day 8

Monday, hellish this morning. Couldn't get Al to go to school as A was off with sore throat! Some sore throat. Got back from work to find all beds and wardrobes dismantled! Why are we paying our removal people so much, when A is doing it all? There's nothing I can do except givehim a valium which I don't have. C phoned tonight, her being a nurse said she would get him a flu jab as our doctor has run out and has a four month waiting list! (Perhaps she can get some Prozac for him too?)

Quiet day at work today, spent my lunch hour buying cava and fancy nibbles for my leaving 'do' tomorrow - more of a leaving half hour. Julia is very kindly picking up the kids from school so I can stay on for a bit at work for them all to see me off. Might be emotional. I haven't told the girls (students) I am leaving as I think I might cry. Feel a bit bad not telling them some of them might feel let down, I might leave a note for Pauline to read out after I've gone.

We are all a bit frazzled in this house tonight. H lost it again, it's just getting too much for her. The sooner we are away and in our new house the better. Then we can move forward. This is going to be a difficult week.

Went to Blackheath village tonight as H had her last piano lesson. Gave Jason a bottle of champagne as a thank you. He's a great piano teacher and has been lovely to H. While waiting for H, I went to Sisters and Daughters (was going to put a link in but they don't appear to have a website) Bought B two wedding cards as couldn't decide which one to buy.

day 7

Hello, Well that marathon eatathon is now over, phew! Got up this morning feeling not too bad but MSG'd out really. But had porridge for brekky which mopped up the cholesterol! It does seem from reading this I do protest too much from eating fatty foods but, as those who know me know, heart disease runs inthe family so saturated fat is to be avoided if possible. Anyway, A felt that he was just TOO stressed and had far too much to do to come out for Sunday lunch with C and M and children, so I went along with H and Al, C and M were mightily disappointed that A hadn't managed to come especially M who seemed stressed and unhappy to be amongst women and little girls. He's a man man! We had a lovely lunch ( a bit expensive though - might have been the Kir Royal I had before they came!) After we walked into Greenwich market and had a mooch around. M went for a pint to be among men and the girls walked around the market. They went home by car and took Al. H and I walked up through Greenwich park and got a bus (as we had got a bus there). Went to C and M's for cuppa tea and A came along for an hour. Then we said our goodbyes and came home. C and M had given us a lovely wooden key hook that they got from a craft fair for our new home and they are coming to visit in our new home on December 30th. They are lovely and our true friends.

Day 6

More curry coming up later....burp. I think I will just have a tarka dall and nothing else.

Ha ha! If you knew me like I know me, when faced with curry house menu, the works will be ordered!

Spent the whole day packing boxes! Cried a bit when A sat down and looked out at the garden and said 'do remember when I laid that patio?' It's like we've really created this house and we have had SUCH GOOD times. It was a freezing cold day the day he laid the patio. He had hired a thing that tamps down the bricks. Alice was tiny and I had a bunch of women round for coffee. I seem to remember it was someone's birthday so we were having cake and cava in the conservatory and generally having a jolly time while A froze his bo****ks off outside!!! Oh how we laughed! Poor A, but he did come in for a drink when he'd finished!

I will post more later to relate our evening with M and S. We don't intend on staying too long as the girls are tired after last night and so are we.

Later that evening.......well the evening went OK. Managed to persuade S and M to have Chinese as arteries just couldn't handle more ghee, so we had MSG instead. Now I have raging thirst! But the food was lovely, actually. Sos gave H a lovely photo album with pictures of them both back to babyhood with witty comments. Lovely, I cried...again. Anyway, that's that then. Tomorrow more assaults on our arteries as we are going out for Sunday lunch with C and M! Oh my God, it'll be toast all week next weekt to give my system a rest!

Day 5

Hello, this is actually day 6 but I was too tired and too inebriated to write last night!

Took girls to school, then Alison came round for her last ever coffee at this house! We had a nice chat over coffee and brioche. Got a bit tearful when she left. Of course, I'll see her again, no question but why is it when you leave a place you realise how much people mean to you? I'm thinking, this place is lovely why am I leaving? Alarmingly, she told me that her daughter H was on the bus home from school and a man on the bus had a gun! I think she should tell the police but she doesn't want.

