Sunday 16 February 2014

Welcome home . . .



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And so here we are . . . all ship shape and cosy in my new home.  I do so hope that you will like it here.   If not today, perhaps in time it will come to feel like we all belong to this new space.  I sure hope so at any rate.   I've managed to transfer all of the posts from Oak Cottage over here, as you can probably see.  I was really pleased that I could do that because I did not want to lose them.  They represented a lot of work, but not only that, Oak Cottage has been the journal of my life since 2007, so it was really important to me that I keep that.   Yay!  I could and that makes me very happy indeed!

I don't expect  that any of my writing will change here.  I expect it to all be the same.  I'm not sure I can adequately explain why I wanted a change of scenery, but I will try.  


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In March, it will have been four years since we went through that horrible experience we had of being made redundant from our jobs down in Kent.   Four years since we lost our Jess.  At the time we both felt pretty raw from all that we were going through.  It was a time of great upheaval and heartache . . . a time of great uncertainty and change. It felt as if we  were in a very dark tunnel and would never see the light again.   I know we all have moments like those . . .

Our faith was surely being tested . . .

Happily we made it through the tunnel and now, in retrospect we can see that the wrench was all for the best.    Everyone there ended up losing their jobs anyways.   Our employer sold up and moved to the Bahamas in November, so had we stayed til the bitter end, we would have been scrambling and looking for a new place to live, etc. just before Christmas and that would have been much, much worse.

God's timing is always perfect and it was through that experience I learned to trust in God's timing . . .  always.  We may not understand what is happening to us at any given time, we may not like what we are being put through, but there are always answers and reasons why, which . . . given time . . . we will understand and, yes . . . we will be grateful for the trials.

Grace is not so much the light at the end of the tunnel, but the light that gets us through the tunnel.  This I learned.


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I have felt these past months that by staying at Oak Cottage, I was . . .  in a way, hanging on to a past that is no longer relevant to now.  That was another life that is now finished.   We had many, many good times while we lived there and it was a very beautiful environment to live and work in . . . but my boss had gotten very difficult to work for during the last couple of years I was there, and . . . although I never said anything about it . . .  she was bullying me in a terrible way.   I would often sit in the garden and cry at the end of the day, before I went into our cottage . . .  because of things she had said or done to me.   She would call me horrible names . . . tell me I was lazy, filthy, etc.  At one point I had to go all the way back through to the beginning of my blog and take away any references to where I lived and any photographs that might give our location away.  She was convinced that someone would use my blog to find them and rob them.  I had to send her the link to my blog every morning so she could check it.   It was pretty horrendous, and it felt like I had someone squeezing the joy out of every day until it disappeared.  Now, when I think back on it, I wonder how I stayed for as long as I did . . . and I see the great favour I was done in being let go . . .

I have never been a quitter, and I would have kept on there, working forever, losing myself bit by bit until there was nothing left to be lost.

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For these past couple of months I have felt like it was time to move everything on . . . yes, Oak Cottage will always be a big part of my life, but it is time to shake off all of that negativity and draw a final line under it . . . to turn a new page.  

This is my fresh page, a new space for you and me time, and I am thinking it will be even better than the old place, especially once I get all the kinks worked out.   I do so hope you'll stay, and that every time you visit me, it will feel just like sitting down with a good friend and having a lovely natter together.

Don't forget to change your bookmarks, or sign up for updates via e-mail or whatever you like to use!  Thank you so very much for hanging on!

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A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´
¸.•´
(¸.❀⁀⋱‿✿


 The true measure of love … 
is, to love without measure.
~unknown
(((♥◠‿◠)))¸.♥´´¯`•.¸¸.ღ  

 

Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . Itty Bitty Raspberry Tartlettes!

 Have a wonderful Sunday!!

15 comments:

  1. How sad that the comments didn't move with the posts - you had some lovely, warm reactions to your beautiful writing. But I guess not everything can transfer, unfortunately.

    I love the new space and the fact that you made the move to put the past behind you. That's a really important step and the fact that it's taken four years shows just how much that episode hurt.

    I'm delighted to join you here for a cuppa and am looking forward to visiting you, Todd and Mitzie each day.

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  2. I'm glad Marie, that you can see now how awful it was working for that woman. Just what you have said in this post makes me thankful you are no longer in her employ. It is time to move on, and your lovely new spot here will be just wonderful too :)

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  3. Your new blog is beautiful and a fresh start is just the thing to clear the air and move on. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday!

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  4. Hi Marie:

    I love your new space and already I feel right at home here. Sometimes the best thing to do is to well and truly put the past behind and move on to a brighter and better future. I hope your new home will bring you much happiness, peace and joy. I look forward to all the wonderful things that will come my way from "and then we all had tea". Donna, Stratford, Ontario Canada

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  5. Yay - a brand new page! Marie, I am terribly sorry you had to go through that bad time. That was so wrong of her to be bad to you. I am glad you are able to move forward.

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  6. Lovely to be reading your "new" format...It will be all the nicer I am sure to be sitting here each morning reading your wise and wonderful words,,,The sun is shining and it is quite warm sitting here in the sunshine, just had lunch and waiting for Mrgaret to come over,,,that will be a real excursion for her only the second time over in 18 months or so...I am glad that it is sunny and warm for her, she will enjoy seeing all the snowdrops as she comes over...also she will see how high the river has come up as she comes over the wee bridge...Masy is out for what seems like a long walk with Lyn so they will come back happy...Hope you are having a lovely Sunday xxx

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  7. I love it too..and I agree if that name reminded you the least bit of someone so unkind as to call you names..

    It's not true what they sayy about sticks and stones..words will and can hurt and we are like computers..teh words are store..and sometimes hard to forget.
    What a mean lady.
    Honestly..
    Your new name is spot:) on..as in a spot of tea will ya?


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  8. Good Luck with your new blog Marie.I remember the old times and I have always said, God puts you where he thinks you should be.Have a lovely evening.Take Care God Bless.xx

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  9. Marie, I've made the switch to your new 'home,' and it just feels so very cozy! Looking forward to each new day ...

    Sharon in Alabama (USA)

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  10. I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED You and ME TIME with You,I do come by each day usely, but don't always stop and say anything.Hope You will for give me for it.You are always in my Prayers.oooxxx

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  11. Thank you so very much everyone. It means the world to me that you have come along with me for this new adventure. I feel bad about losing the comments on the old page. I will have to do something about that! xxoo

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  12. BEAUTIFUL look here at your new place--so fresh & fun! I think you are brave to start a new place in blogland. Things change, things happen, life flows on... We flow with it. But change can be good, I think. :o) I very much look forward to seeing you here weekly now. LOVE YOU LOTS, my friend ((BIG HUGS))

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  13. I love your new place and I will continue to sit with you and chat for a while. I am all for new beginnings.
    I know that you experienced what you did and it made you a stronger and better and best Marie ever. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to go through all our did.
    You are just an amazing, talented and spiritual Woman.
    Thanks for being my friend and blessings to you both.

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  14. I love your new home. Sometimes change is just what we need! Also, thanks so much for keeping up your blog. I check in at least once a week, and often find it uplifting.

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  15. Thank you so much Christine. I hope you have signed up as a follower as I am doing a giveaway! I love that you have kept up with me. It means a lot to me that my old readers stay with me. xxoo

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Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!