Right - DH has gone to Bermuda - who wants to keep me company for the next 2 months while I wait for my visa?

[anorak]

I took him to Gatwick yesterday. How weird to come home and realise he is not going to ever come back to the house as it is! It's going to be 3 years till he sets foot in it again, tenants will change it - this is my desk now!

I expect to be here till end October before visas for me and the children come through. Anyone can give me tips as to packing up your life and going to live in another country, tips about Bermuda, or just keep me company till I see my DH again?

Wow, anorak!1
i didn't realise it woudl be happened so quickly.

No advise really, just

Are the dd's going with you too?

DD2 is coming.

Oh! Just had 12 red roses delivered and little card saying 'missing you lots already'!

How sweet

cue barfing...

aww , it will be fine

Get the kids to take photos of their friends, collect email addresses etc to keep in conact. Whatever you take with you it will be too much ! Get packers to put surplus/precious stuff into storage for you and elave the bare minimum for tenants. Organsie a letting agent you are happy with and take their advcie.

How lovely.

Now I'll keep you company if you'll take me to Bermuda

I would keep you company but I cannot speak for envy

What do you want to know about bermuda? A very good friend of mine lived their for about 10 years.

Hello everyone!

Thanks for tips LIZS have been doing some of those things already.

Mars, now I think we've already had this conversation once, haven't we? I can't fit you in the suitcase with the 103 other people. You'll have to buy your own ticket.

Vixen we went over for a 4-day visit in July to make some of the arrangements. So I have a rough idea. But little tips are welcome.

LTH are you still around? Sorry my computer is all sluggish today and I gave up and did a clean-up thingy.

Christie thank you, yes drove home ok. Will look at your link now.

[sulk]

He's now been gone almost two weeks and I am getting along okay so far. Feel a bit swamped by how much there is to do though. feel as if I've been in perpetual motion since he left!

and he keeps emailing to say 'I'm just going for a dip after work' or 'I'm trying to decide which terrace to sit on to eat my dinner' while I try to find a space in between the boxes to eat my apple

make sure you get all your paperwork together if he hasn't taken it already (ie bank statements, certificates of qualifications, marriage and birth certs, all phone numbers for home). Set up a power of attorney for someone you trust in case you need something urgent dealing with while away.

I did a month here in Qatar before DH & DS arrived and the things that helped were getting emailed photos of home and emails with links to UK papers (you know for those really British stories you get sometimes) and getting questions about the things I was doing. DH says what helped him was having a house to pack up and he took advantage of that to bin lots of my stuff while protecting his (grrr).

Weekends will be toughest - plan one day for home stuff and one day to do things you won't do for 3 years.

Oh christ yes - check your bank cards won't expire in the first year. I really really wish I had done that.

Good tips thanks meowmix. I think Bermuda is more British than Qatar, he can get British newspapers and certain BBC channels on TV. Also he is working for a bank so has set up a new account there. We've been to our solicitor and made wills and asked about power of attorney but he said it wasn't necessary, things can be emailed and signed and posted back apparently. My post will be redirected to my sister and we will be back every summer for a visit and to deal with any other things that require us in person.

interesting - we were told definitely to do poa if letting out the house. Maybe thats because we're in the ME.

I am so re the papers. We get BBC Prime (Keeping Up Appearances on constant repeat), BBC World (news) and BBC Food (day time shows from Ireland in the main). Thank goodness for the interweb says I.

Bless him. He has emailed asking if I can email him first thing every morning as it will make waking up alone in the house easier. (it's 4 hours earlier where he is)

Well today is our wedding anniversary, 8 years.

I will be spending part of this morning at the dentist's having a crown fitted. I also have some big tidying and cleaning to do this week as the letting agents are coming to take photos next week. At the moment it looks like the Steptoes' house (smile)

DH sent me some lovely roses yesterday and today a card arrived for me from Bermuda.

Trouble is I am starting to really miss him now and I am in danger of going into a slide where I sit around feeling sorry for myself not getting anything done.

someone give me a slap quick

Aaaargh I think it is that the only conversation I get all day is Watford FC and Scooby Doo...brain turning to mush...

Must be hard being in limbo, as you are - not out of the UK yet, but not in your new place either.

What exactly have you got to do to be ready to leave? Can you break it into smaller manageable tasks that don't seem so daunting? For instance: our boxes arrived from London yesterday. I've set myself the task of unpacking at least one box per day, so that it doesn't feel overwhelming. Of course, I've also resolved to do that starting tomorrow....

Where are you Earlybird?

Yes have lots to do but feel I might slump in a chair and drink wine all night after such a good start...

Anorak - we've recently moved from London to America. And I well know the feeling of wanting to slump into a chair when things feel physically and emotionally overwhelming. I found it was strongest in the 'middle phase' of a move - the time between initial flurry of energy, and final phase of panic-because-it-can-no-longer-be-put-off-till-later. My procrastination led to a few sleepless nights just prior to our departure!

I had some very kind friends who came over (one at a time) to help me pack. We'd stick the kids in front of the telly, grab a cup of tea/glass of wine and head to whatever room needed packing. It helped me get things done, and was a nice way of spending time with pals.

Aww - Anorak - 2 months will go quickly.

Congratulations on your anniversary - dh and I were 8 years last month

Have you got Skype or a webcam? Video phoning might make things easier than just emailing?

Hello bobsmum, it's 8 years for us too!

thought I had a webcam somewhere but can't find it - he doesn't have one anyway. he uses a blackberry to email me but he's able to phone two or three times a week so that's not too bad.

Earlybird what part of America are you in? did you go because your DH got a new job, like me?

I am so tempted to pour a big glass of something alcoholic at the moment but I've been dieting to surprise DH and I don't want to spoil my efforts.

Anorak - how are you feeling now?

DD and I moved to America (the Southeast/central time zone) for a business opportunity for me (I'm single). But it's a bit different because I have some cousins here who can offer advice/support.

Try to stay buoyant and keep on your diet, because once you're there (it's Bermuda, iirc?), you'll probably spend a lot of time in hot weather clothes/swim costume.

It's not the same, I know, but just keep talking to us here if you feel the need...

DH phoned yesterday to say that he had heard from the immigration department. Our visas have been approved in principle. They estimate the remaining admin will take about 3 weeks. We were expecting it to be another 6 weeks yet!

So I have gone from a mid-separation slump to sheer panic at the though of condensing all those jobs into 3 weeks! I don't have to go immediately the visa arrives but I do want to!

And of course the next thing that happens is that DS throws up all over his bedroom late last night so I now have a mountain of washing and his good self home all day 'helping' me to set up and photograph his extensive train set for ebay!

But I do feel a lot happier that I will see my DH sooner!