We made it!

Before we went in, my wife and I were so impressed by the side of life we'd been allowed to see in the community, that we made the - with the benefit of hindsight - crazy decision to sell our house and give away all of our possessions; reckoning that, at worst, we could always return to our old life at some point in the future.

However, unfortunately things are never really that simple.

As a qualified teacher, I have been unable to find a job yet and have had to resort to the unthinkable: supply teaching! - Think a slightly more tragic Jack Black from 'School of Rock'

Also, with no job to speak of, we now have no way of getting back on the property ladder and have been forced to rent a small house in a not altogether pleasant neighbourhood (we are regularly receiving bailiff's letters for the previous tenants too!).

But hey, for the first time in as long as any of us can remember, we're together and feeling a sense of freedom that we previously took for granted.

All there is for it right now is to look forward to having a Happy Christmas and to celebrate it in the way we want to!