Friday 3 May 2019 @ 11:47AM
The night before I slept like the dead, only barely registering the front door of the flat closing as Rachael left for work at 7 AM. Glancing at my watch, I saw it was almost noon. It took more effort than I’d like to admit to actually get out of bed and to wander into the kitchen for some coffee. Clicking on the kettle, I padded into the living room. The flat was small enough, where I couldn't really get lost, but nevertheless it was unfamiliar, like visiting a friend's house for the first time. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that I lived here now, that after years of dreaming, Rachael and I were actually living in the UK together.
Four suitcases dwarfed the sunlit living room. As far as I was concerned it was a minor miracle that all three checked bags actually made it to Glasgow airport the night before. I’d used various articles of clothing as padding to help protect some of the more fragile items. As a result, my clothes were distributed across the three checked bags by type. So all of my underwear and t-shirts were in one bag and all my trousers and socks elsewhere. I’d been a bit afraid that I would arrive in Scotland with nothing but underwear and a set of Christmas ornaments.
Four suitcases dwarfed the sunlit living room. As far as I was concerned it was a minor miracle that all three checked bags actually made it to Glasgow airport the night before. I’d used various articles of clothing as padding to help protect some of the more fragile items. As a result, my clothes were distributed across the three checked bags by type. So all of my underwear and t-shirts were in one bag and all my trousers and socks elsewhere. I’d been a bit afraid that I would arrive in Scotland with nothing but underwear and a set of Christmas ornaments.
Truthfully, I didn’t really know where to begin. So I returned to the kitchen to actually make coffee. In the cabinet, I found a blue coffee mug that Rachael and I had bought on a trip to the island of Westray years ago. She'd left it in Scotland, and I hadn't seen it in years. It's the little things in life, but the memory made me irrationally happy. When I got back to the living room, I set my first suitcase on it’s back and I began pulling things out and making piles.
It had taken all of Tuesday to pack my life down to these cases, but thankfully it wasn’t taking me nearly as long to unpack them. There were only a few casualties. Like the largest of Rachael’s Russian nesting cups.
I think the worst was my Maya Solar calendar. It was hand carved slate, that I’d bought on my second day in Belize back in 2012. But unfortunately it was already on it’s last leg. It had split in half after an accidental fall this past NewYears. Although, I’d glued it back together. The damage was clearly done. The top half was now broken into five additional pieces, and despite how it looks in this photo, it couldn’t be saved.
I worked through most of the early afternoon putting away what I could and organising the rest. My half of the wardrobe desperately needed hangers, and I’d promised Rachael I would run to the post office. So made a point to get out of the house and stretch my legs. I think it took being outside, but walking along the street, seeing the old stone bridges and buildings, it made the move tangible in a way that unpacking my bags simply couldn't.
Our flat is just across the road from the Esk River. Incidentally, this is the same river (just a bit downstream) that runs behind Dalkieth House. Follow the link if you want to read about a harrowing adventure along the river from 2013. This part of the river is largely devoid of treasure, but there is a lovely grassy park that runs along the bank.
It had taken all of Tuesday to pack my life down to these cases, but thankfully it wasn’t taking me nearly as long to unpack them. There were only a few casualties. Like the largest of Rachael’s Russian nesting cups.
I think the worst was my Maya Solar calendar. It was hand carved slate, that I’d bought on my second day in Belize back in 2012. But unfortunately it was already on it’s last leg. It had split in half after an accidental fall this past NewYears. Although, I’d glued it back together. The damage was clearly done. The top half was now broken into five additional pieces, and despite how it looks in this photo, it couldn’t be saved.
Our flat is just across the road from the Esk River. Incidentally, this is the same river (just a bit downstream) that runs behind Dalkieth House. Follow the link if you want to read about a harrowing adventure along the river from 2013. This part of the river is largely devoid of treasure, but there is a lovely grassy park that runs along the bank.
It's good to be home.
Until next time,
Anth
