We moved!!!!

And.....the move is over. All this fuss and preparation and now we are happily settled in our new home. It's strange to see one's possessions in a different environment and in a way it feels odd but in another it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase so dreaded by our male counterparts..... " I want to rearrange the furniture, dear!". The movers arrived on time, unloaded all our boxes, made me count each one (I found out I had 71) and within 3 hours everything was deboxed, arranged in some way in the flat and ...they were gone leaving me with piles of plates and glasses I did not know where to put due to the fact my kitchen is now barely existing but with a mega diner-cum-lounge I do not know how to fill. Not a problem really as mummy is coming over at the end of the month and we are going to hit all the antique shops. Trying to get some sense of normalcy I have devoted the guest room to horror area where all my clothes are piled on the floor waiting to be washed and aired after 3 months in cardboard boxes inside a metal container along with stuff I do not know where to place in this new environment meaning that if I put it away now I will not find it when I need it. This means the rest of the flat looks relatively decent. However it's the annoying but necessary things in life I really need such as storage for linens and towels and the hated but essential shoe cabinet. Here they tend to leave their shoes on a rack outside the property but I find it a bit messy so I do not have much of a choice and I must find myself a closed cabinet. So just when I thought my Ikea days were behind me I found myself going through the enormous shop's market place along with other desperados in search of a solution that was not too expensive or did not take 6 months to deliver. We ended up with a chest of drawers due to the total lack of clothes storage in this flat (though it is well equipped with the ever present reinforced concrete bunker), a series of shelves to put in the maid's room now turned into a larder and curtains. We had decided we would not spend more time than strictly necessary in the shop but these clever Swedes know how to catch you every time and we spent 3 hours roaming the floors in search of the perfect shelf....which we actually found in the end. After that it was mounting the stuff and Max feigned a tummy ache with frequent visits to the bathroom (for the authentic touch!) so I ended up working on the devilish contraption myself with outstanding results. Now I am waiting for the locksmith to change our locks and tomorrow I will meet the condominium administrator. Furthermore I have equipped myself with rollers, brushes and paint and have decided to redecorate the entire flat. A bit ambitious I know but while the flat looked decent enough when the previous owners were still here now the walls look tired with furniture marks in places so a fresh lick of paint should do wonders. Back to work!