This time last year was a wild stormy day and about now (7pm) the removalists were just finishing moving our stuff into the new house in Yanchep. The ‘north wind’ was blowing quite literally (as well as figuratively – think Chocolat) and we were ready for a new adventure. The pic above is the next morning as the kids stood on the balcony.

It’s often the case that the dream you have for a place is very different from the reality when you hit the ground. The idea of living somewhere can sometimes be more compelling than the actually living there.

However after a year in Yanchep I can say this is one place where reality has actually exceeded the dream. I must admit I did leave Butler with some reservations. The extra travel time was one issue. I didn’t know how I’d cope. The bigger mortgage was another change I wasn’t looking forward to and then there was the question of whether living at the end of the earth was really such a good idea anyway.

Well, its been nothing short of awesome! By far the best move we have ever made and for once in my life I can’t imagine ever leaving.

The travel time hasn’t been much of a drama. I just allow myself another 15 minutes anywhere I go and I choose to enjoy the final drive home up Marmion avenue. I just figure I now have a very long driveway that starts at the Butler shops and finishes at home. The mortgage is always something I find difficult. But that’s more because of the big loss 3 years back. If not for that we would be living here debt free and that is always hard to accept. But its reality… so I deal with it…

The stuff I have loved about living here include

– the proximity to the ocean and the great surf I have discovered just right where we live. Tonight I was able to surf to sunset with 3 other local blokes and had great waves. I’ve met people in the water and I think I am just about able to call myself ‘a local’.

– the house has been great. The balcony is a beautiful spot to have breakfast, lunch or anything else for that matter. We love the way it is set up, the space, the sheds, the gardens and all of it. We have needed to do some work and at last count we had spent $25K in the last year, but hopefully that will end as we seem to have fixed everything now.

– the sound of the beach at night. We sleep with the window open so we hear it each night and some nights it has been deafening. I love it.

– the remoteness is really nice. I like being that little bit further out.

– morning drives by the ocean. Every time we enter come home or leave we go by the beach and its a reminder of the paradise we live in. Some days it is beautiful and enticing and other days angry and intimidating. But either way its amazing.

I could go on, but you get the idea. When you work in churches you often end up simply living in the suburb where your church is, and this is the first time we have moved somewhere by choice rather than because of work.

I honestly don’t have any real negatives.

Roll on the next 20 years!