I had a bit of lunch and packed some books. Whilst I was packing I thought to myself 'I should text B and tell her I'm packing because she keeps texting me to ask if I've started packing' At that moment a text arrives on my phone from B!! Psychic or what! I phoned her back and we had a long chat. She's a bit emotional about her upcoming wedding day. She thinks she will spend the whole day in tears. As I will too no doubt, from being completely tired and emotional. She said that I didn't have to bother about coming down on the Friday, but I will make the effort though the thought of staying at Elaine's after puts me off. Not that I don't want to see Elaine, but it just means staying up even later to catch up with her. I decided against it and boooked myself into the Marriott, much more civilised!

In that afternoon, I popped over to Alex's for tea. Pam came. It was so short, but sweet. God, I'll miss my neighbours. If I meet anyone half as nice as them I'll be lucky.

H went to Sos's after school so A and I went and did chores - bought wine, went to Smiths, bits and bobs. At 7 El and Rog came and we ordered curry, they left at half one. God was I knackered. Can't believe that was the last time we will entertain them in our conservatory! Didn't feel too emotional about it, though El and Rog said they just can't believe we are actually going.

In a bit of a hurry today, packing boxes etc. Oh, D, called today, amongst other things he says that A his old school friend who lives in states has sold his company for 6 million dollars! Nice eh?

Got to go. Packing awaits. More later perhaps.

Day 4

Well, I've had some time to reflect on the things I've put in the blog and I'd like to make a few adjustments.

Firstly, to say a 14 year old cannot be nostalgic is wrong. I knew I didn't mean it when I said it. My eleven year old is always nostalgic. She says the sucky sweets we have in the car remind her of France. Whenever she hears the Scissor Sisters, they remind her of being with her cousins in France, and the list goes on actually.

Also, to say a teenager can't relate to Othello, of course it can! Never a better time in one's life to understand how one might kill for jealousy! So that too was bo**ocks!



Well, today, quieter than of late, luckily and I am spending a nice evening at home. A is in the bath after packing non-stop since he got home from work. (The packing boxes came today).

Sat downstairs for ages with the girls after supper, they were colouring posters for their anti-bullying day tomorrow and I was scrolling through our streamer playing lots of cool music I hadn't played for a while, The Bees, The Killers, listened to Kasabian but didn't like it that much, might give it another go, KT Tunstall, Elbow. Got bored of choosing my own music so put Virgin on and danced around with girls, until ColdPlay came on - how bad are they now! Turned it off and came upstairs. H became over tired and started shouting at me about some stickers A had found which she thought were hers even though they'd be lost for a millenia. She stomped and shouted and is now in her room but bet your bottom dollar she will repent and ask for a cuddle before I go down stairs to watch the new Little Britain. Watched it last week and didn't laugh as much as I used to although I really like Vicky Pollard still. Some of it is a bit close to the bone (or is the expression knuckle?)

Tomorrow, I am not going to work, yippee, so where I should be packing, I have planned coffee with Alison in the morning, and tea in the afternoon with Alex! In the evening El and Rog are coming round for a farewell curry. Well, I am going into social purdah next week. give a girl a break!

Ca phoned tonight and we discussed outfits for B's wedding next week. Spookily we seem to be wearing the same thing! Black strappy numbers in layered georgette, black high boots, we will look like the merry widows. All we need is a mantilla! She, though has a shrug which on me looks like a hanky on my back so I have opted for a long velvet coat! Both of us will be sans husbands and children for the day so it looks like fun!

The girls bedroom have been stripped bare by A's locust like efficiency. They seem to enjoy being in bare rooms surrounded by walls of boxes!

C'est tout, bye for now.

PS: Three girls at school asked me what languages I spoke, I said, 'French, German, Spanish and Gobbledeegook' to which they said 'OOH , speak some goobledegook!' Ha ha I ask you!

