Storing it up

Today

Well, at last it's happened; we've made the move to our new home and are having fun learning about it and all its little quirks.

We have had to fit in stuff both from the flat and the house at 7 Mead Close. Co-ordinating a double move seemed pretty nigh impossible so we first had everything from the Brighton flat put into storage until it could be moved here.

We've also had to put a great deal of our stuff from Stoke into storage until we have proper places for it all. I think that there are about two hundred boxes of various sizes holding all Paul's hobby items, our books, CDs and my teapots.

Paul was wondering about how safe they are "Well," I said "I think that they're probably safer than in the garage here." Really, of course, what he would like is to be reunited with his beloved possessions and he is so looking forward to the day when they will have their own new home.

In My Day

In 1985/6. the move from Eastbourne to Southanpton was managed in fits and starts. We sold the house in Westham in the November but had no home to go to. A kind friend offered us temporary accommodation in Crowborough. This was a fully equipped house, so we decided to put everything in store. "I'm not taking any chances," I said "We'll go for the best there is." Which at that time meant Pickfords. Our belongings, other than clothes, were duly stored.

I don't know how much we missed our stuff; my life was extra hectic as I travelled about the South-East training people how to use computers and I guess what Paul really missed (apart from me) was having a settled home.

After a couple of false starts we were able to move in to the house at Broadlands Road in Southampton in February 1986. It was a bitterly cold morning and snow had fallen. The Pickfords truck arrived and our belongings were somehow stuffed into the house. My view of Pickfords being the best was somewhat altered when one of the removal men cheerfully jumped out of the truck with our precious House of Commons drawing, that had been given to Daddy on his retirement, entirely open to the elements, and holding it just by the string. The glass was cracked too; a great curving line. We noticed and commented on it right away and Pickfords replaced the glass. But to my trained eye there is a slight line across the picture where the broken glass had disturbed the pencil.

I'd love to see my teapots again but, right now, can't think where on earth I'm going to put them!