The (final?) big move

Here we are again. I feel like we have lived our lives out of boxes lately. In fact, we probably have. We didn’t bother unpacking everything that arrived out of our shipping container, there really was no point. We knew that we would not stay in a rental for ever, lining someone else’s pockets with silver isn’t really our thing, but it served a purpose at the time.

Friday 25 October was the big day, we finally get back into a house that truly is our own. Having visited to do the garden and so on, over the past weeks while the sale was being finalised, I couldn’t wait to get in here, but when the day came, I truly dreaded the feat that lay before us. We had one day in which to empty one house, and fill the other. This would be perfectly achievable, if there was a small army of you. Nope, just the two of us. I felt sick at the thought of it all.

Being a Friday most people were still at work, but we did have help in phases during the day by a ‘team of Amy’s’… Literally! Two friends (both called Amy) were able to help, one at various stages during the day, and the other in the evening once he finished work. I tell you, the Amy’s were my saviour, because I am totally OVER the whole house move thing now. Three times in seven months is two times too many in my opinion, but it’s done now, thank goodness, but not without drama.

The bank was scheduled to start the mortgage on the 25th. We knew we had to visit the solicitor and pay his fees that day too. We had a rough estimate of $888. We also only had one days hire of the small truck, so needed to move fast, difficult with just two of you and lots of huge heave furniture, and a truck that doesn’t have a tail lift. The broadband was also scheduled to switch over that day too and I expected to lose connection, as nothing ever runs smoothly on the technology front here in New Zealand.

I got a call from the solicitor, We needed to get down there and pay the fee so we could release the house keys. We halted out first truck loading session to go and sort it out. We looked at the bank balance and it said this. Meanwhile the solicitor is calling wanting to know why they hadn’t been paid. Dumb assed Bank paid us and not the solicitor! So several trips between the two, and the bank say they have sorted it out. But no, they haven’t. Instead they take too much back, and now we have not got enough to pay the solicitor! These few hours of arguing and tooing and fro-ing we could do without. This was not time that we had to waste. I also wasn’t expecting the solicitors bill to more than double, which apparently included council fees and so on, and it all needed to be paid immediately for us to be able to get the keys. Dammit! BUT, Amy number 1 came to help before and after several appointments she had that day, brilliantly helpful, and very kind.

The weather wasn’t kind to us either, typical bank holiday rain and storms. Fabulous weather for moving house. NOT. I got a text off Amy number two at around 5:30pm asking did I want help. YES YES YES! Honestly she and her partner turned up with renewed gusto at just the right time, I had just sat down thinking ‘f**** it!’ I felt guilty that she had been at work all day then given up her evening to help us finish off, so I went to Dominoes (nod the liquor store) and bought beer, wine and pizza as a thank you.

So, here it is, it’s just beginning to emerge from under the boxes. We still can’t get both cars into the double garage, and there is a LOT MORE still to do, but it’s ALMOST beginning to look like home.