One Week to go!

So much universe, and so little time

~Terry Pratchett

Let’s kick this blog off with a cathartic rant that we will do our absolute best to spin in as positive a manner as humanly possible. But let’s supplement that: we fore-see many re-writes!

So, with only 2 weeks to go until our flight (on 1 August) a Sisyphean tempest has hit our lives with a deluge of plumbers, handymen, electricians and the like traipsing through our little flat – much to Noodle’s horror! One thing they never tell you about poor Sisyphus was that someone had thought it might be funny to stop his boulder with a wheel chock when he was not looking!

We have breathed within this lovely little flat for just over 4 years now. Yes, there have been problems – but being “roll with the punches” kind of people we dealt with them as they popped up. Convinced it was just that one little thing… ok maybe two little things… well surely, it’s all fixed now… Sigh! And of course, we’re not going to hand it over knowing it is battered – our consciences would never let us rest – and rightly so.

So, although we were absolutely chuffed with ourselves for having sold a property after only 10 days, the thought that we were on the up and up was sorely misplaced. Little issues started popping up as if the place knew we were on our way out and was trying to stop us. But strange problems – some that make everyone ask questions like: how the previous owners could have ever even gotten their electrical and plumbing certificates sorted when they sold the property to us… these are the moments that makes you wonder if they can also repair the wall you are banging your head against! And being first time buyers, we never put our foot down or kicked up a fuss when issues arouse. Moral of the story: don’t be a push over; be pedantic and when need be, a hard arse – even if the previous owners were so sweet and friendly. Smiles don’t cover the bills for builders! And then take a breath and remember:

Most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally evil, but by people being fundamentally people

~Terry Pratchett

But this is a happy and exciting adventure and so to remain positive we’ve come to realise that this cathartic release requires us to loosen our clenched fists. You cannot control everything – control what you can and work with those you can’t. Sho, it’s like someone just got a copy of the Dali Lama’s “The Piece-ful way for Dummies”!