(ex) homeward bound

**I just cannot contain my excitement! **

The weather is hotting up again and tomorrow we're off for three days' camping on the outskirts of our dearly beloved and much-missed former home, Brighton.

Whilst I truly love the life we've made for ourselves here over the last year, and I now wouldn't swap it for all the loose-leaf tea in Fortnum and Mason, there isn't a day that passes without me longing for particular aspects of the life we left behind.

• the endless sea.


• bric-a-brac hunting in Snoopers Paradise.


• the culture of embracing of eccentricity.


• Bankers fishcakes.


• spending every sunny weekend lazing in the park drinking rosé with my fabulous friends whilst our children run riot.


• watching those children meet their milestones and sharing in celebrating their achievements.


• having people to confide in.

• buying mini macaroons for Flora's breakfast on the nursery run, at the start of one of the many days I was too slovenly to prepare her cereal in time.
  

• cycling to work.


• I even miss my job.

But two (pretend) grown-ups, a three year old, a cat and a bump could not survive in a tiny one-bedroomed basement flat any longer.

And wasn't much fun being surrounded by wonderful things going on, when we could no longer afford to do any of them due to our every-increasing brood.

So the Brighton dream wasn't to be...

But, hurray for holidays!