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.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Last weekend in our home!
It's Sunday, we are awaiting friends to collect electrical items and other furniture we are not taking with us. It is indeed a strange feeling; sadness at leaving a house, a home, we have lived in for 17 years and a garden we have created and nurtured over that time. But on the other hand there is an urgency, a need to move and get there - to Calgary.
We have 15 working days left at our schools and 10 of those evenings are catered for with outings and farewell meals - how will we get through them? Our smiles are getting bigger by the day as we have new adventures to look forward to.
Bill has spent a great deal of time pulling my leg about sending clothing ahead with Parcelforce - what a dream of a service. All you ladies out there know clothing weighs, especially mens shoes. I have spent two evenings working out what 60 kgs is like - our limit on the flight. We booked with Thomas Cook and upgraded to premium hence the additional weight. It's the work clothes that are the issue - we need to look smart but we also need to be cool in this heatwave we are experiencing at present. What do people do with hangers? Do they take them with them or just throw them away? I'm thinking of taking a few.
We have had numerous visits to the tip - we are not only on first name terms but we get help with emptying the car! I wonder how many more trips there will be before the end of the week and completion.
We have 15 working days left at our schools and 10 of those evenings are catered for with outings and farewell meals - how will we get through them? Our smiles are getting bigger by the day as we have new adventures to look forward to.
Bill has spent a great deal of time pulling my leg about sending clothing ahead with Parcelforce - what a dream of a service. All you ladies out there know clothing weighs, especially mens shoes. I have spent two evenings working out what 60 kgs is like - our limit on the flight. We booked with Thomas Cook and upgraded to premium hence the additional weight. It's the work clothes that are the issue - we need to look smart but we also need to be cool in this heatwave we are experiencing at present. What do people do with hangers? Do they take them with them or just throw them away? I'm thinking of taking a few.
We have had numerous visits to the tip - we are not only on first name terms but we get help with emptying the car! I wonder how many more trips there will be before the end of the week and completion.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Things are Moving faster and faster
At last we have exchanged contracts and will have completed by the beginning of July. Now the action starts I suppose? We have found somewhere to live for a few weeks while we fulfil our contracts here, holiday lodge not far away, mind you it's expensive. There was nothing cheaper and try getting a short term let-no way six months is about the shortest they have, sorry sir will not entertain anything less even if it is empty and not earning, where is the logic, it fails me. Started letting some of our possession go now, all the electric stuff that will not convert and some furniture we think we will not need. This is a real thought provoking process, discussing do we; will we; have we and is there a better alternative over furniture and other belongings.
At the same time we are slowly working through all the bits of your everyday life and cancelling so many things that are important, or you thought were important. TV, phone, broadband the list seems endless.
However to end this on a high, there are only a few weeks left to the start of our new life in Canada, that really is something to look forwards to. We posted some clothes to Andrew in Calgary and we have now paid for the removers and insurance. Soon we will be looking at houses in reality and not just on MLS
At the same time we are slowly working through all the bits of your everyday life and cancelling so many things that are important, or you thought were important. TV, phone, broadband the list seems endless.
However to end this on a high, there are only a few weeks left to the start of our new life in Canada, that really is something to look forwards to. We posted some clothes to Andrew in Calgary and we have now paid for the removers and insurance. Soon we will be looking at houses in reality and not just on MLS
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Last time I said time seemed to be flying by, well it is and it isn't if you know what I mean.
We had expected to have exchanged on the house by now, but their solicitor only seems to work in dribs and drabs. They have, this week, just discovered that there is a covenant on the house by the developers that any building has to be approved by them. The developers are a company which is dormant. We have had a conservatory added to the house a long time ago which we should have applied for permission, didn't of course like so many others so now we have to indemnify the buyers against I don't know what. The point of this rant is that this came just prior to a proposed exchange of contracts not earlier when enquires were being done. So a delay, still one less week in holiday accommodation.
We have decided to post some clothes in advance to our nephew in Calgary, just to make sure we have enough says Zof. Well the weather is somewhat changeable. Also we have started being brutal with what we are taking with us, a change from our earlier approach, so the kitchen sink stays.
We went to London for a few days in half term, really to celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary. Met up with Nick my Best Man and had a really great afternoon, lunch in a London club and a leisurely drink in the bar afterwards. It was a great way on catching up on news and meeting really good friends. We did the tourist things, took in a show, A Little Night Music by Sondheim at the Garrick; a really good performance. Even felt the Piccadilly line trains rumbling under our feet during the performance! Guess the earth moved (?!) Went round the Tower of London, you know I (Bill) lived in London for 19 years and never went to the Tower, but it was very good, Crown Jewels, guided tour and visited the Henry VIII exhibition.
We were staying right by Tower Bridge so we were spoilt by the Bridge opening on cue for us I have put some photos in so folks can get nostalgic for London
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