So Long Sidcup
As my family bids farewell to Sidcup after twelve years, we leave behind memories and look to the future. For now though, it’s so long Sidcup.
‘We all deal with change in our own ways, but we must all recognise that all change is good for it allows us to grow and adapt.’
May 2007.
The month my family moved to Sidcup from Plumstead.
We’re a family that moves homes every decade it seems like.
My parents bought a new-build home near Plumstead Common in June 1997 ready for my birth in September of the same year.
2007 we moved to Sidcup.
Now 2018 we’re moving again.
You’ll have to wait till tomorrow to find out where exactly.
It’s farther than I ever imagined.
Let’s just say we like to move SE with every move.
Most of my living memory I have from this house.
I lived there from age 9 to age 21.
Some of primary school, all of secondary school and most of university.
I’d like to share some memories from my family and my friends in relation to the house and the area.
I’ll try and go chronologically, but I highly doubt I’ll keep it up.
- The ‘elegant’ bathroom
When we moved to this house, we acquired a quite posh looking family bathroom.
Our bathroom previous wasn’t anything to write home about.
I was quite a flamboyant child, showing off everything that had a bit of prestige.
This bathroom was no exception.
The lights covered the area of the room and shone upwards in a upside-down bowl shape.
Hard to describe.
But I found a word — elegant.
It might’ve been our predecessors who were also of that esteem, but I labelled the bathroom as elegant.
It was the showpiece of the house when family came to visit.
Most of my cousins enjoyed a tour of the bathroom.
Something I’m constantly reminded of to this day.
2. Shank into the staircase
My Dad and I played golf indoors.
Not really playing, more practicing.
We had a green mat, one you’d see at any driving range and a net.
There were quite a few occasions when our golf game wasn’t quite up to scratch.
So we tended to miss the net and shatter the underside of the staircase.
Fun fact: when you do that enough times, you make a hole.
3. Dan and Robert’s snow business
Robert was a friend from secondary school.
He lived farther away in Bromley.
One day, there was immense snow and we still had to go to school.
Our school was notoriously the only school open during snow days.
The memes of the headteacher were the only thing achieved during the school day as teachers themselves couldn’t make it in.
Robert, Alex and I walked home from school as the buses weren’t running.
It’s about 1.5 miles to where Alex and I live.
Robert lived many more miles away.
Before we got to my house, I distinctively remember misplacing my footing and faceplanting into the pavement.
Something rather common as I had no awareness at all.
Robert ended up sleeping round my house to save him going all the way home.
The next day, we went round the close and asked people if they wanted their cars cleared of snow.
We didn’t charge (pretty rubbish business model) but some people gave us £1 each.
Needless to say the business didn’t make us millions and we stayed in school for another 5 years till the end of sixth form.
4. Alex and Dan carpool
For a time, Alex and I gave each other lifts.
We lived a stone throw away from each other.
The reason I associate that with the house is because I would often hear a toot in the morning when Alex’s Dad would pick us up in his taxi.
Soon enough I gave him lifts as I started to drive.
I can remember Frisky by Labyrinth becoming the anthem.
As well as Pass Out by Tinie Tempah.
5. Surprise 10th Birthday Party
I was tricked to go to a friends house after playing a golf match.
We went and played video games.
Then after a while it was time to go home and to my shock there was a surprise party for me.
I was quite in awe.
As any 10 year old would be.
Needless to say this list hasn’t been in chronological order.
Oh well.
So why are we moving?
It’s a simple answer but one that is difficult for me to answer.
We are moving to get away from the city madness and density.
The issues with living a life hassle-free within the confines of your own bubble became unbearably troublesome.
For my parents, it’s the best move.
It’s the right time and they needed to do it now otherwise they’d never do it.
My parents moved house from Plumstead to Sidcup for better schools and better opportunities.
All of their moves so far have been for me.
They sacrificed and worked extremely hard for me to be where I am today.
While this move complicates things for me in terms of adjustment and to some degree the timing of it all, I know it’s best for them.
I urged them to move.
For them to progress.
It’s not just the youth that need to live their life, but those who have made your life worth living by providing and caring.
So that’s why we’re moving.
I’ll miss Sidcup.
All my friends and all the memories.
On to the next chapter.
See where we’ve moved to in tomorrow’s blog.
So long Sidcup
I’m gathering some feedback on this engagement project.
The last blog is fast approaching and I know it’ll be a reflective one.
I know people read this blog, so if you want to participate in some anonymous (if you like) feedback and thoughts follow this link below.