FEBRUARY 2003

Thursday 6th February 2003

The day has finally arrived. The big move. H is left to start the pre-pack, ready for the main one tomorrow. The removal guys are here, and it takes 3-hours to pack cutlery, plates, pictures and all manner of things that we have. The house is in complete disarray. With Del in Australia and H packing, there is no time to fully comprehend and appreciate what’s happening. We are at the point of no return, however. The house is sold, and the jobs ended. We can only look ahead. Colin is looking confused. Poor thing. His home, too, is being dismantled.

Friday 7th February 2003 Harrow (Del in Sydney)

The house sale completion has happened…! The house is now sold…!

The same removal guys from yesterday are here packing with H and her Mum and Dad while she runs around to check that all the boat bits that we have bought ready to go to the new boat are still all together in one place and haven’t been packed in the removal van.

Colin is not too happy today as he gets locked in our now empty bedroom (which actually looks smaller than before). He has to be kept in; we don’t want him ending up in a packing case.

Our neighbours from across the road, Gloria and Martin, have come over and are in tears at H and Colin leaving – bless. They loved Colin and used to look after him when we were both away on trips or at work. They were reliable, nice neighbours. We’ll miss them.

1:30 pm – Domino’s pizzas in the now empty lounge on the floor. The removal men have left, and we will have to soon. We have had to drug Colin with some Valium laced tuna for the long drive up to Handforth and H’s parents’ house – he seems to enjoy it.

2 pm – H is finally closing the door on 30 Harley Crescent, Harrow, for the last time – with no time to spare as H watches the truck drive away to store all our belongings until we don’t know when…

Meanwhile, the two cars, ours and H’s parents’, are overladen with all the stuff that all has to fit on our boat, which will be happening very soon. (All except Mum, Dad and Colin, of course.)

5 long hours later (RAC centre M6 usual problems!) – we arrive in Handforth, back to where H spent most of her childhood. We are so grateful to her mum and dad for putting us up and helping us to store all the new boat things in their home until we need them in May.

Saturday 8th February 2003 Handforth

Colin is exploring his new home today and wants to go out of course.

Sunday 9th February 2003 Handforth to London

H is getting ready today as she will leave Cheshire to start her last week of work at This Morning! She will be staying with some good friends of ours in Pinner, Sally and Luis. Again, wonderful people who are helping us during this transition.

Monday 9th February 2003

LAST WEEK AT WORK..!

Tuesday 11th February 2003 London (Del in Melbourne)

H has acquired a ‘cold from hell’ probably off Luis and Sally’s kids. She has her last Spanish lesson at Harrow College.

Thursday 13th February 2003 London (Del in Canberra)

H’s penultimate day at work. The lighting guys she works with take her out for a Thai meal! Yum. This is followed by a visit to a dodgy pub/club, The Queen Anne, later on, this involves putting 50p’s in pint pots. Money towards the stripper! This is the perfect night out for the sparks from work, not so much for H, but quite an education. Lovely guys who always had H’s back at work. They’ll be missed.

Friday 14th February 2003

It has finally arrived. The Last day!

Philip H, a work friend of H’s, turns up late for work today, having forgotten to go home from last night’s do – tales of a missing wallet and prostitute (talking to only, you understand).

H is keeping a constant lookout for roaming makeover cameras. This is a regular thing at This Morning that they like to spring on the crew. They like to pounce out, pin you down and do a makeover live on air. Their idea of ‘fun’ There aren’t any. Thank God…!

12:30 – Philip Schofield and Fern Britton have made H a film that they show her on the studio floor. Such a nice touch from two lovely people. She is presented with a brass clock for the boat, flowers and champagne.

There is a little speech, and it’s off to the Pizza Express (via the make-up room for cocktails and a visit to the pub).

7 pm – It’s time to leave everyone to catch a train from Euston back to Cheshire. Very sad. Very sad indeed.

Back ‘home‘ in Cheshire. It’s late.

Friday 21st February 2003

Colin has been here in Cheshire for a week tomorrow. It’s been decided to let him out and fit a cat flap.

At about 4 pm, excited or frightened by it all, Colin runs past H to go out again; however, he is not to be seen again that night!

We drive and walk around the neighbourhood constantly looking for him – no sign…!

Saturday 22nd February 2003

Still no sign of Colin the cat this morning. We print some leaflets offering a £50 reward and post 500 of them around the estate! H and her dad walk around the estate, desperately looking for Colin. Where could he possibly be?

7 pm – Finally, a neighbour phones saying she has Colin. Thank god. He is so precious to us, and to lose him now would be devastating.

We pick him up in the car – he’s very unhappy, yowling and carrying on. The lady at Irwin Drive, however, is very pleased with her £50!

Sunday 23rd February 2003

Colin isn’t that bothered about going out today. He scared himself by getting lost even though he was only a mere 2 roads away. Daft.