When I first set my intention to attract the opportunity to live in my dream home by the river, I had no idea that this would include living in what my Dad lovingly refers to as my ‘Caravan-on-Thames’!
The correct term to describe my humble abode is ‘residential park home’. It is often described as a ‘mobile home’ – or in the case of a local reporter – a ‘90210 Winnebago’!
My friends all thought I was crazy to want to take on a property that required so much work to make habitable again. They wanted to know what had possessed me to join a ‘trailer trash’ community, when I could have chosen to live in ‘civilisation’!
Dining Area - Before
- Dining Area – After
‘Trailer Trash’ was a term that I was unfamiliar with and I don’t think it has quite the same connotations here in the UK that it does in the US, where I understand it is a term used to describe a stereotype of poor people (especially in the Midwestern United States) who live in trailer-homes.
My neighbours are mainly hard working folks, or happily living out their retirement in a peaceful environment. There are couples and single people – young and old. It is a lovely mix of different people with a multitude of backgrounds.
In fairness to my friends comments; the term ‘trailer trash’ may have been accurate at one time as the place had seen its share of unemployed layabouts, drug addicts, drunks and wife beaters – but at the first sign of any problems – Paddy (my landlord) and his henchmen ensured that the trouble makers were unceremoniously thrown back out on the streets.
Even so, my friends were unable to see past the fact that I had just agreed to take on a wreck of a ‘caravan’, on a site owned by the infamous Paddy – a beer swilling, fist wielding, Irish traveller ‘made good’ – who ruled the place according to ‘Paddy’s Law’.
Irish gypsies live within their own culture and live by their own rules – so I had to suppress a giggle when Paddy said, “I want to make this place more up-market and I’m looking to attract more quality tenants like your good self. If I wanted to, I could just fill the site with travellers who would lower the tone of the place!”
Rich – coming from one of their own!
Having spent a good few hours negotiating a deal on the rent based upon the work I agreed to carry out, we sealed the deal – with a good old fashioned handshake – preceded by Paddy having spat on his hand to show that the deal was unbreakable!
Paddy is a multi-millionaire land and property owner who could afford to live anywhere in the world. But once a gypsy…always a gypsy…and he prefers to live in his own mobile home situated next to the security gate…rather than live on the river front…so he can spend his time policing the comings and goings on his property.
The site consists of 38 units and is run by a couple in their 80’s who have been working for Paddy for years. Gordon is a dear soul who will do anything for an easy life. Whereas his wife Jessie, is a real fireball and shoots from the hip, bawling you out before you’ve even opened your mouth. Her bark is worse than her bite although she is a terrible gossip.
If she’s not yelling at you…or disclosing details that someone had shared with her in ‘confidence’ …she is quite a character with loads of interesting stories to tell. You just have to learn to listen without telling her more than she needs to know!
Once you understand the rules and agree to honour these, it is a great place to live, within a caring and supportive community. I love my little home, painstakingly created after months of hard graft and numerous setbacks along the way.
Now the work is complete I have the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of my labour and every day I give thanks for finding the courage to follow my gut feeling that this was going to be a good place for me to live, despite initial signs to the contrary.
My home is situated on the curve of the river with water views in both directions.
I knocked down a wall to open up the vista and now have an open plan living space with a separate bedroom and bathroom – all condensed into a lovingly crafted 36 sq metres.
My friends had to eat their doubting words when they returned to visit last summer.
Driving through the site, past tiny gardens vibrant with colour and lovingly tended by the residents, they all agreed that the place had a ‘holiday feeling’ about it. I am just so lucky to live somewhere that feels like being on holiday every day!
When I lie in my bed watching the sun breaking through the early morning mist over the river and listen to the birds greeting the new day by calling out ‘good morning’ to each other, I couldn’t be further removed from living a ‘trailer trash life’!
Day 44 – 365 Days of Celebration
Today I am going to celebrate successfully completing my mission to make ‘Trailer Trash – Trendy!’
104 Days of 365 Days of Celebration
1961 Girl 