Tue 20 May 2008 - OMG its May already

Well what been happening since last update......

My mum had been over for a 6 week visit, which was wonderful, she is the perfect house guest

Cleans, washes, hangs out washing, cooks, pays for shopping plus much more

Although it was very hard to say goodbye to her (again) it was nice to be able to buckle down and get on and study.

Yes i have returned to the study with a vengence (not sure if i mentioned it??) i have just completed 1st semester of my 2 1\2 years to complete my teaching degree, so only 2 years to go (woop woop) i must be really sad actually as i've found i've enjoyed studying and working again!

I am now working every day, i do 4 mornings in Kindy and Primary, supporting a special ed child, teaching a chinese child English (ha ha don't think they thought about the words i may teach him) and running a literacy group

Plus i do 1 morning and 1 afternoon (as well as any other afternoons i am needed which is normally at least another 2 each week) working in a Special Ed unit which caters to physical and mental disabled children

and i really love it!!!!!

Alan has settled down in his work and seems to be really happy now, he's had invesigations into his health (problems he's had before coming here to Oz) and has been diagnosed as having an ulcer and hietus hernia (sp) but they say its all treatable so hes much happier

Amy loves her school and Kirsty will be following her there next year (Feb),  Kirsty is playing for the local netball team again this year and Amy is off to tampolining Wed.

I have some very special friends who are lovely and have replaced my family (here in Oz) in a way, but i think we have finally made it!!!   

The house just needs some 'Sam' work on it (LOL) and it will be home totally then

Right thats it for now, Be happy people!!!  Life really is for the living

Thu 17 April 2008 - Things looking up

Well after a totally shit month of Feb (which has never been a good month for me, but this one was the worst)

I looked forward to March and i have to say......... it's been all pretty good so far

I have decided to be more positive in life and after having some bad news from the UK regarding one of my best mates i looked at my life and put it into prospective!

I have a job thats a breeze and i love..

I get extra work from the Ed support, again which i love to do...

I get to keep all the money i earn for myself (and the girls of course)

I am fit and healthy with a wonderful family

I get my own way (most of the time...) I have wonderful children who are both intelligent and well-behaved (if a bit lippy on occasion)

I am back at the study to finish my degree to forfill an ambition of mine from years ago....and am enjoying every bit of it (OMG)

I love the laid back way of life that WA offers me and i have got some really extra special friends (especially those drinking ones LOL)

You know what?............

I like living here, it has taken me a while to re-adjust and i'm not saying we wont explore elsewhere in Oz and may even relocate there in the future (watch out Bixie) but for now i am happy and content where i am in life!

Will give a proper what we've been upto update another time, just needed to get all that off my chest (so to speak)

Tue 26 February 2008 - blimey it has been a long time

since updating this blog

I didnt realise the last time was when we came back from QLD (god i love QLD)

ok whats happened since then......

well same old, same old really..

you know same shit....sunnier bucket (i wont say shinier)

Had a lovely but quiet xmas, at home in the pool  but did decide that next year i (we) need to do something different!

Alan had 10 days off over xmas (that we hadn't planned for as we didn't know) which was ok but financially we could have done without!

I spent nearly 8 weeks enjoying my time with the girls, friends and the pool (so glad we bought a place with one in)

Went back to work, and compared to last year, this year is fantastic, i was ready to hand in my notice last year due to unsupportive staff members and a shit of a kid (lol) but this year i am in a different class, still with a special needs kid (as that is my speciality) but totally different experience, a supportive teacher, wonderful parents and grandparents of the child and positive thinking from all!! god it makes such a difference i can tell you!   plus this child isnt as violent as the last one... !!!!!! i dont come home with bruises and teeth marks this year

I have started back at uni to complete my teaching degree that i started 4 years ago back in the UK, i completed 2 years there and had 18 months off since being here

I have decided to focus on early years though instead of upper primary! working in early years this last 18 months has been really enjoyable (if i ignore the shit that i had lol) and have to say i'm enjoying going back into study (so far......ask me this again in 6 months LOL)

On a personal level

Life has been shit!!!! but i wont discuss

I am fine, the kids love it over here, Amy has settled into private high school like a duck to water, she always has either a friend coming here or like tonight off to a friends house till 5.30, Kirsty is doing well as school and has been made a prefect this year (so pleased and proud of her) She  also has loads of friends

I will hasten to say at this point, that both the girls did well at school in the UK too, but their whole outlook is different over here and socially its easier for them to mix, they both still play netball for the local district, something that they would never have done in the UK!

