Gulp

I had a truly lovely dinner date the night before last with BFF - Bronnie.  We have been friends since we were 13.  I'm 32 now.  It's a long time.  I love her and we have a saying.  If she was in jail and needed bail then I wouldn't be around to get her out as I would be sat right next to her.  It's true.  Through thick and thin we have been there.

....and now I'm leaving.  This does make me sad and as we get closer to our flight each time I see her, talk or write about her I get a lump in my throat and have to take a gulp.  I know she feels it too.  This is the real downside to our emigration.  We are leaving people that we love.  I know it's not goodbye and that I will see her every time we come back to visit.  I hope she will make it to Sydney for a visit too - her brother lives there, so two birds with one stone and all that.

We met when we both had ponies and our families lived 1/2 a mile apart.  We would ride out together every summer evening and we would be out for hours and hours.  Talking non stop.  We have grown up, clubbed, holidayed (all round England, Scotland & Wales, Australia,France, Spain....), drunk, worked, cried and talked together for what seems like forever.  Married, been bridesmaids for each other, had children and always been there even when we have lived opposite sides of the country.  Now it's going to be the opposite sides of the world.  I can only imagine what it will be like on the last day that we see each other for the foreseeable future.  I will always have a spare room for her.

Our Wedding - December 2004

Bronnie's Wedding - May 2004

May 2004

Gatcombe Horse Trials 2003 - we met through horses and she has made a growing & flourishing career out of it.

The Three Musketeers - Me, Bronnie & Charms, with hubbies!  Wales 2005.

Andy, with Bronnie's son Tom when he was small enough to bath in a sink!  Late 2005.

Always BFF.