The Skip of Plenty

So, it's been a while since the last blog post: Basically over the festive period things stepped up a gear or two and I have not had time to write.

Just before Christmas I had a large 6 yard skip delivered, hoping that this would take a lifetime of clutter, junk and unwanted items. It didn't.

It was huge, but it still got filled. Many years of neglecting to throw stuff out....

Although it was indeed capacious and allowed me to empty the garage of junk and most of the house. I tried to be really disciplined about what I threw out, so much 'stuff' was in the garage, stuff that I have not used in the 15 years I have lived at my current address. So, if I didn't use it, bin it, gift it or sell it.

Ultimately, most of it ended up in the skip - several years in a cold damp garage does not do any favours. I had a good look at everything as I disposed of it... and most of it brought back happy memories. But it had to go. All of our lives end up in the skip of plenty.

Onto happier thoughts... I ran an auction to dispose of my old business stock from Doctor Tweek's Guitar Pedal Electronics. This stock was far too valuable to skip, and despite various conversations with potential purchasers, nothing happened.....

So, the items got placed on eBay, and I'm really pleased they sold to a young couple in business selling guitar effect kits. The sale price was somewhat under the true value - but at the end of the day, I got the true market value of some old stock, I made the young buyers very happy and all feels good in the world.

Simultaneously to this happening ... (yes, it all gets complicated) I had a removal company come and do a survey of all the goods to be shipped. So as well as filling the skip I was also packing boxes ready for the shippers.

Also, the house was valued and was moderately disappointing, due, as explained, to the empty property next door, which has been abandoned by a bankrupt builder. Damn. The result of this is that instead of making money on the property over the last 15 years, I have actually lost money. But I will be able to pay the outstanding mortgage and get my original deposit back, plus interest. So, all the time paying my mortgage has been like paying rent. No surprises really.

Yesterday saw some of my work colleagues come down over their lunch, and I was able to gift a bit, sell a bit and generally make some more clearance. Nice to see them. Of course they had a good laugh at my gardening activities, or lack of. To be honest though, as I told them, once my Dad passed away, I had my broken foot and I shut down my business and decided to move abroad, my heart wasn't in it and I just want to go! Sod the painting and decorating, gardening and weeding. Outa here :)

Just a small selection of the boxes in my dining room before the removals company started to strip it out. The garage is now empty, but that was full of white goods, flatpack furniture and even the log burning stove. Ye Gods.

Today saw the packers arrive nice and early... and the organised mayhem ensued. They have taken away nearly everything or so it seems. But there is plenty to do tomorrow, and sad to say the computer I am working on now will go, along with the TV and the guitars.

I will be left with, for just under two months, a sofa, a laptop, a rucksack a change or two of old clothes and a single saucepan and kettle... oh, and a mug.

Since my washing machine died three or four weeks ago, this is somewhat of a blessing. As I wear through the clothes of old, I will pop them in the charity bag, rather than washing and drying.

Regarding the house, work should have resumed: I hope the windows are in soon. Unfortunately my project manager was away for Christmas and has just returned to the island... but incapacitated by a detached retina... so he is off to Lisbon for an operation. Couldn't be timed worse, because they are going to keep him in Lisbon for two weeks, as he will not be able to fly, for obvious reasons.

So, it is going to be tight for him to be 100% fit and back on the site, although my belongings are not due on the island until sometime around the 18th of February. He is, despite his injury and partial blindness continuing to chase up the progress. What a star. In his absence his wife is going to take the reigns and continue to lease with the builders.

That's all for now, and my next post will be in a while, once I am comfortable using the laptop... I prefer a mouse to those pads..

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