Final night

July 6/11.

One more sleep, (ya, like I'm gonna sleep), before the Hidey Hole is history and Mum's house is in the past. Ai yi yi.

Pulled up in the driveway of Mum's place today to find Carrie on the front porch with Tien, (the "co-gardener"), who's been "co-cutting" Mum's grass for years, working on her lawn for the final time. - These faces!

Carrie & Tien were crying together, talking about loss of parents. (She shares this pain with us). We'd been trying to get a shot of Tien's husband, John, but he is very shy and wouldn't let us take a pic. But suddenly, I heard a voice, from across the street, looked up, and saw John, waving me over! Rushed to him and and got a fabulous final farewell shot as he worked on a neighbour's lawn.

John! Thanks for everything, - (and especially for this photo)!

Carrie & I wanted to give Tien and John something special from Mum's house, but almost everything was gone. When we suddenly unearthed four beautiful little white casserole dishes we didn't know existed, we tried to track them down, but they'd disappeared. Later, we found Tien & John again while they were using a very loud leaf blower down the street. We pulled our cars over and handed them these dishes - a small memento from Mum's place. They seemed happy, and sad. Tien was in tears and hugged us.

Next on the agenda was to pack up the cars and take all kinds of stuff over to Carrie's garage. (There is now officially NO room for a car! Only things from Mum's place)!

Paul's canoe is still in there, on the ceiling! - (I have discovered this week that there are many uses for floors, walls and ceilings)!

Mum's beautiful showpiece mirror (bought for her many years ago by Auntie Ray), is coming to live at MY house now. Carrie got a great goodbye shot, reflecting herself. - Adios!

(As soon as we got it into my car and went back inside the house, we missed this mirror).

I lost it several times today. So hard to see the absolutely empty rooms and bare floors, knowing we have to be OUT on Thursday. Sob.

But minutes later, we were laughing again with our amazing expert lawyer, Doug Crozier, who made this whole experience as easy as he possibly could for us.

About to drop Mum's housekey into Doug's hand. (guess we're really doing this, eh?) Or maybe it's all a dream - (nightmare?)

There is SOME kind of dream-like feel to all this. Through the entire journey, Carrie & I discovered notes from Mum. Afterall, she was a writer her whole life. Journals, messages, notes were always EVERYWHERE. Sometimes, they just FLEW out at us, unexpectedly, while we worked.

One of the first ones we discovered warned us:

(Yes Mum. We're trying).

When the piano movers came, they lifted the instrument and a little sticky note with two song names emerged.

Had to laugh (and cry). Yep. Someone to Watch Over You? (Carrie & I are here!) - and, It Had to Be YOU!?! (yes, Mum. It's us).

And finally, the last note. Carrie left only this one on Mum's kitchen bulletin board for Dang, (the next owner) - and for anyone else who sees it!)

Gotcha Mum. Sigh. (note from Lain - Soap writers rule!)