After having repacked the bags for the umptieth time we are still unable to make the weight(!). We are staying with friends in Stockport; what else do you need before departing but the company of true friends who are also have the knack of making you feel at home even though all our belongings have taken over their home. The weather has been true to form showers with a smattering of sunshine.
Bill parted with his GTI yesterday' spent the morning cleaning and polishing only to have the heavens open as we arrived for the hand over. At least the rain drops made perfect globules on the bonnet thanks to my polishing. Today Bill has suffered from withdrawal symptoms but by this afternoon was seriously looking at possible purchases in Calgary .... what about the trailer tent?!
Oddly this morning we received a text message we must remember to remind everyone that we will be in a different time zone and early morning here will be more like midnight in Calgary. Alternatively the mobile will be switched off.
Thursday 23 July 2009
Saturday 18 July 2009
Odd feelings today.....
Today finds us sort of "relaxing" in our holiday 'lodge'. Yesterday, Friday, was both emotional and traumatic as we both bade our final farewells at our places of work. Nothing really prepares you for this; evening meals and get together's are great but the last day and the last words of speeches bring on the trembling voice, the emotion of it all gets to you and the tears follow. Bill did better than me, I couldn't hold back the tears no matter how hard I tried. Still after 17 years....... Thank goodness for email, Skype and the post to keep in touch!
After all our evenings out we are now cutting down on our food intake but not the wine as we have been given some rather nice bottles which need to be consumed before we depart these shores.
Gradually we are sifting through the large amounts of paperwork we brought with us after our move; mostly being filed in the bin. After de-cluttering the house it is quite easy to throw things away once they have served a purpose. I wonder if once we have settled into our new home in Canada it will be easy to throw away useless bits and pieces or will we return to the old habits of hoarding for those just in case moments or will it be a mixture of the two!?
Outside out holiday lodge the ducks are looking for food, they do look sweet waddling about whilst the rabbits just run for cover as soon they see you and have decided that you have no food for them. In the early hours of the morning, usually about 5 am, a crow lands on the roof and jumps about. After having woken us up it flies away with a croak and we fall into that deep sleep which makes it hard to wake up from!
Only six more days before we fly out of the UK, the reality of it all still feels distant, although the prospect of life in another country is really a challenge we both are beginning to relish. Funny really you want to get started but still there are things here that have to be done.
After all our evenings out we are now cutting down on our food intake but not the wine as we have been given some rather nice bottles which need to be consumed before we depart these shores.
Gradually we are sifting through the large amounts of paperwork we brought with us after our move; mostly being filed in the bin. After de-cluttering the house it is quite easy to throw things away once they have served a purpose. I wonder if once we have settled into our new home in Canada it will be easy to throw away useless bits and pieces or will we return to the old habits of hoarding for those just in case moments or will it be a mixture of the two!?
Outside out holiday lodge the ducks are looking for food, they do look sweet waddling about whilst the rabbits just run for cover as soon they see you and have decided that you have no food for them. In the early hours of the morning, usually about 5 am, a crow lands on the roof and jumps about. After having woken us up it flies away with a croak and we fall into that deep sleep which makes it hard to wake up from!
Only six more days before we fly out of the UK, the reality of it all still feels distant, although the prospect of life in another country is really a challenge we both are beginning to relish. Funny really you want to get started but still there are things here that have to be done.
Saturday 11 July 2009
Living in Limbo
Its really strange, here we are still working, most things operating the same, except we do not have a permanent address. Post has to be picked up from the delivery office, newspaper from a newsagents and milk from the supermarket, and we both are leaving our places of employment in five days time.
It has been a busy week, going to a number of leaving party's and beginning to say our farewells to our many friends and acquaintances. We have both been active in the County within the education field, working parties, consultation groups and such like. It has been very humbling to receive the good wishes of so many people, and to realise how appreciated the work we did was. However I think the staff at our respective schools are getting tired of our growing smiles as the date for flying to Canada gets closer. Although some colleagues have remarked that are smiles are getting wider whilst others have said how much younger we look - any more years dropping off will take us back to the days of wearing nappies (shouldn't go there).
There is another strange feeling, the schools are preparing for the next term and not only are we not going to be there but it is difficult to contribute to the plans when your not committed to the new term like the others. It is difficult to avoid the opportunity to wind some folk up, and its also very tempting to tell it as it is to some difficult characters. There is also the emotion of leaving behind colleagues who have 'been there' for us at difficult times both at work and personally. It is sometimes hard to hold back the tears; but then I think it is easier for women to show their emotions at such moments.
