Our removal has gone from bad to much worse.

A customs delay meant our delivery was held up and the proposed new delivery time of 7pm didn’t work – because the company did not have la grue – that would enable our furniture to come up through the window. And we couldn’t let them bring it all up the stairs at that time of night.

So we had to work out another date for delivery and the removal firm then had to rehire the crane to do the job.

The problem then was the removal firm said it had incurred further costs out of its control and to arrange a new delivery they wanted us to pay £1700 more! Cath did not take this lying down and after a heated phone conversation we now have to pay £350 extra for a delivery this Friday.

It seems odd to me that we have to pay anything to get a delivery later than the day we were promised. And it remains to be seen if all will go well on Friday.

But in the meantime, here’s some better news:

We were expecting our furniture this morning but a text from the removal firm informed us that it had been held up at customs and only made it across early this morning.

Cath rang them to find out what was going on and they said it should be with us at 7pm tonight. Cath told them that was too late because of the neighbours so now it looks like it will be tomorrow.

At least the gas man arrived as planned and we now have hot water.

It also meant I could go to work.

I booked Sunday lunch at the Epona restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel for Cath as she missed out when my dad visited. The food was as lovely as last time but this time we were seated next to a real local celebrity.

He was invited to tour the kitchens if he wanted, people were taking selfies with him but we had no idea who he was.

Cath asked the waiter after the celeb had left and it turns out it was…… Jean-Michel Aulas no less. Who that? Only the president of Olympique Lyonnais.

We are both slightly worried that with our lorry-load of furniture due to arrive tomorrow there is no sign of temporary parking restrictions signs outside our house.

How are they going to move our furniture up la grue without being able to park right outside?

I have contacted the removal firm to let them know but so far, no reply. Fingers crossed.

First day back in Lyon also meant first café gourmand of this stay. At Le Book-lard – very nice

Our first full day back in Lyon happened to be 3 September so we stumbled across this:

The 3 September is the day the UK and then France declared war on Germany so I had thought that was what was being marked in Place General Brosset.

But then a quick Google tells me that Brosset and his men liberated Lyon from the Nazis on 3 September 1944 – so I guess it was that they were celebrating.

Despite a slight delay to our Eurostar train, we made it to Paris without too much fuss. The journey went quite quickly thanks to 97-year-old Alexis and her daughter Louise who were off to Paris for a short holiday. Alexis was singing songs in French and Turkish to keep us entertained.

When we got to Paris we made the short hop to Gare de Lyon, and a stop at a café for lunch.

And then a little walk around the neighbour including Parc de Bercy.

And then another quick train journey and we were back in Lyon. And our new home.

And just like that it is time to say goodbye and head back to Lyon.

We stayed in a hotel near St Pancras and met the boys for dinner.

And then Matt met us for breakfast before some farewells at the Eurostar gate.

It was totes emosh but will we see them again soon. Bye lads, be good.

It is a big job, let me tell you. Cath has done the majority of it but after numerous trips to the Kingston recycling centre, leaving a few items in my dad’s garage, selling one much-loved VW Polo our house is empty.

We have lived here for 11 years and are the only people to have lived in this new-build house. That all ends next week when our tenants move in.

There is so much to think about with a move like this. As well as arranging to ship the furniture and belongings that we haven’t given to our sons, to France, we have had to change our mortgage, take out landlords insurance, get gas and electricity checks done and many other tests to enable us to move out and rent the house out

But with the arrival of the removal firm the house emptied pretty quickly.

And before we knew it, it was done

And just like that it’s au revoir New Malden. We hope to see our furniture again soon in Lyon.