Handsome firemen and lovely people

The week started with a positive note on Monday morning. While Nicky was at Seniors Church I started finalising various things with various suppliers for our new home. Nicky made some shortbread when she got home, and we went and collected some boxes from a fellow parishioner after lunch. I did some remote support with a customer and then we received an email from Bert The Project Manager. Another schedule change, ie: delay. We had a chat with him on the phone and agreed to have another conversation on Friday afternoon to see if the week’s deadlines had been achieved. The change in dates made all the organising I had done earlier in the day redundant, and Nicky and I had long conversations about the implications of the date change.

On Tuesday we implemented the decisions we have made on Monday in terms of dates for the removal company and our next trip to the build. Nicky made more shortbread and we spent some time in the garage sorting though things that we haven’t used since leaving England. A pleasant evening stroll was a good way to end the day.

Nicky had Book Chat and Life Group on Wednesday, and I started getting together all my e-recycling reading for the collection I had book for Friday. The weather was pleasant and we lunched on The Rattigan, and I delivered three boxes of VHS tapes to Jancis’s cousin.

We had a phone call on Thursday with the glass artist who had made our stained glass windows. He wasn’t able to change his installation date but fortunately none of the tasks that are scheduled for that day at the build should conflict with what he needs to do. Nicky went up to church to help organise and deliver the Christmas flyer, and in the evening I went into town for what I think will have been my last Deep and Meaningful conversation.

Friday morning was shopping for me and laundry for Nicky, before I went to the North Shore to see a customer. Tanya and Anitra who Nicky used to work with came over in the afternoon and the world was put to rights. We finished the afternoon with a phone call to Bert and things seem to be on schedule. We are not convinced, but if it does got to plan we will be very pleased. The warm sunny afternoon gave us a relatively balmy evening, and I went up to The Block for the first time since September.

Gordon, a friend of my from the Deep and Meaningful group, died a couple of months ago. His memorial service was on Saturday morning, and it was both moving and uplifting due to wonderful stories and much laughter. Gordon had done much of the planning of the event himself, and it was the most joyous memorial service either of us have ever attended.

In the afternoon while Nicky did some more church flyer deliveries, I made a couple of desserts for today. In the evening we went into town for a free Christmas concert given by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra and three church choirs. This was very enjoyable, but near the end the fire alarm went off and we all had to evacuate. About 20 minutes later after the handsome Firemen had given the all-clear, the concert resumed and came to a rousing conclusion.

Today has been our open-home farewell party. Even though it now seems a little premature we decided it was too much hassle to change the date. Many of our friends from church and D&M, along with family members came and chatted and didn’t eat enough food! Nicky’s Bee Sting cake (which she spent most of the night making) was forgotten about until late afternoon, but it was so good there was little of it left 20 minutes later. We had quite a good flow of arrivals and departures with just a swelling of numbers around lunchtime. We have been given some very generous gifts and feel very privileged to know such lovely people (and rellies!).

Take care, Rick