Starting to Panic

When you make a decision a year and a half in the future, its all sill very vague and needs research.

When it gets to a eyar, its a bit more researched.

6 months in you know what you need to do, but there's still pleny of time and everyone is clued up that you're going through with it.

At 3 months you start doing the main paperwork.

At 1 month, you  book and pay for things and start selling off things you now no longer need.

At 2 weeks.. you realise you still have a lot of shit to sell and that shit probably won't sell so you have to give it away or take it to the tipe

Its scary how fast things creep up despite all the notice you give yourself... the house current;y a shambles with things we want to sell/get rid of. Marktplaats has been good for getting rid of some of the high value items, not always at good prices but they're gone... the smaller more personal stuff is harder to sell, some wlll go to Thailand, (If it can be packed in 4 days) some will go to friends some goes to the tip.

But one thing s certain, in  a little over 2 weeks we're on a plane.... and all this panic will be left behind

Anyone wanna buy a bed?

Ahthankyew

Arrghhh the pain

Tennis elbow, still playing up something horrible, but worse is the heartache of letting my collection of model aircraft go, 20+ years I started collecting with the intention of building them in my retirement.......and now Im retiring I can't really take them with me... sad.

But I put them on line as a job lot, over 240 kits, and some other bits and bobs for 1500euros, and 2 dealers almost bit my hand off chasing it. Both were ok with the price (well they would be, they are getting close to 8K work of retail return) but only 1 was willing to come and collect so I sold it..even though the other offered me a few hundred more and would easily have offered still more I think, I made a deal and stuck with it. 1500 in the bank now, compared to maybe 6 -8 spread over 2 years.. not an option Im afraid.

True to his word the dealer popped over today in a rented van (so yes...he's aware of the value) and they are all gone, 20 big shipping boxes worth. sigh

Sad.... but Í think I am ok with this, its not like the guitars, I still play guitar so losing them was a gut punch, but my model building ended many years ago, and while I am sure I will pick it up again in Thailand as a way to fill my time.. Its not killing me as much as letting the guitars go did.... so maybe heartache isn't quite the right word, sadness for sure though, more endings.

Ahthankyew

Cutting Onions

So I am no longer a member of Famous Belcrum Recording. It was a wrench to say the least but I can't commute from Chaing Mai every Thursday to rehearse.. It really has been wonderful to play with Ed all these years, and listen to Rose and then Karlien taking our twiddling to new levels. I feel we were a perfect band. Loved playing and fed off each others energy and joy, such happy memories will stay with me a long time..

Sigh....honestly it was horrible to play what was my last ever gig with them, I barely survived with my dignity... there were a lot of tears, even the audience, (no it wasn't my singing).... our last song together was Rollarcoaster by Danny Vera, a lovely song about overcoming the highs and lows of life by being together... It also has become a popular funeral song in NL.. and when we played it an audience member started crying remembering his mothers funeral.. 

Ah well... As I posted on Facebook, new chapters don't mean the end of the book, but that chapter is now done, and it was fucking wonderful

Ahthankyew

Tennis Elbow and last gigs.

I've had this a few times but its been confirmed by the Doc, I've got Tennis Elbow, and it is mega painful at times. Sadly, there's no real cure, just rest and avoid straining. I am taking some anti-inflamitory Naproxen to try to help but really it needs to be rested, which is not too easy while we are packing and shuffling boxes most days. 

And playing guitar, isn't helping, (especially hauling gear) But the last gig for FBR is coming up tomorrow, I'm very sad about this, its been lovely playing with Ed and Karlien, and Rose before... So this is a sad parting.. We did a gig last night which was a departure from our normal trio, we were joined by Jelmer 1 and 2 from my other band to be the music performance at a music quiz nght. It was a lot of fun. I debuted a Pub Singer character, Brian De-vine, a washed up club singer with  bad jokes and a Vic Reeves singing style... My 1st ever attempt at stand up....and my last, the term dying on stage is very accurate.. but its ok they enjoyed the pub singing (probably better than my usual singing)

But tomorrow is a straight trio gig, after which Ed and Karlien will nvestigate new options for the band. It will continue but probably not the 2 guitar 1 singer format we've promoted so far.

1 more Starrcase gig coming up too the day before we complete the house sale, my final public performance... that will be choker too...

Almost all my guitars are now gone, only a tricky to sell 12 fretter and a bango  guitar left... I will be keeping a couple here, which I hope I can get a friend to sell for me... But Margaret and my Breedlove acoustic will be packed up for shipping n a week or 2. That means I need to use Goldie, my Vintage brand Les Paul for the last gig. To be sold when I am gone.

