ONE!!!

Just one more sleep to leaving .... ONE!!! Still a TONNE of things to do here in the house though. We started this morning at 8am, and just finished at 11:45pm. To say I'm pooped just wouldn't be enough!
I might not post for a few days, as we get on our way, and might not have internet for a few days.
I'll post from the other side of the border!!

Au Revoir!!!

TWO!

Not a lot to report for today, except the extensive use of cleaning products. There's an aweful lot of 'bits' still to be packed up. You know, the tiny things that really should have been packed into a box long ago, but were forgotten about, and now need a place. ... Those things. And trying to move absolutely everything off the carpet to get them hoovered and shampooed. Urgh. I'm starting to dislike this moving thing now. I just want it to be over now. I know there's only one more full day, but honestly, I'm not convinced that there's enough time for everything that needs doing ..... can you detect a note of panic??! Half the problem, is trying to decide what's going with us, and what still needs to be stored away. What still needs to be used tomorrow, but will be packed away and what needs to be used then transferred to the caravan. .... See the dilemma? Yes, the usual moving issues - except we're not moving straight into another house, so it's a little more complicated. But, we'll get there - I hope! Tomorrow's our last night in this house - then we're off on our adventure. Let's hope my sanity will still be intact by then!!

THREE!

Alan Keys ready ..... and dismantle!!

Yesterday was manic. Just plain manic. It started with a cuppa tea at 8am, and ended with me washing dishes - in a sink - with my hands!! - at 11pm. .... Oh, and just THEN, the sink decided that it's going to spring a leak!! I think the shock of actually being used to wash dishes sent it into shock! At 11:15pm we both flopped into the folding chairs in the lounge. No comfy sofa, no comfy bed, no comfy washing machine, no comfy dishwasher .... the last few days before the actual move. Scary!

The after effects of the alan key session!

So yesterday, was spent mostly taking furniture apart. My fingers are now aching from this activity - it seems that most of our furniture can be flat packed - who knew!? Even the sofa! Goodness. And I had no idea that it would take so long to take one Ikea draw unit apart! And there were FOUR of them!

On the other side of the prep, we had to make sure that we had located all the hi-viz jackets, the caution triangle, the first aid kit, and a breathalyser. ... The latter needs to be bought today. These are all needed when driving around France.

Also, I love it when people hear you're moving ... and upon hearing that it's just a few day's time, they gasp! 'Wow, so soon' ... like we only decided yesterday! It seems they need time to adjust to the idea. Now if you'd asked me three months ago, then I'd have said 'Three months'. And then comes the advice. Oh goodness me. 'Oh, make sure you don't die there - ALL your estate will be given to the state!' Thank you, I will make a point of avoiding death, uh, I DO have a will, so that might not quite be the case. 'OO! My aunt's best friend's niece moved out there with the chickens and cats and dogs and rabbits and ALL the furniture, but then couldn't find work, so had to come back!' Hm, yes, but your aunt's best friend's niece is not in the same position as I am - I am self employed - please don't make comparisons where there is no match! 'And what happens if you don't make it?' (It's surprising how many times I've been asked this one - some with almost a 'hopeful' look on their faces!!) Well darling, thank you for your concern, but I will MAKE it 'work out'. I am not moving all this stuff again!! And NO! Even if I did come back, I will NOT be coming back to the same town where I live now - it's in the middle of nowhere with not a lot going for it.

Now - onto today's jobs - cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and ... more cleaning. With almost no furniture here, it should be easy. Well, easier! I will attempt to get the kids to join in with the fun, but I have a feeling they will be a 'no show'. Apparently cleaning the house isn't quite as exciting as playing Minecraft. Ah well, dustpan in one hand and cleaning cloth in the other .... off I go into the dust cloud.

Edited to add:

Today the kids got acquainted with the hoover! They learnt about how to hoover the carpet, cleaning the corners, the skirting boards, the cobwebs in the top corners. My daughter seemed to enjoy it, my son - not so much. But it's done. Tomorrow, more cleaning! .... The BIG cleaning!!

It's the final countdown!! 5 days to go ....

Pierced Ears!! Sparkly blue ones.

Just 5 days until we leave - just 5 days! Today was a productive day. We sold one of the kid's beds, bought 4 light throws for the caravan's beds, got the doggie a new metal tag (HA! Chew though that one Maximus Decimus Meridius!!), got my little girl's ears pierced, sorted the hi viz jackets for the car and we bought the wood for the modifications to the van. All of that, and my daughter had her last guitar lesson, and I still managed to pack some boxes and dismantle a shelving unit. It's been a very busy day.

