Goodbyes

As of this morning, I am homeless and in transit. Many goodbyes have been said over the last few days, several rather tearful and mostly involving my tears. I hate saying goodbye and I think in some ways I have only just come to realize what good friends we had made and how settled we had become in Wales. There is doubtless some cliché about only knowing what you've got when it's gone, or is that a Joni Mitchell song? Anyway our Welsh adventure isn't over - we will come back.

Also I am very grateful. Grateful to our friends and family who looked after the girls while we packed, moved and cleaned, and who fed and watered us at the end of frustrating days, to friends who took lots of stuff, to the friends who brought Bollinger to our party which we saved for our last evening and went down very well.

Memorable moments of the last week or so were in no particular order:

Being given a little book of autographs collected by school friends of the girls, a handmade card delivered by a tearful mum, and a calendar with pictures of our home in Wales from our wonderful landlords.

The girls' parents' evenings - they are apparently quiet, bright and lovely and it's not just me saying that.

Almost divorcing halfway down the stone steps carrying a very large kitchen cupboard.

Arriving outside the storage facility the second time in a day to find it shut. Then the owner driving down specially to let us in.

Seeing a red kite hovering over the Brecon Recycling centre as I sorted yet more unwanted shoes.

Delicious sausages from a pig I met once, and goodbye hugs from all of the lovely pig-owning family.

Finishing up the house before we left and discovering some plates were still in the dishwasher.

The drive to Brecon and back this morning. Wales put on a stunning autumnal show of blue skies, dark mountains and leaves in every shade of gold, red and orange.

Not being able to fit all the suitcases in the car with all of the family. Two travelled by train. We think we can get to the airport all right and apparently we don't have too much for our flight but we definitely have too much for our car.

Realizing I'd left my laptop at my cousin's house. And I shall leave it at that. I need a drink.