A shelf, a drawer and repressed sentimentality

It begins again.

Nicky and Kerry arrive a week on Friday and it occurred to me that I'd best begin packing. I'll be heading up to Edinburgh this Friday evening, so I've decided to try and spread the load a little by taking as much as I can with me on the train. So far I've emptied one shelf and a single drawer, and there's a lot left to go. I'd forgotten how voluminous stuff can be. It doesn't look nearly as intimidating sitting neatly stacked on a shelf or tucked away within the deep dark confines of a drawer or wardrobe. Taken out of it's appropriate hiding place, however, it mutates into a gelatinous mass, oozing to spread across every conceivable surface. One snag encountered is that I've been unable to hire a van up to Edinburgh. The various vehicular hire firms I've tried only allow car hires one way - vans must be returned, which is something of a nuisance when you're talking about a 400 mile drive cross country. Consequently I've settled on as large an estate car as I could find, but I'm worried that I may well run out of room. Moving last time around took three trips in a small hatchback, but there are several large items I shan't be taking with me, such as a papasan chair, and a shelving unit, not the mention the large volume of stuff I intend to heft northwards this weekend.

I'm hoping I can persuade the remainder to fit, but if not I'm prepared to make sacrifices...