Desperate House Flies

Long time no see.

Right let me start by telling you we are back on dial up which is driving me around the foooooking bend. I actually haven't been on the pc for about 2 months, but I have some good friends on here and thought they deserved an update and Warren made me do it gov.

I have almost forgotten how to type and hope my sparkling wit comes back ha ha....yeah right

I was prompted aswell by a posting I'd seen which mentioned Maggy and I going out for a drink with Three Legs - now that would be an interesting evening moving on.

Geeze, where do I start. Well I am gonna try and tell it like it is, as objectively as possible.

Warren positively adores his new job and as we speak he is back in the UK armed with my M&S shopping list, yep, some things don't change, you just learn to deal with them lol.

The house is all we could have hoped for and more and we finally moved in nearly two months ago. I have to give a special mention to Maggy as I could not have coped without her. I have never worked so hard in all my life. We had 5 days of unpacking solidly and 6 days of furniture deliveries and then about 2 weeks of gardeners, painters, plummers (a rare breed of individuals), curtain and blind people, aircon peeps, electricians, oh you have no idea.

I NEVER I repeat NEVER want to move again. Maggy kept my spirits up and we had a right laugh going through all the mad things I have held onto and the photos, well, we just screamed and screamed, wetting ourselves on several occasions.

I am constantly busy and wonder when it will ever calm down. I have now roped myself in for making a certain mad Scot's wedding dress, it's amazing what I can do with denim, studs, pink fishnets and a nose ring lol - you'll look boootiful Dol by the time I have finished with you.

I have my Mother staying at the mo and that has been quite a shock to the system. I haven't lived at home since I was 18 and boy are we back there now. Don't underestimate how stressful it will be having rels over!!. If they can get out and about on their own and hire a car, that's fine. Mum and I have always had a volcanic relationship and I don't know why I thought it would be any different now.

I find it all rather sad and don't wish to dwell on it if you don't mind. I know some of you would give your eye teeth to see loved ones and this must sound like I am the biggest bitch in the world.

Mum just doesn't like it here and has made me start to see Perth in a negative way too. You know when someone points something out to you that you never even gave a second thought to before, but then you start to notice it too!! I am very good at pushing to the back of my mind stuff I don't like and seeing the good, but Mother insists on dragging it to the frontal lobes with such vigor I am sure she enjoys it!!

She hates eating outside, the accent, the flies (geeze what flies?? she has no idea). Every meal she has had tastes better in the UK and Perth is not as clean as I said it was. Now I find myself obsessed with street litter. As for the shops well!! the new improved Metro Centre in Newcastle knocks spots of any shops here, according to my Mother. She says all the shops here look like Charity Shops !! (some I have to agree with lol) I have had to constantly defend Perth and why we have moved here and Imogen's confidence has been a real shock for her.

All this makes me feel unbelievably guilty and wish it could be different. I need to snap out of it and I need Warren home, I miss my support mechanism terribly. Teresa has been a star at helping me see things clearer - a true true friend.

Up to all this I was exhaused but loving it here. I have great social life, fab friends (more Aussies than UK BTW) and our neighbours all around are excellent, especially the beautician next door, it's like a dream come true lol. We are so looking forward to the summer.

I do miss things, for God sake that is natural, I would where ever I lived, but this is Oz, it is different and on the whole we have a far far better life here.

My stomach still turns over if I watch a programme on the TV and it show the UK countryside or I can't find bra that fits and I close my eyes and imagine walking around M&S. I am sure though if was an Aussie and moved to the UK I would have the same feelings of missing stuff from Oz. But I push that out of my mind and move on.

On a lighter note.

We are off to the Gold Coast at the end of Oct which we are all looking forward to it as the move really took it out of us all. Then next year we are planning on Phuket and Thailand.

Imogen loves being here and thinks it's great to walk to school with all her friends. We have managed to get her into the private senior school that we wanted and she has been offered a scholarship by another school. Warren's wallet thought that was great news until we all came to the decision that the other school would suit Imogen better.

The dog has been a star and loves his new home and thinks the park is fab.

Perth is beautiful City, but parts of it are not and you have to realise it is like everywhere. This is not a winge this is an observation.

Well I don't have lot else to say, just having a relatively normal life, just in a different country.

