Where on earth have you been?

When I started my website, it was my intention to blog weekly. It hasn’t always been done, because If I had nothing to write about I wasn’t going to do it for the sake of doing it! But I’ve had an unexpectedly long lay-off, and I thought I’d better explain why…

Most of you will know that I currently live on the Isle of Man. This jewel in the Irish Sea has been our home for 22 years, but since retiring from the police service, my wife and I have found ourselves looking further from these golden shores. Our children left several years ago, and getting on and off can be both expensive and challenging. The Island is also a bit ‘niche’ when it comes to work opportunities, and as I develop the coaching and training practice, being limited by a narrow market isn’t ideal.

So we have decided to relocate back to the UK. Not at the most ideal of times, I grant you, but what has become clear is that we can’t just continue to bounce around in this covid-free, isolated bubble for ever. With a sale progressing on our house here, the time has never been more right. What has been surprising is just how much capacity the whole process has sucked up. Leaving the Isle of Man is effectively an emigration, and of course, having to travel to the UK to view houses brought its own challenges. We spent a week over there in September, and viewed 27 houses. On our return, we had to quarantine for a full fortnight, which was a heads-down packing up and thinning down mission to make sure we were as de-cluttered as possible. Our furniture has all gone, and the rest of our lives awaits transport in 13 cubic metres of boxes.

Decision making has been tough. Our viewing schedule on houses was such that We had to be disciplined, and organised in order to put down an offer on a property with any degree of confidence. And as it transpired, matters arising later in the conveyancing process has resulted in having to withdraw and start again with another offer on a contingency property. We will now have a period of ‘no fixed abode’ between selling the Isle of Man house, and getting the keys for our UK one. That creates a period of uncertainty, and those of you who read these blogs will know that isn’t my favourite place to be!

So the reason why I’ve been uncharacteristically quiet is simple; you can’t do everything, and you can’t be everywhere. There was a time when I’d have tried to, but age and experience help you better understand your limitations.

I’ve had some other exciting projects on the go in amongst all this too, which I hope to update you on very soon.

Derek Flint Cert. ED., MCIPR