to have left London and be loving being a country-bumpkin / to be old before my time

[FingoFango]

DP and I left London for the countryside last year, aged 29. We don't have kids yet.

I am loving tramping round in my wellies, horse riding, growing things in our lovely big garden, sitting by the open fire in our cozy local pub, dog walking etc......and in the summer it was even better with BBQs and bike rides. I have even taking to baking, listening to classical music, and I have even invested in a sewing machine, which are all things I would never have done a few years ago.

A lot of my friends seem to think this is unreasonable behaviour and makes us middle-aged before our time and can't understand why we no longer want to be in London getting drunk the whole time.

AIBU to be old before my time?

I also live in the country, but I don't have any wellies, or a horse, the garden is small, the nearest pub is a 1.5 hour walk away, I don't have a dog to walk, we didn't get a summer this year and I don't have a bike to ride either. So I don't have any of those things that you love about the countryside!

But I do love being able to go on walks from my doorstep. And the dos at the village hall. And the views from every window....aaahh! Feel very lucky, if somewhat middle aged at 29.

I'm a country bumpkin. I moved here when I was couple of years older than you and although I get bored and think I miss the city, when I go back I realise how lucky I am.

DP and I managed to buy a cottage outright here, so we are now out of the rat race and don't have to earn as much and lead such stressful lives. I only have one DC not through choice though and neither of us are interested in buying fancy stuff, new cars and a bigger house just to impress people and bolster our self esteem. The pace of life is laid back and lovely. I have a breathtaking view and we get deer going past our back garden.

We don't live an extravagant life, and we pretty much do the same sort of things that you do. Who cares what other people think anyway? People who mind don't matter, and people who matter don't mind.

Lol@not turning into liz jones

Ephiny Sorry I did not mean to imply that everyone in London gets drunk all the time, I was just referring to certain of my friends when I made that comment.

Agree that lots of things like music and baking clearly don't depend on living the country, but for me personally I only found time for them once I had moved out of London to somewhere more peaceful. In London I was always running around too busy to bake etc. And I agree that you can walk the dog in London, but it's not the same as the open countryside when you can walk all day long and stop at a gorgeous country pub for lunch.

Agree with Ephiny I don't really go out drinking in London, I just do other stuff.

I'm a Londoner currently in the countryside. All the things you love may well become very tricky as soon as you have children - an Ask or Pizza Express seems much more appealing when you have small children rather than a cosy pub full of the retired moneyfolk. Driving to playgrounds that have car parks I find so weird.

I'm a bumpkin born and bred and love it! I love going to London though, however staying there is an issue because of the noise of the traffic. Some people couldn't sleep through the noise of cows, cockerels and horses though, which is what I do!
Horses for courses..

YANBU.

Glad you had a spell in London though. It's a box worth ticking while you're young (or any other busy city).

That sounds like heaven to me. But as other posters have pointed out, living in London does not necessarily consist of getting drunk all the time.