Spic and span

After five hours of washing and cleaning today my house was spic and span inside and out. The real estate property manager came to visit. I gave him the keys, shook his hand, and said ‘look after it.’ It would have been a little over the top to burst into tears, so I restrained myself, but with difficulty. In any event, the deed is done, and the new occupiers move in tomorrow, I think.

Lots of friends have sent me expressions of support and encouragement – thank you!  I am not sure whether this message from el vasco could be considered in that category, but as always he at least gave me a smile, albeit rueful:

‘So , twice in a few years. Lucky you (no, not lucky; well earned). I wonder what your dog would think about it, and about philosophy in general, anyway.’

Let’s pause for a moment and think of the dog, gone to doggie heaven last week. He was seventeen in dog years (is that about 106 in human years?) and disabled, but still.

Today also I managed a flying visit to The Office, or should I say The Ex-Office. It was absolutely necessary for me to stop in and say goodbye to a certain exemplary secretary (yes you – are you reading this Philomena?) plus other good friends. I was rather surprised to meet a number of people who said they had been reading my blog –this is a good thing, people, but make a comment or ‘follow’ so I know you’re out there. No lurking, now!

There is not much left to do in Sydney now except to see family and friends for some final farewells. It is also necessary to sleep big time: I am totally exhausted from the house packing up thing, but done. Done! On to philosophy, Europe, culture, new friends...oh, and a possibility of lunch at el Bulli – what do you think? http://www.elbulli.com/

Toast and Vegemite

It is now the evening of a significant day, fraught with exhaustion, doubts, sentimentality and cardboard cartons. It is definitely a moment for toast and Vegemite and a cup of tea. Fortunately, here at Sophie & Dan's place they are able to supply such comfort food: thanks, Sophie & Dan! Luv ya!

My lovely little house is now empty of my possessions; well, if you don't count all the big bookshelves and so on that I have left there for the new tenants. The movers spent all day shoving and stacking The Stuff into storage containers in their big truck. They estimated that it came to 60 cubic metres - down from the 92 originally estimated. I am very proud of that.

The day held a few poignant moments, including the one where I saw my lovely piano sitting out in the driveway and almost lost my composure. Then there was the Lead Packer, who built himself a little 'desk' of cardboard boxes, on which to do his paperwork - there was a lot of listing and record keeping because The Stuff is all going into storage. He set up his cardboard desk on the footpath in front of my house. At various times through the day I would see him perched in front of it on a chair from my front room or my dining room. Then, rather memorably, he moved his generous butt into an expensive reproduction period French occasional chair, that cost me a fortune. I was returning from a foray to the cafe for a much needed caffeine fix when I spied this vision on the roadside. 'Ah, well', I thought. 'That's a sight you don't often see.'

Speaking of the cafe, I did hunker down there on several occasions, with coffee and the press. Of course you could say that I was in a fairly delicate state today, but I actually shed a tear when I read a little tirade by Paul Keating in today's 'Herald'. Not because Keating was having a tirade, but because it took me back to the days when politics was passionate and politicians were articulate and in-your-face and got mad about things. But that was a long time ago.

I received a lovely note from a friend today (who shall remain nameless unless she gives me permission to mention her). She paid me a very extravagant compliment: "You are my most interesting friend after the Shanty Singer and the World Class guitarist." I cannot think of higher praise than to be called 'interesting'. I will try my best to live up to the accolade.

At Sophie's suggestion, I have moved my doona, pillows and red bedcover onto her spare bed, so I have kind of re-created my bedroom in Sophie's spare room. This is very comforting tonight, and is better than thinking about the pleasant 3k walk around my suburb that I won't be doing again, or the sofa in front of the fire that I won't be lying on, or the lovingly selected pictures and rugs that I won't be living with.

OK! That's enough of that!

My day so far

Woke early concerned that I hadn't left out anything to wear to the opera tonight; frantic unpacking of several boxes and suitcases to unearth something appropriate. The following hours spent building a huge heap...nay, mountain...of junk on my front lawn, ready for the 1800-Got-Junk (yes, I DO!) people to take from my life. I thought I had already done a clean-up. Why was this STUFF in my house? Arrggg!

