Goodbye to the Outback!

It is hard to believe we have been living in the Outback for
more than twelve years. The time has come for us to move
back to the US to be closer to family and friends there. Still,
it has been quite difficult to say goodbye to those we've become
so close to here. We fly out tomorrow (May 15th).



















We organized to go on a camel ride with some of our friends a
few weeks ago (pic above).  Since I was sick (and missed it) and
the kids had such a wonderful time, my friend and I went down
for a final ride today.  After so many weeks of hard work, packing
and cleaning it was fabulous to get out and just have fun!

Last Saturday we had a wonderful goodbye party/bonfire
beneath the crystal clear Outback skies.  You'll never see the
Milky Way and starry sky like you do here so far away from
any big city (1000km to the nearest major city!!)

It's hard to express in writing how much we'll miss everyone
here, the low key, traffic-free lifestyle and the amazing things
that make living in the Outback so unique and wonderful. I will
personally miss all the sports and music that have so enriched
my life.  I've gotten to play field hockey now as an adult for 10
years (how many women get to play hockey after college/university
in the US unless they're Olympians?  I'm certainly not that good!).
I've also loved playing soccer, mountain biking, running through
the gorgeous outback along red, sandy 4WD tracks, camping with
no one around for miles/kilometers!  And my music has been an
amazing blessing. I've made the most incredible bonds with the
others in my wind ensemble, the Alexandria Quartet (though we're
actually a quintet!!).  It was a privilege playing with all of you
(I play the oboe).

My love and hugs to all those incredible people I've gotten to know
here!

There will be no new posts at the Homeschool Den for quite a
while. Perhaps as long as three or four months from now. We'll
be traveling to see family, sell a house, buy a house, and things
like that.  We  don't expect to get our household goods for at
least 10-12 weeks  (that is, if we've managed to find a place to buy
right away. Otherwise, it  will all go into storage for a  while.)

Anyway, thank you so much for reading our blog.  Farewell for now!