The day has finally arrived.  What everyone was expecting to happen three months ago, happens tomorrow.  We’ve had so many questions about how our youngest daughter is doing at college and I’ve had to respond with,

“She doesn’t start until September 12th.”

Well, that’s tomorrow!

Where did all the time go?  What did we do?  How did we manage to live together in less than 850 square feet?

The time went where it always goes, behind us.  It became history and is irretrievable.  Except with the help of photographs to clarify our memories.

Time flies from the vantage point of hindsight.  I used to say to my children,

“Before you know it the event you are dreading or looking forward to will be upon you.”

And how true is that?  I was walking to Evensong earlier, managing to beat the rain, and this thought accompanied me,

“I will never be a young mother with babies and toddlers again…”  I still feel eighteen, I just look different in daylight these days.

The three months have passed and what did we do?  We settled into our English ways.  Malia even said when she was in Rome,

“Wow, I didn’t know I was used to the English way of driving on the left until I tried to cross the road here…I nearly got run over…

“By Elvis!

“And he didn’t even notice!”

Yes, a brilliant, white car with some cutesy slogan on one of its rear windows, charged in Malia’s direction only stopping a hair’s breath away from where she stood, transfixed and unable to move, on the side of the road.  All plans of crossing evaporated with the screech of brakes and the thud of metal grill against concrete gutter.

Out of the car unfurled a tall man, white shirt unbuttoned to his waist, collar up, black hair swept across his forehead in a fifties flip, dark glasses, tight trousers, high heels…you know…Elvis!

What else did we do?

There was a death and a funeral.

We dealt with probate and other legalities.

I transferred all the bills into my name.

Hubs worked on getting Skype to work properly for Malia.

I moved furniture, lots of furniture…for those of you who know me, this is what I do in times of distress.

We applied for and received our National Insurance cards so now we can have taxes taken out when we work.

We were allocated our National Health cards which helps the system keep track of our health.  They make appointments for us and tell us what to eat and issue us with glasses and hearing aids when we enter our decline, as I am starting to do now all my children have gone.

Malia got a job at Starbucks and now she has experience working in a London cafe.  She also knows that there are other ways of getting around besides a car…she can ride buses, check train schedules, walk, use a wheelie basket and swipe her oyster card.

How did we downsize from 3700 square feet to 850?  Carefully!

We were sweet to each other.  Slept at different times.  Had an emersion heater and a room with a door.  Ate our meals together and played loud music.

Relished home made cream teas, threw coffee afternoons al fresco, ate breakfast in bed occasionally.

Watched a 75 year old willow tree collapse and considered ourselves blessed.

Ate fish and chips on other days besides Fridays.

Made The Jolly Woodman our local for an hour a week..

Laughed.

Then the travel day loomed and we put the car we hired into the capable hands of an American.

As we were heading to the coast I asked Malia if she had enjoyed the three months we had had together?

Her shrug was non-commital.

I asked if she would miss us?

She said,

“Yes but I’m ready…it’s been 19 years Mum!!”

I asked if she would miss her room?

“No, it’s too dark and the ceilings are too low!”

Would she be homesick I wondered?

“I’ll make my new place my home…”

An answer for everything.

Now tomorrow is only  a short sleep away and soon I will be able to tell you how she’s doing…

At last!!

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