First post for our blog during our time in Australia.

Settling into Oz.

Left NJ - Wednesday, January 10.

Of course even leaving NJ was not without its ups and downs. Tuesday evening I was still doing errands. Stopped at CVS to pick up some drugs and wanted to print out pictures for N's picture board for his Bar Mitzvah. I made the mistake of not turning off the headlights and asked A to do it since he was staying in the car. Long story.. but when we got back to the car, it wouldn't start because A never turned off the lights.

It could have added to my many reasons that I could have melted down but did not. This did put me a few hours behind but I knew not to expect I'd leave the house in perfect condition. Maybe if I was cloned.

Wednesday I still had to pick up meds, pictures, drop off cable boxes, plants for care, laundromat, bank, post office and finish packing and straightening up. Oh.. yeah and have a bite to eat with friends before we left.

Let's see I was able to do all but dry my clothes and get the stuff in bins. Thank goodness for friends.

I even kept the limo waiting while I returned from the photo lab with pictures for A. No it wasn't that much after the time that we were suppose to leave.

I left without knowing where the envelope with three checks and cash were. I decided that I would deal with that from Oz. I was pretty good and tears didn't start to flow until I had to say good-bye. Debbie and Luann were fantastic and had things for me to check before I left.

Boys were very pensive on the way to the airport. Luckily we were going north on the Turnpike. We saw and overturned truck in the southbound lane. It backed the traffic past the exit for the airport and the road was still backed up when we took off from Newark at 5.

I was very impressed all six checked on suitcases or duffles were 50 pounds or under. I even had 4 pounds more I could have used in one suitcase.

I've decided that our bodies are not meant for long trips. Trip to LAX was uneventful. A. did want to trip a little kidlet that was running up and down the aisle. I did not notice but he did have the aisle seat.

Yes.. my Lands End bag did make it through both Newark and LAX. It would never have made the weight limits Quantas has for the way home but going no one weighs carry on. Let's see what interesting things were in our carryon - hard drives, a DVD for computer, tax papers, batteries - not to mention books. Of course the boys' GameCube with a few games. Both boys' backpacks were taken aside and zippers checked with pad and chemicals.

I can finally stop worrying about what else will go wrong with my house or car. I can't believe before I left I had to deal with Verizon for our landline (phone weird for 2 1/2 weeks -including cross linked with a neighbor down the street), dryer deciding to up and die, garage door spring, and finally the stove needing the electricians to come back and correct the connection to our new electrical box.

House construction is close. I won't get to see the big bathroom done but I know it is in good hands.

Posting since it is now Wednesday and I started this post over the weekend.