So its good for them!

Well i will try and not leave it so long next time

oh and just before i go

PP arrives 8th March, i shall pick them up from the airport (as its only 10 mins from me) and drop them at Gobbyjocks

and then my mum arrives again on the 19th March.....god i can't wait to see my mum again!

and then......

we fly back to the UK on the 26th Sept!!!  WOOHOOOO!

Sat 13 October 2007 - Well good it was

the holiday that is!

What a lovely place Queensland is and we only saw a tiny piece of it!

Landed at Brisbane airport, flew with Qantas, lovely flight, excellent service!

Picked up hire car, drove down to Gold Coast, we stayed in the heart of Surfers Paradise, apartment right next to the beach.

Main down side was that they were in the process of setting up for the Indie 300 which is held at the end of Oct (or there abouts) in Surfers, every day a different road was closed for the course to be set up! Crap for traffic, which was a bit of a nightmare but cool for the photo's of the course as we drove around it each day!

Went to Dream world one day, not bad, first ride queued for ages, then it got a lot better, was bloody hot though!

Met Moneypen and girls the next day and we set Movie world alight LOL , was a brilliant day, went on all the rides (well apart from one) weather was fab!

Spent a couple of days chilling around Surfers and the beach! and then spent a day at Penny's feeding wild kookaburras by hand, and watching her koala in her tree!!!! How fab is that!!!!! Thanks again Pen, it was brilliant!

Drove up to Australia Zoo, not bad a zoo as they go, was disappointed that there was no monkeys, but they are building an enclosure for them to be added later next year (i think) the crocoseum was much smaller that on TV and not an Irwin in sight! but a good day,  we enjoyed it!

Fantastic scenery from the Glass House mountains as we drove up, but wasn't impressed by Brisbane it self!, far to congested and busy for my liking!

Alan was well impressed to see the Meter Maids 3 times! and finally had his picture taken with them on the third time. (For those of you who don't know what Meter maids are, they are young 18, thin, well proportioned girls who wear skimpy bikini's to promote Surfers, they go around during the day and make sure your meter doesn't run out so you don't get a fine)

Saw so many things its hard to put it all down! It is somewhere we would consider moving to maybe at a later date, but not surfers itself, far too tourist for living there every day! (well for us anyway)

Oh and saw the fantastic views from the top of the Q1 tower!

We had brilliant weather all the time we were there with temps of 26-28 daily, day we left it was grey and chilly with rain LOL

Came back to WA to temps of 25 - 28 and beautiful sunshine LOL

We celebrated our first year in Oz whilst we were over in QLD, actually it was the day we spent with Pen and her girls at Movie world, it was a good way to celebrate, and we have some fantastic memories.

Thats about it for now, i'll update more on Kirsty's birthday, her sleepover, pool party and the rest later

Mon 3 September 2007 - It's been a while

but i realised it was time for another update!

Well i had good news from my friend in the UK! it's not cancer but cysts so although she still has to go through an op etc its much much better than we were expecting (PHEW) so i wont be jumping on an Emirates flight back to the UK just yet.

Been really busy with work, i have no applied for the position that i work in to become permanent, so am just waiting to hear on the front, but am still on temp contact until the end of term any way. I have had several phone calls from other nearby schools asking if i am available for relief work, so if i dont get the permanent job then i know theres loads of other work out there!

We are all getting excited about our holiday! flights, accomodation and hire care all booked and paid for, just need to sort out theme park tickets and Australia zoo entry and then we are sorted!

We celebrate our years anniversary whilst we are over there, so we are planning on going out for a really lovely meal, but in all honesty we are celebrating in the best way being in QLD!

Done loads of work in the house, decorated Youngest's bedroom, had wall to wall wardrobes fitted and loads of other things, next on the agenda is to have the plans drawn up for the extension, but that can wait till we get back from holiday!

Can't wait!!!

