[KD17]

It's my last day at work today here on the Isle of Man, and although totally thrilled & delighted to be leaving the company I'm at, it marks our first real step to NZ :exit

We are leaving the island next weekend (25 June) to spend a few months in Swindon to sort out Keith's flat & catch up with friends/relatives in the UK. We also need to do a little work inbetween this too... and then coming home to NZ end October, in time for summer.

This is also my last day of broadband :(

The hardest part for me personally will be leaving my daughter on the island. Although the UK is not too far from the Isle of Man, NZ is even further. She does plan on coming out in January to validate her passport and then decide if she wants to stay, or whatever, so it isn't that bad when it's put in perspective, so I'm trying to "keep real".

It's strange how things work, just a few weeks ago I heard from an old school friend via Friends Reunited, who I'd not seen sight nor sound of since leaving school 30 years ago (how long :wah ) and she is living, literally 10 minutes walk away from where we will be in Swindon. What a small world eh?

So it's busy, busy for us next week, cleaning up house, packing up etc., and all in all we're looking forward to this first small step for us in our new life.


Keith & Debby

[Helsandfamily]

Keith and Debby,

good luck with your move, both to Swindon and NZ

hels

[StevieD]

Good luck Keith and Debby - maybe you will have that chance to nip up to a north west meet like you said you would before you jet off to the land of the long white cloud.

Good luck for the coming months

Steve and Jan

[KD17]

maybe you will have that chance to nip up to a north west meet like you said you would before you jet off to the land of the long white cloud

Absolutely, we will be going to a meet in Cardiff first week in July too. Keith's parents are in Staffordshire so could fit that a meet in to see them too.

It's wonderful to be able to be excited about it, I give myself a :raebanana to celebrate. :laugh



Keith & Debby

[Kim39]

Good luck for the next few months of your life in the UK, hope it all goes according to plan and you don't have any hiccups leading to your new life out here.


Kim

[wanderingoregonian]

It was my last day too... only I wish I was doing it your way (minus the heartbreak of leaving your daughter) since we are packing and wrapping work up all at the same time. I'm so exhausted tonight that I'm hiding out at a friends place:) but will be back packing all of tomorrow just like every day after work today.

On the other hand, I pasted by the sign on the Mass Pike for the last time today that said 'milford marlborough next exit' ... the one that always makes me think of NZ:)

[Smiler]

Good luck Keith and Debby. The next few months will fly by. :nice1

Big hugs though, I know how you feel about your daughter. :wah

[gil]

All the best to all of your family for the next few months, and looking forward to meeting you in July.

Gil
x

[willsken]

All the best in the move to Swindon and I'm sure we will all get to wish you good luck with the BIG move in a few months! :nice1

[Babette & Andy]

Hi Keith & Debby

Wow, your time is finally getting nearer!! So pleased for you. Do you remember that lunch we had together with Diny at our favourite Salt Cellar pub in Middlewhich? Feels like a lifetime ago. Well deserved that things are starting to work the right direction for you. Strange to leave the island and start your endless hello's with old friends and family, followed by many goodbyes - difficult time, but try to enjoy them none the less. Looking forward to welcoming you here later on in the year - how clever you are to come in summer!!

Thinking of you.

Babette

[KD17]

Thank you all for your words of support.

Babette: yes I remember meeting you & Diny and appreciate the effort you both made to meet us. It does seem like absolutely ages, in fact it has been... but we're finally making steps now, and look, you're both there already :yes

The house looks like a bomb site with all the packing & throwing out rubbish, plus leaving my friends belongings behind and taking care not to pack or throw them out too :p (we've been renting his house for a year or so while he's in Botswana)

It will be strange with the Hi/Bye scenarios in the UK, very mixed emotions there. I'm going to be meeting some of Keith's friends for the first & possibly last time.

We're now starting to think flights/shippers etc., as we will be flying out mid/end October and taking lots of advice from the forum on this.

We're looking forward to meeting up with fellow forumites in Wales in a few weeks time and seeing others in NZ in a few months.


Keith & Debby

PS - it's great not being at work :yes

[zardell]

I do hope you can make the North West Meet.

We'll have to orgainise a suitable date for you.....over to you StevieD.

Julie

xx