Moving Stories #2 - The Beer

1982, Liz was 7 weeks old, and we were leaving the horrid tiny flat in Gillingham to go up to London. Bob had finished his year as Student Minister and was about to begun full time studies at Spurgeon's College. We were going to live in an OAP housing scheme, where I would be one of the wardens. The pay was pitiful, but a two bedroomed flat within the scheme went with the job.  Liz was not sleeping, and seemed to be breastfeeding non stop. I was exhausted. We knew we couldn't manage the move ourselves this time, so booked a local removals company. It was a hot summer's day.

I sat on the end of the bed, feeding the baby, my back to the room whilst three blokes trekked up and down the stairs carrying boxes out to the lorry [and moaning about the number of boxes of books] I said to Bob - "Can you make them a cup of tea, please?" "I don't think so, love, they are on the balcony having beers with our neighbour"
What! drinking then driving? And how do they know our neighbour?

Bob casually said "Well, it seems they were all inside together a few years back" 

Drinking and driving seemed a minor issue after he said that! Whilst I try to be loving and forgiving, and I do believe that people can change, I have to admit that for the next few hours I was really concerned that all my worldly goods had disappeared up the road with a group of ex-cons. Everything did arrive safely in London, I needn't have worried. The only problem was that I'd labelled every box with a bright tag in red, orange or green - and someone at the other end had labelled the lounge and 2 bedrooms with matching tags. But the men just unloaded boxes into one room, then the next, then the next. It took quite a while to sort it all out! 

That move was when I realised that moving gets more complicated as you acquire more possessions - and children! 

UPDATE Tuesday morning, with help from Jon, we unloaded the van. After a snack lunch, we drove back to Dorset, getting here at 6.30pm. At 7, Jenny and Peter delivered our evening meal, piping hot, ready to eat. Better than deliveroo. Thank you. Today will be a repeat of Monday.