Cute, originally uploaded by supasuze.

When I left Australia back in 2002 I told myself I wouldn’t return until John Howard was booted out for good. For obvious reasons (Annabel) I couldn’t make good on my lofty promise. But today, being the Australian Federal Election Day, could see my dreams come true and end in the end of the Howard era.

Up until now he’s relied on a strong economy, fear based policies and a leadership vacuum in the ALP. But you can feel the discontent in the air. People are angry about his lack of action for the environment, his disregard for the rights of blue collar workers and his constant fumbling and tripping over at high profile international events.

The polls put Kevin Rudd, the ALP leader who wants a more decent inclusive Australia, ahead by a small margin. Keep your fingers crossed as tonight could be a night to celebrate.

Annabel Ivy, originally uploaded by supasuze.

Beach huts, originally uploaded by supasuze.

Hopefully clicking on this photo will take you to the whole set.

According to my calculations I should have a baby any day now. My official due date is this Sunday, 4 November. Most women I speak to who are due now are doing all sorts of nutty things to get labour started. I’ve heard you can drink castor oil, eat 5 pineapples a day, suck on fresh chillies or take 4 hour long walks. None of this sounds particularly fun to me so I’m just taking it easy, letting nature take it’s course.

Don’t get me wrong, waddling around at 9 months pregnant is far from glamorous. In fact I’ve been fantasizing about the following:

* Not being overtaken by REALLY old people walking down the street

* A steak, medium rare thanks

* Not being ogled by weird men with pregnant women fetishes (I didn’t know they existed either)

* Wearing high heels

* Picking things up off the floor (although that has had it’s advantages)

* A bottle (or two) of Pipers Brook Gewurz Traminer Riesling

* Not crying during life insurance commercials

* Never ever again hearing, “Oh my god you are HUGE” from otherwise polite and sensitive friends, family members and sometimes even random people in the street. What is the expected response to that… Thank you??

All of the above will be great, but I’ve done my research, actually looking after a baby isn’t going to be a walk in the park. Did you know that even if you get a “good” baby you have to feed them every 3 hours? THREE HOURS. It doesn’t sound too bad until you imagine your day keeping in mind that the actual feeding process can take up to an hour. I can handle a respectable 7am feed and can see myself writing off the 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm feeds to a really long day but then I think about the 1am and 4am timeslots and can’t help but wonder …. when do new mother’s sleep?! I guess never.So for now I’m not impatient for labour to start. I‘m making the most of my last “me time“. After all I probably won’t have any more lazy, sunny days reading in the backyard for the next 25 years or so.