Chapter 4: The incredible expanding life of Peter Worthington

Ackckckckcck! D-day (as in departure, not detonation) approaches. A little over two weeks, or 17 days to be precise. I'm kinda freakin' out. Sooooooo much to do, though I suppose at the end of the day it will all get done, one way or another. Had a goodbye party for Morgan folks last night. Quite fun, margaritas were a huge hit; they ran out, but i'm left with 8 flats (ie packages of 36) castle beer! I know gay boys don't like beer, but as Michael Kirkwood says, a true homosexual will drink what's on offer, so at my party for friends on Feb 17, the Stollie and the Bollie are shut away until "die kinder" have disposed of the beer. I have decided to ship the cats to Canada, 'cause I know Mum will look after them well. I'm going to miss them, they are sooooo friendly.

I'm not going into the office anymore. The new research team has been officially named, and I don't have anything really to do, aside from some last minute advisory work they are trying to shove onto me, saying that I'm the only one who can do it. But, that's ridiculous! I've been retrenched. And I told them so. What can they do? Fire me? I guess NOT. Consequently, Michael and I are driving down to the Drakensburg Mountains (meaning Dragon's BAck) for some hiking and driving up the Sani Pass to Lesotho, before I fly to London on Thursday evening. Anyway, I can't complain. Morgan have treated me well. The retrenchment program's financial packages were not the most generous ever, but within the remits of the overall program parameters, Morgan were incredibly genergous to me, buying me out of options for example, which they had no obligation to do. I have no bad feelings, and if I ever do go back into finance, I would definately look at Morgan again.

We've just had the steamiest, driving rainstorm here (after a hot hot morning) and now everything is dripping and the African soil smell is in the air. The hawdeedaw birds, which look like pterodactyls, are probing the long with their curved beaks for worms. The cats are following them with calculating green eyes. Now one has come to lie on my keyboard. Why do they do that? Now the sun is out. Gonna go make myself a little milkshake.... be right back..... Yum, yum, chocolate Milkshake! Delicious, and healthy. Thank you Mr Myoplex.

Later, on February 17 itself...D-day zooms towards me, with an accelerating pace it seems too. A little over two days left, to be precise. I'm now SUPER-DOOPERLY freakin' out. I haven't slept properly in days. Tonight my final send-off party. I just want to sleep. I leave in two days and arrive in Sydney in four days. Don't ask about my route and flight schedule, it's too scary. Still, whole new horizons are expanding before me. I have a premonition about Australia. Something major will happen there, I just know. Of course, the "something" could be a major nervous breakdown brought on by lack of sleep, but I think it's actually something positive: Love? Fame? Fortune? All Three? Folks, that's all for now. Too, too, too much to do.