Packing up a home is like......

Things are moving rapidly. Supersonic. In fact, I have a speedwobble, last experienced when skateboarding with Noel in 1978. Georgie had his class farewell party today (thank you Francis xxx) and William has his tomorrow. We've been told that he musn't go to school on Friday, as this would only confuse the kids as he has already said goodbye and has therefore left. I so understand.

The boys all went to the Kruger National Park for the long weekend and had a wonderful time seeing lots of animals, having braais and Tyler said it was all "very Boy" in the car, so I can only imagine. We have not been to the bush much during the Baby Years, mainly because of malaria. Anyway, the boys can now safely hold their heads high when they say they are from Africa, and yes they have seen lions etc.

The packers arrived yesterday morning. We had been told that they would take 3 days to pack the house and one day to pack the container (ie we move out on Friday). I think we had visions of people packing quietly in the background whilst life carried on as normal.

Not a chance.

A team of seven chaps arrived, crackling with Stanley Knives and bubble-wrap, and were quite keen to get it all finished in one day. Every time a rather wild-eyed Tyler and I mentioned how fast everything was going, we got this kind of benevolent “ho ho ho neurotic emigrating whitey” kind of chuckle. By 10am the kitchen had been packed (Boni hadn’t even finished the washing up from the morning) and at Noon I stopped a toolbox-wielding person from dismantling the beds, at which stage I had a hissy-fit, as it was all rather overwhelming. Tyler phoned the shipping agents, who then told their very efficient Headchap to calm down a bit. I cannot imagine what rubbish has been packed.

We have 10 years of everything here - kids toys, mystery pantry items and mostly 10 years worth of MAGAZINES! After diligently tearing out 10 years worth of House & Gardens and Elle Deco’s, I’ve gone mad looking at investment banker's homes and donated the rest to charity. The Martha Stewart’s go with us however.

Anyhow the shock of going from home to deconstructed nothingness in a few hours, has made me take to my bed. I have Overdone Things. I can only compare packing up a home to being a dragonfly and having your wings and legs pulled off slowly, or maybe in our case, very quickly.