Moving On

 The first physical manifestation is the arrival of acres of cardboard and yards of sticky tape. Familiar shapes of home transform into giant brown blobs or into a series of indistinguishable boxes. For domestic relocation , a van fills the street  outside to cart all to its new location . For international transfers, a ubiquitous container is the transfer medium. We are moving again .

Newly married , we decided to invest in a freezer so as to preserve the allotment produce and take advantage of bulk purchase of meat . The salesman tried to sign us up for a life membership for a new freezer centre ; but we opted for just the freezer . Not just any freezer , but an almost commercial size one that minimised purchase tax . The delivery men almost failed to transfer it to our first floor flat and through to a spare back room .

 Filling it involved weekly trips to the Central Market ,at close when bargains could be had ; then  to be delivered in rucksack, by bus. Purchase of ‘half a pig’ , was just that , including half a head . I am sure it winked ; so it went to a grateful dog . That freezer enjoyed six  different garages , so moving was less stressful . The puzzle was that at its end, some twenty years later , it still contained frozen gooseberries from a much earlier time . The move was international now , so freezer and fruit were left behind .

Different countries offered new purchasing opportunities , so part container allocation grew to filling a 40 ft one ; 60 + cum metres . Despite leaving for a new assignment with just suitcases , we invariably returned with a container. Repeated international trips filled both house in France, children’s houses and also the garage .Abroad , packing involved a small army over several days . Unloading in France, it was two men with a forklift truck, leaving in time for dinner.

This week that cardboard again arrived ; spare and newly purchased furniture packed up ready for shipment in an opposite direction; for family relocation to the southern hemisphere this time . After twenty years we can finally see the end wall in the garage ! The container was topped up with continual deliveries following internet purchases ; getting stuff is far too easy  . Of note was four years supply of Cola Cao ( the Spanish cannot be without it ) and the ultimate in eco mattresses ; comprising coconut and seaweed, allegedly edible for ultimate disposal ?  .

Aquisition , then moving on, is a family preoccupation .