We left maid service behind when we checked out of the hotel on Friday (or, as Hannah puts it, her usual maid has been called back into service) and then a truck and some men arrived and filled our pristine new apartment with stuff. Our stuff, which looks shabbier with every move. Our poor dining table was designed in Sweden, made in China, bought in Newcastle, and has now travelled to California and on to Vancouver. That's some serious food miles.
The team brought everything up in the lift and unboxed it, while I had the important and tiring task of ticking off numbers on a list to make sure everything had arrived. There were some casualties, including a dining chair (an Ikea sibling of the table) and, heart-breakingly, the piano, which has a huge corner dent and two now-non-working keys. But they're just possessions - it's not like they're important, like people. And yet my piano has never screamed at me or expected me to feed it and change its pooey nappies...my feelings are so confused right now!
Have you been good enough to earn your things back?
Yes you have! Here they come.
Enjoying the view.
First breakage.
Nobody puts baby in a corner! Except us, when we need to get things done and keep him safely out of the way.
Toaster, kettle, espresso machine. You can leave the rest of the stuff on the truck.
And, finally, happily reunited with one of his favourites.
