July 20th - the Big Move...

Today was the day of the BIG MOVE and although we were knackered John and I were up and ready for 8.00am and met Running John and Susan at the Kritou Tera crossroads.  Susan came with me and my John went with Running John just in case we got separated as the Reads wouldn't have known where to find Lakoudia Street.

As we arrived and parked up New to You Terry and mum and dad's neighbour Dave were raring to go and get the big items out from old and installed in the new.

Mum had already gone to Giorgiou Elina street and was busy unpacking small items so Susan and I flung a few things into the CRV and made our way down to meet up with Mum.

Some of the furniture is extremely heavy so we were more than happy that New to You Terry had offered his services and that of the removal van with the hydraulic tailgate because that was going to make life a lot easier.  We were also grateful for the help of Dave, Running John and Susan and Trevor and Vicki (who arrived a little later - think Trev might have been a tad jaded after the BBQ last night!).

Everyone involved was impressed by the bungalow - it is light and airy and big!  With very little furniture in it, it looked huge! Mum, Susan and I unpacked what we could but we needed the sideboards in order to get most of it put away.  The first load arrived and there was some pretty sharp manoeuvring on Terry's part to get the tailgate as close to the door as possible.  No sideboards but beds so at least we could get them made up so that Mum and Dad could have a decent night's sleep.

As the furniture began to arrive and be put in place the house began to look like a home - only two runs were needed in the removal van and a run in John's big red truck to move all the pots and plants.  It was hot and it was sticky and we were all getting knackered!  Still being organised and pulling together we managed to break the back of it and by lunchtime declared that we would stop for something to eat and then the helpers were free to go.

This decision was met with something akin to hysteria!!!  Vicki and I shot off down to Sayyas takeaway and grabbed some roasted chicken and roast potatoes and veggies and we all sat outside having lunch accompanied by the dulcet tones of someone strimming the boundaries of the field - unfortunately he kept strimming in short sharp bursts and it started to get on our nerves as we were all feeling tired!

The Happy Helpers left and John and I stayed on to help with the smaller things because we knew that once we stopped that would be it!  Also we wanted to make sure that Mum and Dad didn't try and reach things, or move things that they couldn't manage.  We managed to get away by late afternoon but by which time we were just about square and really it was just a matter of mum being happy that she knew where everything was and that she was happy with where we had put everything.

We couldn't find three things - the laptop for the TV, the spanner for leveling the washing machine and strangely the jug part of the electric kettle even though we had the base - they were bound to pitch up but no-one could remember seeing them.

We were going out tonight as it was the Badminton Club end of season bash and so we were going to a barbeque which was being held at Turtle Beach - we did a quick turn round and were just on our way out of the estate when we could hear a commotion and found everyone from out of their houses looking concerned.  It transpired that a snake had been seen in and around the grapevine that Savvas has growing up and over the frame he has on his drive.  Persephone wanted us to go and get Charlie or Chivers to aid in the snake hunt!!

There was quite a crowd assembled when we got to Turtle Beach and it was a beautiful evening - quite a prime spot for capturing the sun going down!  Bryn worked his magic on the barbeque and the food was excellent - particularly the burgers which he had got from Kolios butchers.  We were feeling exhausted so not in the mood to party party party so once people started to leave we were happy to pack up and go home for a well earned good night's sleep.