As we sit looking out of our 'lodge' the skies are turning a deeper shade of grey, no doubt it will be raining by the evening. We have found that we spend little time watching the television but instead spend time listening to the radio or going out for a short stroll around the area we are staying. Within a short walking distance are a number of hostelries serving 'proper' beer and good food. However, this weekend we are eating in; eating more simply as we have been indulging in richer food and much larger portions than we are used to. Perhaps some power walking to burn off those calories. Time spent with friends and good work colleagues, over a nice meal in a pleasant setting means so much as we prepare for our adventures in Alberta.
It has been a busy week, going to a number of leaving party's and beginning to say our farewells to our many friends and acquaintances. We have both been active in the County within the education field, working parties, consultation groups and such like. It has been very humbling to receive the good wishes of so many people, and to realise how appreciated the work we did was. However I think the staff at our respective schools are getting tired of our growing smiles as the date for flying to Canada gets closer. Although some colleagues have remarked that are smiles are getting wider whilst others have said how much younger we look - any more years dropping off will take us back to the days of wearing nappies (shouldn't go there).
There is another strange feeling, the schools are preparing for the next term and not only are we not going to be there but it is difficult to contribute to the plans when your not committed to the new term like the others. It is difficult to avoid the opportunity to wind some folk up, and its also very tempting to tell it as it is to some difficult characters. There is also the emotion of leaving behind colleagues who have 'been there' for us at difficult times both at work and personally. It is sometimes hard to hold back the tears; but then I think it is easier for women to show their emotions at such moments.
As we sit looking out of our 'lodge' the skies are turning a deeper shade of grey, no doubt it will be raining by the evening. We have found that we spend little time watching the television but instead spend time listening to the radio or going out for a short stroll around the area we are staying. Within a short walking distance are a number of hostelries serving 'proper' beer and good food. However, this weekend we are eating in; eating more simply as we have been indulging in richer food and much larger portions than we are used to. Perhaps some power walking to burn off those calories. Time spent with friends and good work colleagues, over a nice meal in a pleasant setting means so much as we prepare for our adventures in Alberta.
Saturday 4 July 2009
The Final Countdown
Well here we are in a holiday village sat outside a bar at lunchtime Saturday. The house is sold the furniture is packed and now in store and we are both emotionally and physically shattered. It has been a roller coaster of a few days, the removers arrived on Wednesday bright and cheerful and we walked around the house pointing out all our worldly goods WE have considered essential to our new life in Canada. They told us that all the untreated baskets could not be shipped, OK not a major problem, then all the candles were not possible in case they melted or ignited (shame you need a match to light them normally!). And of course we had numerous trips to the tip; it becomes easier to throw items away especially when they are of no use to anyone. Friends and colleagues at work took lots of little items off our hands at the last minute and then felt 'difficult' because we didn't ask for much. The hardest part of the two days was as the final piece of furniture went into the van and the guys asked if we were OK at that point we were but as they shut the doors at the back and bolted down the side doors the emotions rose up ... daft though it might seem.
The home we had was now just a house and could have belonged to anyone, devoid of everything that had made it ours. We stood in the garden and took it all in: when we moved in the house was new the garden just flat and grassed - now it was completely different. We ran the pump and enjoyed the sound of trickling water through the two smaller ponds into the big pond. The lilies Bill had planted out were beginning to flower and as for the front garden it was still blooming with red pokers coming through!
Friday morning saw us giving the house a final clean, completion took place in the morning!! never heard of that before and we locked the door at 11 am. It was only as we left that I remembered not seeing the key to next door, we were the key holders for their alarm as they were for ours, the little brown envelope had been packed with the contents of the cupboard. Dave's response to this news was well we can't be burgled for a while! We agreed to post the keys back once we received our container in October! We arrived at our workplaces exhausted as we hadn't slept well and were up drinking tea at 5 am.
Our holiday let is comfortable and we have spread out in it. Does this mean we are in holiday mode I asked Bill as we are in a holiday let, not quite was the reply.
The home we had was now just a house and could have belonged to anyone, devoid of everything that had made it ours. We stood in the garden and took it all in: when we moved in the house was new the garden just flat and grassed - now it was completely different. We ran the pump and enjoyed the sound of trickling water through the two smaller ponds into the big pond. The lilies Bill had planted out were beginning to flower and as for the front garden it was still blooming with red pokers coming through!
Friday morning saw us giving the house a final clean, completion took place in the morning!! never heard of that before and we locked the door at 11 am. It was only as we left that I remembered not seeing the key to next door, we were the key holders for their alarm as they were for ours, the little brown envelope had been packed with the contents of the cupboard. Dave's response to this news was well we can't be burgled for a while! We agreed to post the keys back once we received our container in October! We arrived at our workplaces exhausted as we hadn't slept well and were up drinking tea at 5 am.
Our holiday let is comfortable and we have spread out in it. Does this mean we are in holiday mode I asked Bill as we are in a holiday let, not quite was the reply.
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