Our New House

Helgard and I moved into our new house in Constantia Park on the 1st of October 2008. Hopefully we will never forget the feeling of happiness when we moved in.

In September Helgard seriously started “shopping” for a house. As we all know with the high interest rates it is a buyers market. Everyone says in a buyers market one can choose, but our specifications were very clear. We wanted something that is not a fix-upper in an older neighborhood. The unwritten rule when buying a house is that one has to look at least at 20 houses, before one can make a decision. The third house that we saw was the house that talked to Helgard and me immediately. I can still remember as we got into the car Helgard said to me, “where can I sign”. A week and a half later an offer was made and the Pilchards family accepted it. Everything happened were fast, the offer was made and accepted the beginning of September and the 1st of October we moved in.

Moving, is only six letters, but this six-letter word includes a lot of work and arguments between Helgard and myself (my point of view, moving is the real test for marriage)

Helgard and I aren’t really “movers”, I think this was the first time that I moved. The weekend before moving friends and family asked if we have finished packing my answer was “we are living organized lives, most of our good are already in boxes, because that is how we keep our place tidy.

Between making curtains, moving plants and packing I didn’t know what hit me. People say mark your boxes when moving, I thought to myself, how difficult is it to remember your boxes, after the 5th box I started marking my boxes. Because we are not educated movers everything in the kitchen that includes cleaning stuff, food, cutlery, pots vases were mark kitchen. When the movers carried the boxes into the house, the kitchen was so full, I couldn’t move.

The moving company was also early on the 31st of September; they rang the bell before 12 instead of after 2 o’clock. They were only 2hours early - that meant that the garage, fridge and my bedroom weren’t packed. I still don’t know how we could pack the garage, fridge and…… in 2 hours, just nice to blame other people for my unorganized moving skills. Helgard really worked hard when we moved, because I was still busy with clients VAT payments.

At the new house it was a mess. I can still remember that I was very tired but so excited. When the moving company left and Helgard and I had a beer at the swimming pool, at that stage I could close my eyes and fall sleep.

Marquete the estate agent brought us sandwiches and a bottle of wine, a lovely gesture. Our friends Therese and Jacques brought dinner; was the best lasagna and salad that I ever had. Therese’s mum even bake us a cake, thanks again! Gert and Deléne also shared our happiness by visiting and eating with us.

I’m still making curtains and the 2 new bedrooms still don’t have any furniture. The washing machine broke during the move but I’m happy and all smiling because I’m privileged to live in a lovely house.

I told Helgard that he can pack his Freelander if he wants to move, but I’m staying.

No photos of the house you have to come visit and see for yourselves.