Process, as is often the case, was the answer. A little like pregnancy in reverse, the unbuilding of the house eased the ache of leaving it behind. It was, in the end, four walls. As so many people had told me, the best of it went with us. It was the first house that I lived in that I had chosen myself; this may be the reason that I let it take on an unreasonable significance. Still, Rosie has lost four pounds in ten days so it is hard to ignore the fact that moving is stressful.