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(Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

(Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

Old Dec 20th 2008, 3:14 am
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Default (Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

Might have done an official update at 2 or 3 years can't remember.

Still living 50minutes from Melbourne in a fairly tight-knit village on an acre of land south of the Dandenongs and north of Berwick. It's good for us, and is a good fit. Lots of tradies and professionals - a mix but people share in common some of the semi-rural/semi-agricultural lifestyle that the bigger blocks entail. Some take it more seriously than others. I work in the city as an IT whore - and get the train (chance to kip, or study), the boss stags on as primary carer but works casually part-time in a dance studio in Toorak, and in the community centre.

Changes:

-1 more brat rather than the one we had back in 2005. Might, will probably go for the treble but we seem destinied to breed girls.
-Oldest is about to start pre-kinder. She has a fair few mates from the creche, playgroup and other community institutions.
-We're integrating quite well into the community - in the last 2 years have expanded our horizons as we've got to know like-minded parents in the community. Some very interesting people indeed, whether PhDs, makers of boutique cars, chemists and orchardists. I'm still in the CFA (Fire Service) and it's progressing well this year. We get new gear next year so happy days.

-We had a trip back to Blighty and North America in the Australian autumn and liked what we saw in California and in the 'YooKay' - (that's one I plagiarised off Hutch). Got day placements with both Californian and London Fire Brigades. Aspects of the UK were unchanged. As an exercise, I cast an eye out for a place that might be suitable to live - but nowhere was now a good fit for us. I said I liked the Welsh borders but generally, the housing stock in general was not suitable or anything comparable was approaching c.GBP0.5-1m(!) 'Gee'.

-Sundry DiY and miscellaneous(yawn) -
Got water tanks plumbed into the washing machine, laundry and toilets, which means we only use 150l of water a day off the mains, and a 100msq veggie patch. This is going great guns. By our own admission, we've become budding moderate, environmentalists but I claim that I am no 'greeno'. Done the en-suite on the cheap and fixed up the fireplace. Squared up the pergola and deck. Finally got a rideon after pushing for 3 years (whew). Also a chook-chaser which has a nice line in leaking all over the garage. Next project: weatherboard-clad studio and double workshop down the back.

-Outlook - Originally wanted to take the kids outback before they start primary, looking to expand on agricultural experience. We now have 2 families who have invited us up to their properties in New South so that's as good a start as any. The idea is to jettison IT but that won't be for a long while yet. I want to go back to Uni to do a post-grad in Atmospheric Science and Mathematical Modelling at Monash. We might spend a sabbatical in California in 10 years as we have an unusual path option into US citizenship.

That's it!

cheers

B

Last edited by BadgeIsBack; Dec 20th 2008 at 3:19 am.
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Old Dec 20th 2008, 3:18 am
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Default Re: (Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

Oops - I monged it and stuck it in the wrong section. Maybe one of the mods might move it...
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Old Dec 20th 2008, 3:29 am
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Default Re: (Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
Oops - I monged it and stuck it in the wrong section. Maybe one of the mods might move it...
Okey, dokey.
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Old Dec 20th 2008, 9:02 pm
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Default Re: (Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

bloody hell ... you been there 5 years!???

i feel old and grey now

nice to hear there are several more badgers - have to say 3 is a good number though
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Old Dec 23rd 2008, 8:04 am
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Default Re: (Almost) 5 year update - get it out of the way early

Congrats on 5 years Badge. I hope I'm as happy here as you are when I reach that milestone (I'm sure I will be though )

Good luck for your future, I hope that you get everything you want out of it

Originally Posted by tiredwithtwins
bloody hell ... you been there 5 years!???

i feel old and grey now

nice to hear there are several more badgers - have to say 3 is a good number though

Unless you have a number 2 like mine then it's not always a good number

Nah, bless him he's not too bad now he's nearly leaving home
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