A Week of Lasts and Firsts, as Always!

My last day with the children at school was Wednesday. I said goodbye to everyone at Macksville that afternoon since our plane flys out Friday afternoon. Immigration said our time was up midnight, Friday night, so we had two days to clean up, pack up, and load up. We were complaining at first at having to leave before Christmas, but after a reality check, we decided we're pretty darned lucky. If immigration wanted to play hardball, they just could. We weren't going to lose any more precious Australia time worrying about it. So we made this week our week of celebrations and lasts - which in this year also means more "firsts!"

I guess I wasn't allowed to leave school before more teasing and Aussie antics. Dame Edna arrived, "fresh from chatting with Oprah in Sydney and having a time with Hugh Jackman after his stage injury," in full purple hair, glasses, blinking Christmas lights and heels. Rumour has it our (male) third grade teacher, missing that morning, was seen putting on the panty hose down the hall before "her" arrival. Perfect photo opportunity, and perfect way to keep tears from coming!

Pat and Graeme had one more fishing night. This time with bamboo poles - he'll have to tell you. I had my last choir practice and (first and last) performance on our last night. I can tell you about that. Ross had his last bonfire party. He tells us a little about those, so you can get the idea! We had one last dinner with our wonderful Urunga friends. We had one last walk on the beach, swim in the ocean, and hugs and kisses goodbye.

The choir concert was held at the Bellingen pub and included a little Abba, a little Queen, some African drumming chants, and some lovely sweet songs that feel good to the soul! The choir claps, moves, sways, and has a really good time. I knew about 50% of the music, since I've only been going since October, but it was fantastic, anyway!

Sure enough, our sweet friends came en masse for the music and we stayed for dinner after with the kids as well. Tell Aussies there's a choir concert and they might consider it. Tell them it's at the pub and they all arrive with bells on. As we arrived after warming up at the library next door, several choir members bellied up to the bar to purchase their beer before we started. The beers were perched on window sills behind where we were singing, and between songs they would take a swig before going on. That is a first for me!