Bad news

It’s a moment that I’ve got too familiar with in recent years, when the phone rings and the voice is unexpected and instantly you know that something is wrong. It will never be something to get used too. Patsy died on Monday night, suddenly, like a light switching off. It was not in any way expected. My thoughts are with her daughters. The loss of your mother is a deeply profound thing. All the things you should of said and all the things that you did say come back to haunt. The moments of greif that spring at you from small things, a smell a photograph, a sudden rising of a memory.

Patsy will be missed by many, we will raise a glass and light a fag and remember her in full throttle dancing in the kitchen with no shoes on.

Loose Ends

Just two and a bit weeks till we quit our life in Norwich. There are still so many loose ends to be tidied up before we go. Bills to be paid, services to be cancelled, friends to be said goodbye to. Cancelling Love Film today and still haven’t sorted out shipping insurance or the tax man.

Our social life has never been busier. Jenn had a very long coffee with Missy yesterday. In the evening we all finally managed to find our way to the ceilidh at Kier Hardy Hall (noting it was St Patricks day judging by the sudden swelling of the ‘da diddly diddly I’m Oirish’ for a day folk). Still Barney felt very patriotic in his scarlet Irish Guards tunic and very smart he was too. Even Jack and Sean got up and had a bit of a reel and a jig. Whipping willows and wot not. Jenn is wondering if theres going to be ceilidhs in Ashburton?

All went to bed late and a bit melancholy at the thought that this is all over now. Still there’s a dinner to go to on Saturday and a wedding to be attended on Monday and then there’s the last few days at work and a goodbye open house to be organised for the end of next week and bank holiday weekend camping party. And still the insurance needs sorting and bills need paying and loose ends need to be tied.

First post

Its been a mad year of many many things converging like somekind of perfect storm. Any way, it seems like a lifetime ago when the four of us sat around our dining table and Jenn said "What would you say if I said should we see if we can emigrate to New Zealand?". It was instantaneous, without any hesitation or reluctance from anyone, a unanimous "Yes". So we filled the forms, waited, jumped the first hoop, filled out more forms, waited, sold our home, waited some more, talked for hours and hours and hours about Plan B's, watched work contracts dwindle to a final end date, and, finally, got the nice man Tom at immigration who said yes and now we have our flights booked. Yikes.

I can say that the experience so far has been both bitter and sweet. We are in no doubt that our idle life is going to cost us dear. And the price is the awful terrible tearing up of the roots that bind us. The abscence of many dear freinds and family and, now spring is finally here, our beautiful Island. But. But, it wont be the first time, although Swindon to Norwich isn't quite the same, and, wow, what an adventure. How sweet to have space, freedom and a slower pace of life.

And there's always Skype :-)