Best wishes Jill

Badge

best wishes, don't worry what the old dear says.

Badge

sme

Good to see you back on the pc . We are just back from our rekky of Perth and found it to be a beautiful CLEAN city and are looking forward to the big move v. soon.
I think a more pragmatic view on Perth after living there for 15 months is probably to be expected, I'm sure the cloud will lift after your mum goes home.
Good luck with all your plans and the future
Gillian

phoenixinoz

Great to see you back Jill [reminds me of the good old days ]

Your post is brilliant as always. You have been missed

As for the faults of Perth, you are bound to see these once reality sets in. No one more than you knows this.....and let's face it no where on eath is "perfik".

Good luck with your mum. It is hard work having visitors, especially if they are hard work too. But it wont be long before all is back to normal and you'll be bored [haaaaa as if....Jill doesn't do bored!...lol]

Anyways, lovely to hear from you. Don't leave it so long next time!

Paylia

Nice to hear your news Jill. Understand your gripe about dial-up - been here 7 weeks and only getting BBand in 2 weeks time.
You can and have picked your friends - you can't pick your rellies - don't get too down about them - its your life ( and Warren and Imo of course)
Enjoy your normal life in your chosen country - we are too.

Peter

Bix

It's grand to have an update from you Jill.
I enjoyed it very much.

Really pleased Warren is into the job and still enjoying it and you now have the bricks & mortar all sorted.......well, kind of.

Your mum.......mmmmmm.
She is just being protective of her own territory I suspect......the place she has always resided no doubt ?

You have these to share your moments with now

merlotsmum

Jill firstly you seem to be apologising for posting, don't have to do this, it is nice to hear an update.

Mother & daughter relationship - I can really understand this "volcanic relationship" so I have empathy there for you Hope that things aren't to bad.

The negativity that your Mum is showing is very much a "British" trait, not critising your Mum here, just an observation since our return to Britain. My Mum is the same. I don't buy into it here but accept it and get on with my own life.

I have to say that being back 18 months here in the UK from a life in Oz has been tough to say the least but light has appeared at the end of the tunnel. It is starting to really become what we wanted.

I am afraid the countryside here knocks spots of Oz so yes for that one, we are always just so amazed at its beauty. We get out an about as much as we can to Northumberland and Yorkshire, I get frustrated with those that damage it or take it for granted here. It is just stunning, though the traffic can be a pain in the bum!

I hope the part of you that feels that little homesickness gets better, I completely understand how it feels and reflecting back I had it for near on 7 years. Though the more I reflect, the more I fear a move back to Australia in 2007. It can be horrdenous and it is great you have a good support network around you, that helps so much.

Just re-read this, I was trying to send you a positive message, just wanted to say I understand how you can feel over there and that those who are moving to Australia not to under-estimate the shock of homesickness.

Best of luck with everything

MM

julesandco

You don't say! Welcome back stranger. Glad everything is (almost) still peachy. I think my Mum would be exactly the same - why see the good when there's something negative in there to be observed??

Great to hear from you - look forward to catching up soon.

Love,

Jules

Bordy

Glad the new house is everything you wanted, even down to a spare room for Maggy.

Don't forget the tartan G string under that wedding dress.

GinaUK

Hi,

really glad to hear from you. I've always loved your posts. Good to hear that you're in your new house now. Try not to worry too much about what your Mum says (easier said than done). Maybe she feels that by being happy and settled in Perth, you're "rejecting" the UK.

We've finally got our visa and will be coming out to Perth on a validation trip on Boxing Day.

Hope you can find the time to write more on here again.

Gina

Perthforme

Yeah ! good to get an update from you
Congrats on the new house .
Still if its not one thing its your mother

ohippy

Thanks for your post Jill - honest and to the point as usual. I have to say that I do find all your posts useful. They make me think about things I hadn't previously considered. I'm now gonna get a 2 bed house so no one can stay. I would kill my mum after a matter of hours.

debbiemc

thanks for an excellent post jill, its great to see you back.

debbie x

maggy

Great update doll but how do you find the time?

Get back to work on my dress

I think Bordys idea of tartan g string sounds fab lol.

saraliz

Thanks for the update! It's great to hear that things are going so well for you