Tuesday 1 December 2009

Moving in, flaking out


Long long day at the university, but longer still for daughter H and husband R, who have moved today from London to Norwich. About 6.30 / 6.45 - end of work C picks me up and we drive over to visit them with a hot meal C has cooked. It's still a matter of cardboard boxes and packaging but there is minimal furniture, a blow up bed and two tables borrowed from us, not to mention some folding chairs, and we can sit down in the kitchen. It's a nice house - 19th century, quiet part of Norwich, walking distance from centre, and H pregnant, baby due in May. I feel exhausted, have my winter cough but am very happy to see them here. So starts another phase of life. I enter my sixty-first as they enter their first house.

Have nothing left tonight to think with. More reading invitations, more travelling, possibly to India again. Something more sensible tomorrow.



2 comments:

dana said...

Congrats, gramps! And grandma! The new dependency begins auspiciously! Sounds as if they're close by, which is lovely.

But don't worry, dependency isn't so strong with the first one. I remember showing mom the ultrasound with the double embryos (I couldn't say the word) and bursting into tears. My parents have been helpful to us beyond words.

I also remember moving house at 5 months pregnant with Irene. Those funny pains when I packed boxes were contractions, I know now.

Best wishes to all!

George S said...

Thank you, Dana.

We were very lucky having C's parents in the same town for twenty-one years, so we could go out for the night, or even one occasion abroad for three to five months and all was good. It was mutual love between the children and their grandparents.

Lesson: if you're going to have a family you might as well go for the extended kind, if it is at all possible. So now we are the happy convenience.