Hello friends - yes dear Helen, our holiday has indeed gone fast! In fact we are back on Wednesday morning (it is Monday here in England and we catch our flight at 10.30 this evening ugh...). Our final days have been blessed with great things. The weather has been exceptional - 35 degrees celcius on some days - we need to get back to Australia to get cool! David caught up with some more friends and yesterday we saw David's nephew Michael, partner Sharon and their lovely daughter Lu Lu. We experienced the best english pub of the trip - a wonderful place called the Wheatsheaf - complete with their own vegetable garden and roaming chickens! It is strange to realise that the trip is almost over. It has felt as though we have been away for months and the size of our bags reveals that we have in fact been away for ages. We had to send £100 worth of goodies back via post already. We did this because we discovered that each kilo of excess baggage is charged at £30 per ilo when you arrive at the airport! Ugh!

Anyway - we are both looking forward to the delights of returning - YES Helen - riding at Malabar will definitely happen - can you search for the phone number and we will ring as soon as I return. Chicky - get the fur coat on because we will be visiting soon to check you out. We will upload our final pictures when we return to the land of Lola! All our love and thanks for the fish.

hi G&D how are u 14 days till u come home and guess what i'm on SCHOOL HOLIDAYS for 3 WEEKS! Crappy thing is that I sprained my wrist but it's all better now! Also I was thinking bout our usual subject (horses) and I thourght one day (once your bac we could go for a nice long ride at malahbar or something anyho Got to go
Love From HELEN!!!!!!!
PS miss u

Meow,Gail and David!!!Hope you are both well and having a wonderful time.Lucky ducks!My fur jacket has started to begin its final stages of growth,something I 'm happy about as winter's fury has come!Mum and dad both well and send lots of love but are working very hard!The grandparents and great granny are all doing well and send much love and can't wait to see you both soon!We all can't imagine how quick time has passed!Also thanks heaps for the post cards!Time to go,all my love Chicky Puss!!!!!!! meow meow!

Meow,Gail and David!!!Hope you are both well and having a wonderful time.Lucky ducks!My fur jacket has started to begin its final stages of growth,something I 'm happy about as winter's fury has come!Mum and dad both well and send lots of love but are working very hard!The grandparents and great granny are all doing well and send much love and can't wait to see you both soon!We all can't imagine how quick time has passed!Also thanks heaps for the post cards!Time to go,all my love Chicky Puss!!!!!!! meow meow!

Glad that you are still having such a wonderful time in sunny Europe, have been following the weather there and the temperatures seem lovely and warm. Winter has fianlly arrived here and you will need your winter wollies when you get back. All of CPS sends thir best wishes and we are all looking ofrward to the slide show that you are promising

Hello darlings - how lovely it was to hear from the CPSers - congratulations all on the Cambionista win! It truly is a win for all the CPSers (as it seems to me that noone was immune from the involvement!). Lovely to hear from Helen S - great news from Trinkett! Lovely also to hear from Vicki and in absentia from Saru - give her a gardening thanks from me! I am looking forward to the cookies from David as a celebrational win - we can have a Friday arvo dunking session and I will finally get to celebrate Steve the elders belated bday! Lovely also to hear from Alana - though I am sorry that Ireland will have to await another visit.

David and I are still with his sister - which is a serene and thoughful environment - just the place to work through some of the wonderful thoughts I have had over our journey. Dearest Alexa - I am glad to hear that as always your positivity shines through! That is a wise thought about Blip arriving when it suits best - including our darling Thomas.

We too are starting to eagerly anticipate the return home - we have already discussed another backyard gathering to bore you all senseless (visions of 1960's slide nights!!!). It is lovely here - but when I read all your messages I am reminded how lovely it is to be home. I feel blessed to have such loving, thoughful and wise friends! ALL OUR LOVE!

