As well as posting my adventures as long haul cabin crew in the form of Suzi, (Love, Suzi x) I’m going to update you with my recent adventures. This is an excerpt of a book I’m writing called From London to Lewes about how my family and I relocated, renovated and changed our lives.

This is our story:-

After a lifetime of London living, an urban family, used to the conveniences of the city try adapting to life in the country. Where on earth do we think of moving to and how insane are we to even consider it?

Surviving …just

I thought I’d cracked it this morning. Even after a sleepless night I leapt out of bed, (well nearly, the intention was there) struggled outside to fetch the water for a cup of tea, let the dogs out to chase any trespassing rabbits, collecting the washing from the annexed utility, whilst juggling the filled, animal food bowls on the top. I know women are supposed to be good at multi -tasking and I do usually have a good go at trying to keep all my balls in the air but just recently there are definitely a few starting to slip. The whirlwind in our house is usually kept at a fairly low grade: lost sports kit, lack of food in the fridge, untidy bedrooms – the usual sort of thing, but just recently a hurricane has been brewing. I knew it because I may have to write myself a schedule on a post-it-note to stick on my forehead to make sure I don’t forget to pick up my daughter for her orthodontist appointment or leave my son at school. The strain of living with the builders is beginning to show. When I couldn’t even fill a glass of water, as we can’t walk on the floor of our shell of a kitchen, my calm façade cracked. I am not one to have tantrums but I could have thrown everything out of my pram and some. The list of things to do swirling in the wind, just gets longer every day with none seemingly being ticked off.

The kitchen WILL be here.

The lawn started to fill up with vans as I got dressed and with just an extra layer of slap to fill in the cracks and dark circles under my eyes I thought I could fool anyone I was sane. Not so, although complemented on my sophisticated style in the playground by another mum, it was pointed out to me that it was ruined by a pink lipstick mark on my trench coat collar. Really? Approaching my son to say goodbye I noticed he still had his PJ top on underneath his school fleece and I spat out an earwig found in my morning coffee.

Our makeshift kitchen in the lounge

Working from home can be a blessing in the family/home juggling game, but unless I get more work, it’s back to the classroom and teaching for me, something I’ve spent the last few years trying to avoid and goodness knows how I’ll juggle then. Still, whirlwinds come and go, my feet were bought back to earth when my son announced his goldfish wasn’t well because he was swimming on his side. A rescue plan was put in place and apart from mouth to mouth, everything possible was done to try and save it. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, Steve ended up lifeless at the bottom of the tank. Luckily, his companion doesn’t seem to miss him, although in a whirlwind who can tell?

Teresa x

Look how it turned out in the end.

LOVE, SUZI x – letters from a long haul stewardess. My latest book is now available from Amazon as a paperback or ebook