June 2006
On Thursday the movers are coming to pack us up (lock, stock and barrel!) to move back to new Jersey. We have to decide what goes on the airplane with us, what gets airshipped, and what shouldn't be moved at all. We're giving up everything that runs on Australian power (220 instead of 110 and the "funny-looking" plug) and we're selling the car (steering wheel is on the wrong side).So good-bye to harbour beach half a block away, near the aquarium, near the ferry to Sydney proper. And good bye to the ocean beach two blocks away, which is therefore the largest sand box I've ever seen. Good bye to 350 sunny days a year and a winter that never freezes. Good bye to knowing what foods to get where and good bye to the allergist who has helped us figure out what was wrong with Margaret.
Good bye to my bug-filled kitchen, good bye to the cockroaches, good bye to the moths and ants. Good bye to a house without central heating that is just cold at night. Good bye to pizzas like tandoori chicken and chicken nugget pizza. Good bye to thick dark treacle, good bye to corn syrup-free foods. Good bye to bananas that are $12 per kilo. Hello to trying to think non-metric again.
But most of all and saddest of all, good bye to all of our friends, good bye to John's soccer team, good bye to my mother's group. Good bye to Margaret's friends, and especially Oliver, her besty bestest friend.
Christmas Photographs
From mid-December to early January we were in New Jersey visiting John's extended family as well as spending time with friends from the Taekwon-Do school. Margaret was on her best behavior and charmed people the whole time we were there. Unlike last year these are massively edited.
Photos: January to May
Since I haven't managed to complete any website updates in the last five months, I have tried to condense everything into this one page. Most of my web developement time was spent doing the re-design you are experiencing right now.
Ten Things ...
With our pending departure from Australia I have devised a few lists. Ten things I'll miss about Australia, Ten things I won't miss about Australia, and Ten things I'm looking forward to about America.