Thu 2 August 2007 - Flights booked

Thats all done and dusted then

Off to Gold Coast, flying onto Brisbane domestic airport on 1st Oct, flying back on 10th Oct,

only 9 days really in total as Alan was limited to the time off from work.....no work .....no pay! plus its school hol time so had to fit in with that!

Hoping to meet up with my mate Pen! whilst we are there, although i have warned her i'm coming so she'll probably be busy now

I still log on every morning before i head off to work to see if Professional Princess has her visa (still got my fingers crossed) and i have a very important phone call to make on the 7th Aug!!!!!

I accepted my place at uni, but have deferred it for the mo, and will apply to another one for Jan which has a campus nearer to me, making it much easier for me with the girls plus eldest is off to high school Jan/Feb too, so all change !!!!!

On a down note

I phoned my best mate in UK, (who came and visited me for a week in May) for her birthday on 31st July, only to find that she has discovered 2 lumps!! they have rushed her an appointment for today 2nd Aug at 2pm, so now i'm sitting here waiting for her call to let me know whats going on.

God i so want to jump onto that plane to be there with her. If its bad news i might just do that!

on a good note, the school has extended my contract till Sept now and will extend it again after that (they told me today)

So on that note i shall sign off, feeling a bit down and helpless after the news from the UK,

I shall update again soon!

Mon 9 July 2007 - Broken foot and life

Well time for another update me thinks

Hummm what been going on.... well we've had a few more bush outings with the quad and bike, until Alan's birthday that is, the bloody wally was doing doughnuts on the off roader and came off it, not badly, he more dropped the bike, guess what..... yeah on his bad foot, spent another day at Swan District Hospital and he left with it in plaster again!

Fortunately he hasn't broken it again, but did do some severe soft tissue damage! hence the plaster! still that was 3 weeks ago now, plaster is off and hes hobbling around back at work!

Got built in wardrobes being fitted in the next week or so, when i call them back to organise a time, need to get an electrician in first to move a socket and i've decided while hes there i'll have extra sockets put into the girls rooms too.

I've applied to ECU to complete my degree, they told me that they will accept me on most of their degree courses with my UK qualifications (phew) but i only want to do one LOL

Apart from all that, nothing exciting has been happening, i'm still working in Pre-Primary 4 mornings a week, been out a couple of times with the girls from work, so have now re-discovered my life!

Off to a BIrtish Night at the local pub on Fri with a few friends inc Aston Man and family (we're looking forward to it Marcus and Trish) should be a good night, table booked for 14 so far!!! shame Loubags is working to hard to make it! (i miss my drinking partner)

Oh yeah off to Christina on Sat!, got tickets to see Harry Potter film on Wed, and Penny i'll be booking the flights in 2 weeks!!! i'm a coming!!!!!!

Mon 11 June 2007 - Guns and Fecking Roses!

Blimey my life goes from nothing to full tilt the other way,

Best friend came, saw and never stopped LOL, i went from work in the mornings to taking her out every afternoon (girls got the afternoons off school, which Amy wasn't best pleased about)

Saw Pink in her last night in Perth and have to say whilst the girl can definately sing i wasn't impressed with the concert in general (perhap i should stop comparing it with other ones that i've been to)

With just 1 1/2 hours on stage i can't deny that Pink has amazing energy but also with 4 stage exits of up to 5-8 mins i wasn't pleased with value for money!!!

BUT

Saw GUNS AND ROSES last night and what a show!!

My god i was blown away, ok so no new stuff but that man (although a fair lot heavier than when i last saw him) only left the stage for 30 seconds to 1 min at a time (not sure whether it was to get a drink or shove some more powder up his nose ) was on stage from 11pm to 1.15am! ran, jumped, sang his heart out (shame the sound system was shit) and had the whole dome up on its feet!

I definately had value for money there!!!

So just Christina to go now, lets hope she's as good as i think she will be!

I promised Alan no more for a year or two, time to concentrate on the house and stuff, oh plus our holiday to Brisbane/Gold Coast area in Oct! (i managed to talk Alan into it woohoo,)

Watch out Pen, we're a coming!!!!

