Second Stage of Moving

It was a beautiful, sunny day today with blue skies, perhaps a gentle breeze, so after stopping at a petrol (gas) station and filling my car up, I took to the hills in my Rav 4, with the back seats tucked away and a bottle of diet coke in my 'cup' holder.  The traffic flowed easily and I barely had to change lanes as I drove on my way.  I stopped at the bakery for a sausage roll and said "Yes, please" to the sauce and she put it in the bag so I promptly forgot about it until the sausage roll was almost finished.

The second stage of moving into my home has been completed with the help of my friends Ron and Donna.  The other day, when I was feeling a wee bit overwhelmed with stuff and was just sminting it all out with Donna, I mentioned that I needed to figure out a way to get furniture from my sister's house to mine and thought I might rent a van and wait until Nathan was available to help me.  Donna decided that she and Ron, and their 3  youngest sons, needed an outing and Friday was a good day to help me.

I told her about the steep driveway my sister lived up the top of. "No problem."
I told her about the narrow roads that she lived on.  "No problem."
I told her that it would only be me helping lift the furniture.  "No problem."
I told her how much stuff we would need to get down that driveway and onto their trailer and/or in my car.  "No problem."  She had talked it over with Ron and they decided they wanted to do it.  "Wanted????"  Wow!

I got to my sister's place a bit earlier than them so got to catch up a bit with my nephew, nieces and Lindy.  It was good to stand out on the porch with Lindy, way up in the trees, looking over the rooftops, tree tops and into the horizon.  A gentle breeze and warm sunshine made it pleasant to be there.


When Ron arrived, we got busy. First he and I had to get the BBQ from the back down the steps and down the driveway and onto the trailer.  It was heavy.  It was hard work but somehow Ron made it fun and we even laughed as we pushed it alongside the 'wall' to make sure it didn't run away from us.  After that, we had a couch to move which was heavy and awkward to carry but Ron figured out a way for us to get it down that steep driveway and we put that on the back of the trailer.  The table got put in my Rav, the cushions and 2 chairs were added in and the other couch got loaded up in their trailer.

We parted ways and when I got home, I prepared for their arrival.  I unpacked my car and waited patiently for them to get there.  I showed them through my new home, then we unpacked their trailer.  For some reason, even though it was hard work and a hot day, it was still fun.  We laughed, we enjoyed each other's company and we shared and talked and just enjoyed being together.  I'd bought a blueberry and apple tea cake and Donna had brought chocolate, so add in some diet coke for Donna and I, some coke for Ron and 'autopops' (frozen juice sticks which I still can't remember the Aussie name for - cool pops?) for the boys, we were all set to party.  Ron put together that stupid office chair which didn't even look easy to assemble when he was doing it, using the instructions and he also put together the table which had been taken apart to make it easier for moving.  We had pizza for tea.

The place certainly does look more homely now and when I have my stuff from the US - the Third and Final Stage of moving, I will take photos so that you can all 'rejoice' in my new home.  To have furniture in my home and not just big empty rooms, does make me feel more settled.  Before I left for the hills this morning, I also sorted through a lot of my stuff that was in the spare room and put empty boxes, that I might need later, in the shed.  It's looking good!  Thank you Ron, Donna and family, for your practical help and your kind friendship!!!