Change

Oakfurnitureland deliveries phoned at 07.30 to say they would be arriving in 20 minutes. One hasty shower later and I'm opening the door to Mr Frankly spoken Essex Rough Diamond himself, carting my new dining room suite on his back, (well, one piece at a time) while his mate turned the lorry round, and then, one quick signature and they were off, leaving me bewildered and bemused and surrounded by nine very large boxes. 

Extracting four dining chairs, a standard lamp, a tall two door cupboard and a three door sideboard all made of solid oak was a challenge that took all day. Not least because the weather was absolutely gorgeous, so there were cups of tea to be drunk in the garden.  Bro came about 16.00 and helped with the larger pieces.  Everything needed to be carefully waxed before pushing in situe in the newly decorated room.  The amount of packaging defies belief - and generated a new Tate Modern worthy installation in the garden of cardboard, polystyrene, and swathes of plastic sheeting.  Bro disappeared after we'd had dinner, and I spent the rest of the evening finishing the waxing and feeling overwhelmed.   Mum and Dad's old G Plan 1970's furniture gone, my new suite in its place, a deliberate choice for change, the house becomes my home more each time I am in the UK and various realities hit me hard when I am least expecting it. 

By early evening, we'd run out of time and motivation to unpack and install the last box - the dresser that sits on top of the sideboard - and worse - by this time I wasn't even sure that I would like it,  having already spent the day making a familiar space into an unfamiliar one - would this large statement in oak be too much?  So, wrapped in agonies of indecision, I went to bed, leaving the dresser in all its packing in the hallway. Ten minutes later, I was downstairs again. In all the angst and activity, I  had completely forgotten to take any photograph during this beautiful sunny day.