The final countdown

So in one week's time we'll be on our way. I guess in exactly one week we'll be somewhere over the mid-west of the US. That's kind of scary. Every day that passes it seems more and more real that we're actually going. But it still seems such an abstract concept, moving to New Zealand, so far from anything I've ever experienced. New Zealand! 12,000 miles. To a city we don't know. Without jobs lined up (although for more on that, keep reading). To join a church we only know a few people at. I guess a lot of our friends think we're a little bit mad. Sometimes I do too. But then I remember why we're going and it doesn't seem quite so mad. What better way to live than by trusting completely in God and knowing he will provide as we seek to serve Him.

Today was the first day of our grand tourist week, doing things we want to do because we want to do them. So often, living in London, we're too busy, or put something off, because we can "do it next week". But now that there is no next week we decided to polish off a few things we've been meaning to do.

We started with lunch by the river, after a bit of admin-type stuff at the Post office (mail redirection setup and paying in the cheque for the car) before meeting Ruth at the cinema to watch the new Harry Potter film (my review: "Dark. Good action climax. Go see."). A ten minute breather for some fresh air and a call to our solicitor about the flat (more later on that) and we were back in the cinema for the second film in our double bill, Shrek the Third (my review: "More of the same. Lacking much of a plot. See it if you've seen the first two to complete the set.").

This evening saw my final attendance at a Barge fortnightly footy game. I am going to miss that every other week. It's been really a great thing to get going, and we get maybe 50/50 Barge folk and friends or colleagues now, which is exciting. I feel I achieved a degree of closure tonight. I scored a hatrick in a 5-3 win. Finally I have a good game. Truth be told, I should have scored more and only didn't due to some disappointing finishing. That's more like me. I'm quite looking forward to playing football in Chch actually. I might be quite good, comparatively. Oh, and the evening ended with a few of us from footy heading across to the Gaylord for a curry. Nice.

OK, so the other news I promised you, starting with the flat sale. First off today was a conversation with our solicitor that resulted in us finding out that the buyer wanted us to pay the £300-400 for the indemnity policy regarding the result of the environmental search ("potentially contaminated land" etc etc). We told her to go back to the buyer's solicitor refusing to pay the cost. The delays on their side have cost us another month's mortgage payment so we didn't see why we should pay. We then contacted the estate agent to pass this on. He advised that it is usual for the seller to pay this fee but would see what he could do. Really, we were half-tempted to agree to pay it, just to get it all over and done with, but thought we'd negotiate a bit first. After we got out from Shrek we phoned the estate agent again and it seems that when he spoke to the buyer the buyer was really embarassed by the whole thing, is fuming that his solicitor has failed to do things that the estate agent told her six weeks ago needed to be done, and so has agreed to pick up the cost for the policy. Result. Also, this means that we could exchange contracts tomorrow, and so completing on Friday is not out of the question. The estate agent suggested Monday but we would really rather do it Friday if we can. It would make it a lot easier for us if we weren't completing as we head off to the airport. One downside though, of completing on Friday, is that we won't have Sky to watch the concluding and deciding game in this year's Tri-Nations - the All Blacks vs the Wallabies. With the All Blacks wanting to avenge their loss to the Aussies from a few weeks back.

The other news I need to include is regarding jobs. Joanne has been offered the Financial Controller job she interviewed for last week. Such great news. It would be such a good opportunity, we think. And it sounds like a company going places. But the issue still remains of her working from home (at least for three months) for her current company. We would greatly appreciate prayer for wisdom in this matter, asking God to show us where she can best serve Him. Wednesday is make or break day with her current job when the final yay or nay is given about whether this could happen. She's told the employment agent that she will let them know her answer later in the week, once she's heard from CS. My personal feeling is for the clean break, a fresh start, and not working from home. Joanne is sorely tempted by that, but feels a degree of guilt for leaving her company in the lurch. She knows this isn't a reason to do something that's not right in the long run though, but it's still a hard feeling to overcome. I know, I felt the same leaving my job, where I'd been for so long, with no successor lined up. The bottom line though, is that the company won't fold without her. She, and we, need to make the right decision, and for the right reasons.

Tomorrow Cadbury World!