3 sleeps to go!!

Well, we officially have 3 sleeps to go!! By this time next week we will be getting used to the cold weather and will have said goodbye to the kids and the grand kids (and the fur kids!). Lizzie's little one (Barney the dog) got desexed today so we have had a bit of a traumatic day! On the real home front (fur kids aside!) Kris and Linda are getting ready to fly home to Sweden and Lizzie and Joel are getting ready to move into (our) house! We signed the contract today to have the garage and the front fence built by Joel's boss (and Joel of course!) starting on the 22nd of February. How trusting are we???? Looking forward to actually blogging from the Med... next blog will probably be from Scotland (providing we are not too frozen!!). Looking forward to seeing my family and ultimately meeting 'Shirley Valentine'!! Please keep yourselves posted!!

Jessica!

What a day.... Here we are thinking about ourselves and worried about the cold climate that we are going to face when we pick up the boat and Jessica Watson is facing 65 knot winds and turning turtle.. Makes me feel quite humble. She is such a brave girl! We are going to be facing few problems compared to Jessica. Things are on track for Shirley Valentine despite me taking a tumble over a children's toy this morning and stuffing up my shoulder again! Makes me feel quite old! You go Jessica... maybe I could qualify for the oldest person to sail solo, unassisted around the world! NOT going to have more surgery even if it is indicated!!!!! Will keep you posted!

Preparing for Pirates!!!!

Last day at work! The booking staff (the lovely Roxanne, Caroline and Sharyn) decided that I should be prepared to meet pirates. They made me this lovely costume so that the pirates would think I was one of them! I particularly like the parrot. I swear it spoke to me! Was also given a lovely bottle of malt whisky from the rest of the staff. My colleagues know me so well..... alchohol is always welcome. Can just envisage sitting on the foredeck of Shirley Valentine sipping Glenmorangie at sunset! Bring it on..... Will really, really miss everyone though and a lot of tears were shed yesterday. Can't wait to catch up when we come home. Anyway, ONE WEEK TO GO till we leave Oz. I think I am pretty organised, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Can't wait to meet our lovely lady.....

Back to work!

Had to go back to work yesterday as they need a victim to do the coordinators role next week.. Was a bit of a shock to the system, however the good thing is that I know it is only for a short time before we are off! Feel a bit guilty in some ways.... will REALLY miss everyone that I work with and the camaraderie. The department is going through a trying time at the moment, but the people that I work with are in general thoroughly wonderful people and I know that they will pull through this together! See you Monday guys!!

Preparations well under way....

Well hi everyone.... The preparations for our European adventures are now well and truly under way. We have booked our tickets out of Australia and leave on the 30th of January 2010. It will sure be a busy weekend as Craig's son flies back to Sweden on the 29th of Janurary, Lizzie is moving into our house that weekend and Graeme (my eldest son) is moving out of his house and flying out to Vietnam on the 30th of January too!! It will be nice to get on the plane and relax....

I suspect I will be a mess at the airport and the night before we leave. I am on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster!

We fly to Glasgow originally and spend a few days there before flying to Venice on the 9th of February. We hope the big thaw will have come through by then! After a night in Venice we train/bus/whatever to Coper Marina in Slovenia to pick up the boat. We will be in Coper for a few weeks while the final fit out is taking place and will hopefully be ready to sail sometime around the final week of February. We are of course realistic enough to know that this may vary!! There seems to be lots of lovely sightseeing to do in Slovenia though so I am sure we will manage to pass the time. We also have lots of shopping to do to fully kit out the boat.

We have had a few bookings for visitors already which is great and late August, September and early October look like being a lot of fun.

Will, of course, keep everyone updated with our progress. I am looking forward to this blog becoming a great memory of our trip for us and all our family and friends.

xxxxxx

Lesley