dunroving

Well, the shippers are here so I guess it really is happening!

They arrived at 7 a.m. (scheduled for 9:00), so I wasn't really at my best but hey, the earlier they start the earlier they leave. It's a mom and pop outfit (dad, 2 sons, and granddaughter) which is not what I typically associate with a big company but as long as they do a good job I don't care.

Unfortunateky, the guy who brought the "pod" from Norfolk yesterday didn't leave a "ladder" (ramp) and these things are bloody high (I'd say the floor level is about 4 ft off the ground) so they have some back-breaking lifting ahead of them. It's a good job I have a couple of step-ladders otherwise they'd have some serious climbing to do, too!

I am taking my laptop with me and have borrowed some office furniture so I'll probably spend most of the day working at the comp. They need me here to initial what is in each box, plus I want to be sure nothing gets shipped that shouldn't (I have signs on doors saying "Keep out" and on larger objects saying "Not shipping", but I'd rather not trust to luck.

Time to reflect that everything so far has gone pretty smoothly. My house sold in 48 hrs and closed in 3 weeks (AND I get to stay here until my departure!), I sold most of my belongings within a couple of days (including the truck - but again I get to keep it until just before I leave!). I am really giving things away, though, which in the long run is better than endless hours of haggling with people.

Even the dog stuff has gone (relatively) smoothly, apart from the "lost blood titer test" saga, which I still have to sort out.

Updates to come - only 10 days left!

Always21

Wow, exciting stuff happening for you! I hope the shipping all goes smoothly.

Our house has been on the market for a week and we've had a number of showings and one offer which we rejected because they wanted a whole bunch of inspections: radon gas, environmental, chimney (we don't have one!), etc and also insisted on an August settlement but we requested my wife's visa to be effective from September. How long have you been able to stay in the house since closing? Are you paying the new owners anything? I'm kind of concerned about how to time closing, shipping, flights, etc!

Geordie George

Best of luck with the shipping! And for the next few days. Have a safe journey and don't forget to record the all-importnat first impressions from Blighty on your return.

eurotramp

I know what you mean..you have to watch the movers every step of the way, or they even rap your rubbish up .
We paid a lot of money for our stuff to be packed and transported over...after all it was almost 80 qm4..but what a service..what didnt fit into a box got made fit....just bending it...all the decorative cardboard boxes of my daughter's room where just taped up...but you
can not take the tape of without destroying the box...I could go on...

Hey...but soon you will be here..weather is absolutely brilliant..sunny not to warm and not to cold....and the pints are already waiting for you

dunroving

Replying in between watching over things here. I just asked one of them how long she has been doing this and she said "This is my first day" She is wrapping all my crockery. I woulod have thought they'd have her packing books or something. Anyway, I hold jusdgement until I open everything at the other end.

I have almost a full month in the house and she isn't charging me any rent. Really it's the results of a number of things: (a) college town (she's a new faculty member and won't start until August); (b) she is a cash buyer so no concern about paying her mortgage; (c) she is happy to have someone keep an eye on the house rather than have it empty; and (d) I really did sell the house for a very reasonable price. I think a reasonable attitude begets a reasonable attitude.

Same with the truck. It's such a good deal that if a buyer said "I want it now", I could have just said "Fine, then I'll sell it to someone else".

Yes, it's almost impossible to time everything to happen at the same time. You just have to think ahead and asume you will be without a car, accomodation, whatever, and hopefully you will ave good friends or relatives who will help you out. I'm going to rent a vehicle for my last few days, and am staying at a firned's house the last 2 days - just so I can tidy, empty, etc. the house before I leave and don't have to be vacuuming and cutting the gras on my last day.

The one thing I always keep in mind when I get a bit frazzled (like the last few days when I've been packing, driving to work to move my books etc., home in the middle of the night, etc.) is "by so-and-so time, whatever happens, I'll be on a plane to the U.K.". I also assume that not everything will go perfectly so when there's a screw-up (like the rabies thing) I just say "OK, so this is one of the things I have to do a bit more work on" and I just get on with slving the problem.

Sorry I'm rambling. It actually feels good for a change to sit and "do nothing" for a little while and let someone else (shippers) take care of things.

Scout

I'm glad to see things coming together Dunroving..... In case it's sweltering in NC, I'll tempt you with a weather report here in the Valleys.........it's a balmy 75 F (24C).....with a bright blue sky and a gentle breeze today.

I hope you can sort out the paperwork on the titre test ASAP. Did you get in touch with DEFRA? I know whenever we called them in the UK we always got a live person who was very nice and actually knew what he was talking about.

FlyergirlUK

Wow you have done good!

Like Always21 our house has been on the market for a week and we've had several viewings.

Hubs is there taking care of everything, (coming back here to the UK next Wednesday) and he's done the same as you, dunroving, all but giving some stuff away and selling everything at knock-down prices - real bargains.

It'll be great when he's back home - he can't wait and neither can I!

Hopefully the weather'll stay nice for your return.

simongb

I am leaving this time next year. I hope my house sells as easily as yours. Please keep us posted on your progress. I am a little envious of you, but I must finish up school here and wrap up lose ends.

Jerseygirl

Reading your post has made me feel homesick. It has also made me realise just how many things you have to organise and how crucial the timeline is.

All the very best Dunroving and give your dog a big hug.

Always21

Not at all. I appreciate the advice, and you're right about just keeping the end result in mind! I'm starting to get a bit panicky now the house is on the market and I have given notice at work. Mrs. 21's visa should be arriving any day now and I think I'll feel calmer once we have that in our hands, like I can really get on with everything then.

Good luck with everything and I look forward to the updates because I won't be far behind you!

Lizzi

We've had ours on the market for a week too and only 1 showing!

All the best Dunroving, I find it hard to say goodbye from wherever I leave.Hope you're not like that..

dunroving

It's now 10 p.m. and 15 hours after they arrived the shippers are on the road back to Raleigh. The acid test will be if my stuff arrives in one piece at the other end (and I am a little concerned about some of it). However, I can say they worked bloody hard and were super nice. I bought them lunch (Domino's; $30); dinner (Wings over Greenville; $40); and gave them a $60 tip because I couldn't believe just how hard they worked. And my container is packed to the gills - I can't imagine I would have ever made it all fit (and it would have killed me to even try, probably literally).

And hey, my road bike sold on eBay in the middle of it all, for which I am eternally thankful - because there is no way it would have flippin' fit in the container!

Jansz

Can't believe how quickly time has gone, reading your posts and now you are almost on your way! Looking forward to hearing about things once you have returned I'm sure it will all be great stuff and what a great time to be returning in the middle of summer.

SCOTTISH MARK 2

nice reading for a Monday morning....just keeping thinking of the relief when
you get on that plane and the packing up is all over.

clydegirl

Good luck to you on your return to the UK. Everything seems to have come round quickly. Be sure to log on after you get back and let us know how it all went.