And lo, four wise-cracking men from Schenectady came bearing... well, not so much gifts. More like 200 boxes of old tat you wouldn't look at twice at a car-boot (yard) sale.
Why oh why oh why?
As each box and piece of furniture was carried in, in random order, we had to tick off its number from a seven page list. The foreman kept asking, 'Do we have Bingo yet?'. Finally, after two hours, we did.
It's interesting that humans find themselves unconsciously mimicking each other's speech patterns. By the end of the excercise the Man and I were calling out, 'Fordy-six? Yeah, that'll be in the ga-rahge', while the foreman, whose New York accent was so strong we could barely understand him at first, signed off with an almost Bertie Woosterish 'Okey-dokey! That's about it then!'
Curious.
We're only unwrapping the minimum amount of stuff, as we'll be moving house again at the end of the year. Needless to say the Boy is exceedingly happy to be reunited with his train set. I'm looking forward to finding my kitchen knives and non-stick pans. But some items may well remain in their boxes for our entire stay, if not for eternity.
Because it was an overseas shipment, everything had to be bubble-wrapped against damage and damp. We've ended up with some rather odd looking packages. So, dear readers, can any of you guess what this mystery object might be? Answers via Comments, please. I will award the winner their choice of a portion of cheese-covered fries, a slice of deep-fried cheesecake or a Domino's Dessert Pizza (winner must come to Albany to collect). Double portions to anyone who can tell us why the heck we decided to ship it at all - we must be barking.
It's a howdah for your baby elephant. You know the pet you left with the neighbours, telling them you were just away on holiday.
ReplyDeleteBilly-Bob and the girls in Derbyshire
Oh me me me - is it a bowl of fruit? That was what we found all wrapped up in newspaper - 5 weeks after we moved to our new home. The packers had done a thorough job!
ReplyDeleteActually I really think it is a childs pram.........though I am not sure why you would have taken it halfway across the world........
Some sort of small-child ride-on toy? Toddler wooden push-along type perhaps?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Yoda 'struggling to get out, I am'. Or a very small sailor...
ReplyDeleteUncle Billy-Bob, you've really gone and blown my cover vis a vis elephant and neighbours. However, sadly, you are incorrect.
ReplyDeleteNinja, no not a pram. Not a bowl of fruit either, for which we would probably have been arrested.
Maths expert, wrong you are (and it's not a little sailor, either).
And the_exile - close, so close... but you can't win! You're in Albany already so I'd actually have to come good on the prize!
That's discrimination, don't think I'm going to just roll-over on this one. OK nigh never so simple.
ReplyDeleteA baby hippobottomous?
ReplyDeleteIt's obviously those shoes you have been waiting for.
ReplyDelete