Holy crap, it’s the end of January. We’re half way through summer, and it’s moving day. And guess who is so excited and anxious that they woke up at 4:30 AM and have been tossing and turning since? Thiiiiiiisssss guy.

We’ve been packing all week, and we’re all about done, except for some can’t be packed til last minute bits and bobs. And yesterday when I was in the PACKING AND CLEANING ZONE, it was the most humid day we’ve had all summer. So hot I had to bring my own personal fan into the kitchen with me, and I got heat rash all over my arms. Like, I took two showers – one when I took a load of clothes to the donate station, and another before bed, not just because I “felt like it” but because I was so sweaty and over heated that I broke out in heat rash. I also got a small sun burn in the shape of a triangle on the back of my neck when we were walking to our new real estate agent’s office. So that was fun.

Last night, we picked up our keys and signed away the next year of our lives. In a couple of hours, a friend of ours will be here to help take the first load or two over, and then the removalists show up to take the rest. On Tuesday the cleaners will be here, and as of Feb 4, we officially don’t live in Balmain anymore.

I’m a bit anxious to leave – mostly because Joel hasn’t seen the new apartment yet and I’m freaking out that he’s going to hate or I won’t love it as much as I did when I first saw it or that we’ll be crowded out or that our washing machine won’t fit or the fridge will be broken or the bathroom won’t have a fan or there will be new, scarier bugs and and and and…

I just pulled out a giant chunk out of my hair.

I’m a bit sad to be leaving this place, as it’s the only home I’ve known in Australia. It’s not a big deal, this is just an apartment, and people move all the time (I’ve moved like 4 times in the last 3 years) so it’s really nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a big deal to me. It’s exciting and sad and ohmygod all rolled up into one.

But I just stepped outside to take a picture of the sunrise and the Giant Balcony Spider is back, so maybe it’s a good time to move after all.

See ya, Balmain! You’ve been good to us.