Sun 20 May 2007 - Busy Life

Gosh where to start

SO much has been going on,

We took the bike and quad back up bush couple of weeks ago, had a brilliant time and then........... i stacked the bike, fortunately not damage to me just a few grazes and brusies, shame about the bike though, snapped the gear linkage, bent the handle bars and generally bashed it up a bit! (woops )

I find that i don't come on the internet as much as i used to, which to me means i've finally begun to get a life and settle right into living in Australia! (phew)

I've been doing a fair bit of relief work at the high school and i've had work at the girls primary school too, with a couple of more days working there already booked. Been on a couple of interviews but they were for pre-primary and my experience is in high and primary, but the experience was good (which is why i went)

On an even more positive note, received a phone call from a lady in the education dept last week, shes recommened me for a 1-1 job working with a challenging pupil in high school, i have to phone the principle this week to sort out details, but the job is more or less mine (not bad as no interview or application) it's definately who you know over here not just what you know!

plus

the registrar at the girls school approached me with regard to working 4 mornings a week again with a challenging pupil, gosh i go from nothing to 2 possible jobs in 2 days, neither that i've had to go through the whole application/3 copies of everything/questions at interview stage!

so after i come back from work Monday (more relief) i shall make a few phone calls and hopefully have a permanent job!! (woohoo)

on an even better note

My best friend from the UK is coming out on Sat 26th only for a week (well 10 days with travel) but i'm not complaining i'm just so pleased and excited that shes coming out! She's had a bit of a crap time at home recently so the break will do her good, plus giving me a much needed lift! God i can't wait

We're having built in robes put into our room, once i've had a few more days at work to pay for it (LOL) Alan's been putting the blinds up in the rooms, after cutting them to size (blimey thats a job and half) then its sorting out the plans for the extension and new shed (woohoo)

Blimey you know what!!  i'm actually enjoying life so much more now that i have some focus to it!

Thu 26 April 2007 - As promised the ticket update

Oh Yeah

Rock on 

I just got tickets to Christina Aquilera    4 lovely Gold ones!!!  Me, Alan and the girls!!!!!

Mind you took me two hours, signing up for just about everything going to qualify for the pre-sale ones, but it was worth every second of time (good job i wasn't needed at work today )

Now i can threaten the girls with, if you don't behave i shall sell your tickets! 

Mind you i can't complain they are good girls (most of the time)

I'm am so chuffed

So thats

Pink 4th June

Guns and Roses 10th June

And then

Christina   14th July

Just got to apply for more jobs now to cover the cost of them all  

Mon 23 April 2007 - After Easter......

Well where do i start

Perhaps i should have titled this blog during Easter....

As some of you already know, Alan broke his foot on Good Friday playing silly buggers with the girls quad! Please don't do the recriminations of dangerous machines etc etc, it was caused by him being a total wally and we supervise the girls at all times when they are on it!

Spent 2 1/2 hours in A & E at Swan Valley District Hospital on the Sat morning (be buggered if i was taking him on a Fri night), ended up with a back plaster to keep the foot straight, not allowed to put any weight on the foot at all or the bone would have splintered in half totally!!!

So a fun Easter week or so was had by all, fetching and carrying for Alan! HHHUMMMMPPPPP

Still i did managed one girls lunch and we left 4 kids with Alan to do the babysitting duty (hehehehehehe)

Had to report back to Perth Royal Hospital on Mon 16th (our eldest's birthday, so she wasn't too impressed), they wanted to give Alan a full half leg cast unless he could walk on his heel without too much pain, well for those that know Alan (not many of you i know) he's a bit of a i can manage person, so he managed to walk on his heel and they released him for 4 weeks on the promise that if he's in too much pain then he's to go back and have the plaster.

So he went back to work today (the main reason for suffering the pain and walking if the truth be known, he's self employed.....No work.......No pay)

On a bighter note, i have got 2 more days supply in a secondary school (woohoo) and proceeded to spend my wage before i get it................No change there then  (hahahahahaha)

I've got tickets to see Guns and Roses on June 10th at the Burswood Dome absolutely brilliant, seen them twice before, once at the all fabelled Wembley Staduim as it was and at Milton Keynes Bowl!

And to top it off,

Secured ticket to see Pink on her last night in Perth on 4th June at Challenger Staduim

Just need to book those Christina tickets on Thurs (update if i get them)

Woohooo   I think life just got better!!!!

Fri 16 February 2007 - Blimey another update ..... no stopping me now!!

