A little help from my friends

I hate the Beatles, I really do. I think it’s an inbuilt hatred, fed down to me in my formative years by Rollings Stones-loving parents and then nurtured by a traumatic primary school project to create a mural of a yellow submarine. But every time I hear those whiny Scouse voices (and they really are whiny) the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. And not in a good way.

But just this once, I’m going to make an exception and quote them….

“I get by with a little help from my friends”

In this case, it’s my lovely friends at my book club who I’m referring to. I went to a meeting a few days ago, and as my book club is in Belper, I was excited to tell them all about my move. The cottage I’m moving into is about a two-minute downhill walk from the Queen’s Head pub where we meet so I’m already looking forward to rolling home after a couple of glasses of wine.

Perhaps more than a couple….

And my amazing book club friends immediately rallied round with tips on where to shop and a couple of much-needed donations to help me with the kitting out of my new place, which as I’ve said before, I need to try to do on a shoe string. Lovely Hilary has volunteered a TV that she was going to put on Freecycle, and Lovely Jill is donating a microwave.

Both of these gifts are hugely appreciated.

Then this morning I received an email from another book clubber, Michele, asking if I'd like any help moving as her partner has a van.

With the exception of my book club pals and a couple of Derby Telegraph colleagues (plus my friends at my second home – Fresh Bite Pizza) I don’t actually know anyone in Belper – I really am starting afresh. So the warm reception and donations really made me feel like I’m making the right move. And of course, also mean that I won’t be buying either a TV or a microwave from Tesco!