Goodbye flat

Well this will be my last post in this flat.

I'm sat here waiting for Junkers to come and take a look at my boiler and as is custom with tradesmen, he'll be turning up anytime between 12 and 5pm.

I've decided that while I should be packing the last stuff lying around, flattening bed, cupboards, etc. I'm going to take this quiet time to reflect a little on this place. Give it a proper farewell, I guess.

This flat became my home 3 years ago, and I took over the lease from a friend. My 2 best friends used to live upstairs which made the whole thing so much fun. They moved out last summer and it turns out (I know what some of you are thinking) that we will once again be neighbours as I'm moving into the same street.
By existing rent standards in Brussels for the moment, this flat was a real bargain. Great location, loads of space and storage and relatively low rent.
It is a bit old and in need of TLC but I like it. This was my second flat and the first was small, cosy but completely "finished". I had no say in colours, or changes.
Here I repainted and really made it mine.

I'm a bit of a hermit so the place I live is real important to me and I spend a lot of time here. The last three years of my life have been eventful and I guess, like anyone, there are many memories here.

I generally see a move as a kind of new beginning, a fresh slate, new habits (time to get rid of the old one's that weren't so good) and new experiences. And I love the first couple of weeks when everything is still new and you settle in.

This time though, maybe because it was not my choice to move, I'm finding it a lot more of an emotional experience than I did my 2 previous moves. All other areas of my life are in limbo too at the moment and I struggling not to feel like the rug is being pulled from under me. The move means I HAVE to move on, leave this phase of my life behind and move onto big and better things. (Those who know me have an idea of how difficult I find changes to handle - I get there eventually but it's always a bit of a stressful time).

I suppose 3 years ago, when I moved into this flat, I naively believed that the next time I packed my life in boxes, it would be to move on to the "responsible adult" bit of my life. That I'd be able to afford a nicer place to rent or even buy. I guess it comes down to the idea that I assumed I would be starting a new life as a twosome and not alone. Don't get me wrong, I love being a single gal, it's just not how I saw my life being as I turned 30.

Anyway, I've got alot of packing left to do, so all this cogitating needs to be put on hold until after the move. I promise a more positive post next time.