Monday 7th August 2023

 It's the day after our last load to the storage garage in Melbourne, and I finally feel like an insurmountable burden has been lifted from our shoulders. 

Packing up house into a smaller storage space is daunting and requires a harsh, although some might say realistic, view of every item you are about to pack. Many items were donated to others, many items were thrown into the trash and many lesson were learnt in the process. One of the lessons was that because one person treasures something does not mean it is a treasure and another one was that society is doing far better than many would have you believe when you can't give away perfectly good furniture, whitegoods, entertainment systems (including TVs because "it's too thick (35mm)") and many, many other items because people want new stuff, regardless of whether they can afford it or not.

I was often disappointed and occasionally angry at the current wave of people that I encountered that are "struggling" and yet will buy a new 65" OLED TV on credit rather than take a perfect 55" plasma for free. 

Marino trying to give away "stuff" 

But, we managed to neatly pack everything we really wanted from here ...

....

... into here

Yesterday we handed over the little VW Golf we had had in the family for the past  12 years

 

to a lovely man, and mainly for his daughter, from Iraq. We hope that although "Consuela" (the name Georgia gave the VW Golf) is 23 years old she will be enjoyed as much as we did and that despite her age she gets them to lots of lovely place without any drama.

The next three days will be spent tidying up all the little things that get left until last including catching up with the last few people to hug and wish goodbye to.

We're well and truly ready for this Friday night.