Originally Posted by jad n rich

Brisbane has got hot early this year, not the last 2 days but mid 30's last week and low 30's again from tomorrow. It simply gives you that dreaded feeling of summer hasnt even started yet.

Its light now at 4.15, do you remember that? awful.

Most of the shops are decorated now, the same decs they bring out each year I still feel like what the hell are they doing up when its heading for 38C.

Brisbane is hosting the G20, road chaos is predicted. Melb cup yesterday, 2 horses died Seems crazy australias biggest event is so cruel, yet people still love it. ( many dont though big fuss this time ) .

You aint missin' much

Originally Posted by Pistolpete2

We too are in a six month rental - to March - and I'm a little apprehensive as to what we will be able to find or get when we have to take out our next lease as we are 'taken' by our present locale in so many ways - access to shops/restaurants (the latter rarely needed the days), walks, the sea, the station, ......

Critical to our overall success in budgeting for this move was the decision NOT to have a car so that we only pay for transport on rare occasions and don't have to worry about the security of our vehicle. This does mean that we grocery shop every day but then we are out of the house pretty often for one reason or another in spite of the now (Oh Boy!) cold days even in this milder area of South Dorset.

We took Editha's tip ( Editha) and bought a Lakeland airer and use that to dry what can't get dried outside, but it is a negative not to have the use of a dryer to knock out the kinks in washing.

It certainly hadn't occurred to me how big a deal Halloween was in the UK and the piles of candy in the supermarket and ghouls still in house windows definitely bear testament to it. November 5th (today ) being midweek, it has turned out that EVERY day since last Saturday has come with fireworks in some fashion.

I'm not sure if you settled in Kent - guess you did from previous mention of Knole Park - but it has turned out to be very convenient for us to train it to Kent, when necessary to go to Edenbridge and Tunbridge Wells, via the South Coast run through Chichester which is miles cheaper than routing through London and only a little longer in terms of overall journey time. I note that this bargain routing is available in reverse. There is a fare - whoops! fair bit of discussion in the media about how to 'play' the online rail ticketing 'racket' to squeeze out the best value fares.