Flossie and I moved house a couple of weeks ago. Leaving behind the much-loved home we shared with my late partner Graham was a massive wrench and a decision that was not taken lightly.
We’ve not gone far – just two miles up the road, so we are still on our ‘patch’ and close to our friends.
The move follows weeks of seemingly endless clearing, sorting and packing.
It’s been heart-breaking for me, unravelling my life with Graham, making tough decisions about what to keep and what to say goodbye to.
Friends and family have helped me, ferrying an assortment of our belongings to charity shops or the recycling centre.
They have displayed immense kindness with visits, messages, tasty food and good company.
It’s been a hugely unsettling and emotional time.
The day we moved into our new place, the downstairs loo flooded the floor.
I couldn’t stem the steadily dripping water so I had to call out an emergency plumber who arrived in the middle of the night.
So much for my planned low-key evening of quietly settling Flossie into our new home.
A strange man coming through the front door at 2am set off some hysterical barking which I sincerely hope didn’t disturb our neighbours.
All was well once he’d capped off the pipe and gone on his way, but it meant that Flossie was now upset and had to sleep on my bed to avoid any further disturbances.
The crack of fireworks filled the air at bedtime the following night, another fear-inducing trigger for Flossie.
She was petrified and pelted up the stairs to lie on my bed, desperate not to be left alone. It wasn’t a great start.
However, as each day has passed, we’ve both gradually acclimatised to our unfamiliar environment.
Flossie contentedly sleeps in her cosy bed in the kitchen and I am sleeping better now she’s not stretched across me, twitching her paws.
It’s going to take us some time, but I think we’re going to be ok.
As published in the Bath Chronicle, 28 November 2019
Suzy Pope is a certified copywriter and newspaper columnist specialising in pets, business and lifestyle. If you would like help with a writing project, please get in touch.
