The Baynhams

I received a parcel last week. It had a French post mark on it and a return address in Paris. I clutched it tightly to me as I unlocked the front door and jabbed my finger at the alarm keypad. I dropped my bags and keys on the tiled floor and walked quickly into the kitchen where I looked at it again more closely. I wanted to tear it open but I resisted and lay it down on the bench top. I quickly filled the kettle from the tap and while it boiled threw a tea-bag in a cup and once again scanned the brown paper for a clue as to it's contents. As I made my cup of tea I already knew who the parcel was from.

It was from Gina. A friend who moved to France in January with her young family when her husband was moved from his American branch to the Parisian one for a year. I first came upon Gina when she left a comment on a wonderful blog I read written by Corey Amoro. When I saw the name "Gina" next to a comment I was intrigued. I have not known many people who share my name. I was curious as to who this other Gina was so I clicked the link and found myself reading a blog called A Year of Change about my name-sake who was just about to start a similar adventure to ours.

She was packing up her life to move to a new country. She wrote about her kids, packing, the waiting, waiting, waiting for the Visa. All things I could relate to. I left a comment and that started what has become a friendship of comments and emails as she packed and moved and built a new life for her husband and kids. I particularly connected with her when her husband was sent on a business trip when they were barely settled in their new apartment. It brought back all the fears and insecurities I had when Byron left on a business trip just weeks after we arrived in Australia. I made an effort to keep in touch while she was on her own with the kids and felt her frustrations when her husbands return was delayed and she held everything together for her 6 year old twins.

I still marvel at how the world of blogging can bring people together that would otherwise never meet. Without blogging I would not have crossed paths with Gina. And what a shame that would be because she is funny and positive and always looking for the silver lining at a time most people would tear their hair out.

....and back to the parcel!

I opened it and took out a red paper envelope and a card. I opened the envelope and out fell the softest, lightest, silk scarf all pink and patterned and oh so French! I brought it to my face and inhaled deeply.

I tied it around my neck, drank my cup of tea while reading her lovely card and then snapped back to reality and raced around cleaning in preparation for the Japanese students that were arriving in 2 hours. Oh the fun of normality. I danced as I vacuumed and hummed a French'ísh melody and pretended I was a beautiful woman living in an apartment in Paris, the pink scarf tied around my neck and a grin on my face.

Thank-you Gina for your friendship and Thank-you for my hug in an envelope!