Well just thought i'd drop a quick line in

My week has not been one of my best so far,

This week has been a bad one for me for the last few years, mind you i'm getting better used to be the whole bloody month

It's my neices birthday on the 13th, 

My sisters on the 14th

Mine on the 15th  (woohoo happy birthday to me)

And

the anniversay of my dad's death on the 16th!!!

Been 9 years this year since he passed away and although most of the year i just shelve it to the back of my mind and get on with life, this week in Feb just creeps back up on me, i still re-live the whole week in detail every year, but like i say i'm getting better used to be the whole month.

I think it hit me pretty hard this year, being away from my family, every year we would have a big family get together because it's also my oldest brothers birthday on the 24th Feb and my other neices on the 28th Feb, and of course this year i'm not there.

Spent 2 days on the phone to the UK, swapping Happy Birthdays with my sister, very emotional calls with my mum too, i sat back and had a drink for all my family (woops no change there then)

Sat here with tears trickling down my face even now, this weeks been the worse for missing my family, but i'm pretty sure that come next week i'll be back to my normal self (if i've ever been normal that is )

I am starting to make a big effort into finding a job as this will give me something else to think about! plus bring in some much needed money, got a friend in a school who has put in a good word for me for a job and i just need to get the paper work sorted out and sent off (fingers crossed)

Did pretty well on my birthday (considering the cash flow) my girls (bless them) spent their money that they had saved from xmas on getting me loads of little bits, nighties, hair clips and sweets (i'm pretty sure they want me to share them as they bought their favourites)

I got a gold ring and sliver bangle from ALan, oh and a dvd recorder (think this was for him really)

Tons of cards from the UK, and my friends over here (thanks H)

Had a fab day out up to the Pinnacles, saw wild emu's kangaroos (just sunning themselves by the road) and wild pelicans (was totally amazing too)

Got Aussie friends and some Enlish one's coming for BBQ tomorrow, so all in all not a bad birthday considering!

Right i'm off to go and sort out this job thingy!!!

Enjoy life to the full people, you just don't know when its going to end!!!!

Tue 13 February 2007 - Been a while.......sorry

Well here it is, the update

We bought the house with the pool and moved in on the 8th Jan (sorry folks i know its been a while )

All looking good so far, Alan working for our friends now and earning mucho better money, girls in same school as we thought they had enough upheval in their lives so far with the move over here, but for Amy its only another year then she's off to high school.

Bit of a result, the school has a dental programe attached to it, so free dental treatment all the time they are in primary, i've booked Amy in for a visit as she was waiting for an orthodontist appointment when we left the UK, hopefully we'll get the work under way with minimal costings whilst we can!!  WOOHOOO

I've been job searching, got 4 this week to apply for and then i shall hit all the local schools with my resume, it's really strange being in the positiion of not having to work, (now that Alan earns better money) I always worked in the UK, and i have to say i don't know how these women do the stay at home thingy once the kids are at school!  I am so bored stiff, i mean theres only so many lunches (which i do about twice a week with different friends) and housework that i can do!!!  Plus shopping just isn't my thing!

I've voulenteered at the girls school and help out one morning a week in the canteen, preparing the lunches and things, and will offer to read with the pupils if none of the jobs come through!

My mum has visited for 2 months and went back at end of Jan, and now one of my good friends from the UK is over visiting her sister who lives just 20 mins away, so i have seen her a few times too, she goes back next week, but its been brill to catch up with her.

Right time for me to go and get ready to have coffee with Loubags! or she'll be sat in the coffee shop and i'll be late (again LOL)  Just getting ready Jane! 

Laters peeps!!!!!

Sat 4 November 2006 - A bit slow this one!!

Wooops

Should have upated this long ago, sorry peeps

Well we exchanged and completed and flew out on the 2nd Oct (over 1 month later then planned) and landed on the balmy shores of Perth WA on the  early hours of the 4th Oct (although passports were stamped the 3rd Oct (shhhh)  )

Our feet didnt stop from the day we landed really, we only had a week left in the holiday rental (well just over) so spent just over a week rushing around and travel over and hour a day to find a rental, (we had decided on settling in the hills of Perth)

Found a rental, Alan found work, girls into school all with 2 weeks of landing in Perth (pretty good going i say)

Been major househunting since and have found a lovely 4 x 1 with a huge pool just slightly out of our budget but looks like we'll be putting an offer in tomorrow, so we'll see what they say and take it from there!

