Day 18: The Kindness of Friends

With apologies for the delay.  I have been moving house ...

The time has come at last for me to move out of last year's house and into this year's flat.  The removal men are coming tomorrow, which means that this evening has seen the last of the packing.  With the kind help of Friend Claire, I have already done a fair bit: my collection of books are safely stashed in 19 different boxes, and I had wrapped all my ornaments and other bits and pieces.  So I had assumed that all I had to do was fling my clothes and stuff into some black bin liners.  Ladies and Gentlemen - I Was Wrong.

There was tonnes still to do.  Where did all the stuff come from?  I remember when everything I owned fitted into the back of my Volkswagen Polo.  Heck, I remember when it fitted into one suitcase.  I don't see myself as an obsessive accumulator of stuff, but a few little nick-nacks bought here and there have mounted up so that they now fill a whole large van.  Granted, I still own less than most people my age, mainly because I have mostly lived in rented furnished accommodation, and so haven't accumulated any white goods or sofas.  But when I think back to my carefree youth, I am a little horrified by how much I seem to have bought into the capitalist dream.  I think this Year of Living Frugally will be a very good exercise in minimal spending, to see if I can't break myself out of the buying habit.

All this is why I have been very grateful this evening for the presence of Friend Nik, who predicted better than I that this would be a big job.  She has come down with me to last year's house and has been wrapping crockery in newspaper for the entire evening, while I have darted from room to room packing away office equipment and coathangers.  She has also kindly provided much food, although we have also been eating the contents of the freezer.  Most particularly, she has provided chocolate.  This is probably why I now have indigestion, but having been chocolate-free for three weeks now, this has been much appreciated. 

Yes indeed.  The kindness of Friends Nik and Claire is already making this year a whole lot nicer.  And cheaper.  And best of all, it is something I can return.  Along with some home-made cake.  I think it is the least that the two of them deserve.

Total Expenditure: £2.50