Moving day

Yesterday was the day Mountain Man's stuff was supposed to be being moved. I'd spent the last three weeks packing boxes and it was all ready to go. A man with a van was supposed to be coming with his mate to collect it all at 10.15.

Just after 9 I took Vespa off to Lynne's at Tweedbank where he could spend the day away from the disruption. He was super happy to see her even though there were no pups there for him to play with.

I got home at 10 and prepared myself for the removal men. At 10.45 they still hadn't come. Then I get a phone call from MM, who's away on an event, to tell me the man with the van's had two of his tires slashed in Hawick so he's going to have to wait to get them fixed and will be along after that. By 11.45 there was still no sign. I phoned MM, who gave me the van man's number and I talked to him myself. He was still waiting on his tires turning up. Another hour passed. I phoned van man again. Nope, nothing happening. Another hour and van man phones me to say he won't be able to make it so he's sending his chum Oli with another van.

After another half hour Oli, a guy of about 22 and his mate, who was about 19, arrive. Actually they were very sweet and cracked on with moving things.

When the move was first mooted I asked MM to order boxes, which he did, but they were so big that I couldn't get them up the stairs and around the bend to the upper corridor when put together. There was no way those boxes were going to get to come down, so different boxes were ordered and the giant ones were put away in the shed, ready to be moved with all the other stuff from in there. These other boxes arrived, but these ones were still a bit big (4ft by 2ft 6 ins), but at least they could manage the staircase. The only problem was they were made of very thin cardboard. I told MM, but he said they'd be fine, so those are the ones I packed.

When Oli and pal were lifting the boxes we were all aware that the bottoms looked like they would come apart any minute and the moment they were lifted into the van and stacked they started to come apart at the corners. Oh well, not much we could do but carry on. The stuff in the house was pretty much packed (I'd put a few valuable and delicate things to one side for MM to pick up another time) and it was time to start on the shed. They packed a few things in the van, but then said they'd have to do the move in 2 loads so would be back for the next lot some time in the evening. I phoned MM who was fine about it and also Iain, MM's friend in Edinburgh who was going to help with the unload to a lock-up near him. All good so far.

I spent the rest of the time before I had to pick up Vespa vacuuming and cleaning and at last, my house was looking like it was back to normal. Hooray!

Vespa was very pleased to see me and he had a star report from Lynne and we came home and settled in to wait for Oli and pal to return. At 7.30 pm I got a call from MM. The boxes had split while being disgorged from the van and things had just been shoved in the lock-up and there was no more room for the rest of the stuff until MM was home to sort it all out. I can't say I was thrilled, but what could I do? 

Hopefully by the end of next week all the move will be complete.

So... lessons learned:
1. When moving buy boxes about 2ft 6 by 2ft.
2. Make sure they're sturdy enough.
3. Don't park my car anywhere in Hawick.

That should cover it!