So, we now know how DFS Settees are made. The hacksaw was to cut off one of the bolts that holds one section to another, on which the thread had stripped. Don't worry, there are plenty more bolts holding it together. Once we had removed the fabric base cover we could see how it all held together and so were able to dismantle it enough to get it through the door and then rebuild it. I do need to get some more webbing for the base - but at least it's in, and it looks fine, and the next time it is moved will be in pieces onto a bonfire! Trust me!
So, we returned back to the Villa to reload the van,this time with the dining table, sideboard etc. That has all gone up to the house this morning and Lucy & I have packed another load of boxes for the next trip later today.
All that will be left for tomorrow are the 2 single beds (that we need for tonight), the small settee (gotta have something to sit on) and the stuff from the bathrooms - oh, and of course - the golf clubs!
Tonight we are off to a Halloween fancy dress party at Pepa's, so a chance to have a few drinks, a good laugh with our friends and a good meal. A good way to spend our last night in Terreros.
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Friday, 30 October 2009
Have you ever fancied a large couch in your entrance hall?
Today was moving day. We had concerns about 2 items, the American Fridge/Freezer - could we move it, and the large, no, huge 3 seater leather settee, would it fit in the house?
We were up early, excited to be able to finally go and fetch the van and start loading it up. On the way, Neil got an attack of the giggles - just thinking about this settee sitting on the outside patio because we wouldn't be able to get it into the house.
On the way back, Neil drove the van and following on behind - I got an attack of the giggles. Never mind 'would it fit in the house' - I wasn't even sure it would fit on the van!
We were grateful to see the faces of our friends arrive soon after we returned home with the van and the first item to be loaded was the settee.
And it went in! Stage 1 complete.
Next the big fridge/freezer was emptied and moved and success, it too went in - good omens so far.
We packed more furniture in until the van was full and closed the door. Over the weekend we expect to make about 4 trips, but today was all the big heavy stuff, the stuff we needed help with, the stuff we were grateful for the help from our friends.
An hour later we were up at the house and all the stuff was off the van except those 2 items.
First we unloaded the fridge - it came off easier than expected and we wheeled it in through the front door. Once in the entrance hall we spun it through 90 degrees to wheel it through the lounge door and onto the kitchen. It didn't go through. 'Back it up', they cried and we all pulled it back into the hallway and looked. The handles were stopping it from going through. 'Try it with the doors opened,' so once more we all pushed and pulled and it just fit through, onwards to the kitchen which has double doors and it gently slipped into the space by the window which had been left purposefully for it.
One down, one to go.
Finally, the settee was loaded off the van. The puzzling started - how to get it through the main door - it was too high and too wide. A bit of tilting,twisting, bit more lowering and pushing and it went through - just. We turned it through 90 degrees ready for the lounge door and that's where it stuck.
'Take the feet off' came the cry and I duly obliged.
Still stuck.
'Take the door off' was the next suggestion and very soon the door was off it's hinges and against my newly painted wall.
Still stuck.
We all put the settee down while we thought about options. The cushions don't remove, the arms don't remove. We have no patio doors and all the windows have reja bars concreted into the walls. We only have one door in and the entrance hall is not large enough for us to leave the settee there.
They day was becoming a problem.
The next cry made me shudder -'pass me the large hacksaw'
We were up early, excited to be able to finally go and fetch the van and start loading it up. On the way, Neil got an attack of the giggles - just thinking about this settee sitting on the outside patio because we wouldn't be able to get it into the house.
On the way back, Neil drove the van and following on behind - I got an attack of the giggles. Never mind 'would it fit in the house' - I wasn't even sure it would fit on the van!
We were grateful to see the faces of our friends arrive soon after we returned home with the van and the first item to be loaded was the settee.
And it went in! Stage 1 complete.
Next the big fridge/freezer was emptied and moved and success, it too went in - good omens so far.
We packed more furniture in until the van was full and closed the door. Over the weekend we expect to make about 4 trips, but today was all the big heavy stuff, the stuff we needed help with, the stuff we were grateful for the help from our friends.
An hour later we were up at the house and all the stuff was off the van except those 2 items.
First we unloaded the fridge - it came off easier than expected and we wheeled it in through the front door. Once in the entrance hall we spun it through 90 degrees to wheel it through the lounge door and onto the kitchen. It didn't go through. 'Back it up', they cried and we all pulled it back into the hallway and looked. The handles were stopping it from going through. 'Try it with the doors opened,' so once more we all pushed and pulled and it just fit through, onwards to the kitchen which has double doors and it gently slipped into the space by the window which had been left purposefully for it.
One down, one to go.
Finally, the settee was loaded off the van. The puzzling started - how to get it through the main door - it was too high and too wide. A bit of tilting,twisting, bit more lowering and pushing and it went through - just. We turned it through 90 degrees ready for the lounge door and that's where it stuck.
