25th August 2015

In twelve days time we will be in Sydney, staying overnight with Les and Barbara, readying to leave yet he following morning for our Epic India Journey. It has been in the planning - Gerald's planning - for several months, and evidence of it is everywhere at The River House. Maps adorn the dining room table, the spare bedroom is piled high with clothing and vitamins and malaria tablets, sandals and sarongs, the office has two smart looking folders, already filled with our (new) passports, visas, tickets and itineraries. Gerald has not forgotten a single detail, including batteries, plugs, computer essentials, money, intensive attention to every stop of our itinerary, and much more.

Next week, we have a final meeting with the lawyer regarding the update of our wills, over which we have pored, I have written several pages of our precious belongings (both sentimental and financial) for Sue and Jane and Bec as our "Emotional Managers" to manage in the unhappy and hopefully unlikely event of our deaths whilst away. I want everyone to know they were thought of, and that we loved them. Nicole and Gordon have agreed to be our Executors, Sue is our Power of Attorney and Enduring Guardian. We have finally come to decisions about whom we will leave our estate to: Josh will of course receive the lions share, and we will leave money to Elephants Without Borders in Botswana, to the disabled orphans of Braveheart in Cambodia, the RSPCA in Australia, and a percentage to Liam and Sophia Toohey, Maya, Zac and Noah Saad, Sheela Satyal in Kathmandu, and Mani Tamang in California.

Les and Barbara will take care of Cino for the six weeks we are away. We have bought her dog food, both tins and bagged, cheese, medication, and liver treats. She will be treated like a Queen in our absence, and also gets to sleep on their bed, which is an additional bonus. They love her like their own, and she adores them - on their recent visit here, she was paralytic with joy, squealing with excitement and sobbing with happiness to see them. We are blessed to have this happy relationship. But I am having Cino withdrawals already.

We have both been working hard - coaching clients, Gerald has been working with IBM in Sydney, I have been teaching once a week at Berry Primary School, and we have been inundated with friends in crises of all sorts. Marriage breakdowns, relationship troubles, illness, accidents, cancer diagnoses, and our neighbour moved out today as she is dying and has only a few weeks to live. So terribly sad.

We are giving Ross Hobson a beautiful lunch for his 60th birthday on Saturday, with Sue and Sam, who has just returned from four months in Japan, and a week's work experience working with Gareth Ward. Lucky boy.   And Josh is still uncertain whether or not he may be heading south to the River House too. He is very different from his parents with planning and preparing. I am reading at mass this Sunday and next Sunday too. So this weekend is a busy one.

My poor darling Gerald has a terrible headache today, we so wish we could find a solution for him. He did have three almost headache free days recently, but today is a bad one, and neither of us slept well last night. He never gives up, and he never complains, and he still does all of the things he feels are his responsibility, and more. His stoic strength is such an inspiration.

But I feel tired physically and emotionally, and feel as if I need a rest before heading off on such a long and physically demanding journey.

But next week! There is no coaching, and no computer work. A hair cut, a mani and a pedi, osteopath appointments to ensure we are well aligned for India, packing, and walking Cino on the beach each day, my final Ethics class before we leave, yoga, early nights - mostly just focussing on our holiday, ourselves, and each other.

I feel so lucky to have my beautiful man and to be going on this beautiful holiday.

I will be writing in this diary daily.