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RE-ENERGIZE & REBALANCE Your Life and
Business. |
What can I say? Well, for two uber-organized people this is torture. In fact, I'm so exhausted the brain is beginning to go south and the body caught that boat 2 days ago. So the pics will show it better than I can describe it, except to say that by the time we found the camera it was already 80% better. So just imagine!
Standing on the one clear square foot of the office, the other half is piled to the ceiling with boxes of books. We have no bookcases to speak of yet!
At least floor is visible in this bedroom. Don't ask what's in the other corner!
Wow, this doesn't look as bad in a picture as it really still is. There looks like there are enough cupboards for all the stuff, but....
That's Dr. B she just dug out from under that mound of paper! And that's just the hallway. So much paper, so little time.
Anyway, that's it from here for tonight. Wish us luck!
So, moving time finally arrived and as usually happens with any move, look out for the unexpected!
We have this all planned out with military strategy. Day before the container is set to arrive we have the major department store deliveries. They arrive as planned, however, they have been told that the fridge is to go downstairs and the only way for it to get there is over the neighbour's fence. Yes, that's right there is no access to the kitchen except for a tiny spiral staircase and the fridge just isn't going to make it! No problem the store says, they are used to it, great! What they didn't count on was the "mood" of the delivery man. He takes one look at it and says "No, not happening!" Ok, back on the phones to problem solve. Dr. B has a rather "adamant" (yes that's a good word!) conversation with the store letting them know that it will be delivered the next day, moving day, and not a week later as they are saying! Call back, fridge coming on move in day and our movers will help the poor little department store delivery boys! Wimps!
So we are down at the flat bright and early (ok, forget the "bright" bit as we are exhausted from the day before) we are down at the flat anxious (will all go well?) and early! We are supposed to "secure" 6 parking spots for the container to settle in. Yeah right! This is London and nobody gives up a parking spot for love nor money!!! We get to the flat and there is a wide open curb! Thank you! It's count down time.
9am arrives the movers announce their arrival, now we just need the container. 9:20 and the mover announces "we have some bad news". We don't want to hear this! There are almost "hurricane" force winds over London (we had noticed) and the port is closed! We may not get our container. This one we never anticipated. We had prayed the whole way across the Atlantic that the ship didn't hit a hurricane but in London?!!! You must be joking, stop toying with us! We settle in to wait, what else can we do? 10:20 and we get the call, hallelujah the container will be here within 30 minutes, and it is! Chaos ensues, well organized chaos!
In less than 2 hours they have offloaded into our tiny flat, boxes and furniture totalling 140 pieces. I know this number as I was sitting on the floor for 2 hours checking off a 6 page itemized list from 1-140! Each box that came through that door was announced with, "Madam (yes madam!) number 126"! Two hours later we were drowning in cardboard. Then they started unpacking and it only got worse!
At 4pm we called it quits and told them to leave the rest of the boxes and we would call them to come back for them. We cannot get into the office at all, the kitchen has boxes and all kitchen ware over every surface including the floor. Yes the fridge is in! We wearily head out for diinner in the village.
Day 2 and we are restored! Well, that is an exaggeration, we can hardly walk but the brain is willing! We start tackling the boxes. By 6pm we are again drowning in flattened boxes and enough paper to have slaughtered many forests! We do hope they recycle, I shudder to think of it! We made plenty of headway. But first we thought we would show you a couple of shots of the empty flat so you could see it before all hell broke loose LOL. Stay tuned for the rest...
The lounge before...looking out to the garden.
The aforementioned spiral staircase! Yes that is an original working fireplace. Does anyone know where you get wood in London?
So we are in! Stay tuned for the results. Many thanks to Mother Nature and any other supreme being that heard our pleading! A "hurricane" in London? Give us a break!
It is Saturday, the day all of us have those 'things' to do, like grocery shop, bank, catch up. Well, today was such a day for us with one exception....we met our new landlord (she flew over from Germany) and she oriented us to our new home, which we move into later this week. Very exciting for us...the first home in London. More settling into the dream....cool.
However, as I said, after the meeting there were chores. Just thought we'd give you a peak around our neighbourhood main street. In Crouch End it's called The Broadway, and it's jam packed on Saturday-full of people eating, chatting, buying their fresh breads, meats, fish, vegetables and flowers. There are line-ups outside each of the stores (here it's called queuing--sounds like cue-ing) patiently waiting their turn and chatting to others around. Very friendly and villagey feeling. Here we go....
The Broadway at one of the pedestrian controlled light stops looking south
And I crossed over and turned around to this view....and by the way on the corner is our fav coffee shop for morning strategizing!
Crossed the street again, with traffic lights so that you don't take your life in your hands and you'll just see across the street at the local park that is often used to just picnic and the white awning of the fantastic Italian shop where we have dinners, great pannini's and the best parmesan chunks to buy for miles...
And then we kept walking towards home and just couldn't resist giving you this last shot by the Clock which incidentally chimes on the hour and sounds really wonderful....it's one of those 'very english' moments we just love...
Controlled chaos in our little corner of London. As many of you know, we have planned this venture for years and part of that plan was to envision the place, the kind of atmosphere, the nearness of shops so we wouldn't need to drive (thank goodness), and enjoy cafes and architecture that was pleasing to the eye.
Well what do you think? We think we 'ticked all the boxes'. Hope your chores are just as enjoyable.
PS: Home again and as I was putting the groceries away, I glanced out the kitchen window to see THE FOX emerging from the park across the road and he.....strode across the road and straight through our driveway out the backyard through the fence and then goodness knows where! Have I said "I love this place" to you before!!!!!
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