replace the rent with the stars above

Today is the last day we will spend in our flat, more specifically, as residents of the UK. Tomorrow morning the removalist will come and take the remainder of our boxes and furniture, leaving us with just our bags. Later that day we'll hand over our keys, taking up another set of keys, belonging to a Land Rover owned by our kind and very generous friends Dom and Chris, who have lent us their car for a month so that we can head towards what is simply known as 'The Continent'. We've packed a tent and sleeping bags and will try our hand at camping again, having not done it for a few years. These days Nate now knows how to free himself from anything with a zip (honestly, we're just days away from him discovering how to pick a lock) so containing him in a tent at night-time may prove to be a considerable challenge ... but a fun one! Can't wait to show him the stars, so often hidden by overcast skies and a burgeoning city.

Relative freedom is so close, yet feels so far away. There's still the last bits to be packed, all the washing to be done, and then there's the cleaning. But we'll get there ...

.... and no, no more news on Nate's visa, and no decision on our behalf as to what to do next, except of course head for the hills!

getting that little bit closer

Things are definitely moving along in leaps and bounds now. We've finally had some information on why our visas have taken so long. It seems that everything has to be translated into Arabic. We knew that our passports needed to be done but also all the documents we sent over to the States have needed to be translated too. So, now that they have finally been translated and forwarded to the Libyan Embassy, the visas could be coming any day - so they say.

Woz now has only two more weeks of work, finishing up on the 15th of August, although he has an agreement with them to stay on as long as he wants after that date should our plans to move be delayed any further. We're not sure they will be though as the new company have already given Woz a start date of the 16th of August, in order to send him a laptop from the States. There are a significant amount of things that would need to happen to get us there by then ... visas approved, flights booked, us packed and moved out of the flat ... needless to say we don't think that date will actually come to fruition but wouldn't be surprised if we were there by late August.

We've started boxing up our bits and pieces, which is a much more challenging feat than simply moving home as we have had to pack all our goods in specifically sized boxes and also comply with the weight restrictions. This has led to packing and repacking of boxes in order to squeeze as much as we can into each box. The challenges of packing are also intensified with Nate around. This morning I started boxing up some of Nate's toys while I distracted him with a DVD. Unfortunately he overhead me and came over to join me. With each toy I put in the box, another was pulled out tearfully, by little hands!

doting grandparents

making friends

nana, uncle matty, nate and pop

"look!" meer cats

verity, uncle benny, nate and a touch of autumn

neigh roar squawk

Nate has become interested in animals recently and particularly those he can mimic the noises of, so we thought a trip to the zoo was in order and the whole family came along (well most of them anyway). As it was Matt and Ben's birthday they both decided to take the day off from work and study, Ben's girlfriend Verity also joined us, as did Ron & Fiona and Mum & Dad. It was great to have everyone there and we had a great day wandering around and quite funny to see seven adults walking through the zoo for the benefit of just one little boy.

up up and away

After just a week home in London Nate and I checked into the airport again for a long haul flight, this time to Australia, and for the first time by myself with Nate in tow.

The trip was a complete surprise to everyone but a small handful of friends in London who were sworn to secrecy and to Auntie Sheena and Uncle Brian who helped me execute the surprise by organising to meet up with Woz's parents on the day I flew in. Ron and Fiona then helped me surprise Mum, Mum surprise Dad, and so on.

This photo was taken at our gate at Heathrow just minutes before I finally confiscated the apple in Nate's hand which had dropped to the ground and returned to his mouth too many times for me to handle. As I'd kept him up all morning to make sure he had a nap on the flight he was suitably tired and so he then threw a tantrum which lasted for at least half an hour before we boarded the plane and continued well after take-off. Not exactly the start to the 24 hour journey I had hoped.

We had three legs, London to Dubai, then to Singapore, then to Melbourne, with each flight being about six and a half hours long. All manageable flights but not one after the other. As it turned out it was okay and we got through it ... just. All though I have to say that long haul flights are very much like childbirth, hell when you're going through it but when it's all said and done you are very quickly planning your next trip.

the playground

nate and his girls

star attraction

up, up and away!

