So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu...

Today I'm sad. Like proper sad panda, sad.

A girl I met almost ten years ago, who has become a really good friend, is leaving the country today. For a long time. She says a year, but you know how that always turns out, right?

When we met she was a school leaver and I was spending my days trying to find direction in my life. Read: doing bugger all. We didn't become friends straight away due to a lot of things: our age difference (I'm six years older than her), differing tastes in music and the fact that she lived miles away. But this girl loved The Sound of Music as much as me, if not more, so I figured she had to be OK. I obviously judge all people by their level of affection to musicals.

Over the years we became closer thanks to a shared love of old school movies, funky jewelery, false eyelashes, dress up parties, sparkly shoes, V8 Supercars, inappropriate swearing and rolling our eyes at stupid people. All very important, intellectual things.

In fact I liked her so much I decided to marry her brother.

She's never been a fan of little kids in general, but has developed quite the soft spot for Tricky since he grew from a if-you-drop-it-it-will-break baby in to an interactive much-less-breakable toddler. Who would've thought the girl who was afraid to hold her nephew would now be one of his favourite people that he talks about constantly? Aunty Kitty gets down on the floor and starts playing LEGO and cars as soon as she walks in the door. A chick who plays with cars, what more can you want?

I am going to miss her terribly. But alas she cares not about my feelings and is determined to see and experience the world. Pfft, selfish! Even the promise of meeting Bobbin could not keep her close by and, like so many young Australians before her, she's off to explore and then work in the UK. However unlike so many young Australians it won't be as a beer wench, it will be as a medical professional.

Map Guy, Tricky and I are going to the airport with her to wave her off today. Her punishment for swanning off across the world is that I am one of those people who is terrible at airport goodbyes.You know the ones. Not the hanky-waving, single tear drop farewell but the shoulder heaving, breath sucking goodbyes.

And just in case the sobbing snot factory is not evidence enough, so that she understands the full impact her departure is having on me, we've created a playlist to listen to on our way there complete with iconic bawl-your-eyes-out tunes including "Better be home soon", "I'm in London still", "Goodbye" and "Day you went away". I'll bet she's already wishing she didn't ask for a lift to the airport.

Kitty getting ready to be my bridesmaid

Travel safe, Kitty, we will miss you so, so much xxx

P.S. Update your damn blog, I didn't make it pretty for nothing