And the packers have been here since sparrow's twit, vacuuming everything that is not nailed down into cartons. They are now taking a smoko break, and playing with a remote control car. It is zooming around my garden and the new junk heap. It is always interesting to meet eccentrics.

The good news is that I found the instructions on how to reprogram the combination on  the safe. They are the sort of thing that one should store in a safe and inaccessible place, and I did that so effectively that I couldn't remember where. However, they have now emerged from deep, deep under Stuff.

Excuse me, I have to go - two more eccentric people have arrived to pack the every-growing quantity of Things I Can't Live Without, aka the things to be air-freighted to London. One of these people is a big Islander, and the other is an elderly lady with waist length white hair. It is proving a good day for eccentrics. In fact, I think I am becoming one.

Approaching maximum exhaustion

Major clearance operations continued today, with friends and family stopping in - and then heading out with their cars stuffed to the brim with Stuff. Possibly the nicest moment was seeing Buddha off to his new home, sitting in the passenger seat of Sandy's car with his seat belt on. That's the way I brought him home from the shop a few years ago. He'll enjoy Sandy's lovely back garden - much better than being in a packing carton for three years.

And then amongst all the garbage bags and cartons - an email arrived from Kyle booking me up for lots of opera (and a little ballet) at Covent Garden! I needed that small reminder about why I am doing this. *deep sigh*

The professional packers are arriving at 7.30 am tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Rather mixed-up

As you may know, one of the motivations for my move to the UK was the decision by the NSW State Government to zone my house, and those of seven of my neighbours, as park land (RE1). See: http://writeonwords.com/wordpress/?p=42. All around us, developers are sending  in their construction teams to tear down the old houses of Ku-ring-gai and build cheerless blocks of units. I won't go into all the details here, but suffice to say my solution was to try to dis-engage from loving my little house by leaving it for a time. 


I've just heard that the Council, deputed by the Government to do the acquisition - and presumably the subsequent bulldozing - has just...wait for it...changed its mind! 
'After further discussions and advice by our Planning staff, the RE1 zoning in Lindfield is now being reconsidered with the view of re-instating the underlying residential zoning.'


This news is so fresh that I still don't know what I think about it. Pleased! But it's too late to chagne my mind about going to England. There were, of course, many other reasons for my UK-adventure decision, including the joys of European culture and travel, the challenge of studying at Birkbeck, the adventure of living outside of Australia...and being much closer to Madrid. 


Today was just one big long exhausting day of packing and sorting out tax with the accountant. Nothing you would want to know about. One more day of it, and then the professionals move in. If I haven't, by then, retrieved everything I want to take with me, I'll just have to live without it. Which I'm sure will be perfectly possible.

Looking forward

  'Mt Kilimanjaro & Me' was successfully launched yesterday evening, as we resolutely ignored the dire developments coming from the National Tally Room. I made a speech, a thing of which I am rather too fond (you're warned: don't give me the platform). I also read an excerpt from the book. I don't know about my audience, but just that short piece took me back to the flanks of the mighty Kilimanjaro, as I struggled for five hours up the last gruelling trail to the crater rim ...
       "At one point a woman walking just in front of me stopped, leant her lead on her poles, and vomited. It was that kind of place."

Ah, bookselling...I remember it well.

I am pleased to report that my party guests did not have a similar reaction, although 25 people managed to drink a whole dozen bottles of Veuve Cliquot, so I can't answer for the state they may have been in this morning. Thank you all my friends: it was a great send off for my house, my book, and me.

I spent today sorting things for storage, things for other people, and things to throw away. It was utterly exhausting, physically and mentally, and tomorrow I plan to stop concentrating on the things I am leaving behind, and start concentrating on the things I am taking with me. Which is to say, I will pack my suitcases and the small bundle of Stuff which is to accompany me to 'la vie boheme'.


