finally - i'll try to wind this up

I've been getting hassled by family members for leaving this go for so long. So I'll start with a quick summary of what I've been doing since I returned home, and then will do a really late post on my second trip through Europe in November last year.

I got home late November and really enjoyed being back home, although the temperature difference was a bit of a shock, as was seeing how dry the land at home was. The second big shock on returning home was being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. I'd been a little concerned about a mole on my ankle, one that I'd had my whole life but had changed slightly. Dad said he didn't think it was nasty but wanted it to be checked out by a specialist just in case. The specialist I saw also said he didn't think it was too nasty but took a biopsy just to get it checked. Just as well they'd all been extra cautious as yes it was nasty and had to be removed. The opeation was delayed for a week so I could return to Sydney and do some presentations to my rotary club and district, but once that was over I had day surgery and 40 stitches later had a big hole in my ankle and a small hole in my thigh where they had to take skin for the skin graft.

A week after the operation I was allowed to move a little, which was just as well because I had to go to Sydney for a job interview - turning up on crutches and with a massive pressure bandage on the ankle was a good look I'm sure. Then it was back home and back to not being allowed to move around much but I did get the job. I spent christmas still not being allowed to move much - it got boring really quickly, and desperate for my stitches to come out, which they did a few days later. Once the stitches were out it was full steam ahead trying to sort out my stuff for a move back to Sydney to take up the new job as Manager of the Australian Tennis Museum.

So I was back in Sydney early January, still on crutches for the first few weeks and have been here since then. Really busy with work and settling back into life in this wonderful city. Sometimes it feels like I've never been away, but that's a good thing. I'm back playing hockey, the ankle still has a really nice scar on it but that's gradually fading and things are great. My younger sister got married earlier in the year and my older brother got engaged. I also ducked back to Europe for my cousin's wedding in Stockholm and a chance to visit sports museums in London.


Heather and David


Helen and Johan

Okay so now that's the catch up - next post I'll review the trip to Sweden, Germany, Holland and France last year.