Too Good To Be True?

Rent free.

Two little words that would make most people's ears prick up in view of suddenly being a whole lot richer than they are currently. It's a bit like a free bus ride, or fiddling the electric meter. It sounds good in theory, but there must be a catch, right?

Get caught dodging a bus fare, and you'll land yourself a fine. Get caught fiddling the electric company out of your hard earned sterling, and you'll land up in prison. But what is the catch with (legally) living rent free?

Rent free is what it says it is - you simply don't pay rent. And that can save you tens of thousands of pounds each year. Often, there are other perks too, like no council tax, free phone calls, and free power. We pay for the electricity we use, and for broadband, but everything else is free.

On the upside, our arrangement offers us a life without annoying neighbours, 4 other fully furnished cottages that we can (and do) use, our own large field - great for spontaneous games of football, kite flying and the like, and endless usage of the farmland on which we're located.

But probably the biggest upside is no boss on site, essentially leaving us to our own devices practically all the time. We can work when we choose, and only work one day per week, leaving the majority of time for our own endeavours.

But surely, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Living conditions clearly weren't ever going to be the Ritz, and we certainly didn't walk into this project thinking we'd be living like Lord and Lady of the Manor. But until you arrive at a property in view to a long term sit, you really have no idea what you're walking into, except for a few honest, or not so honest chats over Skype with the owners.

We've had chats twice now, with the people that own this place, and with Angelika in Italy. In both cases, the truth does seem to have somewhat been glossed over. It's not that there were blatant lies told, more that the honest and open truth wasn't quite told.

Because if the truth be known, the truth would probably put most people off.

So, expect the worse.

We didn't, and have been hugely disappointed since first arriving here almost exactly as we were in Italy - you'd think we'd have learned from our previous mistakes!

Constant dampness

Press once for washing up, twice for a shower. Ready in 30 minutes

1950's heating in the bedrooms

Gutter Gardening

All mod-cons

Last tested in 1997

Expect there to be shocking furniture and decor, poorly maintained interiors, windows that don't close, roofs that don't keep the rain out, peeling paint, damp, mould, rodents, poor equipment, and a general living condition you might not have been expecting.

Twinkle perfectly summed this place up after a couple of days of living here when she observed we were suddenly living like students. That's exactly what it's like - a student house, poorly furnished and extremely poorly maintained. Well, certainly that was the case in at least 3 of the houses I lived in whilst studying all those years ago.

But remember, the moral of this story is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Ever.

So, if you want to be your own boss, and do very little work in exchange for a roof over your head (albeit a not so dry one), and importantly, you don't mind living like a scabby student, his house sitting gig might just be right up your street.

So, Mission Accomplished?

Since departing Australia more than 3 months ago, jobless, homeless and living on our savings, we've come a very long way.

It seems like forever and a day since I resigned my post at Loop, packed up my desk, and boarded that plane, and almost just as long since I shook hands with the man who sold us the car that Rhett now loves to pretend to drive on a daily basis.

But, the question on our lips is 'are we done?'.

How long will it be before this lifestyle comes to a grinding halt, and we return to the real world?

To answer that, it's simply a case of knowing if each objective has been achieved or not, or indeed if it is achievable here in the middle of nowhere.

So, here it goes:

Spend more time together
Probably our top priority. We spend every day together, and often help each other out with tasks around the house and the workplace. We all hang the washing out together, we eat each and every meal together, we play together, anytime we want. It's a bit like being The Waltons (but with only 3 of them).
Verdict:
Mission Accomplished. Life is very short, and seeing us together like this will stay with us all forever. Working all the hours God sends for the corporate monster seems like a thing of my past currently and I truly hope to hang onto at least some of what I've had in the past 3 months if and when I return to the real world.


Be More Creative
Another core reason to do this was to engage my true inner talents and turn them into a commercial success, thus stepping away from design. Whilst I always knew becoming a full time illustrator wouldn't happen in such a short space of time, I should have a feel as to whether I'm on track to succeed or not. 
But the biggest downside here in Campbeltown is the lack of inspiration - something I probably didn't even consider before we arrived. It is truly the dullest place I've ever visited, and coupled with the lack of ability to buy materials, or sit in a cool coffee shop to get the motivation levels firing on all cylinders, the creative process is proving to be somewhat harder than I've ever experienced before. 
Verdict:
Evens. I do feel like I'm getting into the swing of my true inner self, and I do scribble more often than not, but I'm frustrated on a daily basis. Gone are the days of being able to change the surroundings to stoke the flames of creativity, and I'm totally unsure currently which train I need to board to get to where I'm going. A real worry.


