Knackered

Well that's that. They've all gone. We got back at nearly 11 last night, having narrowly missed out on winning a cooker for my daughter in Budleigh Salterton (we were 20 minutes away from the sellers house, with a van, when some swine took the bid from 99p, with 2 minutes to go, to over my maximum bid).
When we got to Southampton (which was gridlocked, thanks to idiot parents all taking their kids back on the same weekend, and thanks to Southampton City Council having installed traffic lights on every single junction in the city), the first thing the Boy wanted was to go to B&Q to buy paint for his room (thanks to Omally for directions). One wall of his room is now dark red.
Then we had to unpack the van, pass the stuff over the wall and lug it upstairs, dispensing with now unwanted old furniture (small room) to other students with bigger rooms. Next, he needed a desk, so we braved Southampton again to discover the delights of the Westquay at its' Saturday busiest (who would stick a HUGE shopping centre in a place surrounded by a railway, the sea, and a slow toll bridge? Oh. I see). He searched for a bargain in Staples, paid for it himself(!)and back we came. I left him with some food shopping which he seemed pleased with, as he was with his rather radical new room. I admit to shedding a real tear as we left.
Today, I parked the van at my daughter's, and Mellie and I took Melissa and the dogs for a walk and an ice cream, while Holly and Lee filled (literally) the van with the rest of their stuff. Considering I had already paid for a man and a van to move them, and he had done his bit, I am surprised the floor of their 3rd floor flat hadn't collapsed with the weight of their household. That said, their new house is very lovely, in a quiet close with dozens of other children around. The HA may have been slow and inefficient, but their houses are good (but no carpets or decoration, despite their excuses for the delays).
My failure to win the cooker the previous night now entailed a trip to Argos to make up for it, once we had dropped the van off. Cooker ordered.
I think I am about £500 short after this weekend. No wonder I get stroppy letters from the bank. I am also short of credit with Mellie for a couple of hissy fits when traffic lights or son got on my wick, but they both (son and daughter)remembered to say thank you. And little Melissa was very pleased with her invitation to Mellie's birthday, which she assumed was today, but is, in fact, in a few weeks.