Greetings from a potential citizen/resident

You are going to be so disappointed when you finally come to visit and see that the photos are true. 

When are you going to host a wood workshop lesson for us?! haha

When are you going to host a wood workshop lesson for us?! haha

After we fix the leaky workshop roof so we can finally get it all tidied up inside.  It's amazing how much water we get in there when it rains.  Wood hates water.  Our tools don't care too much for it, either. 

But my husband is home all the time now, and the visa stress is behind us (ohmigosh, yay!), so we can finally really focus on the house and workshop!

(He slept so soundly last night that when I got up to use the bathroom, he never stirred... when I got back into bed I had to check he was still alive because he literally didn't stir and I'm hard of hearing on the side facing him so I couldn't hear him breathing.  He's definitely feeling relieved.  )

After we fix the leaky workshop roof so we can finally get it all tidied up inside.  It's amazing how much water we get in there when it rains.  Wood hates water.  Our tools don't care too much for it, either. 

But my husband is home all the time now, and the visa stress is behind us (ohmigosh, yay!), so we can finally really focus on the house and workshop!

(He slept so soundly last night that when I got up to use the bathroom, he never stirred... when I got back into bed I had to check he was still alive because he literally didn't stir and I'm hard of hearing on the side facing him so I couldn't hear him breathing.  He's definitely feeling relieved.  )

Really happy to hear that everything is going so well now barring the leaky roof....that's no bueno..

Awww, big congrats to Mr. JF!!!

OOooooOOOOooh thanks for sharing this! When you say campervan, do you mean like a proper campervan or would it work with a van that you turned into a campervan?? This might help sway things in my favour! lol

Apart from window placement, ours just looks like a light works van from the outside.  Inside, there's a bench seat in the back, and "captain's" chairs in the front that can rotate.  There's a table that hooks onto a little bar on the kitchenette unit, but otherwise hangs up on the back door out of the way.  The bench seat folds down completely flat, and there are additional cushions on the side behind the kitchenette, so it gives you a soft flat surface across the width of the van.  My husband is 6'1" and we both sleep comfortably in there.

But it is really just a van.  With the right things brought in, you could do the same.

Photos:
Inside with bench upright and pushed back (the table would fit in the open space).

Bed laid flat (there is more cushion to the left, behind the kitchenette unit... we sleep sideways)

Outside

Apart from window placement, ours just looks like a light works van from the outside.  Inside, there's a bench seat in the back, and "captain's" chairs in the front that can rotate.  There's a table that hooks onto a little bar on the kitchenette unit, but otherwise hangs up on the back door out of the way.  The bench seat folds down completely flat, and there are additional cushions on the side behind the kitchenette, so it gives you a soft flat surface across the width of the van.  My husband is 6'1" and we both sleep comfortably in there.

But it is really just a van.  With the right things brought in, you could do the same.

Photos:
Inside with bench upright and pushed back (the table would fit in the open space).

Bed laid flat (there is more cushion to the left, behind the kitchenette unit... we sleep sideways)

Outside

I've become soooo fixated on getting a camper van (with captains chairs 100% haha) so thanks for sharing all this! Will look at the pics I get so excited seeing other people's creations

I've become soooo fixated on getting a camper van (with captains chairs 100% haha) so thanks for sharing all this! Will look at the pics I get so excited seeing other people's creations

Full disclosure: we didn't create this.  We bought it third-hand off my father-in-law.  All we did was reupholster the bench seat and side cushions, scrub the heck out of it, and put in a better sound system (which we pretty much only use while we're driving because we don't want to disturb neighbouring campsites).  This is pretty nearly as we bought it for £2400.  My mother-in-law even gave us the bolt of fabric she claims she "just had laying around", but is easily £100 worth of material.

Full disclosure: we didn't create this.  We bought it third-hand off my father-in-law.  All we did was reupholster the bench seat and side cushions, scrub the heck out of it, and put in a better sound system (which we pretty much only use while we're driving because we don't want to disturb neighbouring campsites).  This is pretty nearly as we bought it for £2400.  My mother-in-law even gave us the bolt of fabric she claims she "just had laying around", but is easily £100 worth of material.

At least she makes up for her cooking with fabric.   

At least she makes up for her cooking with fabric.   

Seriously.  My husband and I had been sending off for samples from suppliers, looking at the durability, colour, weight... trying to determine what would be the best choice and not too expensive.  Then she says she has this stuff and doesn't have a use for it, without seeing the samples we were considering it's exactly the sort of thing we were looking at.  About a meter more than I would have ordered, but it was free (and we have a bit leftover for additional cushions or something if we want).  I had a lot of trouble believing she really just had it laying around.  But I didn't ask too many questions because it was perfect. 

*Nobody tell him that our house needs a lot of work and we don't currently have a kitchen! 

My lips are sealed! 

Hello noneatall - I'm very sorry these things have happened to you.

Lots of good advice around taking it slow,getting some counseling, not burning bridges, etc said in this thread. And it's all great advice.  But!, also, open mind and heart can be really good too. 

Whilst definitely not as a dramatic as you, I decided to move to Europe after a long term relationship breakup and I was fortunate enough to get a work permit for a job in Scotland. The first time I came to Scotland was on a job interview and I spent like 2.5 days here on that trip and then moved here.  I fell in love with Scotland, met my now husband, and have been here 10.5 years now.   So, I totally understand the wanting to start over!! It's not been plain sailing, and the first two years were a blur of fun, learning, and amazement, but also culture shock, homesickness, depression and a health scare which landed me in hospital.   Things fell into place and this is truly home though.  So, hey, yeah, I get it, I totally utterly do!!! Good luck with whatever you decide!!

   

Hello noneatall - I'm very sorry these things have happened to you.

Lots of good advice around taking it slow,getting some counseling, not burning bridges, etc said in this thread. And it's all great advice.  But!, also, open mind and heart can be really good too. 

Whilst definitely not as a dramatic as you, I decided to move to Europe after a long term relationship breakup and I was fortunate enough to get a work permit for a job in Scotland. The first time I came to Scotland was on a job interview and I spent like 2.5 days here on that trip and then moved here.  I fell in love with Scotland, met my now husband, and have been here 10.5 years now.   So, I totally understand the wanting to start over!! It's not been plain sailing, and the first two years were a blur of fun, learning, and amazement, but also culture shock, homesickness, depression and a health scare which landed me in hospital.   Things fell into place and this is truly home though.  So, hey, yeah, I get it, I totally utterly do!!! Good luck with whatever you decide!!

   

thank you for the kind words and the suggestions.

I know it will be a dramatic change if I do go through with this.  but something inside is telling me that a shock is exactly what I need to restart my life.

now it may be something easier, like selling my place and living in a RV here in the US for the next few years.  Or it may be making a move and becoming your next door neighbor!   lol

either way, I am kind of just feeling out some options, and trying to see what is doable and what really isn't.

Forum member Katoo was living on a narrow boat and loving it the last time we heard from her. 

Still do.  The boat is looking gorgeous, we’ve done so much work on her.  We pretty much gutted and replaced everything in it a bit at a time, while living in it.  It’s been so fun realizing our dream retirement.

Still do.  The boat is looking gorgeous, we’ve done so much work on her.  We pretty much gutted and replaced everything in it a bit at a time, while living in it.  It’s been so fun realizing our dream retirement.

KATOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

KATOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

KFD!!!!!!!