What's to miss????

So, we have less than 5 weeks to go. J left 2 weeks ago, the house will be packed up in less than 2 weeks.

It is all coming to an end. We will miss somethings - we will grateful to leave others.

But the experiences we will miss the most (not in order (except the first) ) ....

Really great friends ......

Being able to take a photo like this, which was taken in a normal department store (by one of the people working there ) .....

When your kids are part of a great team (which is part of school) - even when the colour of your football team is what is used to describe you for the next year (yes, red is best).......

When a night out leads to a nightclub at 3am - and you are over 35 ......

When a weekend away with a view of an active volcano is commonplace....

When the resources of your amazing school seems perfectly normal (can't say I haven't always been acutely aware of how lucky my kids are (or us for their behalf)).......

When this is a perfectly normal set up to have in your house for a 5th birthday party ....


When this is a normal hallway (after now buying a house in Aus we realise that not all hallways are 3m wide - but they should be).....

When a holiday to another country is no big deal (Langkawi - Malaysia - Bear's 8th birthday) ....

When your child goes near an active volcano on a camp and it doesn't even get mentioned until you see the photos.....

When this is just another normal night out with ANZA (I would hate to imagine Jakarta without ANZA - you need to be with other people from your own culture at least once a month - it's good therapy)......


Where great friendships are made and exciting adventures are undertaken (Sentosa - Singapore - long weekend in May 2009).....

When a visit to the zoo makes the kids beg to never return - and a photo is sent to an animal rescue program (ok - won't miss the zoo - but still miss these kids)......

When this becomes an acceptable toilet (Barito river - Borneo 2010).

We are still awaiting Mt Merapi to give a big blast - Australia is not reporting anything and the only world media covered was while Obama was coming/here/just leaving. Guess 300,000 people displaced is not really a big news item.

Mr Obama - I would have voted for you if I could have and I love that you are doing your bit to save the world without a care of being voted in for a second term. But your visit to Jakarta caused my normal Wed morning trip to work to be extended from 40 minutes to just over 2 hours - and the last 15 minutes was spent walking 300 m (otherwise it would have been another 1/2 hour) - where I counted 63 motorbikes coming towards me on the footpath (yes - very lucky all were coming towards me and none were coming from behind). Unfortunately I felt it my obligation to pass on my english language - where I had to yell / gesture wildly along the lines of - "this is a footpath - get off you "@****#&LF." Definitely a fine example of showing restraint - you have no idea how much you want to not TRY to push a motorbike rider over. Such satisfaction will never be achieved - but I am sure it would be VERY satisfying.

Don't judge unless you have experienced it - and if you do experience it and don't get fustrated - what is your secret.

Won't be missing the traffic. Still got another 33 days. 10 days of going to work.