack basement for Stuff Storage; putting a joisted floor in one half of the tractor shed for Yurt Storage; sanding and oiling an 18-foot yurt frame and setting it up in the field for Other Stuff Storage; building an emergency bucket compost toilet; taking yet More Stuff (we seem to have a lot of it) to Jackie and Chris' barn; turning the caravan into a kitchen; and keeping two small children relatively happy.

Then more of the English mafia (and one Belgian: 'We don't have mafia in Belgium') pulled together to help us move - despite the heat (high 30s and beyond) and we drove away from conventional accommodation for the foreseeable future.

It's only taken three years since having the idea, two years since moving to France, countless drops of blood, floods of sweat and the occasional tear, but we've done it. Finally, legally, we're living in a tent in a field. (The devolution is so complete, I'm actually writing this on a piece of paper on a table in the shade, in biro. It probably should be a pencil. Give it time.)

Obviously, this would be an excellent time to bring this blog to an end. But I'd only have to start a new one to tell you what happens after the devolution. So I've settled instead on a simple name change. You know how I love parentheses.

6 comments:

dND said...

Biro! It should really be a bit of charcoal from the camp fire :-)

Congratulations on getting into your yurt and good luck for the future.

Deborah

Rup said...

I find needle and thread to be very good for "the occasional tear".

Many congrats on finally devolving.

No doubt a small boy riding a mule will bring this comment to you on a sheet of papyrus sometime in the autumn.

love
Rup

Cupcake Jo said...

Hurrah!

(love sent)

Please supply photos!

Siddiqua said...

Wow! Well done, you.

I'm suddenly stunned with respect and stuck for words...

Siddiqua/Rubina said...

Bugger... (and the words return)... you know me as Rubina, not Siddiqua.

the devolutionary said...

Thank you, thank you (takes bow). After a certain amount of buggerin abaht, I'm back online (computer resting on gas oven in old utility building, me sitting bolt upright on an old office chair - which is actually very good for the back, it seems). Got to go. Me and Her Outdoors are celebrating Ten Very Surprising Years together tonight, which you have no idea is actually one day early.

Pics of (d)evelopments coming soon...

Oh, and Siddiqua: Blimey, last time I saw you, you were answering the door to a coppah in The Bill. Wilkommen in blog.