Leaving my home in George, there are naturally things that I will miss. Here are a few pictures of the things that will pull at me whilst being away:

I will miss Mums obviously. FaceTime will be running between us regularly!
Mums has just celebrated her birthday!
Mums was so sickly I never thought she would reach her 50th birthday. What joy the family had, marching into her bedroom, with a tea tray, roses and presents on her 81st birthday. We partied the day away!!!

It is Perdita, my little ageing wire haired dachshund, that I will long for. 
After I leave, Perdita apparently sits by the front door waiting for my appearance. For three days. On the fourth day, she gives up, abandons the door and promptly settles in to her new home.

Every night, I go to sleep with Perdita tucked into my side and Spencer, my cockatiel, muttering beneath his covered cage on my left. I just adore sharing my flat with Spencer. Every morning, with Perdita crouched on my lap, Spencer comes out of his cage and has an exploratory walk around my bed.
I look so forward to going back to his bed walk explorations.

We have a coffee house in George, Ground Control.
The coffee and carrot cake are ambrosial. I had to think quite seriously about going overseas. No Ground Control carrot cake for almost a month!!!

Every morning I gaze up at my George mountain and am perpetually astounded by such incredible ‘God-made’ beauty!!!

My friend, Jans, introduced me to succulents.
She came round with a glorious windmill, beautiful rocks she had picked up at the beach, and my first fleshy, multi-coloured succulents. I have added more as time has moved on.  How I love letting Perdita out every morning and perusing my sensational plants. I wonder how they will change during these weeks of separation?

I’m leaving Perdita with Mums and her best friend, Brendan. How I adore that little black and tan bundle of lively mischief. He is so good for Perdita. He is forty-eight dog years old and Perdita is one hundred and five. With his youthful vigour and zest, he keeps my ‘little old lady’ on the go. My best thing is watching them sleeping together. He rests his chin on Perdita’s back as they drift into the world of dreams.

I will love my time in England. I will be seeing special places but even better, I will be reconnecting with people I love that mean so much to me. 

And then….I will go home.

This quote sums up my feelings exactly:

“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”
Wendy Wunder, The Probablily of Miracles

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