Homes

My name‿ is Rachel,│ and‿ I have lived‿ in five differen(t) homes‿ in the las(t) ten years. For‿ a long time‿ I rented small flats,│ and‿ although they were cheap,│ none‿ of them fel(t) like mine. The landlords never fixed‿ anything:│ the tap‿ in my ol(d) kitchen had been dripping for two years.

Two years‿ ago,│ my partner‿ and‿ I decided to buy. We could not‿ affor(d) the city^ci-dy centre,│ so we found‿ a small house thirty^thir-dy minutes‿ away by train. The mortgage‿ is‿ expensive,│ an(d) we will be paying‿ it│ until‿ I am sixty^six-dy,│ but the house has‿ a big kitchen‿ and‿ a view of the park.

It‿ is not furnished‿ any more,│ because we bought‿ everything slowly,│ piece by piece. Our neighbours‿ are friendly,│ an(d) the woman nex(t) door has‿ already shown me│ where to buy good bread. If we have money nex(t) year,│ we will fix‿ up the garden│ an(d) build‿ a small‿ office there. I am not sure‿ it‿ is the perfec(t) home,│ but for the firs(t) time‿ in my life,│ I close the door│ and‿ it‿ is‿ ours.