A Cliff Hanger Ending....

Snow joke this weather

Having been stranded at home now in bleakest, dreariest England for three weeks, without internet access I might add, I confess I have struggled to keep up with this blog somewhat. 

The last entry I did was made over at my sister’s gaff and while it bore no real relation to the matter in hand, it was a somewhat feeble (ok very feeble judging by the comments) attempt to help keep it running while waiting for a more fuller access to it to help move it better along. And then the snows came along with twelve inches in a single night and even that icy and hell under foot avenue was now being somewhat shut down to me.

I still had many things left to write about you see, like how absolutely awful it felt having to return to the UK without the woman I had so easily fallen head over heels in love with. There were to be pictures of Dubai and what I can only presume to be the Swiss Alps as I flew over them on my way back to be alone once more in my homeland. And even though the views from the plane were somewhat spectacular to say the least, it all fell into insignificance as I struggled to hold back the bittersweet tears in having to part from the woman of my dreams. Home was no longer to be old Blighty to me, home was where the heart was and that was way back in Brisbane.

Next I wanted to illustrate (this time with the help of Madi in photographs taken by Jodie in my absence) how forward thinking the Australian powers that be were in providing outdoor gym equipment and catering facilities on many of their public areas. It seems it is a way of life out there completely unmatched in many other areas of the world and it is quite refreshing to be able to live your life without the need for those dreaded recurring monthly gymnasium membership fees to worry about. And to trek out to the beach and have barbecue facilities at the ready would be simply unheard of in not so good old Blighty.

Don't mess with this one...

Ok, so personal trainers might be a little thin off the ground, but be you so inclined (which I might have been if I hadn’t put on so much weight in so little time while there), there is the means for all to go find the body beautiful at no additional cost. 

Add that to the inordinate amount of walking you can easily do and the added bonus of numerous beaches for exploring, boating, surfing, water skiing and even the odd touch of swimming at, it all adds up to a much healthier way of life and that can’t be a bad thing if it means having more time alive to go out and fully enjoy the place.

Boats, boats, boats, boats

And while on the subject of water, another entry would have been about the massive amount of boats there are there. Boats of all shapes and sizes from canoes; to full on rowing boats (lifeguard material); to SES rescue boats; to tow along power boats; to full on ocean going cruise boats. Hell there’s even the dreaded Noah’s Ark boats or very similar to be found there. And as if it wasn’t already bad enough looking at some of the larger more affluent houses we came across, it was a double whammy to see some of the boats if not shipping (some of them were really that big) moored alongside said houses, some of which probably cost as much as a four bed-roomed house again to boot.

Who beached that whale?

Another entry I wanted to make was to be about the Australian's ready acceptance of what can best be described as what is viewed in the UK as seemingly 'unworthy' complimentary medicines, which included various forms of massage therapies (without the happy ending I might add). 

And for the benefit of the people who have known me long enough, you will already know that I have been suffering from a long time shoulder injury. And at Jodie’s insistence, I was ‘encouraged (she grrr-ed at me a lot)’ to have a shot at what was termed ‘Bowen Therapy’. 

And while not entirely convinced, I went into it with a completely open mind, did the treatment, used the oils and bugger me it actually worked. After nearly three years of an immobile right arm, just two sessions with Wendy a registered therapist and a couple more with Jodhi, a friend of my Jodie’s practicing for her qualifications, I can happily report that my arm is now as good as new.

But more than any of these prior ‘would be’ posts, I wanted to take the opportunity to publicly re-announce to the world my true feelings for that magical dynamo of a woman, Jodie (Madame Dragonfly) Anderson who had from day one welcomed me into her homeland, fed and watered me, clothed me and showed me around while inadvertently becoming a real life soul mate and best ever life-long friend.

I love you so much my darling Jodie, you mean everything that is dear to me now and I will be coming back for you as soon as is humanly possible. And when I do return hopefully in or around June of this year sometime, I will, with hat in hand and on bended knee refer you to the more than apt markings on your work shirts as I ask, plead or even beg you to consider ...

Making the 'me' a 'we' as you 'opt' for 'us' (Optus – ok that bit could have been a little better)...

To have our 'networks united' ...

And hopefully say ‘yes’ to being my wife and the love of my life in the not too distant future, and for the rest of our days.

What I’m trying to say Jodie dragonfly, love of my life, my heart's desire, my whole reason for living as of the start of this blog (November 15th onwards) blah blah, in my (not so) best creative guise (needs more work I guess), is...

Will you please, please consider marrying me and being my bride in wedded bliss on my hasty return. Because it seems you were simply made for me. I have never before in my life met anyone who so easily ticked all the boxes, and I for one could not hope to meet anyone better nor indeed spend the rest of my life with anyone more suited to me as you so often proved yourself to be. 

I love you so much now my darling and best ever friend Jodie, and would consider it a great great privilege to spend the rest of my life being just a fraction as happy as we have been throughout this whole episode of our lives together. What say you make this the happiest blog of all time? And me the happiest man alive?