Well I did begin to pack after my post yesterday and for dinner we got a take out and then sat and watched a film with the kids. Stephen came home with Jumanji - yeah I know it's an old one but we thought Luke would like and and both he and Elissa were glued to it. We sat with the lights out muching popcorn and had a good old family night in. I was supposed to cut back on the coffee yesterday but didn't so fat ankles here I come. In just 6 hours we will be leaving - that sounds like I have loads of time to do stuff but I know it will simply fly by. However, the annual trip back to the UK has taught me how to pack and I usally travel alone with the children so it will be nice to at least have my hubby with me this time round.

We travel by car over the causeway to Bahrain, then fly to Dubai, which is only an hour or so, then from there onto Singapore where we hang around the airport dodging flu bugs for a few hours then get back onto the plan to fly to Melbourne, Australia. We land at stupid o'clock in the morning but will land on our friend Karen's doorstep around 7 in the morning on Saturday. We leave here on Thursday, it's something like a 20 hour journey but yet we don't land until Saturday! Weird. Coming back is even better... we will leave on a Saturday say, and arrive back here on a Friday! Now that is cool. Pitty I won't make a trip up to the lovely Magnetic Island to see Mia and her family but we will get as far as Sydney. I thought we were going for 4 weeks but it turns out to be only 3 and we will have so much to do in the way of property hunting, sussing the better areas to live, the better schools etc... and Stephen has even managed to line up a couple of interviews. Only with agencies, granted but it's a start because don't forget, we are moving to Australia with no relatives there, no house (we plan on renting for the first time ever) and no work. One of the agencies has told Stephen that their client is looking for a British Quantity Surveyor to work on a new stadium or something that they are beginning to build in Melbourne and I am worried that if the money proves too good to turn down, that it will be I selling the house in England and being a 'single mum' again, but this time to two children instead of one. I guess I have to wait and see.

I have begun to make some good friends since doing this blog and it's strange but I shall miss them, esp. Chrissi , Antoinette and Michele. I know you lot won't think it strange but my husband thinks it's rather weird and that people should just go out and make friends but not everyone these days want to meet new people. That is one of my biggest concerns when we move to Oz, that everyone will be happily settled with their old school chums etc. and not particularly welcomming to the one with the funny accent. But there is no good to be done by dwelling on "what ifs" and "maybees" so I am signing off for now, paying my bills etc and doing all the little piffy bits that aren't any fun whatsoever, but still need to be done. Hope you all stay safe and have a wonderful, HAPPY EASTER!!!

What to do... what to say - I don't know why I'm here.
I think I'd better go and pack, till tomorrow, that's all, my dears.

Huggles x x x

Work, work, work... busy, busy, busy. *sigh*. Not done a lot these past few days but update my site with a couple of really sweet gifts I'd been given, which can be viewed by clicking on the link to the right entitled Gifts to me. Don't ever say that I don't write in crystal clear English. LOL. Went to school today to a special assembly where Luke was presented with his Silver Cert. for house points, and congratulated for receiving the most house points in his class this past week. He was also given a Star Award...a sort of "Hey Everyone, Look At Me! I Did Best In School This Week!" award. I jest, but I am immensely proud of the way he has settled in. My mum called too, telling me my gas bill is due for our home in England. We have all the services connected so are paying for those still. And that, my friends, is all the fun of the fair! Goodnight and God Bless... or Blessed Be... whichever ye all choose. x x x

Magic. Not the stuff with a bloke in a dodgy suit pulling a startled bunny out of a top hat with a semi-clad, middle aged woman by his side… white magic. Wicca. Now I’m not allowed to link to anything like this from my site as some of the ladies that have offered their linkware to me, won’t allow it (although how Jesus turned water into wine is still a mystery to me). However, I really like the idea of it. Not that I’ve ever stood in the garden surrounded by 200 tea lights, dressed in a flowing white robe from Past Times or similar, but nonetheless, bringing your loved one to you by sniffing oil of cloves and tying a pink ribbon around your left wrist by the light of the silvery moon, does have a feel good factor about it. (OK so that’s not a real spell.. ah, y’got me!) If only everything in life could be solved like that and with people not harming each other but helping others in need. I’m in that sort of mood today! Michelle is definitely musing. LOL.

