I am back on the site, but not in the form I was (now this is gonna sound really mad) something died in me when I went through all that Banana Diary business (still makes me shudder) . I have been pm-ing peeps if I can help with advice and generally keeping a low profile.

I lost the ability to be totally open with my writing (on site, not with friends). I now have to think very hard before I post and I will never forget how utterly poo it made me feel.

I sit for ages thinking should I write this or that and then chicken out. I know I shouldn't have let it get to me, but I am what I am. I can't even read the Banana Diaries yet and I printed it off as a momento, it has just totally ruined it for me.

Now I wanted to do a yearly update, cos there will be alot on the site who have no idea about the past diaries and may or may not be interested in how things have worked out for us, but it is very difficult to compose without wanting to say something really catty like "I'm not going to apologise for it working out for us etc"

Sorry just had to get that off my chest before I update, as it's probably going to make really boring reading.

We keep pinching ourselves as things are going so well. The ever so British optimism in me keeps a little voice in the back of my head alive, which pops up every now and again saying "Don't take this for granted - things change"
I can assure each and everyone of you that we don't take any of our good fortune for granted, it was a long time coming, we've had bad times and we are grateful for every single second we breathe in this beautiful place.

It's not been without it's mini dramas, but in the whole scheme of things they have been nothing more than blips.

We arrived here a year ago today, but Warren had to go back two weeks later, as the house sale had fell through three times. In total we were apart 3 1/2 months, which was hard at first, especially when I bought Imogen the dog and he and I cried for two days! - that was fun? at the time it felt awful, but you just get on with it. I discovered ME again and although it wasn't ideal, I learned I can cope without a man around, just LOL.

The day the house sold was probably one of the best bits of news I had heard in years, the relief was immense.

Imogen settled into her knew life extremely easily and having the web cam made all the difference when talking to her Dad. I have come to the conclusion that Imogen is more like me than I care to admit. She seems to very good at thinking about the positive in every situation and didn't seem at all phased about leaving the UK, or being away from her Dad. She just got on with it, shrugged her shoulders and just said "Well he'll be here soon"

She had a bit of a shaky start at school (not emotionally - thank God - but just with the work being at a different stage from her) and she ended up being moved up a year. This is quite common and it is just because the UK system teaches differently. Her confidence has soared in all aspects of her life. She continues to do well in gymnastics, horse riding and her swimming ability stuns me. She is a very happy little girl with a fab social life and is about to celebrate her eighth birthday.

The dog continues to think he rules the house and licks everyone to death, but we all love him dearly and spoil him rotten. He loves it when the girls come round as he is definitely a boob man (he's deprived with me you see).

Warren just totally loves his new job. He never relented in his pursuit, he went to 35 interviews and it took about 4 months for him to actually be in employment. In the end the agencies couldn't help him and he applied for one in the paper and got the position above the one he applied for. The agencies advised him to dumb down his UK experience as it was scaring employers off, but in the end he went with his gut instinct.

He has been to some fab places in Asia, Holland, Israel and is off to Sweden. You may think we haven't achieved our goal of spending more family time together, but you would be wrong. He leaves the house at a reasonable hour and is home at an equally reasonable hour compared to the horrendous daily travelling he did in the UK (shudder), he rarely saw daylight!! I quite enjoy him being away if that doesn't sound too awful, it gives us a healthy balance and Imogen and I have a great laugh together. It's also building up the air miles quite nicely which gives us a chance to accompany him. He may be off to New Zealand next year and he's on his orders "Not without us" LOL

He is back into his badminton and has been asked to coach and play in a State tournament. He plays golf with the boys (when the weather warms up a bit) and generally loves his life here more than he could have hoped for.

Now then there's me, the loon of the bunch. I can count on one hand the days when I have felt homesick, but they have passed pretty quickly and I have just got on with it. It's usually when I am tired to be honest. Sleep deprivation does mad things with ya head, so all make sure you get plenty of sleep, OK. After being here about 8 months things just started to fall into place and it just feels right.

The house is finished in 4 weeks and it has been a fantastic experience, which I am hoping in the new year will lead to a new career direction. It would have been impossible to have kept on top of things had I been working, so my advice is don't take this on lightly.

Hand on heart the best thing about Perth are my FANTASTIC friends who I love dearly. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be so lucky as to meet such an amazingly warm and funny group of girls. I feel very privileged to know them and would do anything for them.

Needless to say it's not just Imogen's social life that has improved, which has not helped my waistline at all. So if there is one negative out of all this I have piled on the pounds and I just know what my mother is going to say to me, when I pick her up from the airport in 8 weeks !! can't wait Seriously it will be just awesome seeing my Mum again, get the tissues ready.

Coming here has really changed me as a person, something I wasn't expecting at all. I have become alot more tolerant of other people and their opinions and alot more laid back.

Our weekends are just fab. We have been exploring WA have driven out to the hills, down to Margaret River, up North a bit and have so much more still left to do. The wildlife fascinates us (Warren has a picture gallery to prove it)and the countryside has been a very pleasant surprise. Perth is just beautiful and the city skyline still makes me feel very honoured to be allowed to live here.

Now as another wise poster said we are seeing this through our eyes, with our experiences and we are very happy with it, not everyone will share in that, but this is our opinion and we are not telling everyone they should love it, just telling you that we do.

I haven't mentioned once about our financial status, so don't go jumping on me please. We are happy with our little lot and can relax like we never could in the UK - without doing something this drastic.

This whole process does change you. It changes your view of the world. We didn't leave the UK cos we hated it, we just wanted to change how we lived day to day and that's exactly what we have done. It does give you itchy feet to see it all, but we just have to be patient and save !!

The very best of luck to all who are waiting and I just hope and pray that through any bad times you may have that you will come out the other side just half as happy as we are.

Jill, Warren, Imogen and Smudge

Well said, great post. Welcome back.

Great reading, really cheered me up today - thanks!!

Great post, thanks Jill. Fab summary of what has been a great year to read about!! The para above sums up how I feel. Cheers

fab post doll.

So glad to see you doing an update.

xxxx

Glad to hear things are going well for you! We've been here a year now too, and some things have been great and other things no so great. Overall we are still glad we made the move.

See ya 'round!

Catherine

Great post Jill and good to see you back.

Great post Jill, 'good onya'

Tears in my eyes as I read that - I can only hope that I feel a fraction of what you do when we're one year in - if we ever get there !

Lovely post - here's hoping we integrate half as well as your family. Can't wait until we get there, so excited !!!!
Gillian

Nice to see u back. Its good to hear positive news. Hope to meet you all very soon, as we leave in 3 weeks

chris

So nice to see you posting. I came in while the trouble was going on and missed your diaries which I so desperately wanted to read. Thank you thank you thank you for putting this post on and I shall be looking out for more.

Anne

So excited. I just sent you some karma and it gave you another blue box!!!! First time I have been powerful enough to do this Yippee

Great to see you back, keep posting lots of new comers gain a wealth of knowledge from your experiences.

Well said. I also joined at the tail end of the banana diaries and was really sad to see you go. I love hearing about your experiences so keep writing.