Timeline
What came before the Frog Blog ? This section isn’t, as you’ll no doubt be relieved to know, a detailed account of our entire lives prior to 2009. It’s more of a highlights reel of key events, trips and other milestones that occured from the time we met in 2002 up until the creation of the Frog Blog. The backstory to this blog, if you will.
2002
Our mutual timeline begins on 21 September when we first met. It was on a saturday night in a seedy gay club in Brixton called Sub Station South. A rather inauspicious start to a relationship it must be said. Several dates followed – an unusual development for the both of us.
2003
Our first year of travelling together, beginning with Will’s inaugural trip to the state of Minnesota in the US, where he met Matt’s family for the first time.
2004
For us, it was the year we moved in together in Islington. It was also another year of travel. It kicked off with a February trip to Venice for Will’s birthday.
2005
It was a big year for Matt, who finally obtained British citizenship, attending a ceremony at Hackney Town Hall at which, to Will’s amusement, he swore allegiance to the queen.
2006
Our year began with a 50th birthday party for Will’s Mum in January. We had a very musical month of May, with Radiohead in concert at the Hammersmith Apollo, followed by Eric Clapton at the Albert Hall, which was even better than it sounds.
2007
The biggest news for us personally was probably Matt’s new job : he moved to an investment bank called Dresdner Kleinwort where he headed a team of developers. This would later prove pivotal in facilitating our change of lifestyle.
2008
The year we began to reconsider our future. We loved living in Steve and Ian’s magnificent home in Dalston, but were aware that it was a temporary arrangement and that when they returned in 2009, it would be a huge shock going back to living in a poky city appartment. And so we began to talk about the idea of a year off somewhere to escape the madness.
2009
This was the year we firmed up our sabbatical plans. A March trip to Barbados with our friend Gerald proved to be a catalyst, inciting us to start looking into long term gîte rentals in the Dordogne.