Moving Stories #4 - The Bridge

We had such a great time in Orpington. Liz was in the Church Playgroup, Bob took services, I helped run the Toddler Group and I was involved in a couple of Women's groups. The people were so kind and generous to us. Bob bought a motorbike from one of the members, and rode off to College everyday...but in 1986 he finished his studies, and was to become the minister of Welling Baptist Church, Bexleyheath.  No newborns to feed this time- and Liz was even helping write labels on boxes. Fellow student Nigel offered to help and we hired a van. It was less than10 miles from our house to the new one, and we figured it would be easy to do in just two trips. We knew the route already - down to Petts Wood, round the roundabout, under the railway bridge then due north through Sidcup, crossing the A20 and A2, and there you are...easy!

Yeah, right - except all our earlier journeys had been in a car, or Bob on the bike. As he and Nigel went round the roundabout, in the fully loaded van they suddenly realised that they were too high to go under the bridge directly ahead of them! Fortunately traffic was not too heavy, as Bob was forced to reverse back round the roundabout and find an alternative route! [at least they did realise in time, unlike this driver]

We did get moved in safely, into a rather small house - but after 10 months the church was able to buy a more appropriate property which had a downstairs loo, an office for Bob and a room where we could hold small church meetings.

In 1995 we moved up to Leicestershire, briefly in temporary accommodation then in a beautiful house till 2015. Six years in Dorset, where we have been so happy. Now, I'm going back to Norfolk, again taking things in a rented van - forty four years after Dad and I made the journey from Norfolk to Hemel. And I still have that old Pyrex dish!

So grateful to all the friends and family who have helped us along the journey - and conscious that God has been with us all the way,