I switched on the TV and the lounge room flooded with the familiar voices of Kruk and Kuip. The channel was already set to FOX Sports so without even searching for it, I was plugged in to the SF Giants – my World Series-winning baseball team. I was overjoyed to see the boys, the ballpark, the Bay, thecity. I felt a pang of home-sickness.

Local boy Brandon Crawford was warming up in the on-deck circle and I settled in to enjoy the last two innings. Soon, I was feeling a little less excited and more melancholy. It’s the sadness that comes when you’re away from the one you love. I knew he was at the game: he’d sent me a photo earlier from the third deck. And half a world away, I, too, was at the game.

For the past few days  returning to the Bay Area has been at the forefront of my mind. And the universe always seems to send little messages: catching this baseball game was more along the lines of

‘We miss you, too. Life goes on without you, but it’d be better if you were here. We’ll keep doing what we’re doing, and look forward to your return’.

I’m back in a handful of weeks, and checking the days off on my handmade calendar.

New news

So it would seem most of you either thought I’d checked myself in to a facility, decided to get a divorce or just wandered out into the Tasman Sea, never to be heard from again. I’m happy to report none of the above is true.

My time has been more than accounted for, with two uni classes, training for a race in San Francisco, meeting with friends, and working very hard on a project for a client set to launch in June. It’s such an exciting job and I’m so fortunate to be working with one of the most talented and professional designers around. It has also been quite the learning curve and am so very lucky to have a client that puts total faith in us to produce something incredible. I can’t wait to share it with you.

New blogs

In other news, I was so pleased to have my snapshot feature on Jill’s blog, Battered Suitcases, this week!  I have really enjoyed reading about her adventures around Australia recently (I haven’t visited the Big Merino since 1986!) and particularly love her section on novelty snacks. It’s something the American and I do when we go travelling, too.

I love stumbling upon new blogs, and finding real like-minded people. Do you have any good ones to share with me?

New music

I have barely oscillated from the Belle & Sebastian / Pulp / the Beatles fad I’ve been on for about two months. But this week, I found something new via a friend on Twitter. The song is ‘Royals’ and is by a young Kiwi girl called Lorde. I’ve played it 30 times at least. It’s super catchy!

New buns

Babies are what is happening in Sydney right at this moment. So much so, I’m certain there’s something in the water (and my friend, C, calls it H2Grow. Ha!). But it’s all rather exciting.

I even gave up a chance to see the unfurling of the Sydney Swans’ 2012 Premiership flag at the Swans game (tear!) to have lunch with two of my closest friends. I guessed they had some news for me, and it turns out my instincts were right. I was so happy to share it with them! Baby G will be here in September.

New travels

In a few short weeks, I’m heading back to the US via Singapore. I am really looking forward to returning ‘home’, to see the American and to start our next adventure.

But it’s also bittersweet, because arriving in one home means leaving another. It’s going to be much harder than I imagined. I have really bonded with people, and my family and I have become so close in this short space of time. It’s been such a wonderful adventure, and I am so lucky to have been able to do this. I have much more to say on this matter, so I’ll compose my thoughts and save it for next time.

Life’s good.