Inspired or just plain foolish!

That is the question?   Is it best to take stuff with us or should we come unladen with our old life?  My husband and I have spent a considerable amount of time debating what should come and what should not and my teenage daughter is adamant her life will end if she cannot bring all her books, DVD's and CD collection.

When in Spain I would rather be de-cluttered I think.  In the UK you need all your stuff to make you feel warm and cosy but surely that isn't necessary in Spain.  

I know that its pointless to bring electrical goods - but what about the computer?  Its not that old and holds lots of precious work.  We have a new flat screen TV - I think I heard somewhere that they can be tweaked to work OK in Spain?

We are busy planning what will happen when we get to Spain but the work involved to actually get to that point is a nightmare - where do you accumilate all this stuff from?   I keep quietly losing things so that no-one will notice.  You know -  if no-one has used it for the last 5 years then they surely won't notice that its gone.  It will not work with my husband's tools though and he has a shed full of them (he used to be a carpenter).  

By Christmas I want us to be living a minimalist lifestyle but it will be very painful to get to that point.  I just keep telling them all that the packing cases are too expensive!

OK, OK, Perhaps the timing is all wrong, perhaps the credit crunch makes it all a bit foolish but if we dont do it now - we never will. 

We decided to move to Spain in July 2007 and have been planning it ever since.  We have looked at different areas, We started in the Costa Blanca North - then Costa Blanca South - then Mercia and have decided to go to the Costa del Sol.  We must be mad because it is so much more expensive but inland is so beautiful!  

We have decided to try about 20 to 30 minutes inland so that we have the advantage of being able to get to the coast for work.

We have tried and failed to sell our house in the UK so if we have not sold by November (fat chance) we are going to rent it out and rent in Spain.  All the advice I get says we should do that anyway.

My hubby is retiring - lucky devil - but I need to work and I have been trawling the internet for jobs and exploring franchise opportunities.  I hear all the warnings about lack of work opportunities but I have to give it a go.

I have been studying Spanish for a year - a long way off being fluent but hey - every little helps and I am impressed with how much I understand now.  My daughter did Spanish GCSE and speaks better than me - so between us we hope to have taken the first step on the ladder.

I have read every book I can lay my hands on and searched hundreds of web sites.  What frightens me most is not being able to get good reliable advice and making new friends.  Hopefully by blogging my way in - I can overcome that. Its a pleasure to be able to do that.