Souberkwit's Transport to America is Being Readied

It's early in the morning on the 14th October, 2013. A very big day for me, as I fidget and repack, waiting for it to be time to set off for the airport and the next step toward a new life with the soul-mate I met by commenting on her blog.

It's still hard to believe that at last it's really happening. I've been staying with my brother and his family over the last week, since the final pack-up and move-out of my home, ha, I'm homeless and unemployed at the moment... "Spare a few coins, please?".............
Luckily, I have a roof over my head, and a bed, but they're making me work for it... shifting furniture for the carpet-fitter, fitting radiators....

Yesterday, my brother and I went for a wander around the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, North-London. It's free entry, but beware of buying a sandwich. A 3-course meal at the Savoy is probably cheaper. My slice of walnut cake probably bought the nation a new helicopter.

 

 

 

 

 

 A Short Sunderland.

There were no Long Sunderlands, nor even Medium Sunderlands. One size fits all. Short was nominative, as in they were built by Shorts Brothers Aviation.

2nd World War and after. One major role was in anti-submarine warfare, and naval reconnaissance. They were tough.

 

Ah, those stylish germans! No  simple brown and green camo for them!

"Never Apologise for Not Posting"

Never apologise, they say, whoever they are, the self elected experts.

I'm always ready to take advice. Not to follow it, though, so. I apologise for not posting anything for a while. I have a good excuse, I've been packing up my life here in England, both figuratively and literally.

Here it is. A twenty-foot container, being loaded at my erstwhile place of work. My employers set up a table-load of sandwiches in the boardroom, and invited all manner of folks, tenants, contractors, old employees, to come and reminisce and say goodbye, I also got a lot of cards and some presents....

Then back home to the packing, the giving away of things, and the endless bags of stuff consigned to trash.

Ever since I got my K1 Visa application approved at the U.S. Embassy, on the 13th of September, I've been busy. So much to do. I booked my flight for the 14th October, which gave me a solid deadline to work to. Thanks to the help of one or two much appreciated people, I've actually managed it in three, not four weeks.

There were interruptions, like wednesday, where we trucked some boxes over to the temporary store in the morning, then the company took me out to dinner in the afternoon. I was well fed, speeches and presentations were made, the company chairman spoke of a rather wonderful person he first met in 1985, and spoke in glowing terms about him, his character and intelligence, his honesty, his skills in things both practical and theoretical, his ability to relate to others and to help them in times of need.  

A veritable superman.

I was quite confused. 

Why was he talking of this other bloke at MY dinner? Well, it seems there was a confusion. The other guy shares my name, and it seems he worked for the company too, contiguously.  Strange that I never met him. At the end of the speech I clapped politely, and accepted another gift-wrapped parcel on his behalf.

Once the boxes were packed, they were taken in the van to load into the container on the yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the boxes were all stacked tightly, ceiling-high, the packing team built a bulkhead across the container, and assembled the ramps for loading the Land-Rover.

By two in the afternoon on Thursday, the container doors were locked and sealed, and the truck left, headed for an appointment with a ship bound for the Port of Houston, Texas.

Following that, an evening out with good friends and family, on friday and saturday my brother and I laboured to clear out my  home, and at three on Saturday, I set off south to the northern edge of London to stay with my other brother, and sister-in-law for my final week in England.  

Which is where I am now. I had to rewire the hallway power-socket, fit wooden trim up the stairs, and this afternoon I'm fitting a central-heating radiator. No rest for the wicked.

Oh, and I've redirected my post, spoken to the bank, cancelled phone/broadband/power/water/gas etc. the list is endless.

Now I have to sign off and speak to the Inland Revenue.

I just might manage to update before my flight, next monday, if not.....

Well, I'll be busy right from when I land, I think, there's a trip to the courthouse for a wedding licence on tuesday........

And the wedding's on the 24th October.

Wish us luck!