Next stop, Newport

Siri, can you google map Manchester to Newport?

3.5hours, okay lets go.

New team, new season, new location, new house, new start… here we go.

So after finishing his season at Crewe and enjoying a well deserved break in the Dominican Republic, my boyfriend headed back to pre-season, only this time at a new club. Well not entirely ‘new’ - he has played for Newport, way back before we knew each other.

So with that, it means packing up and relocating to South Wales, exciting.

So I have to be honest, I think I’ve actually only ever been to Wales once and I’m pretty sure it was for a school trip, so I’m not familiar with it at all. However, Court has told me it has a nice countryside, isn’t too far from the sea and has some great golf courses. We began searching for houses in more rural areas and of course close to a golf club. Can you feel my eyes rolling as you read this? Although I love Manchester and have lived here for the last few years, I do like grass, sheep, fields and fresh air. So each evening we scoured Right Move for rural, countryside properties in locations I can barely pronounce.

How do I feel about moving? Well I’m excited of course. I’m excited to follow my boyfriend and support him at his new club, however I’m definitely going to miss my family and friends.

Truth be told, I am a little bit of an introvert and I absolutely love time on my own, however I started to notice over the last couple of years that I’m definitely a homebody and I love being close to my family, especially my Grandma. Although Newport is only a 4 hour drive from my hometown of Huddersfield, it’s still quite a trek to just pop over for a cup of coffee, you know?

Adjusting to life with a footballer is different, it’s not like dating a normal 9-5 kinda guy. His schedule is completely different, I spend 90% of my Saturdays at football games and I’m fortunate enough to now understand the offside rule, but it also means nights away for away games and of course relocating to wherever his club is. Most of my friends don’t really understand, so it’s hard to relate at times. Luckily since knowing Court, I’ve made friends with his team mates girlfriends and wives which has been amazing and I’ll definitely miss Saturday Starbucks before the game at Crewe with the girls.

So, with that we found a house! Around 30mins from Newport and 30mins from Cardiff, up in the hills, the sticks or as Courtney keeps saying ‘we literally live in a cloud’. The other day he asked if he’d be able to bottle a cloud in a jar, saying it would ‘probably sell on Amazon’ - I don’t doubt you there honey.

Sadly we didn’t end up with a barn conversion as originally planned, as most of the barn conversions were on working farms, and it was just a no go with two dogs, and also waking up at 5am to the sound of tractors? I’m good, thanks.

The moving process has been okay, the reason I say okay is because the moving date kept getting pushed back and in the end we accepted the property without the cleaners or decorators coming in. Cleaning - I didn’t mind, if you know me, you know I’m OCD and I was ready to deep clean, however decorating? Not so much my forte, but Courtney said it would be ‘fun’… and with that he packed his golf clubs and enjoyed a day on the course, leaving me and my paintbrush to have a great time. Thanks babe.

Joking… he helped (a little)

Anyways, we’ve been down here for nearly two weeks now, and I actually haven’t felt homesick, the area is quiet but theres fun stuff to do in Cardiff which isn’t too far away. I probably haven’t felt homesick because I’ve been high on paint fumes for the last two weeks, but thankfully Courtney’s dad and cousin came down over the weekend to paint, and I can’t tell you how happy that made me. The house is slowly beginning to feel like a home, mainly because of the doormat which Courtney insisted we buy - something about how dogs make a home. It was giving ‘live, laugh, love’ and I tell you, that doormat has probably been his only contribution to the design of the house. Oh and Beyblades, which he insists we buy so we can have beyblade competitions over who should make the coffee. Most girls would moan about their boyfriends golfing every other breathing minute, but me, my paintbrush and a bottle of Merlot have had a great time without him.

I’m looking forward to the cozy months in South Wales, as much as my boyfriend is the grinch, I’m excited to buy a cute Christmas tree and spend an evening watching The Holiday - my favourite film…ever, in the cinema room. (yes we have a home cinema) boy did good.

So with that I’ll love you and leave you and be back to update you on whatever I’m up to next.

Until next time x