We were very impressed that instead of being a several months later than originally quoted (as was our experience when we moved from Christchurch to Sydney and went without our belongs for 5 months because they lost our container on the Lyttelton wharves) it arrived earlier than the earliest date quoted. Now the bother is of course that instead of having those boxes to unwrap at Christmas we'll have to provide others for the girls after all.
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| Trying to guess what is inside - Charlie can smell home, He was very excited by it all. |
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| How much can I carry in one trip down? |
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| Two people smuggled over upside down in the box? |
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| A bit sad for the girls to find after school Corn! |
The towels and sheets that had been used to pack between the things we wanted were washed, dried and stored. With no linen cupboard in the house the challenge became where to put it all. Precious family photos were unwrapped and stood upon window frames. A bit teary to get messages from the friends who helped pack us up at home and wrote messages on the wrappings and box flaps.
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| http://www.steamer.co.uk/ |
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| Mixer with the cleaners. |
My marvellous mixer - that was given to me one Mother's day for Willow to use - has had to be put under the sink as it is the only cupboard in the kitchen big enough to take it. I can't believe that I didn't put my whisk in! Oh well there are plenty of wonderful kitchen shops in Cambridge to visit for another. (Two of my favourites are 'The Steamer Trading Cookshop' opposite the markets and 'Lakeland' on Sidney St. Both have great online shopping sites too.) It is amazing how much you can miss your own kitchen utensils.
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| M found his gadgets - handy for bird watching |
We hired OSS to move our stuff internationally and they arranged for Movecorp to pick it up from the wharf and take it to us. Somewhere along the way box 18 went missing - this happened to have M's bike in it. Movecorp were rung straight away by their cheerful and polite delivery crew of two and they phoned back within ten minutes to confirm that it hadn't been loaded onto the truck that morning and a search was being instigated. The next day the lovely lady (is everyone in this company happy?) rang back to say that what was lost was found and would be delivered next Monday between 1/2 10 and 1/2 11! WOW an hour window for a delivery time. I still can't get over their efficiency and caring customer service.
I am actually typing this sad little blog because I am housebound by 'UPS' whose contact details refuse to let you speak to a person to find out a time of delivery. The company sending out the monogrammed uniform for Petal are demanding an ADULT signature so they wouldn't drop it behind the side fence as allowed yesterday or let Petal who is home because of a teacher's strike, collect it. So just because a few snotty kids have chucked away their uniform after signing for it and a freight company is too UPs themselves to recognise that customers may have commitments or appointments I have to distract myself from distasteful tasks by telling you of these mundane things. I have also written a complaint letter to Samsung about their stick vacuum which sucks- not!
All that we needed has arrived - Me videos, LOR, Potter, BBC versions of Jane Austin's novels, Blackadder and Mr Bean included, Willow kindly packed some of my CDs so now I can listen to something decent because I haven't quite worked out what my apple password is or how to put songs onto my phone or computer - one of those time consuming, distasteful jobs I put off. M has just shown me how to connect my computer to the Jongo so watch out neighbours! With Leelee sending good ole Sanitarium Nutmeat and Nutolene over with Gav to cuddle up to Poss' Marmite in the larder, it almost feels like home. Just missing the Massal stock cubes and some Gravox gravy sachets but Nana arrives soon!
Just read: Two books for Petal who is unenthusiastic but HAS to read something for English. To give a verbal report on. Both have strengths.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect James Patterson collaboration with Maxine Paetro
- Young Arrow, Random House 2013
Super rich and controlling parents, exclusive NY residence, sport hero and concert pianist siblings but it is Tandoori who is suspected of murder in her own home. She speaks directly to the reader as a self analysis device. Motives and suspects litter the scene, secrets and retrieved memories bend the plot focus from the crime to an unusually extreme reenactment of the typical adolescent finding who they really are. Sequel with Tandy as a teen Detective out in hard back now.
"I have some really bad secrets to share with someone and it might as well be you - a stranger, a reader of books but most of all, a person who can't hurt me." First sentence.
How I live Now Meg Rosoff - Penguin books 2004
Set in future not far from now, a 15yr old girl struggles against a sneering stepmother and manipulated father, but this is no Cinderella tale. When expensive psychs can't seem to fix what is 'wrong' with her she is shipped out to live with her dead mother's sister and kids in country England. A story of finding your place in the world and what is really important beyond the silly power plays we battle with against each other. Strong characters with a persuasive adolescent voice, interesting setting and WW III concept, the political wills almost mirroring her personal experience.
"Somewhere along the line I'd lost the will not to eat. Partly I wouldn't be good ole Daisy if I didn't get my appetite back just when everyone else in the world was learning how to starve and partly the idea of wanting to be thin in a world full of people dying from lack of food struck even me as stupid. Well what do you know? Every war has its silver lining." p172
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