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 about how my family and I 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?

There’s nothing like the sight of a builder scrabbling about on the scaffolding outside your bedroom window to make you spring out of bed in a second. It was while I was indulging in an extra cup of tea that my visitor appeared. Fortunately I had my new stripy PJ’s on but I’ve learnt my lesson, check for the all clear before making any move in the bedroom.

With surprising speed the foundations have been laid and subsequent walls to support the oak frame work for the orangery have been built. Like a mini Giant’s Causeway, the bricks stand ready in their columns to construct small retaining walls around the patio to hold the garden at bay and long channels have been dug out of the earth to enable the new drainage pipes to be put into place. There was only one tricky moment when the order not to use the bathroom for a while because the new manhole was being connected was disobeyed, but fortunately for those involved nothing untoward floated past them. I took to sticking posters, large enough to be read by sleepy children on the facilities that were out of action to ensure no wayward effluent escaped again.

Laying the concrete nearly didn’t happen as the mixer lorry was too large to negotiate our awkward driveway. Thankfully, our extremely tolerant neighbours kindly allowed the lorry to park on their drive whilst each load of concrete was put into a mini dumper truck. Sitting at my computer I could hear the driver coming, long before I saw the top of his head outside the window as he trundled back and forth, along the make-shift, boarded pathway around the house to the back garden, on his numerous trips to complete the job.
The kitchen window has to have a lintel installed above it to enable a wider opening to be made so that the new orangery can become part of the kitchen creating the kind of cosy living space where the family can gather. Being one of the youngest of many siblings, I could guarantee a place on top of the low boiler to sit and watch my mother at the stove. Although it was small, the kitchen was always a place of warmth and comfort where we would gather and get under my mother’s feet. This is the kind of atmosphere I wish to recreate for my children, but without the need for us to feel on top of one another. So one morning, Acrow props were put in place to hold my daughter’s bedroom up, whilst a large gap was made underneath so that the metal beam could be inserted.

On days such as these I’ve found it best to ensure that I have a long engagement away from the house or in desperation, a cup of tea and the sanctity of my bedroom– but with the curtains closed.

Teresa x

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