Hey,
I know, I'm a bit sporadic with these blog posts, huh?
I'll have to make more of an effort to keep it consistent. Maybe at least once a week?
Hopefully then, the posts wont be as long *wink* and then you and I can both keep a better track of where I'm at :)
This week's been busy. Work and Uni are taking over my life, seriously. Especially Uni. I've struggled with sitting at my desk and trying to learn things I'm not very interested in...especially when its 80-90 pages of sentences where I'm having to look up every 2nd word. I can add anthropocentric, despotic and methodology to the words I know now. Lucky me :)
The weekend was lovely as I got to see Sue, Christine and Mary Ellen. It was wonderful to sit at a cafe in Morley on a bright, Spring Saturday morning and see their lovely faces again. Sue looked lovely. Trim and classy, as she always is. Christine was a bit more subdued but of course she would be...Christine lost a good friend and her Father in law in the space of a few weeks last month. I wish I had hugged her more but I didn't want to make a big deal in case Christine just wanted to forget for that moment and move past it. Mary Ellen was lovely as always - bubbly and bright with a wonderful booming laugh that you cant help but join in with. I also had lunch on Sunday with Mohini and Clara...and Mohini's husband, D. It was lovely to see them, but there was a definite difference as we hadn't seen each other in ages. At the beginning, we all felt a bit awkward, but a lovely Mauritian lunch and a few sips of "Appletiser" (non-alcoholic wine) and we were all calming down and feeling more comfortable.
Praise God for good friends.
I wanted to write today though, about Amy's "cousin once removed", Brian.
Brian lives just by Manchester (in the UK) and dutifully went (in 2 car trips!) to collect my boxes from the Anglo Pacific warehouse last week. He called on Monday and although we couldn't get our laptop cameras to work, Brian wanted to "press on" with sorting through my boxes...and so we did.
It was awkward, the kind, warm voice of a complete stranger, tearing open boxes that have been idle for almost 5 years (!!!), describing them as only a man can. A man who has never met me.
I would get very basic, "man-like" descriptions of clothing "It's small, blue and cotton" and scarily accurate measurements of other things "it's a 14 inch straw basket, 16 inches deep and 14 inches wide - do you want it?"
I think Brian's 'man descriptions' and that he'd ask "want it?" and was not up for long, heart-felt explanations from me of why I think I packed such a thing 4 years ago...got us through 13 boxes in just 2 hours. With a 20 minute 'break' in between that Brian said we should both have :)
It was odd just hearing about the things I'd packed back then. I must have been in a completely different mind frame. Brian went through a lot of "home maker" items - bedsheets, lots of straw baskets (I love storage! It keeps a home clean and orderly), pots and pans...old clothes and boxes upon boxes of personal items (mostly letters or cards from loved ones in the UK) that had no worth whatsoever, but they meant a lot to me when I packed them...and I'm looking forward to holding them and having them again one day soon here in my home in Australia. I must have been preparing to make a home of my own...and wanted to bring as many comforting things with me as I could, I guess.
I packed a lot of stuffed toys/animals. They are not coming with me.
I packed about 50 books on Primary Teaching, lots of children's toys and books and lots of gift-wrapping supplies, bless my heart.
Anything that Jon gave me was painful to hear about.
The bracelet Jon gave me when we were first dating.
The stuffed Gorilla Jon sent with flowers when I passed exams at University. I named him "Gus".
The expensive leather folder Jon had engraved with my name "J Hill" so I could keep my music sheets in them for every Sunday Church service.
Little Jon. The teddy bear Jon made for me at the Bear Factory because when we first walked past it in the Trafford, I couldn't afford one. Jon sent me off to get gifts for his Mom and Sister and while I was distracted, he doubled back and made me the cutest little bear I've ever seen. I can still see "Little Jon" in my mind's eye. A scruffy, gorgeous, fat little bear...in a business suit. Complete with striped vest.
Gosh, it hurt to let Little Jon go.
As much as I loved all the gifts Jon had given me, they held too many painful memories and also pleaded somewhat in my subconscious to be released...so when Brian briskly asked "want these?"
I had to squeak out a "sorry. No thanks" through a very tight throat and eyes that stung with tears.
It only took a few "uhh...no thank you...too painful"'s for Brian to get the hint.
He kindly named Jon "What's-his-face" and would stop asking if I wanted certain items (my old wedding veil and tiarra for instance) and would just say "Erm...personal items that would make you sad...probably something to do with what's his face...we'll just put these in the 'for giving away' pile if you like? You can look at them next week on our final chat or I can just give them away for you - whatever works best for you, Janet"
I wanted to hug him.
Brian doesn't know me at all but showed so much thought and kindness. I was so blessed.
13 boxes have become 4.
Brian is going to call me again next Monday for our 'final chat' and then I will call Anglo Pacific again to collect just 4 boxes - which will be soooo much cheaper and so much less hassle at my end for collection, too.
I didn't keep any baskets though.
I might change my mind on that one this coming Monday because let's face it...I bloody love baskets.
I know, I'm a bit sporadic with these blog posts, huh?