'Take the feet off' came the cry and I duly obliged.
Still stuck.
'Take the door off' was the next suggestion and very soon the door was off it's hinges and against my newly painted wall.
Still stuck.
We all put the settee down while we thought about options. The cushions don't remove, the arms don't remove. We have no patio doors and all the windows have reja bars concreted into the walls. We only have one door in and the entrance hall is not large enough for us to leave the settee there.
They day was becoming a problem.
The next cry made me shudder -'pass me the large hacksaw'
Day of the Dead!
No, it's not a new horror movie, it's actually a very important festival in Spain which takes place this weekend.
The festival has it's origins in Mexico, but the Spanish Conquistadors changed it to coincide with All Saints Day to try and incorporate it into the Religious calendar.
Los días de los muertos is a day when the departed loved ones of the family are remembered and rejoiced. In Spain it is a time for big family gatherings, for family visits to to the graves of relatives and for family members to dedicate a few moments of rememberance.
Here, in Spain, it is a National Holiday.
The festival has it's origins in Mexico, but the Spanish Conquistadors changed it to coincide with All Saints Day to try and incorporate it into the Religious calendar.
Los días de los muertos is a day when the departed loved ones of the family are remembered and rejoiced. In Spain it is a time for big family gatherings, for family visits to to the graves of relatives and for family members to dedicate a few moments of rememberance.
Here, in Spain, it is a National Holiday.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
We move in tomorrow!
We've done as much as we can and we move the furniture over tomorrow.
We have no hot water until the boiler arrives next week and Neil has installed it, we have a kitchen sink but no base units, so it's propped up on 2 bits of wood,
On the plus side, we have wardrobes now - from IKEA,
We have no hot water until the boiler arrives next week and Neil has installed it, we have a kitchen sink but no base units, so it's propped up on 2 bits of wood,
but it works!
On the plus side, we have wardrobes now - from IKEA,
(they look brown but they are actually black/brown to match the drawers and bed we already have).
The bedroom and lounge are decorated, we have curtain poles for all the rooms but no curtains - good job we don't have any neighbours! And, there is a serious concern that the big 3-seater, leather settee won't fit through the door! Could be the most expensive piece of patio furniture ever!
Tomorrow is going to be a long, long day!
Introducing Bryan!
Bryan is my run-around pet-taxi. We got him yesterday and he is for when Neil is at golf all day and I want to run the pups somewhere, or just nip down into town for a bit of shopping or a coffee and a chat. We needed a little 'jalopy' and we called him Bryan to fit in with Brinkley and Brandy's names, beginning with BR.....
We found him on one of the local forums and it's taken a while to get all the relevant paperwork together. After the problems registering on the padron at our new place, I just renewed our padron locally. It appears that if you are already registered on the padron, renewal is not a problem BUT if you are registering for the first time, you now need your residencia certificate. We are due to apply for ours once we have moved into the new house, but fortunately didn't have a problem in getting a renewed certificate.
I then needed to get certified copies of my passport, NIE certificate and padron in order to get the paperwork transferred over at traffico, and also a copy of the car documents. Now, it would make more sense for the seller to get the certified copies of the car documents to hand over at the time of exchange and then it would be all sorted, but no, it's the buyers responsibility - so having been to the Notary once for the first load of papers, we now have to go again to get the car docs done and then drop those into the office, in order to have all the paperwork sent to traffico in Almeria and for the car to be officially transferred into our name. In the meantime we have a copy of the all the relevant documents, including the receipted invoice from the seller showing that we have paid for the car, incase we are stopped by the 'policia'.
So, we have had a bit of running around but we finally brought Bryan home last night!
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Rallying the troops!
Someone had mentioned to us in conversation recently that a local car sales place also did van hire, so I rang them. Yes they did, did we want a little van or a big van? Big please, we're moving house.
So it's booked, a large van from Friday morning until Monday morning - at least we have a van.
Now, we need some muscle - time to phone all those friends who told us, when we said we were moving, 'anything you need help with, just let us know!'
So we did.' Are you free on Friday? Can you help us move some stuff?'
We're going to need a lot of muscle to move the American Fridge/Freezer and the large settee, other stuff is fairly manageable. Now the main problem in retiring to Spain is that the majority of other people here are also retirees, albeit early retirees. Many have creaking joints like us - our circle of friends does not run to an army of Schwartzeneger-type men,(more's the pity), so we need to be careful not to overload them.
But, we have willing volunteers and hope to move the large furniture on Friday so that Neil and I can do the rest over the weekend.
So, crisis number 2 averted - surely nothing else can go wrong?