And yet again, I look around, and I can't help thinking - we've done SO much, but there is still so much to do! I don't feel like I made enough progress ... but I suppose it's like my old saying 'You can only do what you can do.' There is only so much a person can do in one day.

6 days to go ...

School's over for the year!! Onto a new school
in a new country now. 

Today we reached another mile stone. It was the last day of the school year for my gawgus kids. Also, my son is officially finished primary school. As of now, he is a secondary school student! My daughter will love primary school in France, and knowing her, she'll have loads of friends in no time! It's the end of one chapter, and we're on the cusp of a new BOOK! Sometimes, getting to a goal is made up of lots of smaller goals and milestones - it makes it easier if a long journey is broken up into smaller pieces.

As for packing - well, not a lot of that was done. With walking to school, leavers assembly, walking home in the heat, then walking back to school again, then home again, there wasn't a lot of time, never mind energy!! So I'm pooped, and I have double the amount of work to do tomorrow, but it was worth it.

The next milestone? Well, that's next Tuesday when we actually leave! Not long to go!

I know that lots of people think that we're crazy for moving somewhere, and we've no house, or schools .... I've never even been to France. I've flown over France - not sure if that counts though. But we decided that we wanted to see some of the country before moving there, and we wanted to choose where to live too. It's an adventure. By very definition, an adventure is 'an unusual and exciting or daring experience'. So if we had everything planned out before hand, it wouldn't be an adventure. Be daring, throw caution to the wind and go on an adventure.

Mail re-direction - done
Notified schools - done
Set cut-off date for utilities - done
Bought caravan - done
Bought insurance - done
Packed everything up - almost
Bought supplies - almost

A WEEK TODAY!!

A week today, and we're rolling out of here to our new adventure. Just one week. But before that, we needed to store a lot of things, and of course, we had to do it on THE hottest day of the year so far. High 20s, possibly even 30C! At one point, I thought I was going to pass out. But it's done. Things are packed and at the storage unit. Only one more load to go later in the week - hopefully on a day not as hot as was today! Phew!

Bed dis-assembly. Some bolts we very
stubborn!! 

I did have 'fun' (not!) taking the bed apart. Those nasty hex screws have a horrid habit of stripping the heads - so the alan key just can't grip it anymore. Fortunately we got them all out - eventually. I just hope that my brother in law can put the puzzle back together!!

How is it possible that we've done so much, packed so much, and cleaned so much .... and there is still so much still to do?!! HOW did that happen?! Ugh! But only one week left, I just need to hang in there!

8 days to go ....

I find myself thinking 'This time next week, I'll be ..... '. I have packed so many boxes, and relived so many memories, thoroughly cleared out the unnecessary and broken things from my life ... it has been cathartic. But also scary. Confronting one's self, at such a mico level is very daunting. But I feel like I've made headway, and I can see an end.

First day of nursery school, oh so many, MANY years ago!

The kids have just two days of school left - that too is mindblowing! Essentially, my eldest has just two days left of primary school. From Thursday, he is officially a secondary school student. I remember his first day at nursery school like it was just yesterday. He ran off to go play without looking back. .... 8 years later, not a lot's changed. He still runs off without so much as a glance back! I hope this confidence will stand him in good stead as he makes new friends in France.

So, what will I be doing this day next week? Well, very likely panicking like mad about last bits that need to be finished before we roll out of here the following morning. So many things always gets left to the very last minute. Not on purpose, just how it is really. Normally, when moving, the truck would be packed, and then we'd return for any left over 'bits'. Yeah, that's not happening this time. Everything has to be done when we roll out. No pressure. But thankfully, we've made a couple of decisions that have relieved pressure (that we've admittedly put on ourselves - based on time pressures), and that in itself has made things easier. Moving is hard enough, and really, if there is anything at all that can make it easier, then by all means, do it!

And talking of 'do it' - if I had just one penny for every time that someone said to me 'Oh, I'd LOVE not to follow your dreams!!
to do what you're doing!!' ... I'd be very rich. Honestly, what is stopping you for doing what you want to do??! Yes, sometimes there are good reasons - like elderly parents or loved ones, work restrictions or contracts .... yes, there are reasons. But for the most part, there really is very little standing in our way! If the kids are in school. I'm sure there will be schools where you're planning on moving to - there may well be shops too, and there is a good chance that there will be houses too. .... Unless of course you're moving off grid! Then you're on your own! But honestly, there are very few GOOD reasons. So go now, write your goals, set a plan, and work to it - every single day!

9 days to go ....

The ever growing pile of boxes. I swear they
multiply in the night!!

