Realisation
Aug. 10th, 2006 09:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silkyraven
Some self-indulgent rambling...
It hit me last night that I'm leaving South London. Last night was the last Croydon Cycling Campaign meeting that I will probably ever go to. Entirely coincidentally I spent much of yesterday afternoon driving round Raynes Park, where I was born and lived till I was 7 and I realised how much I consider that part of London 'home'. I know it, I don't get lost there, I know where all the roads go. I think I drove Linda (the stable manager at Vauxhall City Farm, we were looking at ponies to buy...yes, you can do that in Morden...) mad with my 'Oooh, that was where I...' for the duration of our gaunt round SW20 and nearby postcodes. It's very odd to think that in just over a weeks time I'll be living in a part of London I don't know at all. I don't think I've ever done that really...even when I was supposedly living in Finsbury Park I was actually living either at halls in college with William or in Clapham at my then boyfriends flat. It's quite terrifying actually, or at least it seemed it when I got back from the meeting last night. I cried myself to sleep last night for the first time in years, but it all seems ok this morning. I know it'll be fine when I get there. I don't doubt it for a second, but it's sad to be leaving the part of London where I've spend the greater part of my life.
I suppose in some ways it's also admitting that I was wrong. When I moved to Croydon after graduating I couldn't imagine living anywhere else and once I moved I couldn't imagine ever moving. My friends lived there, my job was there, my social life was there. I was going out with a boy who was living in Bristol but he had plans to move back to London and into my flat in Croydon. We had it all worked out! How things change, eh? I think the last time I went into Croydon town centre was over a month ago, to get some groceries. I can't remember the last time I went out there in the evening...
So, anyway. Change is a good thing. It'll be better to be closer to all my friends, my social life and generally live in London. I am excited about being moved, the packing and actual moving bit are less exciting but hey, such is life. It's weird how challenging moving 15 miles north, in the same bloody city is to me - other people on this list have moved countries!
For those that asked, the move date is the 19th August, which is a week on Saturday!! Any help shifting boxes, either in Croydon or Commercial Road would be greatly apprieciated. I won't be out much between now and then, and if I am I might be in an odd sort of mood for which I apologise. Normal service will be resumed in September.
It hit me last night that I'm leaving South London. Last night was the last Croydon Cycling Campaign meeting that I will probably ever go to. Entirely coincidentally I spent much of yesterday afternoon driving round Raynes Park, where I was born and lived till I was 7 and I realised how much I consider that part of London 'home'. I know it, I don't get lost there, I know where all the roads go. I think I drove Linda (the stable manager at Vauxhall City Farm, we were looking at ponies to buy...yes, you can do that in Morden...) mad with my 'Oooh, that was where I...' for the duration of our gaunt round SW20 and nearby postcodes. It's very odd to think that in just over a weeks time I'll be living in a part of London I don't know at all. I don't think I've ever done that really...even when I was supposedly living in Finsbury Park I was actually living either at halls in college with William or in Clapham at my then boyfriends flat. It's quite terrifying actually, or at least it seemed it when I got back from the meeting last night. I cried myself to sleep last night for the first time in years, but it all seems ok this morning. I know it'll be fine when I get there. I don't doubt it for a second, but it's sad to be leaving the part of London where I've spend the greater part of my life.
I suppose in some ways it's also admitting that I was wrong. When I moved to Croydon after graduating I couldn't imagine living anywhere else and once I moved I couldn't imagine ever moving. My friends lived there, my job was there, my social life was there. I was going out with a boy who was living in Bristol but he had plans to move back to London and into my flat in Croydon. We had it all worked out! How things change, eh? I think the last time I went into Croydon town centre was over a month ago, to get some groceries. I can't remember the last time I went out there in the evening...
So, anyway. Change is a good thing. It'll be better to be closer to all my friends, my social life and generally live in London. I am excited about being moved, the packing and actual moving bit are less exciting but hey, such is life. It's weird how challenging moving 15 miles north, in the same bloody city is to me - other people on this list have moved countries!
For those that asked, the move date is the 19th August, which is a week on Saturday!! Any help shifting boxes, either in Croydon or Commercial Road would be greatly apprieciated. I won't be out much between now and then, and if I am I might be in an odd sort of mood for which I apologise. Normal service will be resumed in September.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 08:37 am (UTC)Hope you manage to settle quickly and that you'll be very happy!
*hugs*
Yxx
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 08:47 am (UTC)I only got my flat there because I wanted to be near the things that I knew, but after 12 years even I've had enough of chavs and rudeness, and police helicopters at night. Trouble is my flat isn't the tidiest and best maintained, so it would cost some seius notes to get it saleable. I wouldn't miss Shithole Lambeth for one micro second when I finally do get myself motivated to go.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 09:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 09:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 10:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 01:13 pm (UTC)[slightly more] seriously, part of your area will stay with you no matter where you go, but once you find another area you love (fingers crossed it'll be the one you're moving to) you'll be surprised how easy it will be for you to call it home and to look at the 'old' home as something to be remembered fondly, yes, but part of a previous life to which you wouldn't really want to go back to.
[and yet more seriously] Remember I am available for help till 12 noon latest on Sat, so if you want me to drive a carload (mine) or vanload (if you rent one) of stuff from Croydon to the East End in the morning gives us a shout yeah? (it'll be sort of in the right area too for me, as afterwards I've got work at West Ham)