Everyone was up early in anticipation for the removalists’ arrival but it was not necessary. Kylie and the kids went off to running class and Derek stuck around a while, but when the movers hadn’t come when they were supposed to, he head off to work. After 9am came and went, I called them and found out they were delayed until 10:30am. I did some work on my website and a bit more packing while I waited. When I heard the truck show up, I went outside to meet the movers. A big Mexican guy greeted me and I walked him through the house, pointing our Kylie’s sticky notes and telling him what needed to go and what was staying. I felt very much like a supervisor! After that one walk through, he and his six colleagues got to work.

Soon enough, the house was filled with cardboard and the sound of tape being unrolled. It was a hive of activity and I sat in the middle of it doing some admin on my laptop. They only asked for clarification a few times and as far as I know, nothing got packed that shouldn’t have been. They continued the whole day, never stopping for a break. Kylie and the kids came back to the house around 3pm when they had started moving all the packed up boxes into the truck. Emma and Oliver weren’t sure what to make of it, but soon enough we were having fun in the echoey living room running around pretending we were flying planes.

We hung around the next two hours waiting for the house to be completely empty and keeping the kids entertained wasn’t easy at times but we all made it. Finally, Kylie signed the papers and the movers were out of the house. In a matter of hours, it had been completely emptied. To the new house! It was only fifteen minutes away and Kylie beat me there. I met them outside in the carpark and I unloaded everything out of my car and into their new apartment. It was a nice complex where kids were playing together in the grass.

Derek came home just in time to help me with the last few things then was off again to get some dinner for all of us. We all sat down around the small table to a feast of salad, pasta and burrito. After such a long day, it was time for the kids to go to bed so I got out of D&Ks hair and went back to the empty house where I was spending the night. It was weird having such a big space all to myself, but I embraced it and didn’t have to wait long before I was asleep.