Can we go now?

Digging out the drive
Originally uploaded by Dr SpaceBunny

Although our early flight was cancelled, due to Reagan National still not being open due to the snow, we were able to get on a later flight and arrive in snow ravaged Virginia just after 1300. The Metro was not running overground but luckily the taxis were still driving and our driver was willing to drop us off right outside our house. Unfortunately the drive was under eighteen inches of snow so we had to trudge to the house to get the shovels to dig a path for the luggage. After a swift cup of tea we dug out the rest of the drive so we could get the car out and the removals van could pick up our shipping and then we got on with sorting out the house. In the house we had to sort out what we wanted: to take with us to the UK, shipping to the UK, to give away and finally what to throw away. Finally that evening we moved into a hotel for our remaining time in the US.

We then had the joy of cleaning the house which was made awkward by the fact all the furniture and our belongings were still in place because the packers were not able to pick up our belongings or the furniture pack because of the snowy conditions. Plus we had to negotiate the snow packed roads to and from the house apart from Wednesday morning due to a snow storm which paralysed the region, in fact that morning half of the snow clearing equipment had broken down and the remainder had been advised to to pull to the side of the road for their own safety. That didn't stop us getting out to the house in the afternoon using our superior British driving skills. Ultimately I was quite annoyed with the embassy as we made a huge effort to sort out the house despite the weather conditions and when they eventually got back to work they weren't willing to be at the house after our departure to ensure the shipping and furniture pack was undertaken so my work colleagues were kind enough to do this for us.

On Friday we took one last trip to the house to put out the recycling and rubbish as well as a couple of last minute jobs and then dropped Helen at the hotel so I could take our car to work for my replacement and finish off a few last minute things. Unfortunately by the time I arrived my computer account had been de-authorised so I could only complete the paperwork for the car and shipping, receive some gifts from the office and say goodbye. I then grabbed a taxi back to the hotel where Helen and I loaded our bags into a bigger taxi which whisked us away to the airport where we had a stiff drink and dinner before jetting off to the UK!