End Game

I've noticed over the last few months that I'm ready to leave London. When we were working out how much longer to stay, it came down to a few things:

* I really miss my family in Oz. Much more than I thought I would, and especially so because my family is generally super crap at keeping in touch via email and phone. Not sure about your parents, but I talk to them for 3 mins (every 4-6 weeks) and they say something like "well, better get going, don't want to run up your phone bill ..." Nothing beats a face to face for all friendships/relationships I find.

* Had a new patient (about 50 or so) come in the other day, and after asking him about his back problem and when it started, he mentioned that he'd been off work for it initally for a week, then back to work for a week then off again recently. When I asked why that was, he told me that his Mum had passed away a few days ago, and he was now without any parents. I was like "Geez, and you've come back to work, don't you want to take some compassion leave etc ..." and he basically broke down saying that he didn't know what to do, he thought it might be better to continue to work and keep his mind busy than to just stay at home.

Anyway - he looks me dead in the eye and says "Do you tell your parents you love them? Do you?? You should do it every day because once they're gone you've lost that chance. Gee I miss them" It almost broke me. I still well up thinking about this guy and what he said.

* Think I might be ready to have kids. (gee can u imagine me as a dad?? scary.) Mushie is quite particular in not wanting to have them in London, and also re: being setup in Oz with a place for the bub. But, all that takes time to setup, time to get back to Australia, time to find a house, time to get a mortgage. And all I can hear is the ticking of the clock in my head ...!!!

[On a side note - I reckon there is a bit of a baby trend shift happening these days. It used to be that you got married early, had your kids young, and then you could enjoy growing up with them. That's changed with contraception, later marriages etc, and people enjoying the DINKs (double income no kids) lifestye. However, the DINKs are leaving pregnancy to later - say 35-40, but due to lower fertility rates have to rely more heavily on IVF and reduced success rates. Think it'll shift back to a more sensible mid-range - late 20's pregnancies.]

* Other friends are leaving London or planning to - bye T&R we'll miss the poker nights and the never ending alcohol supply! Oh, and can't wait to see new bubs in Oz, and catch up with people there. the SA missionaries will be back soon too - will be great to see you back in Oz.

* Crap weather to exercise in - every time we plan to go climbing, or touch footy - raining. Went for a run in the wet yesterday w/ fat bastad no#1, and I did feel like a real man powering through the rain, but it was hard to get out there.

* We are going home in Oct 08 for a (two!) good friends wedding and if we were to come back to London it would be at a minimum for a further year (to make it cost-effective to fly back here, and continue to rent our place while we are away etc). That would bring us to Oct 09. That would make Mushie - 29, and still no bun in the oven, and prolong this process of getting setup. And did I mention Mushie has retired ?? If she's not going to work, she better get ready to push out some babies :) (oh, and you still gots to do the housework, and cook me dinner)

Thanks London, it's been a blast. But it's time for the next part of life - babies, business and spending time w family and friends. And chezzy, lets live across the hallway from each other, so you can hear my baby scream itself to wake at 5am in the morning!