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In preparation to leave the country for a year, we had to reduce our belongings. Even though we had somewhere to store our stuff we are not quite sure if we are coming back in one year, so we only wanted to keep as little as possible in case we had to get it shipped elsewhere. Who knows we might be broke when we stop traveling. Why else stop traveling ?
The last sunday in May Kevin, Rebecca, Victoria and Lucas went to the car-boot sale in Castlebar. The van we were supposed to borrow we were not insured to drive and we decided the best thing to do was to fill up our mini bus and just bring the big kidz down to help. I would stay back and look after the younger kidz etc. Not long after they left I got bored and started packing down the kids toys. They each got one box and could keep what they wanted. What they didn't want to keep either give to charity or if not worth it throw it out. The kidz were actually excited about sorting out their room. By the time Kevin returned from the car booty we were done. Most of the clothes were washed and ready to be sorted as well.
The plan is for us to keep; one box for each of the children, Olivia's doll-house, Olivia's pram, one box for the kitchen stuff, one box of important memorabilia and stuff, one mix box, whatever clothes that are too good to give away, two sofas, dinning table, coffee table, tripple bunk bed and mattresses, double bunk bed, double mattress, telephone bench, junior bed and a cot. On top of that 6 medium sized plastic boxes with our travel and school books and pictures.
In order to raise some money for our charity, we wanted to sell all we didn't keep. We did car-boot sale, yard sale and adds on the internet. I also did a sponsored 10 K run and a friend of ours joined me.
SATURDAY 25-06-11
Busy packing, wrapping and washing. The dryer gave up last week. It has served us well but still a shame it had to give up life at this last hurtle. Anyway as all the clothes we are bringing are packed and all the clothes we are keeping are already in storage the rest of the clothes go to charity. The clothes we have been wearing for the last three weeks are being washed and as they dry they go in charity box. Maura from the local mother toddler group was nice and picked up a box with the best of the toys. She will distribute it among the mothers and keep some for the group. Cassie is really up for helping. Most of the kidz try to avoid to much work and are very good at keeping out of sight. Kevin went to pick up the hired van and started to bring some more of the little stuff into storage. As we hadn't sold the bikes we decided to keep them but putting them in to another unlocked stable.
SUNDAY 26-06-11
Finally came the day to leave the house. All there were left for me to do was to pack down the kitchen and clean. Kevin had to wrap up the last of the furniture and move them in to storage. Lucas and Victoria was to clear out the second floor. Pick up every thing from all the rooms , bin it or give it to charity. Lucas to clean the floors. Rebecca cleaned the bathrooms. Aidan came at 10 and since then there were not a quiet moment. Kevin and him brought all the big furniture and the rest of the stuff into storage. 3 loads-full. Where did it all come from ? I am amazed. I thought we had been really good and sorting out. All the stuff gone to charity, sold and bined and we still have this much ?? What happened to my great "keep plan" ? It was chaos. Izzi wanted to run away. She either went up the stairs or outside. I was trying to pack down the kitchen and clean but spend more time running after her. Rebecca came back and was in a foul mood. Tried to get her to sort out her room as she hadn't done so despite being asked to do it for the last three weeks. Luckily help was on it's way. Maura had offered to came to help clean. She came straight in, rolled her sleeves up and asked "what do you want me to do" ? She took all the food with her, took the glass to the glass bank, cleaned the floor and was incredibly efficient. Cassie, Olivia and Noah were fighting over washing the floor downstairs and cleaning the windows. In the end they all did a good job. At three o'clock we went up to the McWilliam Park Hotel. Even though we had been there before we had never stayed there. The rooms were so nice. We had two rooms. Kevin had brought the luggage up earlier in the van and that had been delivered to one of the rooms. As we didn't know to which room we weren't sure which room were which. Rebecca, Lucas and Victoria would be in the one without the luggage. First room we came to turned out to be the big kidz room. The second room was ours. Opening the door and Rebecca is standing in there waving at us. Turned out the rooms were adjoined. Didn't expect that. Great. Oh the rooms are nice. Big and comfy. This is the best hotel we had stayed in so far. Love the bed. Kevin had to go back to house doing a last check and sorting things out with the letting agent. Gemma and Simon came to say good bye and the guys from the radio station and Janet also came. We had a great time. Rebecca had left us by the time the guys came so when the kids got tired Lucas offered to stay with them in the room. Good lad. I went down with them and got them of to bed and left a phone with Lucas just in case. When re-joining the party Izzi was asleep and Noah was tired and feel asleep on my lap. Child free, Yeah! Didn't stay long though and on returning to the room found all the kids asleep except Lucas.
MONDAY 27-06-11
What a wonderful bed. Had the best night sleep for a loooong time. Might just stay here for the year. They had included breakfast so we went down to a wonderful breakfast. Lucas just loves these buffets. It is great for the kids though. While Kevin went out to sell the mini bus we made cards for Maura and Aidan. I did a bit of repacking and Rebecca left us again. Went to town for a last minute banking, shopping and Papa John's pizza. Met Maura and Cormac and they joined us for pizza, that was really nice. We had hired the kid'z schoolbus to drive us to Dublin, so we had to get back to the hotel and sort things out. Gathering all the luggage, getting a picture taken with Leslie, Tara and David from the hotel. The kidz got caps and they were really nice. The hotel in Dublin is big. It looked so posh we weren't quite sure they would let us in. Waiting for ages to check in and got two rooms on the same floor. They are quite close so no problems. Too late now to reduce any of the luggage. Showered the kidz, prepared the clothes for the morning, got the kidz to bed and blogging.
THURSDAY 30-06-11
Ahh finally here. First morning waking up here and it's starts like any other morning. Kidz fighting over the breakfast stuff. It's the girls that woke up first. Not even gone 6. They are fighting over the bowls and what spoons to have. It's so warm. Really nice. Just trying to sort things out, making a home.
After a little nap with Izzi we went to explore the village. Not quite sure what way to go. We live on a little lane of a bigger road. Turns out the village is all along that road. Kidz are running around and riding their bikes. Small kidz riding big bikes with their younger siblings on the handlebars. Not much safety here. We quickly realize that push chairs are not the best mode of transportation here. It's just a dust road. We don't get far but find a bar. It's closed on thursdays. Great. Turn around and finds another one. Tina's kitchen it is called and Kevin can finally get his first beer. Later we go down the beach. The sea is quite rough but the kidz love it. Even Izzy loves it. Kevin takes a kid at the time out to the deeper water, while the rest is just paddling around. They love jumping over the waves.
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