The Return of Escape to the Country

FEBRUARY  27th 2018 

Back in 2012 we had a bit of a windfall - one of the winning numbers for the London Olympics Lottery Raffle Prize turned out to be our number. The outcome was that we finally had a chance to buy our own property and to get out of Walthamstow, N.E. London, in exchange for a prospective new home in Devon.

Problem: Finding said home.
Solution: Apply to go on Escape to the Country and let someone else do the leg-work!

The result was a couple of days with a BBC TV film crew in North Devon, and we bought the first house they showed us.

This one, in fact.


We moved in on the day it snowed heavily on 18th January 2013, and absolutely love it here.


Quite a few things have changed in the years between. Kathy married Adam, for instance, and we built an extension apartment for them.


We moved in with two cats, a dog and two horses. We now still have two cats (although Sybil has gone semi-feral) ...

Our old boy Rum
 sadly left us in March 2013
Mab
Sybil
... two dogs

Baz
Eddie
hens, ducks and geese (and Ron still has his racing pigeons)

Christmas Goose
a donkey called Wonky Donk and four Exmoor ponies



 three big show jumpers

Lexie (Shinglehall Casino)

Wexford Pippa
Saffie - La Rafaelle
with one more one the way, Saffie is in foal, due to be born in late March, early April

With all this additional excitement through the years, I invited the BBC TV Escape to the Country team back for their spin-off series I Escaped to the Country.

So on the 27th February 2018  we played host to the lovely Alistair Appleton  and crew for the day.





Baz wasn't very impressed
Although he adored Alistair
 






Mr Mischief, of course,
wanted to know if anything was edible...
 



Then it was time for lunch, which we provided
The cheese was from the Cheese Larder in South Molton
 




Donkey, however did not want to join in
 




... until Alistair walked away


I think he was scared because the boom-microphone
 looked a bit like donkey fur

Phew, it's hard work this being on TV lark!
No idea, yet, when the show will be broadcast ... but watch this space (or better still, sign up for my newsletter HERE and you'll get the date as soon as I know!)

< My Previous article Game of Thrones 


4 comments:

  1. Oh, what fun! I've just read back the few posts I've missed, and come to this! How lovely. My husband has often said that fulfilling a dream the way your family did is the best possible way of spending such a windfall.

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    1. Your husband is absolutely right! So many people assumed we would buy a new posh car, go on an expensive holiday... whatever for? WE don't want a big posh car, and we are on holiday 24/7 here in Devon - scenery wise!
      Thanks for dropping by!

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  2. Michael from Alabama, USA10:35 pm

    I am a librarian in the USA and watch Escape to the Country and the later series when I can get them.what a wonderful home!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! You might like my cozy mystery series (A Mirror Murder etc) based on my years as a library assistant back in the 1970s!

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Thank you for leaving a comment your interest is very much appreciated! It will be published as soon as possible - depending on whether I am at my computer or walking up the lane, or being chased by the goose or helping mend fences after the pony has broken through YET AGAIN.... :-)
Helen