As the title suggests this is the last blog of 2010 and is meant to finish off the year ( the end of the year nearly finished us off!)

Here is where we all are at this very moment:
Me: Sat in the study, out of the way, having a moment to myself.
Sue: Stood in the Kitchen, washing up after tea.

Nan: Sat in the lounge watching TV.

Charlotte: Feeding Ellis in the lounge.
Suraj: Playing with Lucas in front of the fire.
Sarah: Eating a pot noodle after coming in from working all afternoon at ‘Savers’.
Jamie: In his apartment, getting ready to celebrate the New Year with friends.

How we got here:
The Newarks
The go ahead for the move eventually went ahead on the 14th December. I travelled up to Balderton on the Tuesday to help Charlotte pack up the house ready for the move on Friday (17th). It meant long days packing, lifting and cleaning. It had been a long journey and the end looked in sight. Of course there were a few curve balls still to be thrown.

(a) The solicitors from Bovis had a few last minute queries.

(b) Papers had to be signed using Bovis Solicitors in Bedfrod, which meant a long journey.
(c) Santander wanted an extraordinary amount of information and identification before releasing funds for the deposit.
(d) A Removal Firm couldn’t be booked on such short notice until the following week. Eventually a large van/lorry was hired from Grantham (the only one left in the area).
(e) Friday was the coldest day and night on record for the last 20 years!
(f) I got a flat tyre as I was about to drive to Harborough with the first full carload of stuff.
Jamie had the day off work to help move and also move into his own apartment.

It was a very long day, but after 3 lorry journeys (which finished at 5.30am on Saturday) we had the Newarks converted to Rothwellians, though most of their chattels were resident in the garage. They slept that night in Harborough. Jamie was also moved in and he slept the first night in his own place.

We were all exhausted and I for one, slept well.

Christmas
Four days before Christmas Day, Sue got bronchitis and took to her bed with antibiotics. I drove up to Balderton to recover some lighting that was wanted and hand the keys over to the Estate agents. I said goodbye to the house, it looked really nice and there was going to be a viewing later in the day. I drove over to Thurcroft and picked Nan up for the journey to Harborough. We arrived during the early evening.

The Rothwells arrived the day after and took up occupancy in Jamie’s old room. Jamie arrived and took up occupancy in one of the small bedrooms.
I took ill and retired to my bed with prescribed antibiotics.
Christmas Eve
Sue and Nan stayed at home while the rest of us (with Harley) travelled to Kettering for our usual evening of tenpin bowling. Every year it is packed and you have to book well in advance to get a lane for the evening. There was only 3 lanes occupied when we arrived, and by 9.30pm we were the only people there. We left at 10.30pm. Was it a sign of the recession or the virus?

Christmas Day

As Sue and I were ill, Charlotte and Sarah made a lovely Christmas Dinner for the family. It had all the trimmings and despite being ill we all made a good dent in the festive fayre. It was the quietest day we have had as a family for a long time and both Sue and I appreciated that.
Boxing Day
We all went to the Panto (Hansel and Gretel) at the Corby Cube. It is a lovely theatre and the production was excellent, though there was one bit where a gang of menacing Vampire bats resembling Scottish bovver boys made an appearance and threatened everyone. It was much appreciated by the local audience, but how it fitted in with the story is a complete mystery to me. Yet again the theatre was only around half full.

Day after Boxing Day
We travelled (with Harley) to Peterborough for the greyhound racing. It was a lovely day (though not personally profitable) and remains one of our favourite things to do over Christmas. Though the Stadium was busy it was not as packed as it has been in the past. We though that perhaps people were at the sale, due to the fact that on the journey there the centre of Peterborough was grid locked with traffic and I had to weave my way around the out skirts to prevent being late for the first race.

Now

We still have the Rothwells with us, though Jamie moved back to his apartment a couple of days ago. Suraj has a week off work and is putting the house together, it looks very nice.
Jamie tidied up his flat today after Nan and I made a surprise visit.

We shall see the New Year in as  family and then go to bed.

Goodbye 2010.