The Key to the Door

The key to the door was finally handed over yesterday after a bit of a run-around.  We arrived at our new home yesterday some hours after the OK from the lawyer to find several tradesmen working away to get the last outdoor things finished.  But where was the key?  After waiting around cooling our heels for an hour and a couple of phone calls, we finally received it.  The delay certainly took a bit of the gloss off our happy day.  Robin unlocked the door and in we went, proud new owners.

Turning the key to our new home

There was still a bit happening outside.  The heat pump outside unit was being wired up in at the back of the house, and two workmen had just finished the side fence and were finishing off the wooden gate, and were busy using a hole saw for hand access to the bolt.

 

Working on the gate

That evening we joined our hosts Geoff and Eileen in a double celebration dinner at Cobb and Co.  We clinked glasses and wished each other well – we were celebrating our new home, and Geoff was celebrating his change of status as a new retiree.

Today, we were back at the new house again, collecting boxes from  the lock-up, and I was kept busy inside trying to make order from the chaos.  Geoff and Derek helped Robin with the heavy stuff, fridge, washing machine, and bulky furniture.  And one of the neighbours lent a hand too!  Would the fridge fit the available space – that was the question.  Thankfully, yes.  With the fridge in place, and the washing machine hooked up and ready to go, it’s starting to look a lot like home.

  

It takes four men to move a fridge

By the end of the day, Robin couldn’t wait any longer.  He just had to pull the ladder down, climb up, and see for himself what the extra storage space above the garage looked like.   Geoff and Derek didn’t want to be left out, so they wanted a turn too.  This will be a handy space to store suitcases, boxes of Christmas decorations, and the sort of items which aren’t used very often

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Up in the roof

We were very grateful for the invitation from Dot and Derek to join them for a home cooked meal after our busy day, thanks so much, it was most appreciated.  Tomorrow will be another busy day of unpacking, but other than moving our chest freezer, all the heavy work has been done.  It will still be a long slog to get boxes and crates opened and put away, but we can do it bit by bit, and we will continue to sleep in the caravan for several more days.  Guess that means we are “part timers” at the moment, part caravan and part house!