Haha...Not

I was due to get on a plane at 7pm (with Ollie) on April 1st. I had a girlfriend driving from Connecticut to NY to drive Ollie to quarantine and me to the airport...

At 10am my cell rang...it was Marty, the guy from freight who was organizing Ollie through the quarantine process.
"Hi Nicky, I have bad news"
"Hi Marty, what, the flight's been canceled?"
"Yes, actually."
"Haha, funny April fool's joke"
"I'm SERIOUS. I'm surprised the airline hasn't called you yet, but you can call them to verify it."

Shit, shit, shit. I went into panic mode. More than anything, I HAD to get Ollie on a flight because the timing for his tests would expire on the Saturday and we would have to go through the whole rigmarole again. I spent the entire day on the phone with the airline. They had put me on a domestic flight to LAX to join up with the original flight, but I couldn't make it work with Ollie. We (being Qantas freight and myself) found out quarantine in Sydney doesn't pick up from the airport on a weekend, so I was really down to the wire.

Finally after 12 hours on my cell phone (great for the brain), Ollie was on a flight, but without me.
I then made it my mission the following day, to sort it out. This was way too stressful and taking up WAY too much of my time when, really, I should have been having fun. I let it go for a few hours and met a couple of friends. We went to see a new Indy film called Enlighten Up .

It was great hanging out with them and the movie was fun and light. Something I needed. I left them and started on the phone calls again. After completely losing it with a supervisor from AA, I took a breath and took Ollie for a walk. What was I doing? I know not to fight the Universe. I'm obviously not meant to be on the next flight, so I let it go. I made arrangements to borrow a car so I could take Ollie to the airport and I made plans for myself for the next few days.

Right before I went to bed that night, I checked one more time with the airline and funnily enough, I was on the next day's flight. I was mildly disappointed because I'd finally given in and had fabby plans with friends and wouldn't have to worry about coming home to walk Ollie.

Oh well, I'd been given a couple of extra days, but hadn't used them wisely, so now I had to leave.

moving

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE TRIED TO FINISH AND POST THIS!!! I've been staying with friends and my drafts aren't saving properly....

I know I was supposed to be telling you all about packing up and saying my good byes, but this month has gone SO fast, I've not had time to. As soon as I told my friends I was leaving, I became Miss Popular and have been out almost every night...which is VERY unlike me...really, I'm not being facetious.

My friends from work threw me a farewell party and I'm going to miss each and every one of them immensely, along with all my other friends I've made over the past TEN years. Funnily enough, all my guy friends suddenly "needed" to see me. Funny how when you're suddenly not going to be on the same side of the world, let alone in the same state, people realize how much they'll miss you (well, me, actually).

This past week I finished working, sorted out stuff that I wasn't taking with me and had friends over to sell and give away most of it, organized stuff I was taking, had Ollie's final quarantine/vet appointment, found movers and organized for my car lease to be assumed. Actually, the later was done a couple of weeks ago, but it was supposed to be picked up on Friday, the same day as the movers were coming.

Friday rolled around and the movers arrived. They were also packing everything...I'm NOT a good packer and would rather hand the job to someone who is. The Mini was being picked up between 9.00am and noon. At noon I received a phone call from the trucking company...
Hi, the driver is running late
Ok, how late, what time will he be here?
TWO DAYS...he'll pick up the car on Monday
Ummm, NO...I wont be here...this is unacceptable.
Sorry, I was just informed. Can you leave the key somewhere?
Not really, but I suppose I will have to figure something out.

I'd already taken the plates off, so I couldn't go anywhere. I knew I had to come back up on Monday to take Ollie to the vet, so I locked it up and took the key. My apartment was packed up by 3.00pm and all I had to do was wait for my girl friend to finish work to drive Ollie and me into the city to stay with a friend on the UWS.

The weekend was fun...said good bye to friends and did some shopping.

And waited for April 1st, which was leaving day...

March 4th

Today is Ollie's ninth Birthday. This is how the day was supposed to pan out for him

park,
breakfast
vet
beach, which would have been fun...it was low tide at noon
nap, which is always welcomed
dinner, another welcomed event
frozen turkey neck...b'day treat

This is what happened

Park, where he didn't want to be this morning. The snow is too wet and balls up between the pads in his feet. He is not a happy camper after a snow storm.
Breakfast, which he didn't want to eat after the park that he didn't want to be in.
Vet, where he didn't ask to be taken. He had to have his final blood tests and he is still there because they called me to suggest I leave him there longer so he could have his teeth cleaned. I agreed. This is about the time Ollie's hating me.
Got the quote
Missed the beach, because by the time he's done at the vet, the tide will be up and you can't have the dogs there unless the tide is low. Also, I was meeting a friend there with her dog and it wouldn't have been the same to go down without mine...
So now, I'm presuming I'll pick him up in a couple of hours and he'll be drowsy from the anesthetic, BUT he will have beautiful shiny teeth.
I think I'll save the turkey neck treat for tomorrow. On second thought, I think I might just move his birthday to tomorrow. If no one says anything, he'll never know.

Shhhh

Other than that, I think someone has been approved to assume the lease on my car. I used this website. It's awesome...you can get practically any car, especially in this market. My car had been posted for maybe 12 hours before I had an interested party contact me. As I don't have the luxury of time, I took the first offer and now just have to wait for the paperwork to go through.
This is a HUGE load off my mind.

