Two weeks to go....

Actually, it's thirteen days. But who's counting?!

It's been a bonkers few weeks - lack of entries on here deliberate in a bid to retain your interest - nonetheless plenty been going on, the house is a mere shadow of it's former self...

The loft is loaded - it started two or three weeks ago with all non-essential kitchenware migrating in droves up to our 'second floor', you know the sort of thing, the vegetable chopper that never got used, kids baking set (cause none of us have enough patience to fill teeny tiny cupcake holders and use teeny tiny rolling pins, however cute they are...) so, non-essential kitchenware and all surplus crockery made there way up the wooden hill. Soon to be followed by all pictures frames, relieved of their pictures (easily transportable) and pretty much every ornament, trinket and item of furniture that hadn't been sat on for more than a week.... gone.

Quite emotional actually, packing away the children's lives - those photos of the kids by the back door might be hideously unflattering - put up out of a warped sense of pride, but they're our kids, our histories, our past. All in a box. Past in a box, should patent that idea....hmmmm.

So, long story short, cars sold, not yet collected, house packed up as much as we can bear two weeks ahead of time (OK, OK thirteen days..) provisions used up never to be replaced (no more honey in this house, use the jam instead..) with me, scratching my head wondering if I can make that washing powder last two more weeks and, for goodness sake, don't come round here for a pee because I'm simply not buying anymore loo roll....!

We are tenants and we have tenants. Everything sorted. Our Clients are very happy for us and - in their droves - are coming with us in spirit, which is fab, cause their spirits pay the bills with real-world money too. The utilities have been called day after day after day and every minute of the day is taken up with really interesting stuff like medical insurance and post redirection, school finishing and starting and dentist visits, gas certification and energy performance certificates, inland revenue and eBay... WAKE UP! Sorry, drifted into banality there, some of this preparation really is mind-numbingly endless....

So, our 'not leaving party' has grown legs. What was a visit to the pub with a couple of people has turned into a 60-80 person turnout as word has got around and anyone who has kindly asked us round for dinner before we leave is coming. It wasn't meant to be this way, we wanted to just slope off into the sunset, backpack on, to the odd high five, see ya later... Oh well, off I trot into the sunset, I'll post the photos of the 'we're not leaving' definitely NOT a party after the event (obviously...) and then you won't hear from us until we're 'Landed Immigrants'. How exciting! Even I feel a bit excited when I write that, 'immigrant' isn't a swear word in Canada, they make us feel so welcome that through all my nerves and anxieties (the kids will be OK won't they?) I can see a beam of light, reminding me why we're doing all this.... My goodness I'm gonna miss you all. X