Day 3

Imaginative titles, not. Well, busy day today. Couldn't sleep last night, a bit wired from my evening out! Knackered today. Woke up late with puffy eyes. Got to work late, noone noticed, luckily. Worked non-stop till home time, even through lunch (more Othello). Had interesting conversation with R about the book she's written and given me a copy of to look at, lots of damage in her childhood.

Girls had their last swimming lesson today. I welled up saying goodbye to their teachers. God, I'm such an embarrassing mum. God knows what I'll be like next week.

Went to see 'The Constant Gardener' tonight with S. I really enjoyed it. The story was just usual Le Carre stuff, which in the hands of another director such as the sort that direct Tom Cruise, would have been mediocre, but this was directed by Fernande Mireilles (can't remember how to spell the name), who directed City of God, which I love. Very similar look, saturated colours, jerky filming at speed. Really good.

Got to go to work tomorrow to make up for the day off I'm having next week for B's wedding. I'm knackered. Hope I sleep tonight.

By the way, that was also my last cinema night with S in London. She told me she's going iceskating next week in Greenwich with A and H, I was jealous. Bet Ipswich doesn't have an ice rink in front of a fantastic building like the University. Does Ipswich have any fantastic buildings? I'll find out next week!

They say it's going to snow in thenext couple of days.

Ciao for now.

day two

Well,here I am again. Still not sure if I will continue this. But here goes. Today, well, normal day really. Got up, got kids up, took kids to childminder, went to work. Whilst at work saw that two girls had written a note to each other which said 'she's got a big bum' (my bum). Well, I have and I don't care.

Watched the end of Othello with Laurence Fishburne and Ken Branagh, nearly cried but Jade was watching me very closely as I had cried last week. Well, I find Othello very moving and know Othello's words nearly word for word even after all these years. Try explaining nostaligia to a 14 year old, not to mention why Othello is sad - she lacks imagination.

Came home from work, collected girls from school. Came home, made cup of tea, man from removals came to give a quote. Half way through his quote I had to leave to take daughter number 1 to her French class. Andy had come in and he took over. Brought Daughter home and promptly turned round again to go and meet Sue at Tate Britain for the Degas, Sickert and Lautrec exhibition. As usual Sue and I nattered all the way round, and didn't read enough about the paintings. I enjoyed most of them but Lautrec does nothing for me, neither does Sickert (I think I mixed him up with Sisley!). Sickert's paintings are too dark and his obsession with the seedier side of life is unsettling. They were all perves, lets face it. I preferred the end of the exhibition which had Vuillard and Bonnard in who I like alot. There were also paintings by Tissot and Baldini and Whistler which I loved. I love Whistler.

Had to say goodbye to Sue as a Londoner. Next time I see her I will be a tourist in London. Weird. The embankment looked lovely tonight with Big Ben at the end. I know I can visit but it won't be the same as a resident. It won't be my town any more.

That's it. Haven't eaten tonight. Tried to buy Tapas at Tate but they wouldn't take a card. However, we managed to scrape £7 together for a gin and tonic each! That's the important thing!

day one

I have chose to write this blog as a cathartic experiment for myself.

We, (husband, I and two daughters (11 and 7)will be leaving London, (Charlton) to sample the heady delights of Ipswich in Suffolk, permanently. We have agonised for two years about leaving London and now the day draws near. I am feeling ambivalent to say the least. I feel like an animal that when faced with stress goes limp. That's what I've done. Everything is washing over me, and I can't quite feel that next week I will get up and leave this home we have created for ourselves and our daughters in the last ten years and drive, albeit only 60 miles up the road to Ipswich.

Yes, I do feel excited. Yet, no, I feel that I might be making an enormous mistake, removing ourselves from arguably the best city in the world that we love. Time will tell, and this blog will reveal.

I could go into the reasons for our leaving but this is my blog for me, so I won't try to justify myself to a virtual third party, just to me, perhaps, as I go along.

Anyway, that's enough for my first blog. I'm taking daughter number one to her piano lesson in Blackheath, and while I'm waiting for her I will visit all the lovely boutiques for the last time as a resident. Talk about milking it!