With SPRING in my step

Its 27 degrees! I've just gotten back from the beach, and though it was too cold to swim in the ocean (for me, the born and bred Aussie kids didn't seem to agree) it was so nice to get some sun!

Mum is coming on Tuesday, so Tree and I spent all yesterday deep-cleaning the flat. Living with a boy who is too lazy to do anything, combined with being too stubborn to do the chores for him, has resulted in quite a messy flat. But now that Luke's shipped off to Europe for a month, we have put all his belongings in his room, closed the door, and set about cleaning/redecorating. Sorry, Luke, you don't live here anymore. This is a girly flat! No more hiding TP in our rooms, no more seeing who will give in and wash all the dishes first. Thanks, Luke, for the run of the flat- for the amazing location, and having it to ourselves a good portion of the time, but NO thanks to you being a tad unpleasant and awkward when you are here.

I can't wait to have a flat just me and Tree when we are back in London! (You know, if we can afford it). Then we can do whatever we damn-well please. You know, within reason.

Anyway, back to Mum coming. It's going to be such a wonderful week with her! I haven't seen my fam since last Christmas, almost a year ago- can you believe it!? How time flies. And then, the next Wednesday, I turn 22! Where did 21 go? I feel like there are so many more things I should have done!! Sure, I moved to Australia, had alcohol in a bar in the states, kayaked with dolphins, spent time with my grandparents and extended family, got a kick ass tan, returned to a pasty see-through white, got another tan (okay, so far its just flip flops and sunglasses tans, but I'll get there, you watch), gambled for real (thanks, Jess!) and did a whole bunch of amazing things I will never forget (except now in this here paragraph). But still, I feel like I just had my 21st birthday! God, sooner than later I'll be 40.

In case I don't get here again before the fateful October 6th, thank you to everyone who has made this year incredible. Thanks to my amazing family and extended family for being there for me and loving me in good and bad times, my friends at home and in England who have reassured me I'm not 'out of sight, out of mind', my darling Tree for EVERYTHING, and all my wonderful Australian friends who have made this year and experience incredible.

Love x

Panic.

Boy, I am terrible at keeping up with this blog thing. But in my defense, in a story I won't bore you with, I've been without internet for 6 weeks. At least. Long story short, stay away from Virgin Mobile Australia.

But there are more than 6 weeks between May and September, you might protest. To which I say, get off my back, I've been trying to have a life!! But even still, I apologize. And it won't happen again. Well, it might, but I'll try.

All of a sudden, I've started to panic- we've been here almost 9 months already! And my wonderful mother is arriving in 14 days! Why is that cause to panic, you may ask. Surely this is a good thing. And it is, most def! I am SO excited to see mum! But I am going home with her. When she goes, I go. In 8 weeks, I will give up the just-getting-hot-again-ness of Manly for the Christmas paradise which is Boise. Happy, but sad. So we are trying to fit in everything we can between now and then. Mum gets here, then its my birthday, then I have a birthday surprise from Tree, then we are apparently going to the Great Barrier Reef, then the South Island of NZ, then up to the Central Coast to spend time with Nan and Pop, then home!

I'M NOT READY TO GO HOME YET!!!

I've been loving the last few months, enjoying my cleaning, the relaxing lifestyle, my friends and family here, and apart from a few panic attacks its been a wonderful trip.