Hi Gals, well it's my penultimate day of being here in Newcastle.

Tomorrow morning at 8.30 we are off to the Newcastle Airport (our son is picking us up and driving us the 40 minutes to it). We will arrive mid morning at the Sydney airport and then get to the International Airport and as we have to be there 3 hours before we leave it gives us plenty of time for the midday flight to Singapore, then a 2 hour wait at that airport and then another 14 hour flight to Milan in Italy.

I'm off to have my hair cut at 10.00 - it's 8.00am Thursday as I write this. I've had my nails done Tuesday, I've got all my medications organised and have packed for the first time. Later today I go through my things again just to check I've got everything.

Our fridge/freezer died on Saturday, so we've been eating leftovers that I put into our extra fridge in an old laundry, and some takeaway. We gave all our frozen and perishable food to the kids on Sunday and have asked our daughter Dana to organise a Fisher Paykel technician to come out and fix it during the School Holidays later this month.
We have asked Dana as she is Assistant Principal at her school and she has 2 weeks holidays, so I hope she does as we want to be able to come home to a working fridge. Of course it means I'll have to buy a complete lot of frozen foods etc. Fun!!!

I spoke with my sister last night re Mum and she was telling me all the funny things she's been doing and saying!!!! I think she is finally understanding how hard it's been for me. Jewls has no children and doesn't have the commitments I do and she didn't know how bad it's been looking after Mum and the rest of our family too. She told me Mum is a bit homesick and of course she will be with Jewls for at least another 8 weeks, cause we can't go and collect her till about the 2nd week of November due to Trev's work commitments. We get home on the 24th October as our trip is 6 weeks.

I had morning tea with my Priest yesterday and he told me he's leaving our Parish and will be working with The Samaritans an Anglican Agency. He will be looking after the Drug and Alcohol Units, plus the men who will be released from Prison to be rehabilitated into society. He is so excited as it's right down his alley. He was all of the above and an ex-bikie too, and he's been there done that, so he's got life experience. He wanted to meet with me before we left to thank me for my friendship. He's had a tough 5 years here, but I love him and think that his sermons and his life experiences just make him perfect as a Priest. I pray that this new venture will be great for him.

Well, I better get moving and get ready, it's gorgeous outside, so I'll go and enjoy it. Till I get back on here later, maybe on the weekend, have a wonderful day and coming weekend. Love Chris