The exodus

6.2twenty-three

BHF mass collection of furniture and bits and pieces. Boxes gathering in the kitchen. Packing and cleaning in full swing now. Dan collecting the BBQ. Watering the neighbour's garden as a favour. Small pot of jam from their holiday as a thank you! Using their ladder to get Dan's curtains down.

Attempting to watch Nabucco on the BP screen live. Too much going on though. Vida's bangs. Courtrai being used as clickbait marketing by Seb Roche.

Taking leave of my garden. My lilies come out to greet me on the last day!

Last braai on a disposable party BBQ with Mel's jerk chicken. Last supper :) mel's bed drama! My John Lewis wardrobe drama! MOVING DAY. Ken and his team and a very undecided weather system. Honor Oak Park street festivities rain out. Going back Sunday to clean the 5-bed house and water the garden. Missing Blackheath rehearsal in the process. Saying goodbye to Bernie.

First supper in the new place! Boxes. Everywhere.

Surrounded by art

6.1twenty-two

Spring bank holiday! Prep for BIRTHDAY BRAAI and house-leaving party. Packing is in full swing. Lucky to have CI work from home.

Making my garden the prettiest it can be for our last party. Clearing out that big garden box - I should have done it years ago! Rediscover the easel I thought I'd lost. Small side-project for Jim's dad's leaving present. Both the Harringtons leaving for Ireland.

Going to see the NXG place again, after paying a holding deposit. Huge about-turn!

Score a great little burgundy top and two boxer shorts from Bjorn Borg sample sale. Mel buys a huge rack of ribs for the braai, and a beautiful box of mini artisan eclairs from Maitre Choux. Finn's Adventurers party invite! Planning out Mel's Mandela painting, and drawing Ams' superhero painting to a close. Rediscover my drawing of my grandfather. So much arting!

Mel's amazing chocolate pear experiment (that will follow us into the new house). Nes is on a house hunt! Finding lots of memories in the packing process.

BIRTHDAY BRAAI IS AWESOME. Playing Sharades, so many friends in and out all day. Great food, great fun. Su chatting to Ben and Cam.

Going to see the new Jungle Book at Canada Water.

EEEEEEAAAAAGLES

5.4twenty

Dad visiting Houtbay. Rzfsh for another day! Blood donation in London Bridge for Eat Play Mind's blood drive. Measuring up Alexandra Drive - getting excited now! Two viewings anyway as M is a little unsettled. Annerley comes close, but I feel it's too little too late (much further away from transport).

Ma birsday! Birthday morning wonderfulness with Esh! Cake and candles and presents! Coffee in bed! Records (Dire Straits, Doors, ABBA, Simon & Garfunkle, QOTSA), comics and a beautiful 3D book. Flowers! Breakfast at Dishoom, with vegan ice-cream afterwards and a bit of a walk through Central. Birthday perfume and a hamper from Nes. Mom and Nes dinner with Dad.

Nes birthday! Gardening :) Barber for a neaten (Chaplins of London, I say old chap). Hawker House Bamboo street feast with M, then off to see The Jungle Book. Starting the big clear-out for the move.

PALAAAAAAAAACE!!! In attendance at the FA Cup final in Wembley, Palace v Man U. Lost 2-1, but what a game! With Dan and fam, after coffee with B. Working together on Munnio.

New home

5.3nineteen

Quiter week at home, despite the Monday of 9 viewings. Concentrating on Crystal Palace now. Memory stick collected from Andrei at the music studio. Songs uploaded!

Offer made on Alexandra Drive! Wonderful chat with mom! Letting go of my garden on a universal scale. Ams' hair shaved off. Finn in a fistfight at school. Oupa using his haircut voucher. Nes' D&D figurines.

Chat about friends who don't know I exist. Turns out they do! More than I realised! \0/ E's birthday snub... :( Great PT session with John. Trying to organise measurements at Alexandra Drive amidst ongoing tenant reference checks and upheavals.

Meeting up with old work friend Ben Lamb, possibility of business in the future? Rzfsh for half a day, visiting Ams! Esh off work not feeling well :( Squash booked, but missed. Islington with SJ Sat morning, bakery, optician, banners, another bakery, second hand record store with birthday presents in it! Sunglasses for me! Missed the Blackheath kick-off due to excessive banner work (and a little procrastination and interruption from other things). Silly work choices in terms of prioritising work already in hand.

Out & about, climbing and running around

4.4sixteen

Listening to Fratellis' new album - inspired to phone dad :) Gain cap work underway. Rohan and getting angry at Rz. Running there and back! Playing drums at home for the first time in forever. Rocked out! Played ukulele as well - need to do it more! Mom in Sodwana. Dr Hobbi for my white filling.

Bouldering!! COCKTAILS with the girls (mel & sj) at the luggage room after dinner at cocochon. Finally managing to chat to nes. Also phoned dad and ouma. Kicking around at the gym. Prince :(

Great big walkaround viewing one property after another. Viewing New Cross Gate apartment. Getting closer to the place we like. Short viewing of a terrible place in Forest Hill. Roast chicken dinner. Mowed the lawn half-heartedly.

Nessie's sculptures! Munnio's hood! Ams' superheroes are taking off in great colour! Palace in the FA cup Finals! Visiting Ams on Saturday morning, lunch with the Harringtons in Borough market.

From Vida - wow! https://amp.twimg.com/v/842478c2-363c-4e8b-937c-de7855484f38

The Great Catch-up Weekend :-D

4.3fifteen

Motorcycle accident right outside the house. EPM photos have come back :) Rohan and getting angry. Waiting for gain cap. Valuator on monday, Drums and discussions on Tuesday. Super fast gym session and a house viewing. Gingerliners with black and gold theme. Gold food spray in my hair :) (and falling down the stairs in my boots, almost taking a lady down with me :-O ). Dr Hobbi. Dancing :-D

Meeting the couple who bought the house on Friday, collecting dan's boxes, checking out their new flat, and debating his lounge layout. Rained out tennis, Swedish bakery, late for viewing (uber driving to wrong address); place is UBER messy and disgusting. Crystal palace  is beautiful though :) Pity the building is falling apart! Gain cap video work and Steve. Drunk SJ! Quesadillas in Kingston while watching British Army Girls.

Saturday morning Chessington garden center for lunch and almost cake! Rush to viewing in Sydenham, Dave's birthday party, and back home looking at stars from the top floor through the sky roof. Sunday morning The Read podcast and The news quiz. Playing MX vs ATV vs mini MX. Milkshake :) coffee on the picnic blanket in the garden. Absolutely fabulous episode. Homemade Indian prawn curry. Watching robins in the garden, and later, a black cat trapped for 15 mins trying to get out. Dr strangelove, Horniman museum for lunch, Squash! 3-1 :) Jogging! Brockley's Rock fish 'n chips, Sydenham joke. Shouting at drivers hooting at traffic light. Bath! Candle burning glass and then exploding with water... :-O More dancing (in heels!) :) Arsenal 1-1 Palace!