Well, we're finally into single figures now. Not long, and we'll be on our way to our adventure. But before the adventure can start, the packing must first be completed. Yes dear reader - the *&%$ packing. Urgh! Most of the big things have been finished, and there seems to be a LOT of boxes packed. Why then, is there still so much to do?! 'Stuff' seems to multiply overnight, and the empty boxes seem to vanish. The poor dog and the cat really don't know what's happening. Poor things - they really don't understand.

Nothing says 'moving' quite
like empty picture hooks.

So I find myself typing this on my lap, on the bread board. My desk is in the garage, photographed and on ebay. .... As is my chair. And my shelf unit, draw units and side drawer stand. So everything's packed, save a box of goodies for me - drawing pencils (you never know, I might actually find my drawing abilities!!) and some sewing reading material.

Nothing says 'moving' like empty picture hooks! And there are several all around the house now. Not long now, and they will be displaying someone else's memories.

10 days to go ...

Packing, sorting and more packing. If you are still reading this, you are very strong willed! Plastic box? Single walled cardboard box? Or double walled cardboard box? ... These are the eternal choices I need to make. Selling on e-bay, gumtree or anywhere else - getting rid of as much furniture as we can .... it's almost as difficult as dieting!!

Testing out their space in the caravan.

The caravan's starting to look brighter and a tad more spacious now that the dark green velvet curtains are gone (groovy baby!!), and it no longer smells must like before. Still some things to be done - a lot of cleaning too, but that'll all be done soon enough. We also need to test out the water system and the gas too. Thankfully, that's my husband's job.

The kids enjoyed lunch in the caravan today - the novelty factor is still strong for now. Pretty soon, it'll be 'OO!! Look! A real house, and a real kitchen, and a real bed!!' But for now, they're enjoying it. I wonder what they'll make of our travels ... when we actually get going. Well, we'll see about that one.

11 days to go ....

Bessie Bordeaux. Isn't she sweet??!

Today was not a day I could entertain a migraine, BUT, I've learnt that when I do have one, that I must leave the things I can't do, and DO something that I can do. So, packing was out for today, which meant a bit of work on the caravan. I hauled out all the 'stuff' under the beds / sofas, washed the black out curtain that hangs around the bunk beds, and with my husband, we removed the other curtains and rails. All the curtains smelt musty, and really needed to be thrown out. Now, it looks so much brighter! I'm so cross with myself that I didn't take before and after pics .... can you tell I'm still new to this 'blogging' thing?!! LOL!
But now I'm pooped. Tomorrow is more packing and organising boxes into their appropriate piles. Oh joy.

12 days to go ...

Sweet Lily the Cat. .... aka Bitey scratchy clawey cat. Thank
goodness she's mellowed out so much in later life!

One of the side effects of packing your entire life up, is finding old photos and mementos from a life gone by. I found the cutest pics of my daughter from nursery school and my cute kitty cat - the day we got her! So sweet. But brings about a whole bucket of emotions for me. That is possibly the hardest part of packing.

Another issue arising from packing, and only days to go - what can be packed and what needs to be kept out for everyday use. Believe me, it sounds logical, but when you're in the 'packing zone', sometimes things get packed that might still be needed ... like shoes (yes, I've done that before!). And when to sell things. Bookcases - no problem, the books are already either sold or packed. Beds .... hmm, more difficult. They can't go with us, can't go into storage, need to be sold, but still needed for sleeping on at night. ..... Washing machine! With two kids and two adults, hand washing clothes is not an easy things to do. So, timing the selling of things is vital. Urgh! And I won't even GO into the whole thing of e-bay buyers just not pitching up, or local people looking at something, and offering pennies (literally!!), and often wanting said item for free!! Like they're doing you a massive favour to take it away.

I am looking forward to getting on the road - even then I'll have a chance to do some handbag and embroidery designing and even some sketching. Right now - no.

Well tomorrow, it seems, is operation clean caravan day (weather permitting!!). And lets face it, in the UK, if you have something planned, it's sure to rain. Urgh!!

13 days and counting ...

13 Days. That's all that stands between me and getting into the van and driving off to France. Well, sort of ... need to take stuff to storage, get the cat to my brother in law, clean the house, sell any remaining furniture, clean the caravan, stock the caravan ... you know - not much really. And do I have the energy for it?! Heck no!! I'd rather be doing FUN stuff. You know - stuff I actually want to do. But this boring stuff ain't gonna do itself. <sigh>

Packing in 10 easy steps:

Step one: Make a list of everything that needs to be done.

Step two: Spend so long on the list, that it's probably too late to do anything today.

Step three: Next day - Forget about the list, and do other stuff that's not on the list.

Step four: Get cross that you forgot the list.

Step five: Re-arrange the list, removing anything not 100% vital.

Step six: Remember that things removed from the list are actually important, and put back on the list.

Step seven: List is now illegible from taking things out, then adding back in. Re-write list.

