Quick update

We had fun trick or treating tonight. Wren was a little red dragon and Frost was a cowboy with a fake beard and mustache. Both were very motivated to "tick or teat?" [said in a high voice like a little bird] as Wren puts it.

Frost wearied of carrying his candy bag after a while, it was extremely full.

None of us is ill (touch wood) - Frost's morning of sniffles resolved - and although I have moments of panic when I hear someone cough or have a sun-sneeze, we seem to be doing OK for now.

I have yet to start packing anything.

I think I am in a kind of denial and taking it step by step. This step is to get over the weekend without illness. At that point I will start to throw things into bags.

I have managed to buy a replacement cellphone (if you find a white Virgin phone lying around you can recycle it!) with the same number. I have also been arranging basics like carpool for Frost (thanks Reiko) and building up a pile of toys to distract Wren in adversity. We still need more.

Mum and I had a quick trip to Value Village this morning and I found a pair of suede Birkenstocks in my size. They are brand new and feel fabulous so I had some luck! We also bought some Playmobil Union and Confederate soldiers for Frost which pleased him mightily.

I know that the reality of going away is creeping up on me. Last night I had a nightmare that it was Wren's surgery this morning and I had forgotten to stop him nursing in the night. I am also anxious and sad about leaving Frost for a week. I have never been away from him for that long before - the longest has been 2 nights for meditation retreat some years ago! He does not seem worried about it but I know I will miss him.

Tomorrow I have to do some errands but Mum and I hope to have time to take the kids for a walk in Discovery Park and perhaps have some fish on the wharf. Wren likes to watch the boats and seagulls. They both like the hunt for mushrooms in the forest.

The whole heart surgery thing seems surreal in this context.