This afternoon saw the reappearance of a conversation which my wife and I have, on average, about once every 12 to 18 months. The exact details and circumstances vary, but the gist is always the same - wouldn't I like to move to the Midlands, to be near my wife's family. And the answer is always the same - 'no'. This isn't because I have the slightest problem with any of my 'in-laws' - well, except perhaps with my sister-in-law's adopted daughter, who is, in my opinion, a dreadful brat - but because I have no personal connections with the Midlands, apart from my wife's family, and, furthermore, I spent probably the three unhappiest years of my adult life in the area, when I worked there in the late 1980's. Added to that is the fact that I like living in Cornwall, that it was an exhaustively discussed joint decision when we did move down here, and that my daughter has worked hard to get a place at one of the best state schools in the whole of South West England, and has lived in Cornwall herself for all of her life that she can remember - she was 2 when we moved here from Greater Manchester - and also likes living here, so, at least in terms of any scenario where I am offered a choice, I would never agree to such a move. The x-factor, however, is whether my wife would ever feel so strongly about moving that she would be prepared to take a decisive lead and start looking for jobs, houses, etc, of her own volition. Because, ultimately, my wife does have the highest trump card - she knows I love her and would never want us to split up in any foreseeable circumstances. My telling her, as I did again today, that if she wants to move so badly, to start looking for those jobs and so on, basically constitutes me calling her bluff. There's always the chance, one of these days, she'll tell me she's off for a job interview in Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, or wherever. I hope, however selfish it might make me seem, that such a day never comes.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
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