A time of transition

This week we’ve mostly been playing catch up: doing just what’s necessary in the new house and clearing out the old one.

I managed to set up my office and get some kind of internet working and get in touch with the tradesmen to see that everything that could be done, would be done.

We had some fun and games with the heating, which was running seven hours behind and with a fairly weird program but both had our first showers in the new house and felt all the better for them.

Astrid was able to go to work in the office on Düsseldorf from Wednesday and, for pretty much the first time since we’ve known each other, we were able to sit down to an evening meal together during the week!

Bit by bit we’ve removed the floor protection, dusted and cleaned.

On Thursday the electricians came and fitted some more lights and connected up the cable connection in the house so that we have internet, telephone and TV.

And on Friday, the flooring people came to finish off the skirting board and bring some felt covers for the furniture so we don’t have to worry about scratching the floors every time we move a chair.

We’d invited Ivan and his family for a meal this evening to say thank you and that was the impetus we needed to get the dining room ready.

I had been planning on doing roast beef with all the trimmings, but as we couldn’t find the flour, there’ll be no Yorkshire puddings. More importantly, we found a table cloth and the cutlery, and they’re running late anyway…

… it was fitting having Ivan and Olga as our first guests. Ivan has worked so hard over the last two months and on Monday they’ll be driving a mere 1700 km home!

The only room that still has a covered floor. If we’re lucky, we’ll get that done tomorrow. But Astrid still has some stuff to sort through in the Waldlehne and on Monday morning she'l she has to go back to Cologne.