I'll have to make more of an effort to keep it consistent. Maybe at least once a week?
Hopefully then, the posts wont be as long *wink* and then you and I can both keep a better track of where I'm at :)
This week's been busy. Work and Uni are taking over my life, seriously. Especially Uni. I've struggled with sitting at my desk and trying to learn things I'm not very interested in...especially when its 80-90 pages of sentences where I'm having to look up every 2nd word. I can add anthropocentric, despotic and methodology to the words I know now. Lucky me :)
The weekend was lovely as I got to see Sue, Christine and Mary Ellen. It was wonderful to sit at a cafe in Morley on a bright, Spring Saturday morning and see their lovely faces again. Sue looked lovely. Trim and classy, as she always is. Christine was a bit more subdued but of course she would be...Christine lost a good friend and her Father in law in the space of a few weeks last month. I wish I had hugged her more but I didn't want to make a big deal in case Christine just wanted to forget for that moment and move past it. Mary Ellen was lovely as always - bubbly and bright with a wonderful booming laugh that you cant help but join in with. I also had lunch on Sunday with Mohini and Clara...and Mohini's husband, D. It was lovely to see them, but there was a definite difference as we hadn't seen each other in ages. At the beginning, we all felt a bit awkward, but a lovely Mauritian lunch and a few sips of "Appletiser" (non-alcoholic wine) and we were all calming down and feeling more comfortable.
Praise God for good friends.
I wanted to write today though, about Amy's "cousin once removed", Brian.
Brian lives just by Manchester (in the UK) and dutifully went (in 2 car trips!) to collect my boxes from the Anglo Pacific warehouse last week. He called on Monday and although we couldn't get our laptop cameras to work, Brian wanted to "press on" with sorting through my boxes...and so we did.
It was awkward, the kind, warm voice of a complete stranger, tearing open boxes that have been idle for almost 5 years (!!!), describing them as only a man can. A man who has never met me.
I would get very basic, "man-like" descriptions of clothing "It's small, blue and cotton" and scarily accurate measurements of other things "it's a 14 inch straw basket, 16 inches deep and 14 inches wide - do you want it?"
I think Brian's 'man descriptions' and that he'd ask "want it?" and was not up for long, heart-felt explanations from me of why I think I packed such a thing 4 years ago...got us through 13 boxes in just 2 hours. With a 20 minute 'break' in between that Brian said we should both have :)
It was odd just hearing about the things I'd packed back then. I must have been in a completely different mind frame. Brian went through a lot of "home maker" items - bedsheets, lots of straw baskets (I love storage! It keeps a home clean and orderly), pots and pans...old clothes and boxes upon boxes of personal items (mostly letters or cards from loved ones in the UK) that had no worth whatsoever, but they meant a lot to me when I packed them...and I'm looking forward to holding them and having them again one day soon here in my home in Australia. I must have been preparing to make a home of my own...and wanted to bring as many comforting things with me as I could, I guess.
I packed a lot of stuffed toys/animals. They are not coming with me.
I packed about 50 books on Primary Teaching, lots of children's toys and books and lots of gift-wrapping supplies, bless my heart.
Anything that Jon gave me was painful to hear about.
The bracelet Jon gave me when we were first dating.
The stuffed Gorilla Jon sent with flowers when I passed exams at University. I named him "Gus".
The expensive leather folder Jon had engraved with my name "J Hill" so I could keep my music sheets in them for every Sunday Church service.
Little Jon. The teddy bear Jon made for me at the Bear Factory because when we first walked past it in the Trafford, I couldn't afford one. Jon sent me off to get gifts for his Mom and Sister and while I was distracted, he doubled back and made me the cutest little bear I've ever seen. I can still see "Little Jon" in my mind's eye. A scruffy, gorgeous, fat little bear...in a business suit. Complete with striped vest.
Gosh, it hurt to let Little Jon go.
As much as I loved all the gifts Jon had given me, they held too many painful memories and also pleaded somewhat in my subconscious to be released...so when Brian briskly asked "want these?"
I had to squeak out a "sorry. No thanks" through a very tight throat and eyes that stung with tears.
It only took a few "uhh...no thank you...too painful"'s for Brian to get the hint.
He kindly named Jon "What's-his-face" and would stop asking if I wanted certain items (my old wedding veil and tiarra for instance) and would just say "Erm...personal items that would make you sad...probably something to do with what's his face...we'll just put these in the 'for giving away' pile if you like? You can look at them next week on our final chat or I can just give them away for you - whatever works best for you, Janet"
I wanted to hug him.
Brian doesn't know me at all but showed so much thought and kindness. I was so blessed.
13 boxes have become 4.
Brian is going to call me again next Monday for our 'final chat' and then I will call Anglo Pacific again to collect just 4 boxes - which will be soooo much cheaper and so much less hassle at my end for collection, too.
I didn't keep any baskets though.
I might change my mind on that one this coming Monday because let's face it...I bloody love baskets.
I'm glad you got the boxes sorted. That must be a load off your mind (I would have offered to help but assumed they'd be a decent hike away from me!) - now you can focus on moving forward again.
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