Shaun's departure

Dear Diary,

Following on from last entry - I got home from work and stayed up for the next 3 hours, popping ProPlus, watching "Trainspotting" (why don't I OWN it?! It's bloody BRILLIANT!!) and nattering to Shaun, who was also staying up. I wrote him a letter - whilst pretending to be doodling - and slipped it into his hand luggage when he wasn't looking. It went something along the lines of:

Dear Shaun,
Don't worry, I'm not doing to do a "Mum" and get all sentimental on your arse. Just wanted to drop you a quick note saying Goodbye (*sob*) and give you some last minute advice.

LAST MINUTE ADVICE:

1) Even if you have to store it in your boxers whilst wearing them - KEEP YOUR CASHCARD SAFE. At least if you get mugged we can put money in your account for a new wallet.
2) DO NOT get a tattoo. Or if you do, get it in a place where Mum and Dad will NEVER FIND OUT.
3) I will do everything in my power to tape the new series of "Lost" for you
4) Don't sleep with ANYONE in Thailand. You've seen the "Dirty Sanchez" film - there is every possibility that she is actually a man. If it definately is a woman, wear a condom (which I have handily enclosed as a leaving present) or you'll get dirty Thai AIDS.
5) For God's sake, stay SAFE!!
6) Keep in touch or I'll tear you a new one.
7) Whatever you do, don't lose James. What you gonna do, ring each other at $800 a minute? STICK TOGETHER!!
8) Do not start, encourage, or respond to ANY fights. Even if you think you look like a total gaylord, just ALWAYS walk away. You never know, there's every chance the person you fight will be ten times better than you at it.
9) Should you encounter terrorists on any of your flights, by God, you must do your duty, stand up for your Queen and country, and beat the shit out of them.

In a nutshell, just saty safe and keep in touch, and I'll try and get along without our dance-offs, constant "Family Guy" quoting, ("Peter, I know you're in here." "Yes I am, Lois. BUT WHEEEEEEEEEEERE??!") and your crazy-ass ways, etc.... I'll miss you more than I can express. See you in 6 months on this side of the pond! Love you to bits, Kat xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(PS: I aint saying Goodbye, I'm just saying Good Luck)


Yeah, I know, corny. Plus, I know that last line's a quote from SOMETHING, I just can't think what..... So I stuck that in his bag with an envelope procclaiming "SHAUN - DO NOT OPEN THIS UNTIL ON THE PLANE" on the front, and "PS: I know what you're thinking and no, you're wrong, this envelope contains NO money. SUCKA!!!" on the back. With a jonny indeed enclosed. Aren't I the best sister?

After a general lot of faffing around (and Shaun taking 12 years to do his hair), we were ready to go. Took a photo of us in the back of the car, which I will obviously treasure. Mum and Dad naturally found a million and one things to bicker about as we wended our way to the airport - nice of them to ensure their son's last memories of them will be happy ones, eh? Goddamn idiots. Is a little restraint too much to ask for for a couple of hours?! Grrrr..... Didn't help that we got hopelessly lost on the way - and since we've all got the emotional scars of what happened the time Dad got us lost in France, tension was high, needless to say. Not even the BeeGees could drown it out as I stared resolutely out the window. Cheered up though, as, rather poignantly and hilariously, "I want to break free" came on the radio. Had a little sing-a-long, with me substituting my own lyrics:

"I want to break free, I want to break free/I want to break free from the UK, travel along to Fiji/Stopping off at L.A/Hey! God knows, god knows I want to break free/But life still goes on, we're gonna get used to living without, living without, living without you/By our sides/While you're running round Hong Ko-o-o-ong/So Shaun-y can't you see?/We know you want to break freee!" (*Guitar solo*)

Anyway, we got there eventually, met up with James and his family and checked in, etc... Had a drink and sandwich in Costa before seeing them off. It was damn near heartbreaking. Especially since 2 of their mates had come along to see them off, who were nearly crying themselves. And as they are big tall rugby-playing lads, that was upsetting beyond belief. Obviously shed a wee tear as I hugged him Goodbye, thinking all kinds of crazy things like "This is the last time I'll smell his hair gel. Why do I always bitch about him spending so long on his hair?! This is the last time I'll see his spots close-up...... I won't be able to take the piss out of them for 6 months!!" etc..... Have to say, it was pretty hard, I had to just keep swallowing and staring wildly at the ceiling so as not to completely break down. Waved them off as they rounded the corner, and then they were gone. From that moment on, they were naught but 2 teenage boys, starting an adventure in the world. Shaun's friend Mark summed it up best, I think, with the words: "Well, shit." Quite.

Made our way home, where my ProPlus completely failed as I crashed the hell out. Woke up about 3pm, pottered round the house for a while, as we all tracked the boys' flight live on the Internet. "Oh, they're over the ocean. Oh, they're approaching America!....... Still approaching America....... The tip of the plane nose has entered America!" etc..... Mum and Dad went to see a play, so I took advantage of the empty house by eating a pizza the size of a small human child and doing some....... cardio-vascular exercise for 2 hours. Let's just say, I bloody love it when everyone's out, if you catch my drift! (And if you still don't, I will just say: DAMN I've missed my Rabbit.....!) Well, my "Bad Girl" calender told me that today was the day for taking yourself on a date, pampering, eating, and showering yourself with self-love. So I guess technically, that makes me a sex-on-the-first-date kinda person! Ah well, at least I'll still respect myself in the morning - good times! Had a lovely shower, went to bed feeling all soft, fluffy and sated and slept till my name changed to Rip Van Kat.

Late text from Shaun: "Have landed. Am lying on Venice Beach, soaking up the sun. What are you up to?"
Reply: "Sleeping in your bed with the electric blanket on, you little fucker."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx