ancpar

Thanks to everyone for their congratulations, its still has not sunk in yet.
To all the PIPS Members see you in Perth , we must keep in touch after all
we have been through in the last 18 months.
To all those still waiting good luck and best wishes, it will happen!!!!!!
From a very happy Pat & John

DaveandLinda

Oh fabulous! I wonder are they looking favourably on Perthites at the moment? Hope to see you there - feels like we are being left behind!

KatyJaysFolks

CONGRATULATIONS Doug and Eileen ..A case officer at last .....
and we all move up one nearer. Bet you're really excited.
Not long for you now Les.
Happy Christmas to everyone.

Floss

coloneldube

Two and a half weeks on we are making some progress in our life down under but also some setbacks. Tony and I fixed up our medicals for our driving licences, if you recall we had to have these as we are taking medication for high blood pressure. I was concerned for myself since I also have Type 2 diabetes but in the event I sailed through my medical. Not so Tony who was found to have high blood sugar on the finger prick test so his licence is on hold while he has further tests. Medical care here seems good but the cost is going to be a factor, our prescriptions went from being free to over $150 and for just 1 month's tablets instead of the 2 in the UK. Roll on 2 years when we can apply for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Incidentally, the medical was just as thorough as our pre-emigration medical but for a fraction of the cost.

On the Maddie front we have made a breakthrough! We babysat yesterday much to her disgust when she found us when she got up from her afternoon nap. From the heartbreaking sobbing at the outset to having my hair brushed and styled took just 3 hours!

Cath & Tony

coloneldube

We went up to the store yesterday to collect the priority boxes from our container with all the Christmas presents we sent over. Quarantine had had a field day and opened numerous boxes, all of those containing outdoor stuff and Christmas decs plus random others. We must have passed okay as there were no cleaning charges imposed. I pulled out an additional box containing clothes, I had read of someone who said their clothes smelt strongly of mildew but I'm glad to say that ours are just as fresh as the day they left. Just have to find a rental so that we can be reunited with everything else.

Cathy & Tony

Julian927

We were contacted yesterday by the "Removalists" in Sydney to say that one item only from our 40 ft container had fallen foul of quarantine.....and that was our Antique Grandmother Clock would we like to have it destroyed for $88 or treated for $385 as it apparently had borer.....well it may have had them about 200 years ago....but who are we to argue so we said yes. Today we received an email saying "We will arrange for YOU to be treated." Hmmm.
Julie and Ian

DavidandGill

Hi Cathy & Tony - were you present when they examined the boxes? Were you given any opportunity to explain any cleaning/disinfecting that had been done? Would also be interested in knowing approximate cost of storage if you don't mind - would be happy to receive a PM. Excellent news on the Maddie front, it will just get better and better. Best wishes Gill

coloneldube

Hi Gill, no, we weren't present when they examined the boxes. I don't think you would be allowed to. You do have to write on the manifest how you cleaned your items and chemicals used. We pressure washed anything dodgy and then scrubbed with Jeyes Fluid solution - I'm sure when they opened the boxes they would have been knocked out by the smell of Jeyes! I will find out what the storage costs will be. We have free storage until the 9th January and are hoping that we won't need much longer than that.
Best wishes
Cath

coloneldube

$385? What are they going to do, gold plate it? I'm sure you will feel much better for the treatment.

jtct

Happy Christmas all
It looked so promising and we were so looking forard to seeing the family but .........- snow, ice, flu and now despair.

Just waiting to order some currency for our holiday but left it a bit late in the hope it might get back to 1.60 sadly today the dollar has dropped another 2 cents to 1.53!

Our nest egg for buying a house when we get our Visa has gone down over £75,000 since we applied earlier this year!

Les Avalook

It's a Girl.
Wanda and Les Avalook are pleased to announce a new addition to our family.

After the normal 15 ½ month gestation period we have a new arrival that we have decided to call COody Avalook.

COody just popped into our world in what was a painless arrival and I am pleased to say Wanda is doing very well even though we were both becoming restless towards the end.

She is a welcome addition to our two sons Willy in Oz and Diddy in the UK.

Wanda is surrounded by bottles but we are making sure COody does not touch them.

COody Avalook is living up to her name right from her first day.

Looks like a few sleepless nights for a while.

Must dash as COody is after something else and she seems to want everything ‘now’.

miscellaneous

CONGRATULATIONS What a lovely Xmas present, Santa must have known just what you desired to help complete your family
Best wishes
Elaine

Les Avalook

Thanks Elaine, it was Christmas Eve 3 years ago that our oldest son got his visa request form, they must love clearing their desks knowing that you will not be able to bother them with the Xmas shut down.

framboy

Congratulations Les and Wanda on your new arrival, hope all goes smoothly and you do not get too many sleepless nights with her

jtct

Congratulations on the new arrival - quite a short gestation period I thought! Hope there aren't too many sleepless nights and you'll soon be toddling along to Oz!