In that spirit (and because Harry asked me), here is a link which describes the course I will be doing in London, an MA in Philosophy at Birkbeck College: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/pg/philosophy/TMAPLPHY.html
Since my previous study of philosophy is limited to the Graduate Certificate in Philosophical Studies which I completed (blitzed! yay!) last year through Griffith University, I plan to take Birkbeck's 'Introduction to Philosophy' module.The paper in the Introduction to Philosophy module covers: Ethics; Political Philosophy; Epistemology and Methodology; and Logic and Metaphysics. This course includes some training in introductory logic. That's got to be useful, right?


In addition, I choose two options from: Aesthetics, Early Modern Philosophy, Ethics, Gender and Philosophy, Greek Philosophy: Plato & Aristotle, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Psychology, Political Philosophy and the Philosophy of Nietzsche. What a pity I can't choose them all. My choices, if it works out, will be the Greeks and Philosophy of Mind.

Cool, huh? 

Books, books, books...and a party.

I estimate that 90% of the books are packed now - excluding all those I have not (yet) been able to bring myself to part with, which are stacked in a corner hopeful that they will make it to London with me. We'll see.
Ah, how many interesting finds and old friends there are in those boxes! It's a toss-up whether I felt more attached to those I had read and loved, or those I had not yet read but 'always meant to'. There were many moments of  'in...or out?...no, better pack it...no, better take it...'

The many stacks of filled cardboard boxes, scattered through 3 or 4 rooms, have been tastefully turned into cocktail tables for tonight's party, adorned with little candles and small pots of flowers. It's not like this disguises them or anything, but it feels less like a demolition site that way. My lovely little house is not at its party best. I think that Peak House was reached at about the time of my last party, which was to introduce the lovely opera singer Sian Pendry to my friends. The house looked gorgeous then, just the way I wanted it. It held that condition for some time, and now I am dismantling it. I know why, but still it seems destructive.

Tonight is not just a Bon Voyage party (and farewell to my house), but also a mini-launch of 'Mt Kilimanjaro & Me' (for which I have set up some photos and....in a World Premiere...a short video taken on the mountain. Woo-hoo. Bet you're sorry you're missing this - or glad if you are coming!)

Of course, it is also Election Night, with the polls closing at 6 pm and Anton beginning his broadcast in the SBS studios at 6.30. I will have to figure out how to turn on the television so that my guests can keep track of the results; I only hope that it doesn't turn out to be too depressing. That would really put a dampener on my party. As I said when Julia called the election - why didn't she call me to co-ordinate diaries? How can I expect to be the centre of attention at my book launch with this distracting election going on?

There are two or three early arrivals here already, Evan has gone to fetch the ice, I think we're close to that exciting moment when the first Veuve Cliquot can be opened...

One week and one day to go

I have decided to start this blog to tell you what is going on with me as I leave my comfy home and dear family and friends and set off on a new adventure: living and studying in London for the next three years. It is Friday night and about 70% of my books have been packed, the champagne for the 'bon voyage' party is in the refrigerator, the paper work is almost done, the to-do list is shrinking...I think I'm almost ready. A week of packing is ahead, but the champagne should help that along.

I have been running on adrenalin and caffeine for a few days now, and sleep is difficult to come by. I have been meeting with many friends in an orgy of catch-ups, with more in the diary next week. How silly to wait until the moment before I head off for three years before managing to meet for coffee or lunch: another reason to start this blog so that keeping in touch is made a little easier.

The poor old dog went off to doggie heaven a few days ago. RIP Brownie.I noticed all the neighbours walking their dogs early in the morning so I put his ancient kennel, and a carton full of dog food, out on the roadside in front of my house. They had gone by morning. I like this method of neighbourhood recycling.

I estimate that there is somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 books in this house. Momentarily, I thought about how much they had cost to acquire over the years. Then I had to shut down that thought pretty quickly. My gawd. It doesn't bear thinking about. Nevertheless, another 100 books arrived today, in the form of copies of my own new one, 'Mt. Kilimanjaro & Me'. This is of course very exciting. I am hoping that most of these copies will find good homes at the party tomorrow, and I'll be posting off some to my favourite people (i.e. people I think will actually read it).

I'd better make another attempt at sleep...