Roll Call

Although this blog is far from over, (with more entries to come) this may well be the last entry to be made from over here in Australia (It might be nice if I spent my last day with Jodes). So with that in mind, I thought it might be a good time to issue a roll-call to bring all the people together that have been a part of this amazing adventure. Every single one has been welcoming, warm and friendly and have happily accepted this wandering troublesome pom into their open arms.

There were people from out of Jodie’s work place, the guys over at Optus including…

Paul Godwin (Godders), Paul Adams and even the cleaning lady Kim, who sort of adopted me in my early days of aimlessly sitting around the Optus Canteen generally being a security threat.

And then there would be all the vollies in the emergency services brigade…

This includes the SES, EMQ, QRFS, QFRS, QAS etc and includes: Paul Godwin (SES (again)), Paul Adams (Adult Leader Cadets (again)), Terry  Chapman (Logan SES, Deputy Controller), Jim Ferguson (Logan SES Local Controller), Patricia Whitehead (Youth Development Officer, Emergency Services Cadets, EMQ), the Mayor of Logan Pam Parker, Sharon Squires (SES and Adult Leader with Cadets), Sonia Paterson (Adult Leader with Cadets), Karen Guy (deputy cadet coordinator SES).

Next there would be the paid emergency services guys…

Teressa Hartwell (QAS Queensland Ambulance Service), Billy Bob Wombat (Ned Kelly) (QFRS), Paul Womersley (QFRS), Windy (you’ll know why when you meet her) and her hubby Gary Nash, and Mark Hessling (all Rural Fire).

Our Trev (possibly a baby roo)

And some of the cadets…

Sami, Jonte, Dan, Dylan and Tara (with new born kitten Trevor), along with Garth, Daniel, Jake, and Katie.

And then we have Jodie’s Friends…

There was that awfully nice lady (and good for a laugh) Cath Slater in Newcastle and Billy Bob Wombat (too close for comfort) both initially from over on Google.

And Ronnie and Sue over in Sydney,

Fenessa, Simon and kids, over in Kurnell,

Tracy and Geoff Hamilton (both ambos in NSW) in Barden Ridge

Mel (teacher) and her boys in Leumeah

Leanne in Mossvale

Rell and David in Kingston

Dan and Alex Rielly at Tamborine

Kat Lloyd and Sharon Pearson

and finally there were Jodie and Christie over at Ormeau (involved in exorcising my body (a long and painful story)).

Damn that's some grip she has there!

Then of course there are family…

Barry and Jongdee Grant over in Sydney, Clifford and Helen Wells in Bundaberg over on Jodie’s side. And I best include daughter Madison and housemate Terry into that mix. And then there’s Dawn and Josh, Gaz and Caz, Debbie and Steve (Slinky) on my side (get ready to take me back guys) over in the sub zero temperatures of deepest darkest England.

And while I’m at it, I'd best add all the followers into the mix too. You have all been “special” (windows to lick on request) and have added considerably to the whole experience and I thank you for that, even if it meant hours and hours of typing to keep you all amused. Family, friends, and internet snoopers all, you did us both proud.

And then finally…

There is the one and only Jodie “it’s not a fucken putt-putt” Dragonfly who has throughout this whole experience, continually proven herself to be exceptional in everything she says and does.

Of course it takes a special kind of person to bring out the best in someone, and credit where it is due, that was my job and I did it well. But with Jodie it was never really considered a job and nor did it ever feel to be so. We just gelled instantly. Everything from day one just felt right, there were no awkward silences, nothing felt strained (maybe a few farts excluded), we knew what we were both thinking and it even got to the stage where we were finishing off each other’s sentences (not prison) although it never got to the stage where she would have to finish off my meals like I often did hers (thanks for the extra ten pounds).

Jodie has made this whole holiday for me. She was the one who did all the local planning, instinctively knew where we should go, constantly looked out for places of interest, gave me the time needed to show you guys what we were up to etc, and she did it all without a single word of complaint and a lot of the time with a huge welcoming smile on her face. Single handedly, she has shown Australia to be one of the most beautiful places in the world and has won places in my heart for both her and the country. She is truly awesome.

Awwww (needs more dragons)

And… although we both went into this looking for as much fun as possible and have indeed done so, there still comes a time when all good things must come to an end and our impending separation now comes to the fore. I for one don’t want to leave her and worry about how this little human dynamo will cope in my absence. And it is with that in mind, that I would like to rally all you guys up to take over from me in keeping her happy now as I leave to board the plane back to the icy plains of maybe a not so Great Britain.

Keep her busy and occupied for me guys, because while not being high maintenance (far far from it), she will still take a lot of encouragement to maintain that wide and shining smile of hers. And it’s time for us all to give back to the woman now, who constantly gives her all for others.

Oh and the hat sends his love too xxxx