a fairground life(roots)

I did allude to it in my last post, now it seems its out the bag-I have bought a house. Nearly a year ago now and we are not moved in. Why? Partly due to *snagging, partly to being away in the summer, partly to not having sold my wagon, partly to not wanting to leave the company of the yard. Why did I do it? Our life style has changed, more fairs in less time, nearer to a central location. The time it takes to move the wagon is now better spent moving another ride, so my wife moves the touring caravan for us with the jeep. It is also an investment for our future when I'm too old to do the work I do now. Finally I did not want my wife to be left with a wagon on a yard when I am dead and gone as she could not maintain or move it (builders are ten a penny, coach builders are a bit rarer). As for the house, it's a new build and to be honest it is CRAP! If wagons were built to the same standard with the same materials they would collapse at the first pothole! Nothing is square inside, you can't screw to a wall without cavity fixings, the slightest touch on the painted walls leaves a dirty mark. A wagon inside is more like a luxury yacht, high gloss wood or laminate finishes, cabinet built interiors, solid materials built to last and stand the rigours of motion. Ok the house is not meant to move, but that does not stop the plaster board splitting at the seams, popping nails. Settlement my ass, it's nearly a year old!! Shoddy workmanship and cheap materials! You won't find any chipboard in a showman's wagon, its all marine ply if not real wood and held together by glue and screws not clouty nails!
We must be perfect neighbours. I suppose we are the mysterious people who bought a house that no one lives in. I wonder how long before the kids on the estate make up ghost stories? We will move in eventually I suppose, but there's no hurry. I like the sound of the rain on the wagon roof, any way the yard is handy for the shed the rides will be in next week. I'm not the first showman to buy a house by any means but I may be the first to mention it on a blog. I wonder how it will change my life?, am I no longer part of an ethnic minority???Maybe there's a case study here??, then again maybe not.

*snagging-spin talk for unskilled, could not care less workmanship. including, but not limited to--leaking verandas, misaligned roof tiles, faulty heating,blocked drainage, patchy paint work, damaged interior fittings, damaged exterior fixings, broken door locks, leaking baths, showers, gutters and numerous other problems I've forgotten about.

I do like my house, we visit for a few minutes at least once a month!