Hi Gail and David. Sounds like you are having so much fun, makes me want to jump on a plane and go o/s myself, maybe next year. Are you heading to Ireland at all, even for a few days. Gail they really do have little people in Ireland and at the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold. Life in Sydney is much the same, we are well into June, but it feels like March, so no Winter yet. The disappointing thing for me is NO SNOW. Take care and I look forward to your next message. Cheers xx.

Hi!! Still no news just waiting! I have resigned myself to the fact that this baby will not be with us early, and that I probably have a week to go, at least. I must have a really comfy womb!! I am well sore not sleeping cause of all the peeing and kicking eating like a horse all normal things for this stage. We actually got a little excited the other night and started to count the time between contractions, but they stopped so that led to nothing! And Mike went to Brisbane today for work, something we were sure would trigger the labour, but no luck there!! This is just a very big lesson in patience for us. Thomas has been a little challenging this last week, he has two new teeth and I think the last two are on their way. So he has been very unsettled and clingy. He can say medicine now though so when he is having a real tough time he comes up to me and says medicine and points to his mouth and teeth, so I can give him some panadol. What a smart little fella! Maybe this is why Blip will be a little longer, just to give TJ a chance to cut his last teeth and then settle down again. I am grateful for the way the universe works. Nothing else new to report I am afraid. Basically I feel as though I am in a holding pattern waiting for our big arrival. Nicky is still waiting too, Ill let you know when something happens there. It is great to hear that you are having such a wonderful time, thanks too for the post cards they are beautiful. You are in our thoughts everyday, and I have to say that I am missing you both so much!! Love and kisses, Lexa

Dear Gail, thank you for your postcard and apologies for not writing earlier. It's been great hearing your news and seeing your gorgeous photos - it sounds like you and David are having a wonderful time and getting to see some beautiful sights. I see Lola is up to her usual tricks - raiding the pantry. I think Carly and Lola went to the same school. Carly too, has been nicking food (mainly large quantities of chocolate and chocolate covered coffee beans which were gifts to Cyn. Poor Cyn didn't even get the chance to enjoy them!). Trinkett is recovering very well from her surgery and is gaining weight and looking very happy. I had lunch with Margaret S and Yin H (ex DFW) recently - it was a belated celebration of Margaret's 50th birthday. Margaret is very happy working with Lynnette and has settled down a lot and is back to her normal self. She sends her love. Saru has kindly repotted your plant and it's doing very well. It's been relocated and seems to be enjoying it's new environment. We had our Gemini Girls' weekend away recently to the Hunter Valley and had a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing time. 8 of us went up for three days and the birthday girls had a great birthday weekend. As usual, Cyn managed to stretch her birthday over several weeks of celebration. I've had a busy time this month with 3 of my family member's birthdays - not to mention the many friends and other family birthdays during this time. I hope you David enjoy the rest of your trip and I look forward to seeing you upon your return. Au revoir ma cherie. A beintot. Love Helen xx

It really does sound like you are having a wonderful time - you sound both relaxed and excited describing your adventures. Doug has told you the only really exciting news re Cambio (oh .... 'cause I know Helen and Douglas will 'dob' on me ... I hope you don't mind, but I have been enjoying your mustard on my sandwiches!!!) Love Vic.

It really does sound like you are having a wonderful time - you sound both relaxed and excited describing your adventures. Doug has told you the only really exciting news re Cambio (oh .... 'cause I know Helen and Douglas will 'dob' on me ... I hope you don't mind, but I have been enjoying your mustard on my sandwiches!!!) Love Vic.

After reading your last message it is easy to see what a wonderful holiday you are having. The English country side sounds wonderful, and relaxing, and glad it is bringing back memories for David.
Some excellent news from here at work. The Cambio project was nominated for the Satff Awards for Excellence, and WON!. The CPS team, including Steve have got an award each, and yours is here awaiting for you when you get back. Steve sends his regards, and has said that the reason why he hasn't posted anything is that things are so quiet that there is nothing to report. I have heard from Rebecca in Dublin, she is enjoying it there. My David has been making chocolate macadamia cookies for people here at work, will make some for you on your return to celebrate the Award.