July 18th...

Sunrise this morning was absolutely stunning.  This was because there was a low lying mist that diffused the rays.  In fact you could be forgiven for thinking that it had rained during the night because we had had such heavy condensation that everything was soaking wet - well at least that is good for the plants but not so good when Chivers jumped on me this morning and was dripping - I thought he had fallen in the pool again.

Charlie Boy has obviously (a) been eating too much looking at that pot belly he is sporting and (b) been taking a leaf out of Chivers' book and is fascinated by water - any water - but particularly watching it disappear down the loo and inspecting the pan afterwards!!!

We still refer to him as a 'little shit' because for an hour or so every night and every morning and when Chivers comes in to eat he is like a thing possessed - all wide-eyed, nostrils flaring, claws out and nasty.  We struggle to try and calm him when he is like this and, when he is, we question whether or not it was a wise move taking him on.  I am currently sporting what looks not unlike a love-bite in my left armpit because every morning when we let him out of the spare bedroom he likes to come and suckle there and fall asleep.  It has to be my left armpit, the right one doesn't cut it!  I have tried desperately to wean him off but he isn't having it and to be honest I prefer him doing that and being calm than taking lumps out of our feet and hands.

We did not rush to get up this morning - our plan was to get down to Mum and Dad's by 11.00am and start getting a plan together for the 'Big Move' which is planned for Saturday.

As we made our way down through Stroumbi our progress was hampered by a delivery of melons!!!  I am not sure that this is how they would arrive at Tesco's - open to the elements and with a dustbin slung onto the top!  And you just know that they will be taken off the van and put straight onto the shelves without being washed.

We had a couple of errands to run before getting to Mum and Dad's which included going to the Euroshop and down to the Pool place near the roundabout at the end of the motorway to ask about whether or not Dad's old pool cover could be extended in size as Running John is interested in having it.

When we arrived Mum and Dad were busy getting organised - in fairness they have already taken quite a lot of stuff down and now that Kaye and Richard have gone back they don't need to keep anything there much because from Saturday they will be sleeping at the new house.

John wanted to take the light fittings down and the electric radiators and dismantle one of the beds and I was going through drawers and cupboards and encouraging Mum to clear.  We also needed to know exactly where some of the really heavy items were going to live because, as I said, once they had been dropped off at the new house no-one was going to want to move them again!

I reckon Mum had left clothes in the wardrobes because she was embarrassed by the amount that she and Dad both have!!!  I thought I was bad enough but at least the limited storage space at Clampettsvilla means that we have had to be quite ruthless and after more than two years we know better what clothes we will and what clothes we will not be wearing.

It was exceptionally hot and sticky down in Emba and lifting and shifting is tiring and messy - we were exhausted so we were quite glad that we weren't going out.

As we made our way back up to Drouseia the weather was pretty odd - very odd for July in fact! The skies were leaden and it looked like it might even be raining in Drouseia - no wonder it felt so sticky.

It had not been raining, in fact once past Kathikas is was bright and we were glad to be back home - back home and straight into the swimming pool for a cool down.

We were satisfied that we were as organised as we were going to be and on Saturday the girlies (Running Susan, Vix, Mum and I) would concentrate on packing away things in the new house whilst the boys (Terry, Dave, Running John, Trev, Dad and my John) would do all the lifting and shifting at the old house and again at the new house as the loads arrived.  We kind of thought that, if we were lucky, the bulk of what the helpers had been enlisted for would be completed and they could go home.

After my swim I took the opportunity to find Sylvia the Salvia a home.  It is at the end of the swimming pool - in a spot that Charlie sometimes looks to use for a toilet so that will fox him - either that all the little shit will dig it up.

There are a number of blue plants there, the solanum, the lantana, the osteospurmum and the passion flower so it will be in good company and I hope that it isn't just an annual because it looks nice and smells nice and would be a good addition to that border.  Thanks Kaye and Richard for buying it for us.

We were knackered and I hadn't really thought about what we were going to be having for tea so it was a night for Fridge Surprise.  Actually it didn't turn out too badly as we had a colourful salad with loads of roasted red peppers (thanks Running Susan), basil (thanks Wheelie Helen) and the remainder of the salad box and bacon that was lurking in the fridge.