The Removalists
It’s been a day of hard physical labour for me as I spent a few hours helping Damo move some furniture into storage.
For me, that meant getting up earlier than I normally would on a Sunday, driving with him to The Shire (which is where he’s moving to after China, as it’s closer to his relocated workplace), and helping him pack a storage unit with a combination of his own and his late mother’s furniture.
For him, it was far more difficult, as he’d had to come all the way from the Central Coast, and return there in a truck that had some issues.
And although it was a bit of hard work – my muscles feel fantastic – it was also actually kinda fun. And a nice reminder of the work my sister and brother-in-law have done for most of their adult life, running their own removalist business in Brisbane. I was surprised at how many tips about moving and packing furniture I must have picked up when I lived with them briefly.
Or maybe it’s just that I spent several years “on the road” pursuing my career and I’ve learned some of the removalist shortcuts through the “university of life”.
My first big moves were those annual pack-ups to and from university, as I packed up my on-site accommodation for the annual summer holidays.
And then it was from Brisbane to Bourke. And from then from Bourke to Renmark. And then from Renmark to Wagga Wagga. And then from Wagga Wagga to Sydney which is where I’ve been ever since. Sure, there have been a couple of side-trips such as the year in Perth, but I only ever took a suitcase full of material with me.
Along the way, I’ve managed to accumulate a lot of “stuff”. In the grand scheme of things, I know most of it’s useless stuff that should just go to the dump in the event of my passing, or if I chose to go to live overseas for a while :)
In fact, there’s a lot of stuff that’s in the garage downstairs that I haven’t looked at for years. There are a couple of tea chests that remain unopened from that first trip from Brisbane to Bourke. I really should do something about it, shouldn’t I?
You know my view on this matter ;)
But I won’t be holding my breath!
I knew you’d be the first to comment!
This isn’t the first time you’ve mentioned the tea chests. I’m so curious… maybe you should hold an opening party?
I’m so not into packing and unpacking household effects.
The Shire… that’ll be more of a culture shock than china! :P
He’d have to find the keys first, Andrea!
Thanks for the help – couldn’t have done it without you. And thank god the truck broke down after we’d unloaded into storage :-/
Miss Andrea – not a bad idea! It’s like my own personal time capsule I guess.
Victor – tell me about it!
Tom – you are such a city-boy now!
Damien – hello!!?? On my keyring!
very exciting…met my first person from sweden and got a lesson about the country…i think i totally understand the fascination…it was hard work trying to learn swedish- the accent is really hard…but I think it is a very cool language.
also, i just discovered the eeePC…LOVE…total travel essential which I’m using right now ;)…i think i’ll have to get one now.
also wagga wagga…love- was very impressed that it is so refined and cultured and houses the national glass art gallery…it’s up there on my list of regional places i’m considering moving to!
sorry i’m still chuffed at the similarities i find cos of the shared birthday thing…i love astrology!
If there is to be an opening party you will have to wait for Damien to come back from China. We will both want to be present for the “opening” I am sure. Neither of us are likely to believe it without actually seeing with our own eyes ;)
I meant the key to the garage.
And yes Sue I’d love to be there: it’d be like the opening of the Ark of the Covenant, Indiana Jones-style. I wonder what ghosts would be released? :-P
Fantastic eh? I pour my heart out in a post, and no one responds (except Victor), but talk about moving furniture… :)
Don’t talk to me about packing and unpacking boxes! I finally, this morning, found the last Christmas present (I could have sworn I’d packed them all together) and I am still missing a tape recorder with an interview I have done for my PhD still on it. Only two boxes left, so it must be in one of those.
You’ve been everywhere man. :) (as in the song)