Number two...more deep than newsy

I suppose you could call this 'Day One'. I'm tired after a week of getting the house tready to handover to Dave (who's been working in London and missed all the 'fun'), Becky and Guy whom shall hence forth be collectively referred to as the 'housemates'. I cannot believe how much rubbish I have thrown out! Anyway, I sit here at my parent's with flu like symptoms which will be either a reaction from one of the 5 vaccine jabs I had on Monday or ..........the flu.

The big question- am I getting excited yet? (Beacause, let's face it, I bloody well should). I did have a moment driving down here, the cloudy sky over Birmingham broke to let through shafts of warm sunshine (think Sistine Chapel but two kids advertising Vodaphone on the side of Fort Dunlop instead of swooping arches around Adam and Eve) and I got one of those little adrenalyne rushes (runners will know what I mean) - I thought wow it's really happening! It lasted about 5 minutes and then I went back to trying to work out where the hell the spare lenses to my Oakleys had got to. I know this frustrates many of you but if I was the sort of person who got really excited about doing this I'd also be the sort of person who get's too scared to actually do it. Sorry :?(

The house seems sparse and a little heartless having had so many personal things removed. It hadn't felt the same since I got back from the 2 weeks with the Army, Dave had moved in to my room and I had a floordrobe in the spare bedroom. Most of everything I own had been squeezed into the kit room which was, after Cristina had worked her magic, amazingly tidy.

It was with a little pang of 'will I see it again?' (more 'will I kill myself doing something stupid while away' than 'can I trust the housemates not to burn it down') as I locked up the house for the final time. I was thinking of the question put to me the night before about there being so much of 'me' in the house. I assume that was more to do with my having bought it off plan and watched go up, planned and built the garden from scratch, decorated every room to my taste, chosen unique furniture and hung my own 'works of art' on the walls than the fact that house dust is 90% human skin. I really wish I had some photos of it, to give me some sense of home and also to show the people I meet where I come from. If anyone wants to try out their camera- get round there on a nice day and send me some copies.

Some ironing, more packing, then off to London for a skier's party before heading South for the Winter (well Autumn)- Cape Town on Sunday. Look forward to the next mildly interesting installment!

And don't forget to leave your comments. Also, £5 reward for lost Oakley Half Jacket lenses in G23 pink (special contrast for skiing etc).

Chris