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Noise!
The guy's here to install our new boiler and I'm really pleased about it. It's going to be wonderful to take a hot shower later today without the worry that the hot water will cut out halfway through. And we won't have to re-light the pilot light either! We should have had this done ages ago.
About an houre ago, Jake was looking really tired. I knew that it was coming up on naptime for him, but the guy downstairs was making such a racket taking out our old boiler that I didn't fancy my chance of getting Jake to fall asleep. But the little tyke must have been really tired. He fell asleep while being fed and is still asleep, despite the amazingly-loud sound of a power drill just below us. It sounds like the guy's going to drill right through our floor and into the bedroom! Perhaps I should go and check on things.
Not holding my breath
Jake's upstairs, sleeping like a baby. Stephen's also upstairs, sleeping like a baby. We've had a frustrating day as far as house-selling goes and I think that Stephen is feeling the pressure. I felt it earlier today and handled it with a few tears.
To be honest and more precise, it wasn't just the pressure of the selling this effing house, it was also the fact that every time I got Jake to sleep, someone would come along and wake him up. It seemed never-ending, as he got more and more tired and more and more grumpy. If it wasn't the two guys next door shouting at each other, it was the idiot down the road driving back and forth on his scooter - which sounds more like a high-pitched lawn mower by the way. If it wasn't that, it was us, trying to pack up our belongings from all around him. I tell ya, moving with a baby is not perfect... and we haven't even actually moved yet!
The house-selling frustration has come about because our buyers know that we are moving to Canada and that we are working to a tight schedule. They are really using this their advantage and are trying to screw us at every turn. It really sucks that people can't just be honest and not have to play games. But they are obviously looking out for themselves - which, I suppose, I can't fault - and our plans are last on their list of priorities.
As you'll know, we had to replace the boiler. We had the new one fitted yesterday and it works like a dream! I had a lovely, hot shower this morning! Anyway, the buyers were informed that we were replacing the boiler and the cocky so-and-so's wanted input into which type of boiler we got. As they had yet to sign any contract or have any responsibility towards us or the house, we were a bit reluctant to go for the super-duper one they were suggesting. They had said though that they were going to build an extension off the back of the house and they would like a boiler that would have enough output to eventually heat it. Being the friendly people that we are, we took this request onboard and didn't go for the cheapest boiler we could find. We chose one that had the power to heat their extension-to-be. We paid an extra £400 for that!
So today, we get a phonecall from the estate agent. He says that the buyers have been in touch and that they want £2,000 knocked off the price of the house because the electrics needed replacing. Apparently, the survey had come back saying that our extension needed rewiring. The interesting thing is that buyers told us just last week that they would be knocking down our extension.
As we fly two weeks tomorrow, we've decided to compromise. We've knocked £1,000 off the price of the house. We've said that they must have the contract signed by the time we leave to get the thousand pounds or the deal is off. The whole deal - the house will come off the market and we'll just have to remarket it. That may sound like cutting your nose off despite your face, but we've been messed around by these people enough already. There will be no more game-playing just because they think they have us by the short-and-curlies.
The idea was relayed to the buyers via the estate agent and they have agreed to it. Within two weeks, we should have the deal closed and the house sold. But I'm not holding my breath...
You know that you're old when...
You know that you're getting old when one beer makes you drowsy and you head off to bed.
Goodnight. Zzzzzzzzzzz...
Harder than I thought
We are September 10th today... That mean that we fly one week today! By my estimation, this time next Friday, we'll have flown over the Atlantic and will just have arrived over Canada. But seeing as we're headed to Central Canada, there'll still be about 3 hours of the flight left. All of it over land. But, I guess it'll give us something to look at.
I feel quite unprepared for all this. Our house looks like a bomb's hit it. There's stuff everywhere! We just got rid of our 3-piece suit last night so we now have nothing to sit on in the living room. We've also gotten rid of most of our bedroom furniture. Stephen and the girls are now living out of suitcases, while Jake and I use the cupboard and one bedside table. I'd put a suitcase down for me but there's nowhere to put it!
Our biggest concern at the moment is our cat, Leo. We'd like to take him with us. Not only because he's a part of the family, but also because we feel a sense of responsibility toward him. The problems lays in that we don't yet have a house of our own in Canada. We'll be staying with my Mum and my Stepdad for a little while (possibly a few months) and they have a big dog. He's a dog who doesn't like cats.
When I lived in Canada, there was a massive ice storm that knocked out powerlines for pretty much all of Quebec and Eastern Ontario. My cat and I moved in with my Mum temporarily because she had a wood stove. It wasn't fun trying to house a cat and a dog together, let me tell you.
