Thanks Anniebee. Yes you can literally just get up have coffee and walk away from your house with that service. It was a west country one I used last time Britannia.

It's worth whatever it costs for me. Helps make the whole experience a pleasure. And, pro cleaners going in BEFORE I arrive - even tho it's never been lived in at all - so no worries this time about whether the cupboards are clean inside before unpacking etc.

And to be honest it is SO fully fitted and kitted I need hardly ANYTHING. Even new kettle and toaster provided.

I will have to ask if there is iron, laundry stuff and all that. Ain't taking ANYTHING I don't need! I would like to go over again soon and measure to see which of my bookcases to take - I do need a bookcase - not just for books.

I mean I've got THREE TVs here - and there's a new flat screen provided in there and dvd player too. I will take one of mine over for the bedroom and one of my FOUR DVD players lol!

With regards stuff I want to keep but don't NEED I am going to restrict myself to it fitting in ONE floor to ceiling double wardrobe. I can do that by start putting it in one here from now. Still leaves one huge double wardrobe free in spare room for visitors.

If it won't go in the wardrobe or doesn't look right or fit in the flat - it ain't coming with me (altho' I am waiting on confirmation about outside under cover storage cupboard too.

Some things obviously I want to keep for personal reasons. But not many these days. I think one thing about being far from family and friends that you learn is that THINGS are not all that important at all. PEOPLE are.

I keep very few cards and mementoes etc. I am the opposite of a hoarder. If I don't use it for a year I sell or chuck it out. If I then find I need it - I buy another!

I was the one responsible for 'clearing' my dad's place after he died. I've never been so depressed in my life. I could not BELIEVE what he'd kept. I stayed up all night and didn't sleep at all - sorting it out and walking back and fro to the big bins outside. I got quite upset at some stuff he'd kept. I vowed none of my kids would ever have that job when I go.
I only keep bills for a max of 6 months and then only if I don't pay them online.

Back seat of my car is already laden down with stuff for charity shop - all random shoes, clothes etc. Waiting to find one I can stop outside for a mo here in town centre.

Am always telling my kids - if you want any of my stuff - take it now - don't moan that I got rid of it after I die!

One of them remonstrated when I had a bonfire of hundreds of excess photos. I stopped and said - here you take them home with you - did he heck. He helped me burn them!

For instance - 20yrs of holidays in cornwall at same place with photos of every holiday lol! I always think kids like to have photos of themselves as babies once they are 'grown up' and of their ancestors. Not necessarily when they are teens but when older. They get interested instead of embarrassed by them!

If they told me it would cost €1K here for that service even without beds or large white goods etc. I'd still go for it. Because I can remember how I felt when I was in agony with my back / knees /kneck waddever after doing too much last time. I'd have happily given anyone that much money to make the pain go away!

In fact I ended up paying my osteo about half that much for regular appointments until I was feeling 'slightly better'.

Wouldn't it be wise to take you lovely 'day bed' though, it will stop you worrying about all your new furniture get 'worn out' and Bella could then have her very own bed . I will look good in the new flat and always useful for putting someone up ...... I'll be booking my flight imminently

Good luck with the move Pat - although it sounds great so you won't need luck!

It's all looking so fab, and so ideal for you and your lifestyle Pat, I really envy you with this move.

When you said about having to clear out your dad's place, it reminded me of when I had to clear mum's flat out, done in 12 hours, 25 years of hoarding stuff, and just like you, it was that, that has made me into the chucker outterer that I am now! If I aint used it for a year, it's outted. When we moved, I chucked all those photo albums, even our marriage albums, just kept a couple of pics! That was because the old couple that I once had a job with in the village, who were in their 80's, had 2 wardrobes full of photo albums, and of course, when they died, they just went to the tip. Nobody ever looks at these old albums surely, not that amount anyway, so I just have what's on the puter, and a small folder is little "special" pics (no, not those types of pics lol!).

The fully furnished thing used to go on in Spain a lot, I remember mum either selling or buying with all the furniture, and when we sold her last apartment in Mallorca it was agreed that it was sold furnished......until I arrived and got the phone call at 10 pm at night from the lawyers that she had insisted it was empty, which gave me just the next day before the handover to get it emptied Thankfully, I had taken with me a couple of phone numbers of antique dealers, so I rang one of them, he came round to view and I told him if he wanted the bits that he wanted, then the only way he was going to get them, was if he took the entire contents! LOL! Good job he was such a nice chap and owned a big place in the country with a barn, so was able to accept my offer, otherwise I just don't know what we'd have done.

To have a completely new place, with everything new, is icing on the cake isn't it, let alone everything else that goes with this new pad of yours. I'm liking the idea of a complex too, especially as you're on your own, it's a much better idea, but the only drawback with that of course, is the maintenance charges but I'm sure you've got that all sussed out and it's not a lot more is it.

