EAST FINCHLEY, A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

After months of searching and weeks of nail biting as we waited to hear whether we had successfully gazumped another offer and then whether Canberra had approved the whole thing, we are in our house. We are very happy.

OUR HOUSE, NEAR THE END OF OUR STREET.
OUR HOUSE

It is a warm and comfortable three storey semi-detached house in a cul de sac, as we had at home in ACT.  All the neighbours seem really friendly, as we also had both in Canberra and at our first home together in the Blue Mountains before we moved to ACT.

The house was pretty much fully furnished and we were even able to get the landlord to get brand new beds for us. We have a fabulous large combined kitchen/ dining room with really good new appliances and under floor heating, great showers (not what we expected at all !)

The kids have their own rooms on the middle floor and we are up in the loft area. 

The kids love having their own rooms for the first time .....

ever !!!

We have a good sized though somewhat soggy at present back garden that even has a 15 metre gum tree!  

We have a small front yard, a driveway AND a garage, again not what we expected to have, that could almost fit the Range Rover- which arrived on 11th February.  It suffered no damage at all either on the boat or during my trip back from Southampton. I managed to get lost only once as I headed into London.  Phew !  

It is strange looking out the window and seeing the thing sitting in the driveway. We are glad we brought it though. It makes a huge difference being able to fill up the boot with shopping rather than being limited to what I can carry.  Mind you, negotiating the traffic and weaving in and out of the parked cars is tedious. Driving here is best described as courteous but meandering and unpredictable.

TRYING TO SEE A WILTSHIRE WHITE HORSE THROUGH THE DRIZZLE !

The kids have been riding their bikes for the first time two & half months and can get themselves down to the nearby park easily. We have a little bit of train noise as the tube opens up to above ground but we actually don’t mind it given the tube was such a big part of our lives in Kensington.

THE LAST TRAIN CHANGE AT 7:30 am AT  EUSTON ON THEIR
VERY LAST LONG TUBE RIDE.

The commute is so much better - a 5 minute walk to the station, followed by an 8 minute tube ride then another 10 minute walk to William’s school. The kids get up at 10 past 7 not 10 past 6 and can be home by 4pm. Mark is able to actually get things done.

We have just about unpacked everything have had had only one inconsequential breakage.  We have met many of the neighbours and had drinks and nibbles with next door whom we share a wall with.  

The rest of the street is a mixture of older retired couples – some originals who were born in the street when it was built in the early 30s – and some families.

East Finchley  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Finchley  )
seems a really interesting suburb bordering on Fortis Green and Muswell Hill not far from Highgate – all of which are areas we looked for houses in. The High road has some great shops – a fabulous old style fishmonger serving delicious fish and oysters, a great Indian take away along with a really nice pub – The Bald Faced Stag, which we had a celebratory meal at the end of our first week. 


There is also the oldest continuously running cinema in England, The Phoenix, and even some op shops for Sally. Trendy Muswell Hill is just a 15 minute stroll away. One stop up the Northern Line is Central Finchley which has a more multicultural community with lots of Iranian and Arabic shops.

We have been very, very lucky indeed. We could not have asked for better than we have.