And we just found out that, as Monday is a holiday here, we get to keep the van until Tuesday morning at no extra cost - so, we have an extra day to move.
So it's booked, a large van from Friday morning until Monday morning - at least we have a van.
Now, we need some muscle - time to phone all those friends who told us, when we said we were moving, 'anything you need help with, just let us know!'
So we did.' Are you free on Friday? Can you help us move some stuff?'
We're going to need a lot of muscle to move the American Fridge/Freezer and the large settee, other stuff is fairly manageable. Now the main problem in retiring to Spain is that the majority of other people here are also retirees, albeit early retirees. Many have creaking joints like us - our circle of friends does not run to an army of Schwartzeneger-type men,(more's the pity), so we need to be careful not to overload them.
But, we have willing volunteers and hope to move the large furniture on Friday so that Neil and I can do the rest over the weekend.
So, crisis number 2 averted - surely nothing else can go wrong?
And we just found out that, as Monday is a holiday here, we get to keep the van until Tuesday morning at no extra cost - so, we have an extra day to move.
One of those days!
I woke early this morning and decided to check my e-mail inbox before starting another hectic day. There was an e-mail from the UK, just a simple sentence that was to send us into total chaos.
It read 'Have you arranged a different collection date?'
This was from our Plumbers merchant in Sheffield who we are getting our shower doors and central heating system, boiler, radiators etc from - which should have been collected last Wednesday by a removals company. It had already been delayed from the week before when they had cancelled driving to the UK through Northern Spain because of the flooding caused by the torrential rains.
We have been trying to contact the removals people for the last few days to see when they would be arriving with it, but with no success. But at least we believed the heating system was on its way - so this e-mail was a major shock.
As soon as we could ring the UK, we did and confirmed our worst fears - they had not been to collect the stuff. Now, without this we will have not only no heating, although we do still have the electric oiled filled heaters we used last winter, so although expensive to run, we will not freeze - what we won't have is hot running water. In summer that would not be a problem, but the thought of cold showers now - is not appealing!
So, we needed a quick solution. Neil had previously talked with a company that does domesic sewage systems about shipping one to us in Spain and they had mentioned a company they used - Palletways - so it was worth a shot. I rang them as soon as they opened and sure enough, they could pick up in Sheffield and deliver to us here in Spain, to the door - no matter how remote. All it needed was for the whole lot to be loaded on a standard pallet, no more than 2m high. We rang the Plumbers merchant, and they said that it could be done - and so we set the wheels in motion. By 1pm this afternoon we received a very welcome phone call. They had just arrived to pick up our stuff and it would be on it's way to the Palletways hub in Birmingham. From there it gets sent to the hub in Madrid and from there delivered, by prior appointment, to us - possibly as early as Friday.
If only we'd known about this company 3 weeks ago, life would have been a lot less stressful.
We still don't know what has happened to our removal guys, who previously have been so reliable - but this also meant we couldn't rely on them turning up to move our furniture on Monday.
And so started the second panic of the day - can we move ourselves this weekend?
It read 'Have you arranged a different collection date?'
This was from our Plumbers merchant in Sheffield who we are getting our shower doors and central heating system, boiler, radiators etc from - which should have been collected last Wednesday by a removals company. It had already been delayed from the week before when they had cancelled driving to the UK through Northern Spain because of the flooding caused by the torrential rains.
We have been trying to contact the removals people for the last few days to see when they would be arriving with it, but with no success. But at least we believed the heating system was on its way - so this e-mail was a major shock.
As soon as we could ring the UK, we did and confirmed our worst fears - they had not been to collect the stuff. Now, without this we will have not only no heating, although we do still have the electric oiled filled heaters we used last winter, so although expensive to run, we will not freeze - what we won't have is hot running water. In summer that would not be a problem, but the thought of cold showers now - is not appealing!
So, we needed a quick solution. Neil had previously talked with a company that does domesic sewage systems about shipping one to us in Spain and they had mentioned a company they used - Palletways - so it was worth a shot. I rang them as soon as they opened and sure enough, they could pick up in Sheffield and deliver to us here in Spain, to the door - no matter how remote. All it needed was for the whole lot to be loaded on a standard pallet, no more than 2m high. We rang the Plumbers merchant, and they said that it could be done - and so we set the wheels in motion. By 1pm this afternoon we received a very welcome phone call. They had just arrived to pick up our stuff and it would be on it's way to the Palletways hub in Birmingham. From there it gets sent to the hub in Madrid and from there delivered, by prior appointment, to us - possibly as early as Friday.
If only we'd known about this company 3 weeks ago, life would have been a lot less stressful.
We still don't know what has happened to our removal guys, who previously have been so reliable - but this also meant we couldn't rely on them turning up to move our furniture on Monday.
And so started the second panic of the day - can we move ourselves this weekend?
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