Auf Wiedersehen!

So. This is it.

We're leaving for the airpor in one hour. We have managed to pack our lives, for the next two years, into two suitcases, a backpack and a carry-on bag. And a ball of white fluff, who is currently pulling his cousin around by the ear, oblivious to the exciting journey he'll be taking in a few weeks.

Many people have asked me over the past week if I'd packed yet. I know some people like to take their time packing, but both of us prefer to leave it to the day and then cram everything into the suitcase at once. When you're a hoarder like me, who keeps everything on the off-chance they might come in handy one day, the more time left for packing provides more opportunities to convince yourself that, yes, you will need that decorative pen from Employee Services at your old job. And the pair of pink socks with flowers. And the brown burberry scarf, despite having packed five scarves already. Therefore, leaving everything to the last minute helps to avoid arriving at your destination unable to find a pair of clean undies, yet having that brown jumper that you haven't worn in years but brought just in case this trip provokes the desire to wear it.

We dropped Max off at H's, his home for the next few weeks. It was a lump-in-the-throat moment, yet the emotional parting that I'd envisioned was destroyed by Max's discovery of some rawhide. He gave a brief "Yeah, bye" over his shoulder as we left, and pranced off into the shadows. Oh well, can't have it all.

See you on the other side of the planet.

Much love