Hey guys, update on progress from me.

Firstly, August 21st is not my favourite day of the year, it’s 4 days before my birthday which will always suck but, you get on with it, you have a bit of a wallow and you crack on. I won’t share the whys and wherefores here because I don’t think it’s appropriate, but those of you that know, know, and your thoughts and kind messages are always lovely, so I thank you for making a shitty day just a little bit less so.

The sale is still progressing, despite the buyers surveyor stating an issue with damp and wood boring insects which has worried me sick for the last week. We had to have a specialist out yesterday who found nothing of note damp-wise, but a rotten joist and some localised woodworm in our 100+ year old cellar that needs to be remedied. Approx cost £500. I’m pretty relieved because I’ve been imagining all sorts, so I’ll take that. The estate agent told me that the original surveyor had told her he had been at the house for 5 hours which is utter bullshit, more like an hour and three-quarters. What’s wrong with people.

The list of queries from the buyers solicitor is pretty minimal, we’re just awaiting a copy of an indemnity policy from our previous solicitors but I think we’ve answered everything they’ve asked of us. We received our transfer of title paperwork to sign as well, which given they want to move in the week we move out we should really be exchanging in the next couple of weeks.

Weirdly, given the magnitude of the move I’m not stressed about it, I’m just ready to go. So what if something gets broken in transit, it’s just stuff. Everything that really matters to me will be in the car with me, I just need my beloved and my dogs, that’s it.

We still don’t have a car to make the journey in. We had wanted to source a left hand drive so the trip could be a one way one. We can’t find what we want in the U.K., and the garages we’ve contacted seem pretty flaky. We did see something fitting the bill down in London but upon contacting them found they’d sold it weeks ago. Craig may have to drive his car back to the U.K. to sell it, not our preferred option, but he’s away from Sunday for 2 weeks so ability to sort before we go is unlikely now I feel.

In other news, Freya chewed Craig’s laptop cable – not cool, Shelly needs to lose about 4kgs and every-time I feed him his meagre rations I get a look of absolute betrayal. When he was weighed at the vets he was 16.4kgs. The regime began, and one week later we excitedly weighed him to check progress. 16.9kgs?!? We have decided this is the new benchmark, the vet’s scales might have been a bit out (a bit like when you weigh yourself at home before chubby club)…..

I’ve been packing like a ninja, I almost feel in control but just not quite. A couple more days and some more paper cuts later and I might feel I’ve broken the back of it.

Another birthday has just come and gone, 43 – wow! Pretty confident this time last year I had no clue that we’d be heading off on this big adventure. We went out for dinner last night at a local vegetarian Indian restaurant Prashad, and it was delish. Thought I’d make the most of having something like this 15 minutes drive away, it won’t be the case soon. Had a lovely evening, but came home to dog related carnage. As I was getting ready tonight I heard our front gate open. As I looked down through the bedroom window I thought, how strange, that dog looks just like Freya. What?!? Madam had somehow leapt the back wall and ended up in our lovely neighbours garden. We think it may have been a squirrel related incident but still, not ideal! Our garden has 6 ft fencing to the right, a 6ft wall to the left, and a 5ft drystone wall at the bottom leading into a high hedge. There is a small section that has no hedge to the right, and a section that part of our patio steps up to, but this is then blocked with some taller expandable trellis. Given she seems to be Tigger, we’re going to increase defences this morning accordingly. Little shit.

Then last night we returned from dinner to no fewer than 4 wees and the little strumpet had chewed the handles off my Lakeland shopping trolley bags. (I am acutely aware that the last sentence is like something from the “overheard in Waitrose” Facebook Page, but I digress….Given the placing of the “teef” marks, it appears that “Queen Lateefa” as she is now known, had nummed them like a corn on the cob. We are not friends. I am concerned our French perimeter fencing will need to be prison standard, resplendent with watchtowers, sentries and spotlights to contain said lanky trouble maker. She’s asleep under my arm snoring at the minute. Who am I kidding, can’t be cross at her, she’s too cute. Dammit.

Craig disappears to Slovenia for two full weeks now, bleugh, I have my gorgeous little niece staying next week, amidst all the boxes, I need to pick up my sewing machine from the repairers, we’re going to the circus and the cinema, I need to book our hotel at Folkestone, return my car to the leasing company, order more corrugated card…… gah…. it’ll be fine right?

TTFN xx