It was a lovely day yesterday, the sunshine was only broken by a few small(ish) clouds - it was a little breezy, but definately "get out of the shoebox" weather.

We headed off up to Bolton Abbey - me n OH had a breif argument "en-route" about the pro's and con's of getting a "sat-nav" - especially since we managed to loose ourselves but also our maps - yes - we had two - but with getting rid of as much stuff as possible in the move here we've either given them away or thrown them? Anyway - in OH's usual "prudent" fashion (that means tight) he refused, I just ignored him (again in my usual fashion) and insisted we were going to get one!  Are we the only family who doesn't have one anway I wonder?

I don't know if anyone has been to Bolton Abbey (no - it's nowhere near Bolton Lancashire) but they are right scammering b***ards!  There is no-where to park, other than the official car-parks - nowhere near the entrance to these car parks do they tell you how much it is - we queued ages to get in, and when we got to the booth at the front (by which time there was about 30 cars behind us) and the spotty teenager there just said "six pounds please"!  What a rip!!

Anyway - there was no-where for us to go so we had no choice but to pay up! We told the kids that we were there all day now, so not to start moaning that they were tired etc! (How cruel are we)?

It was absolute torment after we parked up on the grass next to the river - there were vast numbers of people that were so prepared.... with portable barbeque's, tents, bats n balls, rubber dinghy's for the river, fishing rods and nets etc....we'd brought nothing!  The smell's were lovely!!  Mmmmmmm! *wiping off dribble from chin* Pure anguish it was!

We walked all the way around the Abbey, (inside and out), around the grounds, the river, the woodland trails. The kids (and me) were well and truly cream-crackered by the time we returned to the car. We called in a pub on the way back and had a drink. The girls were moaning that they were "spitting feather's" and "had mouth's like Ghandi's flip flop"! Bless 'em - I just don't know where they get these phrases from!?

After bath n tea, we had a "cinema night" we watched Australia with the kids, with popcorn and treats - it was fab - if only we had some curtians to make the place darker!!

#1 cried, but said she'd enjoy it more the next time she watched it (when she knew there'd be a happy ending), she also asked if we  could have a house like that when/if we moved!! Oh yes - I replied - a huge ranch, with 1000's of livestock and a few servants to look after us! I wish!!

It's six weeks now since we applied for SSV from WA. Yesterday we decided to send WA Skilled Migration Centre an email - similar to the one we sent DIAC - (just shorter) explaining the nightmare we're in, It probably won't help things along, but as long as we are happy in our own minds that we can do no more, then that'll be fine for us.