i can't believe it's all over

one last winter pimms

i have been avoiding this post like the plague. the draft has been sitting here for a while, waiting for me to add to it and post, but i know when i do it, then my two year stint in london is officially over. although i may have a couple of more posts in me (like maybe some top 5 lists like top 5 destinations, memories, you get the idea).

gio-palooza was an amazing time. my last day at work was november 18th and i went in trying to be tough, but you know me, i crumble easily. i was fine until about 10 am (fine because i made myself watch the eddie murphy delirious clips on youtube) when i went to speak to jan cleary - full time receptionist, part time mom to us misfits. she had just become a grandmother and she told me the most touching story of how her daughter called her at 2 a.m. during contractions, and how for 2 hours, jan spoke to her on the phone and helped her through her contractions. even thinking about it near a week later and it makes my eyes well up a little.

now i've had a few hard days in my life, and i thought i was prepared for this day, but in all actuality, it joined one of my top 5. it's an exclusive list that top 5: when gina moved to melbourne and we thought she was gone forever; moving to london in november 2008; heather's mom's funeral, and the day my dad died. this was right up there.

carlos...still demanding 'don't go!'

but by 4 pm, whilst drinking a glass of scotch with chris, carlos and adrian...i got the calling to go to the kitchen for the farewell speech. it took me a few minutes to get there having had to have a bit of a cry before walking in, and then hiding in one of the booths in the kitchen to gather my wits about me. and so adrian gave a speech...and i didn't mean to make him get choked up - i'm sure he did it all on his own! but this is what he said:

I think someone confused Geo for geologist with Gio for Giovanna in the search for someone to speak so I'm afraid you get to hear my incoherence as a send off for our good friend.

Gio has of coure been a key part of the success of IHS with her marketing skills but it is perhaps not those that she will be remembered for. Nor will it be for the evangelical zeal she has for the beauty of her homeland.

Epsom-ites will know her for her sporting prowess on the badminton court but i speak not of that.

It won't even be for her encyclopaedic knowledge of film useful in the odd pub quiz or two, even after a drink.

Geo of course means Earth, and the earthly and motherly side of Gio has seen her help many a friend through hard times.

But best of all, Gio wins the prize for being the friendliest and most bubbly colleague in the IHS empire. A constant source of entertainment, humour and a ray of sunshine wherever she is.

So now we get to the participatory part. Some of you may have noticed how if you say Gio quickly it sounds like a particularily relevant Italian word - ciao. A word that is used by the English only as a goodbye but fortunately in Italian, it also means helo so it has a more welcoming meaning too. So you can repeat it after 3, 1 - 2 - 3 Ciao Gio.

but my parting gift was one of complete joy - the christmas ornaments i had planned to pick up the next day - henry the 8th and his 6 wives. LOVED IT!

all tears aside (and not just my own tears thank you!), we made our way downstairs to the alchemist where we drank and feasted. although it was a joyful time to be with everyone, one by one they had to go, and one by one i had to say bye. some goodbyes were harder than others, i'll admit. its always hard saying bye because you never quite know if its really a goodbye, or a see ya later. i hope with most cases, it's a see ya later.

the next say was full of excitement...after some last minute christmas shopping, a stroll down oxford, and a visit to the bank to shut down accounts, i made my way to bayswater to watch harry potter and the deathly hallows. what. a. fab. film. i won't say much except that there was not a bit that was disappointing. it was aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall good.

keeping warm waiting for our winter pimms

later that night, there was time for one last meal at busaba eathai - monkfish green curry and the squid mmmmm - some winter pimms at the hog and the pound, and then one last tearful goodbye with horacio and aleksandra. sigh...i can't believe it's all done.

so, to see pics of my final goodbye party in london, visit this photo album and enjoy.

i love all of my uk family. they made that city home for me and made those two years of my life something i will never forget.

so for some of you - see you in january. for others, see you in april. but for all of you...hope to see you as a guest in my home.