Mr. and Mrs. H move on....to Vietnam

Trying to make sense of the last few days feels impossible. This afternoon we closed the doors on the first of three containers. We started a few days ago with a clear direction in mind. It was meant to be simple. 

Most of our belongings were going to Vietnam to our new home. The extras, which includes most of our artwork were to be sent to Australia where they would wait for our eventual return. The container bound for Australia would be packed and sent on it's way this week and the other two containers would be packed and sent off next week. I did what every organised woman would do....I printed off my tags and started playing pin the tail on the object to get ready for the packers. Done.. organised...simple.

But then...

a little question came up from our moving agent, the one I was dreading.

 'Mrs. H...what is in those crates sitting in your garage?' 

Said I... 'Crates? Oh those crates? 

Just a few of Mr. H's treasures..knick knacks... from his travels.

 No need to open them, is there?' 

The answer was 'Yes'.

So..the inevitable happened. That afternoon, two men arrived, tools in hand 

to crack open Mr. H's treasure chests. I held my breath.

They were intrigued.

I knew what was coming....

I had to laugh...they were so surprised they could not contain themselves.

I was not surprised...I did the same about 10 years ago and I had a lot more to say back then.

If you just said....'what the?'

I will tell you... it is an oracle chair ( I think).  Back in the day, Mr. H travelled frequently to Papua New Guinea and fell in love with artifacts from the country. He was told that the chair was meant to be placed in front of a meeting hut to scare away the evil spirits so that those attending the meeting could make good decisions. He was instantly smitten.

We were living in Australia at the time. It was an ordeal getting the chair into the country. A lot of fumigation was involved...but eventually it received a clean bill of health and was good to go.  When it arrived at our doorstep, the kids and I took one look and said it was not the chair or us. We then gently suggested it would best suit his office in Sydney...and it did and then it went to his office in Auckland, New Zealand.  Talk about a conversation piece... it made for very productive meetings. :)

When we arrived in England, it was decided to let it rest in our garage and that is where it have been for the past two and a half years...until now. The first complication arose last week when it was determined that it would be difficult re-entering it into Australia for lots of different reasons. With his thinking cap on, Mr. H decided it would be best to send the container to the USA..where it would wait for our return.  Return? 

Bound for Boston...

I will hold that thought and tell you more about our return as plans develop. I will really confuse you if I tell you about Maine..and New Hampshire...and Vermont. A woman can only handle so much and I am still working on the pack up for Vietnam next week.

So here I sit...writing and thinking..that my treasures are a lot easier on the eye. Ok.. I admit it, I have my quirky side too...but what is life if we can't express ourselves? I learned that one from Mr. H. :)

My treasures...

ready to be packed...

I am going to miss England but I am happy to know

that I will be surrounding myself with a few favourites.

Albeit, they are not your ordinary mementos...

but they will be loved.

Collection of vintage luggage....

my beloved Pashley...

A few trinkets from my favourite shop 

around the corner...

items ready to be packed

While the treasures are being sorted, our children are getting ready to take flight. 

Miss Christine is moving back to New Zealand tomorrow 

and Miss Claire is getting close to starting college in the USA.

Miss Claire over the Aegean Sea.

Life is full. 

:)

PS..for those of you celebrating the 4th of July...
May you have the Happiest of Happiest!

Pics from my childhood hometown parade taken

on my last visit.