I don't think you've ever mentioned what first attracted you to Cyprus? Was it the country itself, friends, family, or just a good idea at the time? I know property in Turkey was dirt cheap at one time, don't know if that's still the case, but maybe Cyprus is on a similar level? My neighbour's daughter has just bought a huge property in Buvaria for peanuts she said! It has lots of outbuildings, a huge barn, lots of land and she still can't believe the price for it all, so she's taken the plunge. It doesn't matter to her where she lives, because she works for the film industry doing make up and travels the world with them.

I'm the same way as you now, if I can't do it myself, or don't want to do it myself, or why should I do it myself, I get someone else to do it, and it's written in stone for our next move that I sure won't be doing any of the packing either! I remember one house we moved from, we not only packed it all ourselves, but we travelled it all ourselves too using my horse lorry lol! What for? For the sake of a few hundred quid cos Dave is a bit of a miser!! Never again, I'm taking a leaf out of your book.

I envy your lifestyle, I really do, you can pick and choose if you up and move or not, you have the most wonderful lazy days sometimes, and it's time you spent them in the lovely surroundings that you've got here with this new move. I bet you'll meet some lovely new friends up there too, especially on that tennis court......you never know Pat Nice fit yung mannnn

You go for it girl, you're entitled to be as excited as you are, and I hope your new life will be peaceful and blissfully happy which is what we all aim for at the end of the day isn't it.

Just tell me why Cyprus though please, cos it's always intrigued me that bit.

We shall be moving again, either sooner than we want (if Dave gives up his workshop next April) or in 8 to 10 years time, and that will be the one to do some proper homework with because it really will be our last move. Apart from when Dave shunts me off to the care home of course, which he's promised me he will, as obviously, I shall be far too much to handle when I'm old and more cantankerous

You are a witch with a crystal ball! Honestly it's the ONLY thing I look at lovingly every time I pass it and think ....... well there might be SOMEWHERE?

Perhaps if I stick one of the expensive leather sofas out on the patio and put my daybed in its place?

Oh and one of the leather sofas is a sofa bed so sleeps 6 anyway Jenny!

I even wondered, if I got a WATERPROOF cover for the mattress - perhaps put it in the garden! I aint' kidding! Dossing on it in the sun!

If I did that tho - you'd soon be flooded on here with pics of about 100 Cyprus cats all asleep on my daybed with Bella looking on at them a bit miffed lol!

I'll get back to you Helena with the 'why Cyprus' question. Just want to find this pic I took of what looked like the PERFECT SPOT for an IKEA daybed!

Under that bedroom window there (just past the pillar)? Anglepoise sunbrella all in place to shade it and screen me from any prying eyes. Mmmm can see me dossing there!


Right round the corner against the end garden wall? Could put my large sunbrella in the corner strategically placed again?


Hell, why not just drag it over and plonk it right by the pool lol! Plenty of room for it!

I would like to wish you all the Very Best Tang!!! and Bella xx

Do what you can now.....and enjoy it all!!! It looks like an amazing place to be!!


ps......you simply must take Bella's daybed......

I'm sat here thinking I won't be able to show my face here again if I don't lol! It does come to bits but I did find out today that I do not have any under building storage cupboard.

Suppose I could take it and leave it outside without a mattress until I'd found someone to make a waterproof one for it. I can just see Queen Bella sitting on it guarding her realm.

I'm sure there must be smaller luxury dog beds out there though!

Getting quite excited now just heard as soon as I pay the money over I can HAVE THE KEYS whoo hooo! But she can't get over til the weekend.

I can't settle to doing any work. I keep remembering more things I have to check and have a bag in the car with all the stuff I don't want to forget - tape measure - notepad and pen. She has kindly agreed to change the front door lock for me. I do that for all new tenants here. Don't want to not know WHO might have a key. Hasn't been inhabited but the on site maintenance probly had keys for checking it when empty. I like new locks.

Neighbour said he will try to get truck from work at weekend and take all my really big plants over for me. If he can do that I might get him to take all stuff that is going to live outside too. Smaller patio table and chair. I know I've got the enormous cube rattan one but will be nice to have another round the corner. I've also got a huge outside storage chest. I use it for all beach towels, rugs, outside cushions in bad weather, beachbags and rubbish like that.

My pal arrives on 2nd April so I will get him to take down all my voiles so I can wash and pack them. I might want to use them there if I intend keeping the big doors open all the time I am home like I do here.

I am going to study the photos in depth. See if I can find spots for small tall but shallow bookcase or my wrought iron square IKEA one that I like for displaying a few bits.

Wow looks an amazing place good luck and hope the move goes well. You will keep us updated though won't you ?

That day bed would look fantastic in any of those positions. .... there is definitely room under the canopy there or in your huge lounge etc etc. I think you'd be mad not to take it with you. You know its really comfy and whose to say that all the brand spanking new fab looking furniture is comfy

I'll have to read your post on why you chose Cyprus in the morning but I'm keen to find out too.

Sleep well and see you tomorrow.