My baby-baby is growing up. We took the sides off her cot over the weekend and made it into a bed for her. Buying a cot bed turned out to be so much better because she doesn’t look lost in it, like Luke did when he first went into his. Nor do we have stairs so she doesn’t need a gate at the doorway, which makes the whole thing much easier. Last night was the first night we tried her and she was great! She climbed right into bed tonight also and hasn’t got up… yet. It’s harder in the mornings though because she was fast asleep when I wanted to walk Luke to the bus stop.

I had to send him on his own and he cried, oh how he cried and his nose had been bleeding whilst he was getting ready for school and it started to bleed again. What a sight he was!L I had to explain to him that now Elissa wasn’t in her cot, there was nothing keeping her safe if she was to wake up whilst we were gone. (Remember I live on a secured compound – I would never leave either of them alone back in the UK but this I suppose would be compared to an Army barracks or similar.) The women here don’t take their children to the bus stop in a morning except for the one acting as a monitor so there isn’t the same chatter there as we had in Yanbu, when it was sort of a meeting place for mums. Luke finds it all very unfriendly, bless him.

Oh what have we here? Mmm – Stephen has just made me a cup of coffee and attached to it is a bar of yummy Lindt choc with hazelnuts so I’m afraid you will all have to leave now; I don’t want you watching me devour it! Go on… be gone. (Flick and swish) Pooof.

WHOO-HOOO... HURRAY FOR THE WEEKEND!

Well my weekend anyway. Happy Midweek to the rest of you! *grin* Good Morning keyboard chums. Couple of boring days have been had here really. Forgot Luke's book fair! Oh was I in trouble. He waltzed home announcing that I was the only mother not to go... well, except for Rami's mum too (thankyou Rami's mum, where ever you are!). However, Luke informed that a nice lady had helped him choose books and fill the form in and my guilt just said yes, he could have whatever he'd chosen. I don't mind too much what he get because we have lots of blooks here. That's one thing Stephen goes mad about when we fly back here from our UK summers, as the suitcases weigh a ton with all the books I pack. Comes from being an only child I think. On wet Sunday afternoons when there was no-one to play with, I always had my nose stuck in a book and I guess as I've grown older, the bookworm is still within me. Our home wasn't fortunate enough to have a video until I was about 16! lol.

As blogger wasn't working yesterday I couldn't tell you about the wonderful new group I have joined online called Friend's For All Seasons. I'm looking forward to taking part in a few things now that Elissa is in school more. Although the sun is out today so my laptop and I might have to mosey on into the garden. I seriously could use some sun, I tell you. I'm not white I'm reflective! lol. Dark hair, dark eyes - you'd think I'd tan easily but I don't... I glow like a beacon if I'm not careful. When I walked to school for Elissa the other day, I came back home to find my shoulders a little pink from the sun. I must have spent 20 - 30 minutes out in it, that's all. Factor 25 plus babe, gotta slap it all on. Luckily my children will both wear hats and sunglasses now and I'd really like to keep that up with them... esp. sun glasses as I have 'laughter lines' (or similar - lol) and I think it's due to all the squinting in the sun I do. I have polaroid lenses fitted in my glasses but they don't go dark enough to offer protection from the Saudi sun. I have a gorgeous pair of Chanel ones - red lenses - but I can't always be bothered to shove my contact lenses in. I am getting lazier and lazier, I tell you!

Well I am off to visit all these nice ladies that signed what appears to be hundreds of cards in our family guestbook. If you call by my blog, please mark your location on my map as I love knowing exactly where people live.