I'm fighting a chest infection, which I AM going to win. This is not going to turn into bronchitis. I have too much to do thins month to get sick....this includes lots of good bye drinks and dinners, which are all bitter sweet.

Now, I'm going back to looking through my clothes. Pulling the ones I'm never going to wear again and packing the lucky ones that will be moving with me.

Later....

I'm Thinking Snow Day

In the ten years I've been in the States, this winter has been the coldest and with the most snow. I suppose, being my last one, I shouldn't complain.

We woke up this morning...we, being Ollie and me...to a foot (30.5 cm for those of you who are metric) of snow outside my front door and they're saying at least another 4 inches before it stops later this afternoon.

Ollie's not a fan of SO much snow because it gets stuck in his feet and he can't walk, but he looks cute, and that's what matters!

Not sure I'm going anywhere in my car today!

Here I am...

I've been SO boring the past few weeks, I had nothing fun to blog about.

Things that have happened since the last time we met...

* A woman gave birth to octuplets. Adding to her already large family of six kids...now it's WAY too big. I have no doubt you're all up to date on this story. A lot of the media outlets here won't cover her any longer. It's sad for all the children, and the mother is incredibly selfish. She will never be "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" material.

* I stopped all insemination procedures. The next step is IVF and here in the US it isn't covered by my private health insurance (even though I pay $500/month!).

* We are in the beginning stages of the biggest snow storm of the season. When I wake up, there will be about a foot of snow on the ground and it's going to keep snowing all day Monday.

* I've decided to move back to Sydney. I started contemplating it when I was there in Sept/Oct last year and booked my ticket last week. I leave the first week of April and have an appointment with a Fertility Dr the week after I return.
March is going to fly by. After being here for ten years, I have SO much to organize.
- I have to find a moving company that I like...
- Ollie has to have his final blood tests next week. This after having the first ones in October. The quarantine process to bring animals into Australia is extremely stringent. I've spoken to the freight man at JFK who had to book him on the flight and has to approve all the paperwork.
- I need to find someone with good credit to assume the lease on my car. I'm going to be sad to give it up. I love my car, but it IS just a car and someone in my family has the same one, so hopefully I'll be able to borrow it now and again (was that subtle enough???)
- Anything I own that plugs into a wall has to be sold. Also my grill, bike, espresso machine, couch and a couple of other things. An email went out to everyone letting them know, although a couple of friends have dibs on some pieces. Craigslist, you're all thinking...and I hear you, but I really don't want strangers coming over when I'm here alone.
- The girls at work have been very supportive and most are sad I'm leaving...but they'll have a reason to visit Australia now! I've finally found a great group of girls, most of whom are my age and I love going to work every day, but I need to go back to my roots...my family and friends. I know it's the right thing to do.

It's funny how when I've told people I'm going, they suddenly HAVE to see me, especially guys. One of them told me a couple of weeks ago, when we were out that although he doesn't see me often, now I'm not living in the City, it's nice to know I'm not that far...and still in the same country!!! Another is now single and is finally ready to be with me. I told him he has horrible timing and I'm not not leaving because of this. He understands and I'll see whether he does what he said he will do...I'll let you know what it is, if he does.
There are a couple of other wrenches that have been thrown at me to see whether I'd change my mind, but I'm not. My ticket is booked, I need to get pregnant...I'm leaving.

I'm back to blogging and will keep you up to date with the moving and farewelling drinks and dinners.

N x

Cleanse

Last week I did a three day detox juice cleanse with most of the girls I work with. It was awesome, and addictive!!! We did it through a raw food cafe in Rye, NY.

Coconut water, a green juice, electrolight lemonade, a blended soup, a green salad and an almond milk...but I don't eat nuts, so my milk was substituted for another green juice. I wasn't hungry at all and other than the caffeine headache, I loved it. We all did, one of the girls even lost 7lbs.

The girls who didn't do it first time around, are doing it this week and some of the girls who DID do it, are doing it again. It really is addictive. I feel SO great and would love to do another 3 days...and I think I might after my Birthday, next week.

Happy New Year

2008 ended (thankfully) with neither pomp nor circumstance. It's last few weeks were actually rather uneventful....

No pregnancy
A couple of dates I'd rather forget
Lots of work
Fun Holiday drinks/dinners with friends
and a Ponzi Scheme

2009 began with a thump....literally....I drove over a pot hole on my way home last night and, consequently, have a flat tire.

I met friends for New Year's Eve dinner in NY, then a party in Jersey. I had planned on staying at my ex husband's seeing as he's away and I could take Ollie with me. I'd driven in during the snow storm in the afternoon, got Ollie settled and got myself spruced up for some fun and frivolity. I must say, I'm not a huge fan of NYE, especially in NYC....it turns into amateur hour, but I had friends in from out of town, and would have gone anywhere to spend time with them.

I got back to the apartment and felt weird staying there, so I packed up my stuff and Ollie and I drove home at 2am. I'm usually good at spotting pot holes, before I drive over them, but this one just appeared out of nowhere!!! As soon as I'd run over it, I knew, but it took a while for the tire pressure light to come on and by that time, I was, thankfully, just about home. It was about 10 degrees F and I was NOT going to get out and walk, so I limped the car home.

I've organized for it to be towed to the dealership in the morning, but today, I'm stuck at home. Thank goodness I have homemade soup in the freezer.

May 2009 be a wonderful, healthy and prosperous year for everyone...