Anyway, we're in the process of trying to organize a home for Leo. If it's this country, we either need someone to adopt him or someone to house him temporarily until we get settled. If it's in Canada, we either need someone to take care of him while we look for a house or to find a cattery or kennels. These seem to be next to impossible to find and it's driving us mad. We're running out of time and I don't know what to do.
But the major positive in this move is that my family are all going to be there at the airport to meet us. My Mum and Stepdad, my sister Carly, my brother Chris and his girlfriend Caroline, have all taken the day off work to meet us. In fact, they've even rented 2 big vehicles so that they can drive us all home to my Mum's place. I kid myself that it's me that they're dying to see... but we all know that Jake's the star of this show. 
Tie him up!
Breastfeeding is becoming more and more difficult. As Jake grows and gets better with his hands, he tries to hold things for himself. Often, it ends up that his hands are more in the way than they are useful. This has become a problem when trying to breastfeed. He grabs my skins and pinches and pulls. Not only is he leaving red marks and scratches on my skin, but he's also frustrating himself by pulling it out of his mouth.
Breastfeeding is becoming a bit of frustration for both of us, so it may be coming to a slow end. We'll see though, as I'm not keen to give it up just yet. Maybe I could tie his hands behind his back!
Ahhh... that makes perfect sense
I've found that a great way to relax Jake and to get him to fall asleep is to pat his bum lightly. It could be while he's lying down on his side next to me or while he's being held upright or even while he's perched on my knee. Either way, it works like a charm.
Yesterday, while watching yet another birth program on Discovery Health (I admit; I'm an addict), one of the midwife gave her theory on why tapping a baby on the bum soothes them. She said that it reminds a baby of when they were in the womb, upside down. Nearing full term, their bums are up right under Mum's heart. They'd have felt a rythmic beating on the bums in utero.
Isn't that cool?
The other side of the pond
Today is our last day in our house. You might think that that makes it a bit of a sad day, but it's not. This house has never been mine, in ownership or emotionally. I've enjoyed living here with Stephen, the girls and, more recently, Jake, but it's definitely time to move on. When we get to Canada, Stephen and I will be choosing a house of our very own and that thrills me to bits!
We're spending tonite at my in-law's house, then we'll be back here tomorrow morning to finish clearing the house. At the moment, the only bed left in the house is ours (I'm sitting on it), we have no couch and the pantry's empty. Our living room is full of stuff that Pickfords will be packing for us tomorrow. Then, on Thursday, around midday, this house will no longer belong to us. It will be in the hands of the new owners and we'll be that little bit richer.
And finally, Friday, at about 6am, think of me. I'll be boarding a plane headed for my home. I miss it so much. I never realized how much until it hit me the other day that I was going back. I thought about my sister, who'll probably cry when I see her, and my brother, who's all grown up and living with his girlfriend. Things have changed since I left and I'm dying to catch up on it all.
Stephen asked me on Saturday, "This time next week, fancy going for a meal at that great restaurant on Lakeshore in Dorval?" And I burst into tears. I'm not sure why. I think that it's just the built-up emotions and the anticipation of seeing my family again.
It's going to be great living in Canada again. See you all on the other side...
We're here!
Woohoo!! Yipee! Wow. Montreal... how I've missed you. I've finally been able to give my brother and sister big hugs. My Mum and Stepdad are looking after us really well in their house. And I've met both my brother and sister's new(ish) partners. I approve.
The family dog is so old now that he's deaf. New buildings have sprouted up everywhere and old ones have been knocked down. The food in Montreal... well, that's just as delicious and diverse as I remember it being. I think I've gained 40 pounds already! Souvlakis, poutines, chips (that's crisps to you Brits) & dip, steamy hotdogs... I'm in calorie heaven!
Anyway, I better go. I'm tying up my Mum's phoneline... she doesn't have broadband!!
Shopping!
Lordy, lordy, lordy!! My weblog entries are few and far between at the moment. Not only am I tying up my Mum's phone line, but I'm also having to work with AOL and a 28k modem!! Oh, the torture! Firstly, we've said that we'll buy them a new modem... so that'll solve the speed issue. The AOL issue? It's going. No doubt about it. Pain in the ass...
Anyway, aside from all that, we've been house-hunting. We've seen a few houses in the Cornwall area of Ontario and we quite like the area. It's right on the St-Lawrence Seaway and it really is a lovely town. The only trouble is that it is quite French and Stephen and the girls may still struggle. So, today, we're heading a bit further West to the Brockville area where French, we're told, is less prominent. The real estate agent is meeting us at 1pm EST and he has a list of houses to show us. It's all so exciting!
