when i wrote the email to "location", i tried really hard to make our story appealing. i also included a photo of us to put faces to who was writing to them asking for help. (maybe that's what swung it for us, seeing scott's sweet little face, smile and 'tache!) and now, really unexpectedly, 2 days later, we were 1/2 way to being on the show.
when the researcher called, she told me there had been 400 applicants and from our application, we were one of just a few they wanted to come reccy with only a camera and sound person to see how we came across. so, within a couple of days, they would be in hastings. i was a bit worried because i knew how much scott DIDN'T want to be a part of this. he was making a sacrifice for me and i worried his feelings might come across on film. i so wanted them to like us and want to use us on the show. i truly believed that it could possibly open up more properties to us because people can be so dazzled by tv. i thought maybe estate agents would try a little harder if they knew it was "phil and kirstie" looking for properties rather than us. at this point i think i was almost a bit conspiracy theory about it all, feeling all the estate agents were holding back all the good properties from us.
i didn't have any need to worry. scott was brilliant and more of a natural in front of the camera than either of us thought he'd be. we did the interview and they told us they would be in touch. in the mean time, we were going to see my family in the US and doing a road trip from vegas to montana to LA and back to vegas. our one last child-free adventure together. (i am going to write separate blog posts on those trips).
while we were away on the road in the states, we got a phone call from the researcher telling us we were IN. i was so excited. scott was slightly less enthusiastic than me. they were going to come to hastings almost pretty much straight after we got back from america. i had all my hopes pinned on their being able to find us our dream house which in retrospect was probably a lot to hope for!
while we were in LA, i started thinking about what i was going to wear for the filming. there was a whole lot more of me and then with the camera adding another 10 lbs, i was a mess. all throughout my pregnancy i was determined to still wear vintage clothes and had managed to do so. but now i was getting really big and wanted to find some cool dresses to wear for the show. in my pursuit, i had the worst day ever in LA. it was my birthday and scott and i had gone to all of my old favorite shops and i tried on dress after gorgeous dress that i would normally have no problem fitting into. but now, i couldn't get a single dress anywhere NEAR over my bump and feeling like i had a 50lb turkey strapped to my front and and some serious junk in my trunk, i ended up in tears on the shop floor. scott kept saying, "why are you doing this to yourself?" i just wouldn't give up. if it fucking killed me i was going to find something to wear and finally, my determination paid off and the very last shop had some really cute, vibrant 70s dresses. i was elated.
back in the uk, we got ready for the day to arrive. we cleaned and gave a little bit of thought to what we might say, but had no idea what they would ask us, so we tried not to let it worry us too much and just be organic on the day. i can't recall if they told us beforehand or on the day they arrived that kirsty was on maternity leave and wouldn't be coming. i was slightly relieved because sometimes kirsty scares me. having seen first hand on the show how she could take a dislike to someone, i was worried she would tell me, as she had told many before me, that i was being completely unrealistic about the house i wanted vs the house we could afford. so now, i had one less worry on my mind.
finally...the day came. there was a knock at the door...
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