The end of an era ...leads to new beginnings

I hope that Blip doesn't look on this page as an advert - it's not. This is an outpouring of the huge changes my life is about to take.

I couldn't post this blip until the email came out from LPH, but here goes:

Many of you have been LPH guests or known me for many years. Today, (15th Feb) we exchanged contracts on the sale of Fern Howe. We have been trying to sell for some years, and had an offer late in 2018.

So LPH in it's current form will cease from the end of this week. The company that I set up with Gail in 1999 will close. Really the end of an era.

However, I will be continuing as a sole trader - so LPH will continue. The best news is that the new owners of Fern Howe guest house have offered me monthly workshops - so I'll even be at the same place!

It's been a few months of massive stress, huge highs and lows, the whole closed season has involved clearing out 20 years of stuff, emptying attics, clearing sheds. Skips, visits to the tip, etc etc. That's why so many of this winter's blips have been VERY local!

Today has been unbelievably hard. Delays on contract exchange have kept us on tenterhooks for the past three weeks, and finally exchanging has been a massive relief. But with that relief is a feeling of utter loss. 

I'll not be able to look at the wonderful view out of my bedroom window that I have enjoyed for 20 years. The job / way of life I've had for so long will change dramatically - to only 8 workshops this year. We've had relief and happiness, and we've shed a lot of tears too. 

However, I'll not stop running workshops in some form until they cart me off in a box, and I'll not stop Blipping either. It does feel a bit like a bereavement and my blips over the next couple of weeks may be a bit boring. We move out on the 1st March and there's a lot to do between now and then!

Thanks for reading this, hopefully thanks Blip for not deleting it, and thank you to so many of you for years of support.