Extreme logistics

I have been juggling some very finely-timed practicalities for the last six months. 

Six months ago I drove Spouseman down to the harbour to catch the boat which would take him away on his holiday and then I drove to photograph a pear tree in blossom to mark the 13th day of my twelve-day countdown. That evening I began applying for jobs. The following day I drove into Skop Town to buy a universal multi-point extension lead (in pastel colours) for my electrical goods since I had no idea where on this planet I would end up living and working. I also purchased spray-paint with which to decorate the boxes I would be using to ship some of my personal effects off my tiny island home. I didn't want the same name to be writ large all across the boxes in my new life.

It was a frantic few days!

This week is proving to be quite similar. Having secured the tenancy on the flat and measured it, I then began to order furniture. I had also had a chat with the lovely person who runs the shop downstairs who said he would happily accept enormous parcels in my absence. The first of those deliveries was due today. The delivery driver sent a text to tell me what time to expect the van, and I sent that on to Yoda downstairs. Then a second text from a second delivery driver also forwarded to Yoda. Then a text from the first driver to say nobody was available and the package would be redelivered the next day. A frantic call to Yoda - Voicemail.

Thankfully the second delivery was SO vast that the driver REALLY wanted to get rid of it. He phoned me, none of this texting nonsense.
“Your doorbell doesn't work”
“I'm not in. Can you leave it next door?”
“Nobody is answering”
“The shop?”
“Closed”
“The other shop?”
“I'll try”

A couple of minutes later another call from the same driver to tell me that the other shop wouldn't take my packages.
“I can get there in 20 minutes will that be OK?”
“Yes, I'll do another local job and come back”
“Brilliant! Thank you!”

So with permission from my manager I left my desk and cycled like the wind. The driver arrived two minutes after me and began unloading packages. Four. Large. Heavy.

I ran up two flights of stairs to stash my bicycling clobber inside the flat and found this card, from my nearest neighbour, wedged in my front door, complete with mobile phone number. Yes! :-) A neighbour! It's been years and years and years since I had a neighbour who was neighbourly!

Then I began to cart the packages up one by one. Four large heavy packages stashed upstairs and five journeys up, I came back down with my bags, ready to leave. As I opened the front door who was there but the Postie, with a small and light package for me. Huzzah! Back up two flights of stairs to drop off the mail and back down again.

When I was finally ready to leave, Yoda had opened his shop and was just SO apologetic. He had had to run his girlfriend to hospital and had had to turn the phone off while he was waiting there. He seemed genuinely mortified. I assured him that his girlfriend's health and well-being was way more important than my packages and that I was pleased he had spent his time doing something I could not have.

I cycled like the wind back to the office and was back at my desk an hour after I left it. 

More stuff tomorrow no doubt.