Stacks and Stacks

Moving House, Day 4

5 January 2018

I try to pack all our boxes for moving in front of the tennis and the cricket in the air-conditioned section of the house we have just sold. This is not always practical and sometimes just plain stupid. When it came to packing hard-covered books I reached the limit of my stupidity and completed a stack of nine boxes containing books very quickly in a the stinking hot room in which they reside. I mean, resided. It’s difficult to start talking about this house in the past tense.

There are stacks of memories here. Tears are coming to my eyes as I think of our dog who we recently had to put down at the grand age of 16. We have his ashes in a box with a plaque of his name. We intend to spread his ashes in the garden as one of the last things we do before we leave the house permanently. I have a stunningly beautiful photo of Emma dressed for a school formal, holding the dog and laughing. Another with my mother-in-law, laughing as the dog was jumping up in joyful greeting to lick her.

I have enjoyed renovating our house and even painting it, due to the camaraderie experienced with John in the process. Most of the time we are in sync with each other. He rolls and I brush. We once did an all-nighter to have it completed before the floor-sanders came in the next day.

I remember recuperating from my hysterectomy soon after we moved in, loving the bird of paradise plant blooming outside the bedroom window. It was when I first allowed the dog to sleep on the bed.

We’ve had a stack of parties at this house, including John’s 50th and my Dad’s 70th, but thankfully we are moving into another house that is conducive for entertaining. It even has a pool. A tiny pool, but a pool nevertheless. Sydney is expecting 40℃ on Sunday so I’m hoping our work will be done by then. I suppose it’s more than hope when you ask a friend over and you plan to sit in the pool and sip champagne.

There is stacks left to do but as long as we are able to have the house removalist-ready, Sunday will be a day of rest.

By the way, I have received confirmation that electricity and gas have been successfully connected in our name. Even better, there’s hot water without having to test the rusting box out back. That box must be for heating the pool and may not even work anymore. Still haven’t found the actual house water heater though. Doesn’t matter, as long as the hot water keeps coming. I like showers and washing-up water to be as hot as the skin can stand. Maybe not so much on a 40℃ day.