Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming....

We ended our glorious 3 and a half years in Melbourne with a fine weekend send-off.  Friday night, we spent with my most recent but instant great friends Katrina and Warwick and our mutual Franco-Australian friends, Caroline and Thierry for a superb gastronomic feast, many laughs, and much warmth.  I hope our friendship will continue, it is already cemented but under different circumstances it would continue to blossom organically; another price to pay for this nomadic life of ours.

Caroline, Thierry, me and Katrina

Me and Katrina WE WILL BE FRIENDS DISTANCE BE DAMNED

Losing this gang is part of the price of being nomadic

Thanks Caroline and Thierry for the French wine!

Saturday was a bit of a blur.  We checked out of our sweet temporary accommodations late morning, and J and I drove C2 and Murphy to the airport.  We found Qantas cargo and got Murphy sorted, J and I in tears for most of it, C2 doing his best 'in charge' gig.  Then J and I sent C2 on his way and with hearts in throats, we drove to Kerry and Andrew's for the rest of the weekend.  It was just what we needed, open arms, open hearts, and a collective whoop of relief when several hours later, C2 sent a text with a picture of him loading a happy and healthy Murphy into the rental car in Perth.

Early the next day, Kerry and Z (J's great mate) drove us to the airport where with tears in eyes and lumps in throats, we hugged and went our separate ways.  A few hours later, C2 picked us up in Perth.   We went to our new house but it seemed empty, our new neighbourhood with its majestic views beautiful but meaningless.  J and I both felt bereft.

However, by the next day, things began to improve, the movers arrived earlier than expected and a 18-hour crazy day left us surrounded by our things, in our own beds, utterly exhausted body and soul, but delighting in our small community of neighbours racing each other to say hello,  to chat, to give us warm scones with butter and jam, and to extend welcome.  Somehow, J's new deputy Principal is our next door neighbour.  Somehow, there is another 10-year old boy living across the street, somehow, we can take Murphy off-leash from our house to the adjacent park.  We spotted this gorgeous pair on a recent stroll.

Rainbow Lorikeets

In the few days that have subsequently passed and following C2 tireless pace, we are about 70% unpacked and setup.  Murphy is loving exploring and roaming and keeps making 'runners' from the back of the house to the grass in the front of the house.  Note to self: this weekend buy a doggie gate!   J started school this morning and was an utter trooper.  The neighbour/deputy Principal escorted him to class and during the day introduced him to another boy who lived for a time in Calgary where J was born.  What are the odds?  When C2 and I collected him at the end of the day, we scrutinized his face for signs of distress but all was well.  Queue second collective whoop of relief!

So really all has gone remarkably smoothly during this move.  The leaving was painful but the logistics surprisingly painless.  The next few weeks will be consumed with the minutia of moving.  A hundred more boxes to unpack, all the little things to rebuild - doctors, dentists, piano teachers, tennis programs, organising programs at the Alliance Francaise, figuring out where everything is.  I remember when we moved to Melbourne that one of my earlier thoughts was wishing I could fast-forward 3 months where everything made sense.  I'm kinda there again.  On the other hand, the forecast is for 30c and sunny for the next several days.  The beach beckons...I guess the rest can wait a few more days.