last night

Even if Microsoft Excel had no other purpose, its existence could probably be justified through enabling the following kind of calculation: tonight is our 668th and final night as tenants at Thornton Hill.

Technically, our tenancy extends through to night 670, moving us a little further from our current “neighbours of the beast” contract length. Since we'll be well installed in Nick and Hayley's new flat by then though, we're not really counting. It does mean I can call in here at the old place on Monday to check for mail though, before handing back the keys. Initiating a fairly late mail redirection has meant otherwise that we're at risk of losing some of those royalty checks that just must be about to start rolling in about now... for something... surely... or advance payments, perhaps? Whatever. Mail redirection partly delayed, a further three days, by (English so need we say) bureaucratic Royal Mail systems that would not accept two official documents from the Inland Revenue department as being proof of our current address. (“It's not on the list... Which box would I tick? They'd just send it back.”)

We've recruited a couple of hapless locals with cars for the shuttling process to the new property, which would be within easy walking distance should one not be encumbered by a van's worth of boxes. These properties would be close by New Zealand standards, let alone London benchmarks, which is mucho handy. In any case, Bronwyn and I now have only our two packs, plus a small number of items in another box (me) and largish carrybag (Bronwyn) that we assure Nick and Hayley will fit in our packs, when we get around to packing them properly. And there is the washing that is drying at the moment. And the broadband router. And this laptop. It'll all go in there, really. Hardy things, Macpac bags.

Finishing up a work is a challenge. I'm going to miss the team enormously. Such a great group of people there. Demographics of teams in London too different from I'd guess almost anywhere else in the world, so I'll be leaving lots of mates behind. Not before I write 16 reports though, I worked out yesterday, with at that stage 12 days to write them. I knocked off 5 yesterday, in an extended session, and am trying to carve out time to complete the rest ASAP. “New admission? What new admission...” ahem.

Meanwhile no progress on the work front in New Zealand, as yet, though I've made some initial enquiries and even submitted one formal application. It's easy to forget how much New Zealand goes to sleep in January, with the (I now realise ridiculous) combination of Christmas and summer holidays at the same time. Nonsensical arrangement, really. A month of leisure in March is looking pretty attractive, actually. But now it is February, I am hoping New Zealand is going to start stirring soon. Wakey wakey, kiwis...