Just after the pandemic, we left London - where I was born and raised - to try life in the Somerset countryside, living on the edge of a small town called Frome.
At the time, I was homeschooling two of our three children and saw this as an adventure we were going on, thinking we’d probably return to London after a year or two.
But that’s not what happened.
Our children wanted to make friends and so they joined a local school, which meant they quickly settled into life in Somerset.
While I was struggling with the potential longevity of this ‘adventure’ we’d set out on, I found myself drawn to the garden, where I felt at peace.
I created a patch of wild meadow and now realise this might have been an attempt to lay literal roots that might then strengthen the metaphorical roots.
Now, I sometimes panic about not living in the city I consider ‘home’ - and raising my children there - but I also love the beautiful countryside life in Frome. The welcoming, creative community, the wonderful friends I’ve made and the lower cost of living.
So this is my story: of where Home used to be, where Home is now, what I find hard, what I love, what I’ve learned about ‘home’ being many different things - and what I see happening in the future…
Show notes:
I talk a lot about ‘home’ on Instagram @annieridout.
This is my book, Raise your SQ, that I mention in the episode.
And here are the other episodes of Home, as well as my personal essays and business tips.
On leaving east London for Frome in Somerset: the pros, the cons