Finally....

... the garden is starting to take shape. Paul has finished  making a path to the side gate and it looks brilliant. I've planted strawberries, carrots, broccoli, beetroot, leeks, rhubarb and garlic so I'm hoping to live off the land soon, hehehe, don't think that will ever happen !!

This week we need to start removing sand from the garden (yes, our garden is pure sand !) ready to order some soil. Today we trotted off to Bunnings for some fruit trees so we now have an apricot, cherry, pear, necterine, orange, lemon and granny smith and pink lady apple trees to plant, it's amazing being able to grow some of these. Nakita can't work out why we can't grow bananas and doesn't understand that we're only "temperate" and not "tropical". I'm sure she'll end up living in Cairns with her own mini rainforest !!

The days here are still fairly warm (20 degrees) but some nights have become quite chilly. Some friends have woodburners and the smell and comfort these give are awesome. Paul and I are actually in agreement about getting one of these so we just need to save the $2000 to install one, then we'll, later on, get some ducted reverse cycle air con so we'll be able to have heat and air con coming from the ceiling in each room. The fact that it's turned colder is making us all Christmassy which is wierd - I can see now why there are a number of people who celebrate it in July. There is a big hype for Christmas here in July as most people buy all their presents then on "layby". This is where they put everything they want into a trolley and take it up to a desk. It's all scanned and you pay 10% with fornightly or weekly payments thereafter - once you've paid for your goodies, you can take them home.  We decided not to do this last year as I felt you'd end up spending more but, what we didn't realise, is that everyone else does this and stocks aren't refilled so, come November - nothing is left !! An advantage of this, of course, is that you don't need to find hiding places for all the presents as the shop itself has this headache (but then they don't have little children nosing around either !)

Today is our wedding anniversary and Paul bought me a lovely card and some gorgeous earrings. I think this is our first one ever that he's really bothered ! He is certainly quite a different person from the UK one, much happier, more laid back and not so wound up. We were planning on going out for a meal but Nakita was sick yesterday so we felt better not to chance it. Instead we're getting a take away, so far we are yet to find a good one. We were recommended a chinese but they gave us a completely wrong order so won't be back. There's plenty around - if you like burgers and chicken ! So if anyone knows of any good ones around here - please let me know !

06:53 - Sun 20 May 2007