Big J

From a work perspective? The forest is much cleaner - no invasive species. It's just conifers, blueberries, lingonberries, heather and moss on the ground really. Lakes everywhere means I can swim on every site, every day (if I choose). The ground is hard, for the most part, and even the soft bits aren't muddy. They're just boggy. No issues with public access and angry walkers. Everyone understands that forestry is important. No access issues for lorries, no traffic to deal with, no narrow roads, no hedge rows. The weather is a lot better. 50% more sunshine annually than Devon. Bloody hot in summer (average daily high since we've been here has been a smidge under 30) but frozen winters. But that's just work. It's much, much better for the kids here. My daughter starts school on Monday in a class of 14. Everything is free at school - snacks, meals, equipment, everything. She has opportunities to learn skills and sports I never did, and that makes me happy. She and her sister be trilingual by the time they leave school, and their education will have been free. They'll be able to afford to buy a comfortable and spacious house easily and whilst they're young. I love the access to nature here too. I've been swimming twice today (well the second one was me just sitting in the lake for 10 minutes to cool down after a cycle ride) and I did 42km on the mountain bike with a local MTB group. Hardly touched tarmac in that time, and straight from our village. Lots to do and lots to explore. We're looking forward to the future

Yeah, like Andy says, blueberries here too (blåbär). Couple more photos from this morning. Getting to grips with the new machine now.

I was just this minute discussing that with my friend. Loads of lingonberries here too.

First day at work yesterday, driving a friend's Malwa. It's all subtly different to home from a work perspective, but the ability to take lunchtime and evening swims in different lakes whilst snacking on blueberries is new!

Epic little thunderstorm here this morning in SE Sweden, that was completely missed by the weather forecasting services. It was preceded by a sudden increase in wind speed, with violent gusting. The thunder and lightning only lasted about 30 minutes or so, but 12mm of rain fell. My inlaws arrived late last night from Northampton, so I have joked that they're just 'rain tourists' here to remind themselves what it looks, sounds, feels and smells like, and to see some grass that's actually green! 😁

Our favourite local spot for peace and quiet. The kids love it here. Plus the largest crayfish I've found so far. Twas a monster!

It's been just lovely, the last week here. Our container finally arrived. It's largely emptied. It's been 29-32c every day, except for a couple of days with some rain last weekend. But we needed it and it wasn't really noticed once it stopped. Swimming 1-3 times a day, every day. Sociable beaches and secluded spots. Just whatever we fancy. The kids' confidence in the water is improving every day. Loads of cycling, both for training for myself and also with the family. Registered on the population register. My older daughter can now start school on the 22nd. Just waiting to hear about nursery for my younger one, but that should be fine. I've got some forwarder driving work next week and the week after helping a friend out. A stray observation - my elderly neighbour (88) recently had a fall at home and the level of care he's getting to stay in his own house is extraordinary. When I started uni aged 19, I did part time home help work for the council working with folk just like him. Even 20 years ago, the funding was stretched a little and the most a person might get is three calls a day. My neighbour here gets (as a best guess) 6 calls a day and they aren't rushing in and out. Same faces every day too, so it's not agency. It's just really nice to see the elderly valued and an emphasis on keeping them in their own homes for as long as possible. Some photos:

Very hot again today. In the shade on the balcony was 37c, on the north face of the house in the shade about 30c. Our shipping container finally arrived today, so much unloading interspersed with swimming to cool off. On a hot day, it's entirely normal to swim three times in a day. It's astonishing how quickly the girls swimming and confidence is developing after just 2 weeks and a day here.

We've got the air con on now, both upstairs and down. Just for a couple of hours, but it's enough to bring all of the house to about 22-23c.

28.5 in the shade here today in Sweden. Balcony is reading 32c in the shade, but it's on the south side of the house. It's very warm, but the humidity is low. If I overheat, I jump on my bike, cycle for 1 minute and 30 seconds and then jump in the lake. It's very pleasant.

Typo or serious threat?

Well look on the bright side - with electricity the price it is, tapping into the grid is convenient

A few photos from the last week. The temperature is from this evening, at 18:20. Very warm, but we had AC fitted to the main living area and it's lovely. One of the others is my mum and my older daughter standing on the ski slope overlooking the lake and village.

Not concrete, but plenty pretty much as soon as I get the machine. Just in the process of company registration. Originally, I was going to work alone, but over the last year I've made a good friend originally from Germany and we're going to work together in a partnership instead. Shared capital costs means we neither of us have to work quite so much, so we reckon we can both make a nice living on 30hrs a week over three days each. Keeping the work/life balance right

Yeah, cost of new construction is similar (though generally better quality). There is just an excess of housing stock in parts of Sweden still, but in our area it is getting more expensive now.

It's not as easy to get in as it once was. My German passport affords me many advantages, but I still have to show that I either intend to work or am financially independent. I am definitely not the latter! My wife (an architect by profession) has largely retrained to teach English with TEFL, and is hoping to convert her two architecture degrees and TEFL qualification into a full teaching qualification here. English teachers are in short supply. You get a lot for your money here. For many people in the UK with a normal house that's half paid off, moving here would mean a massive house upgrade, mortgage eliminated and £50-200k liberated in equity This is a nice one that's popped up fairly recently in a local hamlet. It's about 9km from us. I cycle through there fairly regularly and it's quiet and scenic. 6 bedrooms, 0.7 acres, geothermal heating and £76k: Stenberga 21, Stenberga Vetlanda kommun WWW.HEMNET.SE Välkommen till Stenberga 21 - en lantlig idyll! Huset är beläget på en lummig tomt omgiven av härlig grönska och natur. Det charmiga huset har en total yta om hela 380kvm och passar... .

That's one of the town swimming spots, so actually relatively busy. I skinny dipped yesterday morning whilst out on the gravel bike as I didn't have trunks with me

Thanks Gavin. The schools are just much better funded. Classes of 11 or 12, instead of 28-30. Fewer exams and more emphasis on an outdoor education. House prices in our area vary from 5-10 times cheaper than Devon. Obvious holiday lets can fetch towards the high end, as well as family houses near the school. Our house would be about £600-700k more in Devon. A few photos from this afternoon's swimming spot:

I'll still be in the timber game, still here on arbtalk ☺️ Went back to that swimming spot with the family later in the day. I could see people on the other beach about 600m away, but we had ours to ourselves. Lots of swimming with my older daughter, plus caught 14 crayfish to show the girls.

Arrived safe and sound. An exhausting few days, but have been treated to perfect weather since arriving. Some unpacking, but plenty of cycling and swimming. Happy ☺️ VID_20220730_075638.3gp

And so it begins! We leave Devon for good on Monday, arriving in Sweden on Wednesday. Very excited 😁

All gone now, sorry!