Alan in Belfast is undergoing a transition too

It's been quiet on the blog over the last few weeks. I've been preoccupied. There are a couple of posts overdue about Out to Lunch festival events, but they'll have to wait.

Before Christmas we came to the decision to move house. I delayed doing anything about it until the New Year. And so on the Monday 5th we rang up to look round a house, on Wednesday 7th we signed the lease (on a different house), and two weeks later - today - we're all boxed up and moving in. (Renting is so much faster than the process of buying!)

[They're started heaving the boxes of books out now.]

East Belfast has been a wonderful home over the past six years. Real community, great neighbours, a bakery around the corner (try the Golden Crumb's cinnamon loaf), the Orient takeaway, a convenient Post Office (until they closed it), two miles from St George's Belfast City Airport (until the travel ban), and ten minutes from work (during the school holidays at least).

But with Littl'un starting school in September, and P1 classes getting out earlier than most UK car plants these days, being nearer to grandparents sounds like a good move.

So Alan in Belfast is off (back) to Lisburn ... which we'll refer to from here on as "Belfast's Bedroom".

Spending the first 29 years of life living in Lisburn, it's hard to get too excited about going back. Now I don't want to be mean, and perhaps I'll (re)discover the joy of Lisnagarvey, but it's not an instant attraction. Lisburn's a nice enough town (I mean, city), but lacks the character and depth of Belfast.

[Time passes ... Arms stretch ... Boxes of books still being carried.]

So will the blog name change? No.

I'll still be working and enjoying Belfast, just talking about it from a suburb! And maybe there'll be the odd post about the joy of trying to get our old house fixed up and on the rental market over the coming months.

So anyone wanting to buy or rent a 4 bedroom 2 reception house in Belmont/Ballyhackamore, double fronted, garage, quiet street, lovely neighbours, good schools nearby ... drop me an email!

[The wardrobes are coming down ... much panting and shouted instructions from the boss. I wish I could have recorded it - would make terrific imaginative radio. But the desk will be worse.]