Tougher and tougher

We went for a lovely meal with friends (a Chinese takeaway).  Karen has been my close friend since I met her at college despite there being over 10 years difference in our ages.  She has always supported me through thick and thin.  She allowed us all to stay with her family between houses, she drove me for my chemotherapy treatments even though she was still breastfeeding her firstborn, she helped my eldest daughter deal with the death of my mother (I was in the States).  I've never had a friend like that and it was a tough good bye.  First time I have really felt loss at our emigration.
Then yesterday, I had a lovely day in York with another close friend.  I was given a silver charm of a coffee cup to remind me of all the times we had had a cuppa together.  So, so grateful for these amazing people.  Really hope that I find good friends in the USA and also that I keep my present friends from afar.

Off went the van.....

Well all the furniture has now gone!  It feels very strange.  The two guys who packed everything were amazing.  Really professional.  I would totally recommend PSS - well assuming it all gets to the States ok!  They loaded everything onto the container in the pouring rain.  The weather really could not have been worse!

Everything was packed and labelled and had a number on it.  There were 141 boxes in all.  Astonishingly well packed too!

Now this really did impress.....two men carrying the piano out of the house, down the steps and into the container!  Amazing

Luckily, the box was the right size - I measured it last year so it was a bit of a tense moment I have to say...

The container was sealed

Here's the container being filled

And here it is leaving us for Leeds.  It went by road to Leeds and then is going to Tamesport in London (well Kent) by train and there it will wait for the Stuttgart Express container ship.  We are able to track the ship to some extent but it wont be in Tamesport until 4th October as it's on its way from Halifax Nova Scotia.

So there we go......our home packed away until we buy a house in the US!

Hither and thither

Well, it's been a hectic few days I have to say.  The shippers arrived to pack the furniture.  Just two of them!  It was a bit nerve-wracking really.  Not sure what to do.  Showed the foreman what needed packing (pretty much everything!) and then hung about for a bit.  Eventually we felt in the way so we left and went back to our apartment.  Took them some fish and chips for their lunch.  They had made a good start - never seen so much brown paper in my life!!

It's very odd to see our stuff wrapped up.  Everything is being labelled though.  They really seem very good but I suppose the proof is in the safe arrival of it all.  They were at the house until 6.00pm and then arrived at 8.00 the following morning.

The weather couldn't really have been worse - astonishing amount of rainfall and cold with it.  Really hoping that the rain eases up when they take the stuff out of the house.

This morning, we popped up and took their lunch orders.  Just getting back to the apartment when Virgin rang to say they were collecting the Virgin boxes in 10 minutes!!  No warning of this, so....back up the hill we went and met the man there and gave him the boxes back.  Then back down to the apartment for a bit of a chill and catch up.........phew!

Oh my!

Well yesterday we had our Open House before we leave.  It was simply lovely with so many good wishes and lovely comments written.  And a couple of really thoughtful presents. Will be keeping the cards and putting them up in our new house in San Diego.  Just to remind me, these are the people who came.

Anne and Colin
Susan and her partner
Helen and her partner (JP)
Robert and Sheila
Jane and James with Hugo and Harry
Juliette, Darren, Emilie and Oliver
Sue R
Sue T
Mandy, Craig and Kelly
Toni and Pasqualle - such a lovely surprise!!
Debbi, Richard and Ben - travelled miles!
Gwen, Emma, Gary and his girlfriend - another shock!
Sarah and Carl - such a help and we actually managed to get something to eat when they arrived.
It was a very moving evening.  We have stacks of food left and bottles and bottles of wine (including one champagne) which is quite hard really as lots of people brought wine but we can't take it with us so will have to drink some and give quite a lot away.

it was a simply lovely evening and I for one felt very blessed to have had so many lovely people in my life.  Goodness me I shall miss them.  And WHY didn't I take photos??

A very British trip

Well, we have had nearly three days in the Lake District.  We stayed at The Pheasant Inn in Bassenthwaite.  It was simply lovely.  We had a room overlooking the front of the hotel and it
 was really peaceful.

We really didn't do much except walk, drive and relax which was just what I needed!  We had tea, with a teapot and a strainer and homemade shortbread. The inn itself was very cottagy and very British so it was a nice 'goodbye' visit really.  The scenery is stunning and although the weather wasn't brilliant it made for some good pictures!

We went to Wastwater which is easily the most brooding and dramatic of the lakes.  It was excellent.  Mind you, now we are home and have to get everything ready for the Open House tomorrow.  I can feel my stress levels rising as I type.

Tick, tick, tick.......

Realised in bed last night that we only have one more week in this house!!
Spent yesterday afternoon at A & E because the leg of the desk dropped onto my ankle and needed to check that it wasn't broken - thank goodness it not!  Never been so relieved.  However two hours was quite boring although the nurse practitioner was just lovely.

Have now sorted out the cancelling of the car insurance and a letter about my no claims bonus, we have booked our 'flu jabs for the day after the shippers have been.  We have also just booked a company to come and deep clean the cooker - £89!!!  Good grief!

So the diary is getting really full.  We maybe need to emigrate for a rest!

Shipping!

Well, today we had further information about shipping our furniture and things to the USA.  This is a picture of the container ship.

It's called the Stuttgart Express.  Looks a bit worrying to have the furniture on one of the topmost containers I have to say!
We have finally sorted out most of the study - just the desk to dismantle now and we did other little things, like dealing with the Council Tax and checking with the police that it was ok to have the container parked outside!  It is!
Collected 4 months of medicine for me at the chemist and have packed it into my hand luggage.  I will try to remember to take a picture but the bag is full!!  Oo-er!

Only 20 days to go.  Seems surreal at the moment.

