Erieversible

I’m now ensconced at the Mount Murray Hotel and just killing time.  This is far worse than being busy!  At least when I was busy time went quickly, plus I was mentally engaged dealing with multiple parties, sorting things out, swinging the world around to my point of view.  Now that stage is over and already the clock is moving very slowly.  As a consequence, although over the last 2 weeks the emotions of missing the family have come under control, today I have had a relapse.

Tomorrow I hope things really get moving.  The key to the activities next week is getting the house sale money into our account - until that happens there’s nothing to do.  Okay, tomorrow I have to sort out the utilities (gas, electric, telephone) and get them to issue final bills so I can settle up, but I don’t expect that to either be a challenge or take very long.  Famous last words…watch out for despair and anguish in tomorrow’s entry

If I end up tomorrow with one piece of paper that suggests the move is final then I can use it as the evidence required to sort out a TV licence refund.  For US readers…in the UK if you own a TV receiver, be it a TV or a card in your computer, then you have to pay £140 (approx. $275) a year for a TV licence, the money for which goes to fund the BBC.  The default view on their part is that everyone should have one, and leaving the country is no excuse for not having a licence - unless you can evidence your departure.

For those who are interested, remember the two flight tickets I bought on the basis of buy early, buy cheap, throw one away?  One is now £10 more expensive, the other is £25 more expensive.  Small increases, but in another 2-3 days I expect those increases to be much more.  Time will tell.

The kids seem to be taking it all in their stride.  Little one has decided she is glad we moved because she can get ice cream dots here.  (If you don’t know what they are, they are tiny little balls of ice cream that she just thinks are amazing and wonderful.)  Big one had a good day because he went to watch his cousin play baseball.  Which meant spending time with the extended family that he loves. 

It is harder being the designated adult.  There are so many decisions to make and so little time.  I am struggling to find a rental property.  No one wants to rent to us for less than a year, but even if we say we will go for a year, there doesn’t seem to be very much actually available!  I keep reminding myself that we have only been here for a few days and I shouldn’t panic yet.  But it is hard not to panic. 

We are going to tour a few schools in the next few days anyway.  Three appointments have been booked and we are all looking forward to seeing the schools and meeting the principals (head teachers for our British audience).  Not sure that seeing the schools will bring us any closer to actually choosing one, but I am optimistic (or trying to be).  I suspect we should at least be able to eliminate one from the list after the visits.  Any one of the three is bound to be unacceptable in some way or another.

The other thing to work on is job hunting.  At least if I can get a few interviews I could start to get back to thinking more like a professional person and less like a mommy/mummy.

But at the moment, I’m too tired to think about anything.  And I miss my sounding board.  Hubby and I spent two hours on the Skype phones today…probably talking to each other a lot more than we normally do at home.  But it wasn’t nearly the same as being together.  I’m in the weird position of wanting the time to go faster, so he can get here, and needing the time to slow down so I can get everything done that needs doing.

And tomorrow I have to find out all about mobile phones…

The first full day without three other people in the house.  Unless you count the two guys from the Hospice who spent some time taking away the big bits of furniture that didn’t sell.  I don’t.  Count them, that is.

After the Hospice collection and two trips to the local tip with car loads of rubbish, the house is looking quite empty.  Our schedule, though challenging, has been adhered to very well.  I looked around and figured I could make it even more challenging.  The removal vans now arrive this Thursday, rather than 12th June, to take away the belongings we are shipping to the US.  That clears the way for other tasks to move forwards too.  This added challenge gives me something to do and also has the possibility of getting me back together with the rest of the family more quickly.  Project Management skills to the fore!

Lots of hard work ensuring the house is ready to be sold, lots of re-arranging, but it is a challenge I relish.  So, right now, there’s hope.  And where there’s hope….