So, I'm in then ...

I didn't get much sleep the night before I moved, those last bits of packing were quite emotional really. As I was looking for “nick nacks” to take to personalise my temporary flat I came across photos and stuff and the inevitable thoughts of "where did it all go wrong?" were upon me. Regardless of whether what is happening is the best thing or not, I couldn't help the wave of sadness that came over me and stayed with me pretty much until Sunday lunchtime.

The car was packed to the gills - the duvet and pillows that I'd carefully packed into one of those vacuum bags - you know the ones you fill with squishy, yet bulky stuff and the attach the hoover to it and suck the air out so said bulky item miraculously halves in size - dutifully broke its seal and doubled in size again during the course of the journey rendering any vision via the rear view mirror impossible!

I got to Chiswick just in time to catch my window of opportunity to exchange keys with Lou. (I allowed 2 hrs to travel ? miles and it took 2 ½ - the delightful A205 on a Saturday ...) Fortunately that window of opportunity extended to Rupert being a gentleman and helping me carry all my stuff up to the attic flat! Thank goodness he was there to carry my big case - I could manage everything else (PPT would have been proud of me!) but if Ru hadn't have been there I reckon I would have had to unpack that particular case on the street and carry the contents up separately ... Its amazing how heavy, bedding and towels are - don't suppose the 5 books I stuck in there before I closed it helped though!

Anyway, there was in depth familiarisation session with Lou on which key to use in which door (!), a quick trip to Acton to see where I might be able to stash my car when I can’t park outside the flat (the joys of residents parking permits), and then there I was unpacking my stuff into this little cosy haven of mine.

Sunday dawned to the news from my mum that my gran had died the previous night. How weird is that? She’d not been well for a long time, and I guess it was only a matter of time, but the fact that all the “stuff” going on in my life meant I hadn’t been able to get up and visit her mid November as I had planned, made me selfishly sad that I had not managed to see her one more time before she went.

With that news taken on board, I must confess to having had a lovely day to myself. I did my food shopping, completed my unpacking made myself food and had a soak in my ridiculously pink bath with many candles. Content is the word I would use. I swing between that and terribly sad, but I guess it’ll get easier as time goes on.