Watch this space,

i promise to update it sooner next time (honest)

Wed 20 September 2006 - NO more waiting :)

WWoohoooo

No more waiting, our solicitor forced everyones hand this afternoon by doing an exchange reversal, apparently every one else has to exchange or pull out!!!

Rock on girl (women solicitor)

Flights booked for 2nd Oct Emirates from Gatwick!, couldn't get Singapore, fully booked until 5/6th Oct,

Completion on 29th, staying at mum's for 2 days then woohooo off we go|!!!!

talk about nerve wracking!!!!

Wed 6 September 2006 - and still waiting some more

I tell you something if i didn't laugh i would be crying all the time now!!....

as the title says we are still waitin

Been told by our solicitor that it could be up to 2/3 weeks before we can even consider exchanging, providing that the 1st time buyers don't pull out that is!!!!!!

Can't believe the perfomance this house sale has been, Feckin hell!!! GGGRRRRRRRRRR

The 1st time buyer solicitors are still creating enquiries on the house they are buying (our buyers house) now its over an extension that was built over 11 years ago which has no paper work, but as its been there 11 years it apparently doesn't need any now, but they have still requested said paper work, and its possible that they will request our buyers to pay an indemnity for the said extension

Feck feck feck, will this ever end, fortunately the holiday house owner has been kind enough to move our dates to accomodate us so far, especially as we were supposed to be flying out on the 30th Aug, then we changed it to the 7th Sept, and now we don't know when!!!

I've put the girls back into school to give them something to do as we are all getting really down about it, so i decided that some normality was required.

Opppps look at the time, time to go and get them!

will keep you updated!!!!

Thu 31 August 2006 - and still waiting .......

just a quick update on the house sale

and we're still waiting, was informed on Tuesday by EA that 1st time buyers want to exchange on Thurs (today)

Ring solicitors, "we'll chase it up"  rang them again today, still no news

Phoned EA, "ah" she says " there is a slight problem!"  WTF

"The first time buyer has been really unfortunate and his mortgage offer has to be audited????? (never heard of this) and there is another small problem" she says!!  This is exactly what happened last time and the 1st time buyers pulled out after 3 1/2 months into sale (these are not our buyers but their buyers)

"ok what!" i said

"they are querying if the en-bloc gagrage is free hold or lease hold"

At this point i did explode and got very cross, i mean surely this would have been sorted out when the solicitors were drawing up contracts and asking points of interest etc!!!

Well the upstart of it all is, our solicitor is looking in to it, we are awaiting her call back!!!

and i told EA if this is not sorted by Monday the house is going back on the market!!!

I mean, school starts next week, what are my girls supposed to do, we were supposed to be in Oz by now! they have had leaving parties etc

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Mon 21 August 2006 - Still waiting

and we're still waiting for exchange

apparently any time this week!!!  i shall update my blog when we do!!  actually if you listen rally carefully you'll probably hear me screaming!!!!! (with joy)

Tue 15 August 2006 - flipping house

Thought it was about time that i updated this bloggy thing!

Well, we are still in the house, after the chain fell apart back in July, we kept our buyers but they lost theirs, we gave them 4 days to find another buyer (they begged us not to put our house back on market) they found another buyer 2 days later......

and we're still waiting, survey done just waiting for paper work from solicitor (theirs not any one elses)

Every one else in chain sitting and waiting!!!.........

and waiting...........

and waiting........

Can't/won't book flights or shippers till exchage (especially after the first chain collapse) Alan is waiting to give notice at work (although at this point he'll just go in and tell them to poke it )

phoned solicitors today, they are going to chase up our buyers solicitor, etc etc etc,

Hopefully have more news tomorrow, we have requested an exchange at the end of this week!! fingers crossed

Fri 7 July 2006 - Still waiting for completion

well we are still waiting to exchange on our house after accepting a full asking price offer back on 17th April,

After numerous phone calls to EA adn solicitors, we hope to exchange by the end of next week with the view to complete on the 21st July! Have got shippers 'pencilled' in for the 20th July with my credit card waiting next to comp to book flights on exchange!!!!!

Fingers crossed!!!!!!