So there will be tears in my eyes at these last gigs, partly from the pain of my arm, but also from the pain in my heart... these bands have been wonderful for me, good friends, fun times, even if the music wasn't always great (I will never havve to play Maria Carey all I want for Xmas again....thank fuck)
It was easily the highlight of my weekly routine. I hope I can find music friends inThailand but my gigging days are probely gone.

Ahthankyew

living like newlyweds

Though I thought the larger items would take a while we have amazingly sold the Big Fridge, the big table  and now theres someone coming to collect our beloved recliner sofa....  That was a little faster than I anticipated We've got offers on the big bed too, but a bit too low so we'll hang on a bit and if nothing in a week or so we may accept one

Lucky we still have one original, from my almost very first post, 2.5 seat Ikea leather sofa, which I find is fitting, one of the 1st things I ever bought  here will be one of the last things we hopefully sell or give away.

So we're going to be living in quite a sparce space for a few weeks before we move to the luxury of a hotel for a few nights before we fly out

Of course there's still a tonne of small silly things, tools in the shed, the dining chairs which no one wanted with the table, the chests of drawers and wardrobes and shelving,  whch probably won't stand a dismantle. But for the most part we're just clearing out the little things.. still some computer parts to go, and  I still have all my SBC's and Models to sell as a job lot...and the bicycles and of course the car.

I need to spend a bit of money on her 1st a full service already booked, and a deep clean to get her shiney and looking new for the best price. The deep clean is surpisingly expensive though, I never realised car detailing was so lucrative now. 

I remember when it became a thing in the 80's it was just an extra service you'd get at a car wash for an extra 50quid or so.. now they are charging up to 1K for a full clean, inside, outside, engine bay, sills, tyres and minor scratch removal...jeez.. but if it gets me full whack for the car I may have to just go for it.

Its been a mental few weeks, but its progressing, We won't exactly be sitting cross legged on the floor come Dec 19 but we sure will be a lot less asset rich. :D

Ahthankyew

Big step

Not really a major thing but a niggle we had to ensure, we got a non-o visa to travel, that is important, when we get to Thailand I won't be able to open a bank account with a trourist waiver, but I can with a Non-O, that then allows me to get a bank account, put the required funds in it for the marraige visa and sit on it for 2 months before we go for the full visa extension.

The visa application got returned (not refused) a few times due to issues with my photo, and not giving enough or correct details of my bank account to prove income, but it was eventually, on the 3rd or 4th attempt approved.

This makes a big difference now, I was able to book the flights, and we are now ready to make the jump, just as soon as the house sale completes (don't jinx it)..

We hope to spend our 1st Christmas in Chiang Mai, and then we get a visa agent to prepare the full 1 year marriage visa  after 90 days there, to let me stay permenantly. It does need a renewal each year, and a 90 day reporting process, but small price to  pay for retirement happiness.

More home comforts are going out the door, the big fridge leaves tomorrow, the big table on Thursday. I will put the beds online soon too, and maybe some of the things in the shed. 

We booked the shippers to pick up lots of boxes in Dec, and we are shedding things we don't need...

Its all go...

roll on Dec23

Ahthankyew

Bike and guitars...

The Shadow has gone, I must admit I got a bit emotional about that...Even though I only rode it occasionally it was a long standing dream of mine to own one... and I did.... and now I don't... sigh.

Also got a couple more mid priced guitars sold, one to a dealer who took it as it was, so he can do his own clean and set up, and another is going to a student after the luthier has serviced it. Though if the student backs out that dealer will be happy to take her.

Only the really cheap tatty ones left... not really confident I will get them sold, but we'll see if not I'll donate them to the school so they can use them for the jamclub I founded..

Oh I still have my mighty 12 string but that will have to be sold, At this rate, I've go 2 electric and 2 acoustics to pack, and there will be duty on this... 

We put the fridge and sofa on Marktplaats, and we "may" have a buyer for the fridge but.. they've not shown up today to look at it... not a good sign, but we'll see they may have just taken advantage of me saying there was no mad rush.

The Sofa has attracted some interest too, but one from a smartarse making jokes, and another with a lowball and not willing to go up... (very Dutch). But they will sell... That just leaves the beds and washing machine... not the easiest of things to sell.

I've got lightweight solid (foam) cases for my Breedlove Acoustic and Margret, my beloved Patrick Eggle Berlin, which means I can now pack them in the cases, put them in the big box and ship them, I'll use my Vintage Les Paul for the last few gigs, unless we can arrange for the shipping to collect the day before we vacate... Gotta keep at least one spare usable guitar.. and I can leave it with one of my friends while it sells on Marktplaats. Actually I have one more up at the rehearsal studio I need to get back and repaired... probably for sale.... we'll see, its another Eggle, not as nice as Margaret but stll a vintage Eggle... maybe I'll pack her too :D

Ahthankyew