Don't go broke
We entered this project with a bag of cash, and we still seem to be in the black. But with nothing to spend money on here, there is a constantly nagging voice in my ear saying 'you need a treat' - which usually leads directly to the cream cake section in Tesco's. Not good for my arteries. 
Verdict:
Mission Accomplished. I'd imagine the biggest reason people don't take a sabbatical is financial, and yet with a couple of small freelance jobs along the way, we seem to be in the same financial position we were when we started back in January. Certainly we could easily keep going if it were down to cash alone.


Take a breather
After clocking up so many hours in the real world, switching off for a decent amount of time was also a key reason for doing this. As Ferris Bueller once said - Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. 
Verdict:
Well, with my last post 'The Joy Of Pottering' I think this has to be Mission Accomplished. I certainly don't currently feel the stresses and strains of life that I used to feel, and I do feel ready for the next big fix - whatever that is. Our close friend Carly said recently our that one of our biggest problems was our inability to 'relax', and I think she's right. But equally, I do seem to have become far more lazy since being here, a trait I really don't want to develop further.



Overall, the decision to take a sabbatical is one I'll never regret. It's shown me so much about how you can just give it all up and hit the road, and that when things don't go quite to plan, there's always a way. Isn't that ultimately what life is anyway?

I've learnt that you don't need huge amounts of money to keep the stress levels down, and I've also learnt just how much money I used to waste. I've learnt that children are easy if only you give them your time, and I've learnt that the most important thing in life is not work. I've learnt a huge amount, most of which I probably don't even realise yet.

I've learnt that I really do love pencils, and that I hate pens, that practice does make perfect, and that a little each day keeps you in much better shape than huge pushes followed by huge lulls. I've learnt that I like drawing people far more than animals or cars, and that I feel naked without my sketchbook or camera, even if I'm only popping into town to buy milk.

But can we continue to live like this?

Its not so much a question of 'can' - it's more 'do we want to'.

The funny thing is, I truly miss work - something I never thought I'd say. Whilst I don't miss the politics, I do miss people, and the challenges they throw up. I miss the banter, and the plastic crap all over my desk. I miss being in a city and having a home that doesn't smell of damp.

I miss much about my old life, and I'd like much of it back.

But there are also many aspects of this new life I equally don't want to lose.

Mission Accomplished? I think the mission has now changed to 'get the perfect balance'. We never had it in London, nor in Sydney, and we sure as hell don't have it here. Finding it might prove mission impossible, but I think its ultimately the next big fix.

The Joy Of Pottering

Pottering is something old people do, isn't it? It's certainly something my Mum does around her garden on spring days anyway. It's not really something I've ever considered 'getting into'.

But something has happened to me since moving to Argyll.

The property we live on is dilapidated, and carries with it such a long list of things to mend and fix that we'll never complete all tasks set. This has led us to having the mindset of a pottering old retired couple.

Yet it's a world away from the life we're used to, and I'm surprised we've adapted at all.

The main difference is in not having an objective - you just sort of do whatever takes your fancy at any given moment, without care of getting the job completed. The joy comes when you do finish something you never really set out to do it in the first place.

Top 5 potters:

Washing the car:  

Use a bucket of water rather than a hose, not to conserve water, but to waste time. It makes you do a better job, and your toddler can help. Vacuum the inside out at the same time for a true home-style valet. 

Painting: 

Just crack open a tin of the nearest paint, grab a massive brush, and exercise those arms. Don't worry about masking anything off, if you paint the grass just cut it back. Tired old fences or garage doors will look shiny and new in no time, and with little effort.

Feeding the birds:

Either buy a feeder, or make one out if an empty loo roll, covered in peanut butter and bird seed. It makes you feel good that you're helping such tiny creatures, and brings further smiles when you see them scoffing your home made treats without complaint.

Watering the flowers: 

Simply fill up the watering can, and wander around sprinkling randomly. This also encourages the planting of seeds and bulbs, thus creating a spectacular festival of colour in your garden (according to the packet anyway).

Going for a walk:

Walking round the block is something teenagers do to cause mischief, and pensioners do to prevent their joints seizing up. But wandering aimlessly is a great way to get inspired. Use this important time to think about whats really important to you. 

Pottering. Give it a try.