Last night we had a curry at the Pack Horse - last one I think.

Bits and Pieces!

Well the car is sold!!  Really pleased because she has been sold to a good friend who lives in Saltburn.  They are coming down by train and going back in the car.  So, what other things have wee been up to?

• Well, this morning I went into school to do the staff photos for the website.  They were ok, but could have been better I think.  Never mind......
• Then Steve spent hours on the phone because he needs to transfer/change his Amex card from here to the US.  They needed every detail you can think of apart from shirt size!  I have to do the same sometime so at least I will be prepared.  
• Then he rang the AAA (American Automobile Association) as we will have a hire car and then, of course, our own.

It's strange to think that we will be in America in less than a month now!  My brain is very occupied with what to do for the Open House especially as we have no idea how many people will be coming.  I'm sure it will sort itself out but it's keeping me awake a bit.

Onwards and upwards.....

Scams!

Who would have believed it?  I have had two scam emails from people who wanted to 'buy' my car!!  Well, clearly they didn't.  They wanted to STEAL my car.  Have forwarded both the emails to the fraud squad - what a blessing to have Sarah in the family.  Still the good thing is now, that I know how to spot them :-)

Going and Coming!

Well, been advertising my car for a few days.  Someone was interested and came to look at it last night in the dark (?) anyway, they agreed that they would buy it.

So I was thrilled as you can imagine.  Anyway, to cut a long story short, they asked for a reduction because the insurance was going to be too much.  I can't afford to reduce the price and actually it's worth £200 more than it was advertised for.  So, back to square one!

Today has also seen a HUGE reduction in my bank balance.  Paid the money to PSS for the shipping of all our furniture which was over £5,000 but I suppose, in the grand scheme of things it's not too bad.

Also went to the opticians today to collect my varifocals.  Have worn them all day, but think I will use my lenses everyday and the glasses in the evening.

And the lists go on!

So, today we have

• Continued to try to sell the car,
• Found the little key thingy that I will need to change the SIM card in my iPhone when we get to the states
• Filled out five different forms for US customs etc.
• Scanned the forms and sent them to the shippers
• Sorted all the crap out from under the computer
• Found out for sure that I can take just 3 months of medication with me
• Decided to send the iMac with the shippers which means we will be without it for weeks.
• Been to see an apartment and decided that that is where we will stay for our nine homeless days

• Been on a 'fast' day with our diet which is really hard today!
• Advertised our tape to DVD software to people
• Asked if anyone wants my old Tele-Call card if they are in hospital
• Rung the guy who has been doing up a little cupboard for us
• Rung school to see how the first day back went (well, as it happens)
• Left as message with the Estate Agents who have not got back to us.

Hoping against hope that I sleep tonight having had another bad night last night.  Mind you, surely there can't be much more stuff to buzz around inside my brain tonight?

Stress

Feeling more than a bit stressed at the moment!  Such a lot to do.  This morning I have put adverts out for my little car and of course I have had to get it valeted etc.

Had to sort out my medication for when we go but can't find out how much I can take with me.  Needed to contact my bank and also the Teachers Pension people about having money paid abroad.
Needed to phone and email the removers about the furniture going and of course had a thousand queries.
Have tried, with Steve to sort out the lounge but we haven't finished and now I'm too tired.  I know it's all going to be good, but didn't think it would be like this.

Even more Excitement!

We still haven't heard from our buyers who are waiting to sell their house, but......, we have decided.  We are going to let the furniture go at the end of September and we are going to emigrate in early October!  Since we made the decision, I have had an overload of adrenalin and been unable to sleep but now have made lists which should help!!  Have to sell Poppy, my car, but have already had some interest so fingers crossed.
There is just so much to do!  I have put on the calendar which rooms we are tackling on which day so that makes it easier.  Sarah has now accepted that we are going and is much happier about it which is such a relief I can't begin to tell you.  She is happy to help get rid of stuff for us too - such a lovely daughter to have.  We are going for a meal with the two of them before we go.  We will go to La Tavas
which is a restaurant that Sarah and Carl love.  She's going to organise that bit!
Wondered about having a Bon Voyage party but because I have now realised that there is only about 5 weeks until we go we are having an open house evening instead.  Much more manageable I think.
This is our list (although we have done quite a bit of it)

MOT car and then sell it - half done

Contact Mick about the cupboard - done

Order American lead for the iMac - done

Take Mandy and Craig out for a ‘thank you’ meal - done

Eat the food in the freezer - doing

Change address for bank

Organise money and pension

Clean oven

Send iMac over to USA

Book holiday cottage from 22nd September

Contact PSS

People to visit - open day 21st September

Lounge

Remove drinks and put in Kitchen if we are not taking them with us

Put ‘memory cards’ out of the drawer into the box in the attic.

Make sure drawers are full of stuff that is easy to pack

Kitchen

Make sure cupboards are full of “packables”

Pack up all food and drink so that it can be given away/packed for us

Get the oven professionally cleaned

Dining room

Check drawers in bureau

Get rid of old wrapping paper

Check sideboard contents are easy to pack

Study

Fold up the treadmill

Dismantle the desk

Check contents of the filing cabinet

Move large plastic folder to Dressing room and make sure it has all the vital documents in it

Move green PSS file to Dressing room

Dressing room

Sort clothes - leave only those we are going to wear for the next 6 weeks

Put the rest of the clothes in the bedroom

Sort the cupboards and drawers and put surplus in bedroom

Bedroom

Get rid of side tables and lamps

We are TAKING the light and the curtains

Bathroom

Sort through the airing cupboard

Get rid of any liquids

Cellar

Check the shelves at the top of the cellar steps

Oh my!