Step eight: Try to do something from the list.

Step nine: Realize that it's now time to go collect the kids from school, and can't actually do anything from the list after all.

Step ten: Chuck the list in the bin as you walk out the door.

Alternative:

Step one: Make a list of everything that needs to be done.

Step two: Pack list into the box.

Step three: Spend an hour looking for the list.

Step four: Dismiss lists as a waste of time and just try to get stuff done.

Either way - lists are futile. 

Today has also been a day of getting the tedious 'stuff' done - insurance, setting a date for utilities to be cut, .... you know the rest of that stuff. Hoping for a more productive day tomorrow. 

Life in a box ...

Every time I look for something, I have to remember that it's already packed away. In a box. Somewhere in the mountain. Oh the joys.

So let's see - where are we actually planning on going to!? Well .... the 'plan' is to travel down a section of the west coast of France from Nantes all the way to Bayonne. We may even 'pop' into Spain for a couple of days to see what it's like. We'll see what the area is like, then decide where we'd like to live. For now, Bordeaux is a strong contender, but there may be other areas that suit us just right.

A friend asked me 'Why France?'. Well, why on earth not?! It's a beautiful country with a lot of opportunity, just waiting for us. We're not getting any younger, and after all, it's NOT doing things that we regret more than actually doing them. Lots of my friends have said 'Oh, I WISH I could do that!' ... Well, you CAN! The only one stopping you, is YOU! Yes, it's scary jumping into the unknown, but seriously, we're not relocating to the Amazon! This is Europe! DO IT!

The tunnel's been booked, the schools have been notified, notice has been given on the house, utilities have been given a cut off date .... it's all go! .... Just those last boxes to be packed, and a whole HEAP of furniture to sell. What could go wrong?!

And so it continues ....

This is what my pile of boxes feels like. I'm sure it'll look
just like this very soon!!

Packing. Need I say more? Today was one of the 'difficult' days. Packing to move by truck to another town or county - no problem. We can do a couple of trips in a large Luton van and move everything - sorting out when we unpack. Moving abroad - well, that's a whole different story. We have ONE load in our van. ONE. If it doesn't fit in the van, it doesn't go. TAKE | CHUCK | STORE. .... That's been my mantra for the past few weeks. But the 'chuck' part can be hard. .... Almost as hard as the 'store' part. And 'take'?!?! We have very limited space to take anything with us on our travels. If you had only these three choices for EVERYTHING in your house - what would make it into each department? You'll be surprised what gets thrown out when space is limited! And 'chuck' isn't always to throw away - no, it's to sell as often as possible. But there are just some times when it's painfully obvious that what you hold in your hand, is just junk. Chuck it. Cleanse your space. ..... Besides, it's making space for all the NEW junk yet to come!! I've also lost track of the number of times I've said 'Oh! I forgot I had this!' .... bin! But every so often, there is something that has no value, hasn't been used in a year, totally forgotten about, but I can't bear to part with it. So it gets packed.

The boxes are all mounting up, and the available space is fast disappearing. Will I be able to store everything that I want & need to? Will it all fit in the van?! (I hear cries of ... 'I think we need a bigger van!') Goodness, I do hope so. At the moment, there's more mess than there is order. ... That's how it's meant to be - isn't it!?

And so it begins ....

So! How does one make a 3 bedroom house and garage FULL of 'stuff' fit into an area smaller than my kitchen?! Hmm. THAT, dear reader is the question of the day.
Step one: Sell off as much as possible (for seemingly ridiculously low prices!!! 'What?! You're not giving it away for FREE??!)
Step two: Pack only what is needed into uniform sized boxes.
Step three: Throw out anything that is unwanted, broken, or no longer needed, that cannot be sold.
Step four: Repeat until everything is packed.

With Brexit looming large, we decided that our plans of living in Europe couldn't be put off any longer. Whilst we have been planning this for quite some time now, this seems like the best time for us to go see the world. We would like our children to grow up knowing that they are not constrained by the borders of this, or any other country, and they are free to travel and see the world. .... But perhaps not on their own just yet - they still have a bit more growing up to do.

What then, does one need for an adventure? Well, a caravan of course!! So we collected one yesterday. She's pre-loved, but has all the features that we need.
Bunk beds for the kids, lots of storage for all the 'stuff' we need to take, and a working shower and toilet! I envisage many hours of adventures with Bessie Bordeaux. Uh, yes, we named her. Because - why not?! She needs a clean and some minor repairs. Nothing major.

Now, just to go finish packing up - fitting 5 litres into a 1 litre pot! Oh and the cleaning!! URGH! NOT my favourite thing about moving! GRR. But needs doing.
Wish me luck!