Tomorrow morning we head off to Heathrow to fly to Australia via Kuala Lumpur for a two day stopover. We'll be away for just over a month. It's going to be pretty crazy while we're there so I don't expect to be posting regularly but we may manage the odd post.

This week has been very difficult. Woz has been working crazy hours to prepare for being away for so long which has left him tired and me with no relief from looking after an incredibly active and mischievous 15 mth old little boy with endless energy and little regard for his mother's sanity or the state of her home.

I have packed about ten times already. I pack the bags, put things aside and then Nate gets into them pulls things out and drags them around the house. I have a terrible feeling that we'll get there and realise that the crucial thing we just couldn't live without is tucked away at home in the freezer or the wash basket which are two of his current favourite hiding spots. I'm thinking of attaching a bell or flashing light to every object in the boat that isn't nailed down.

So, Australia here we come ay?

For anyone reading this who is thinking of hijacking our boat while we're away, I dare ya. We've got a house/boat sitter staying here who I certainly wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

nate took a little convincing at first

would you trust this face?

As we are travelling to Australia in a few months we are in the process of applying for an Australian passport for Nate. (It would be a shame to make him line up by himself with all the foreigners at Customs). We have been taking every opportunity to take a passport photo, a process which is very tedious as the guidelines are incredibly strict; the photo must show the child or baby awake, looking straight at the camera with mouth closed, without any hair across the eyes, without any shadows behind their head or parent's hands visible.

While he can now stand against the wall of his own accord, I have to hold him to stop him from walking away, towards the coveted camera. The hardest part however is to get him to look straight at the camera with mouth closed as the minute he sees it he starts to giggle and reach towards it.

This photo was taken last night while he was in his pajamas. We didn't really think about it at the time but looking at the photo now all he needs is some arrows on his pajamas and some leg irons and he will look like a regular little convict. You never know, it might improve his chances of getting in, because everyone knows Australia is entirely populated by criminals.

birthday boy

Our baby boy turned one on Friday! They say it goes quickly but my goodness how it flies.

I remember from the moment we brought him home and the reality of no sleep, a non responsive newborn and almost constant breastfeeding set in it seemed like an eternity as we counted down the days until he reached the six week mark and things became a little more manageable. From that moment on it seems to have passed in the blink of an eye and every day cherished.

On Saturday we celebrated Nate's birthday with a very low key affair. An intimate afternoon tea with a small group of friends at the park complete with honey joys, fairy bread and Nana's famous walnut slice. A total of four kids (including Nate) and seven adults.

Naturally, Nate was oblivious to the fact we were all there on his account but thoroughly enjoyed himself, playing in the sandpit with his friends (and surrogate aunties and uncles) and being pushed around by Woz on all the bikes, cars and trolleys.

Thank you to Vicki and Andrew for taking photos of the day, to everyone who sent birthday wishes via e-mail or by post and those who spoilt him (or us) with a present.

We still can't believe he's ours to keep.

portrait of a rockstar

a very strange european winter indeed

This weekend was once again unseasonably warm and incredibly sunny. On Saturday we spent another full day working on the boat and were outside wearing only long sleeved t-shirts. We even had an alfresco lunch on the pontoon! I didn't see for myself but I heard from a reliable source that it was 14 degrees.


Most of our neighbours were also out working on various projects or dining in the sun so it was a very sociable day for Nate who sat on the pontoon and watched everyone coming and going.

who's the boss?

Woz had a meeting close to home today so he came home for lunch. I wasn't the only one happy to see him. Nate just cuddled into him and sat there very content. Me, I have to entertain him all day with toys or silly faces. Got me wrapped around his little finger already!

tinkering

I spent this afternoon shopping (most unsuccessfully) and left Woz and Nate home together. As soon as I was heading out the door they were tinkering on Woz's bike. I think Woz was hoping to pass on some wisdom to his son as his own Dad did with him but check out Nate in the second photo pointing to the bike as if to say, 'Oi! Stop posing, get back to it'! Nate also reminds me of my Grandad funnily enough, who in his twilight years, when he was too old to work would sit in his car or on a bench and watch my Dad work, pointing and telling him how to do it right!