New Life

Hah, the last post I did was 2nd January saying one of my New Year's resolutions was to be more active with the blog. Well, that one went out of the window didn't it - together with the 'must lose weight', etc etc.  At least over the last couple of months I have an excuse. Why haven't I posted anything recently?  Well, here's the calendar of events over the last few weeks . . .

Early April                       
Received offer on the house and accepted it - now seriously have to start packing up after 23 years of accumulation of 'stuff'
Slightly later in April       
Buyer wants to complete whilst we were away in the US at Corflu, but we still said yes, just have to get everything cleared up before we go - no pressure then
Shortly thereafter             Completion delayed - phew
Thursday, 19th April        Fly to Las Vegas for Corflu and holiday
Wednesday, 25th April     Solicitor phoned at 6 a.m. our time whilst to say likely to be exchanging contracts today for completion Wednesday, 2 May. We get back on 1 May - well, after a holiday we won't be needing much sleep as we pack up the house
Tuesday, 1 May                Return to UK and continue packing whilst no news on completion, so we assume it won't be next week
Friday, 5 May                   Go to Sheffield
Saturday, 6 May               Doug and Julia's wedding in Sheffield - hear that completion will be delayed
Sunday, 7 May                  Return to Tonwell and packing
Tuesday, 9 May                9th anniversary of our purchase of the house in Bourg Dun - pick up van for transporting boxes to France, which was ordered when we thought we were going to complete today. Alison and Bob come over to help load the van
Wednesday, 10 May         Take overnight ferry to Bourg Dun and arrive 4 a.m. Thursday morning
Thursday, 11 May            Sleep, unpack van with Martial's help with the large furniture, go down bar, catch 6 p.m. ferry back to England
Friday, 12 May                 Packing
Saturday, 12 May             John has a rehearsal for the Jubilee gig - I continue packing
Sunday, 13 May                John has a Worldcon committee meeting at Excel centre - I continue packing
Wednesday, 16 May          Got a completion date - next Wednesday! - more packing
Saturday, 19 May             Drive to Sheffield for Novacon committee meeting
Sunday, 20 May                Return early from Sheffield for more packing
Tuesday, 22 May              Pick up van again, Alison, Bob, Andy and Keith help. All neighbours come round pub for a farewell drink, as do our buyers whom we had never actually met before. Good night had by us, and hopefully by all, but we didn't get to bed until after midnight, and there's still you know what to do (packing, if you hadn't guessed)
Wednesday, 23 May          Leave the house after 23 years!  (Late, and leaving a couple of things behind, because we hadn't done enough you know wat!!) Overnight ferry to France arriving 4 a.m.
Thursday, 24 May             Unpack van
Friday, 25 May                 Return to UK and stay in Travelodge near Cambridge - weird not having anywhere to stay!
Saturday, 26 May             Malcolm's 60th birthday party in Cambridge
Sunday, 27th May             Back to France, pick up Yvonne and Ian en route at Dieppe who are staying for a short holiday
Monday, 28 - Thursday 31 May             
                                          Collapse with Yvonne and Ian
Friday, 1 June                   Return to England
Monday, 4 June                 John's gig at the Rifle Volunteer - absolutely fantastic considering the last time they played was my 60th birthday last year.
Tuesday, 5 - Saturday, 9 June  Restful time with Alison & Bob - no packing, just arranging new driver's licence, notarised photocopies of documents, new window panel to take to France, etc, etc, and somewhere we managed to fit in a meal at The Hotel Inspector's restaurant. Now that was great!  Friday we came into town for Julie's farewell lunch, followed by drinks in evening. Now that really is the end of an era - no-one is left from the early days of either CIFT of Incisive e-Learning. Well, I'm still working remotely for them until we get all the courses transferred, so not totally a change of guard, but almost.

Sunday, 10th June              Now really is the beginning of our new life - started with a meal round at Mesnil, of course!

Our new life also started with a cough & sore throat, which first showed itself that Sunday night, and I still have today - 16th July!!  I blame Yvonne - I'm sure she was just too generous and gave me this little leaving present. Mind you, from the sounds of it I've done the same and given it to Alice Lawson.

Anyway, I think I can be forgiven for not having kept up with my New Year's resolution - at least from April, anyway. We'll see how the rest of the year goes.