Start as you mean to go on

Well this IS a wonderful start to my new blogging habit. Three weeks and still no second post. I'll endeavour to do better from now on!

The last three weeks have been a total blur - it's a cliché, but there ya go... I finally conquered the MOTHER of all projects at work which I've been engaged in since late June (sometimes it felt like half my life actually), a translation of over a hundred thousand words. I'd like to say "never again", but somehow I don't think anyone else at work will be too keen to take those on!

The beginning of the end (sorry to sound so fatalistic!) was our long weekend at home with Mum, Dad and Peter in Scunthorpe from the 29th to the 1st. We were very lucky to enjoy a spectacular a la carte dinner at San Pietro, where we were joined by Grandma, and Richard and Marilyn. This was followed by a cheeky 'night on the town' with Peter :-)

I spent a large part of Saturday and Sunday rooting through 'my life' so far, boxes of stuff from ten years of school, university and trips to far-flung locations. I have to say it's really an eye-opener looking back on it all. You find all sorts of lost memories and sensations begin to surface, stuff you thought was long past, long forgotten. I had a very poignant sense that I was closing a big chapter in my life, and about to start a new one.

On Monday it was Peter's birthday, and we spent a nice day in Leeds, including a very posh curry. I hope we manage to find something in Washington to fill that gap. Mark will not be satisfied without his curry!

By Tuesday morning, it was time to pack up the stuff from home that was coming with us and shoehorn it into the car (a logistical nightmare all of its own!). Then bye bye 19 Headingley Avenue - I surprised myself by being really quite upset, walking around the empty house (with M&D having gone to work for the day). Even from a few short years of us having lived there, I really feel that it's more my home than anywhere. On my way out, I was inspired to have a last play on the organ. I hope I will get another chance before too long.

Since then, I have spent four final days at work, and almost every other waking hour separating out, parting with and grouping together all our worldly possessions. As I write this, I sit among the industrious bang and clatter of the movers packing everything into boxes which (I hope!) we will see again sometime in November.

Anyway, I think this post has got long enough, so I'll sign off.

Mark