Originally Posted by kezzabird

Cool, when is taste of huon on?

Originally Posted by travelbug

Hmmm....Fiji - now that would be a nice destination! Dont give me idea's - otherwise Andy will be hiding the credit cards! He got in a panic the other night when he walked past me on the computer and i was looking at holidays! (only checking to see if the credit crunch was affecting the price of holidays during school holidays - but no - they're not any cheaper!)
Clothes over here seem to be getting even cheaper...and none of the big stores are waiting to have their sales - a lot of them have started already.
Did you all hear about Woolworths going bust? they've been doing 50% off sales on a lot of their stock... I wonder if that'll have any affect at all on
Woolies in Oz ? They're still one of your major supermarket chains aren't they? Me and Andy said how weird it would be not to see Woolworths in the UK - nearly every parade of shops we know in Essex has a Woolies!
I reckon if you plan to do shopping whilst you're over you'll get some right bargains in all the big stores!

Glad you enjoyed the Australia film... I'm definitely going to see it after Christmas...

Having a good old moan about the NHS today....my GP surgery in particular.
I was off work all last week with this cold/cough thing that's going around over here. Haven't gotten any better really so definitely need some anti-biotics or something....So last week made an appointment to see GP at 11am this morning. Walk 20mins to our GP's surgery - only to be told there's no record of my appointment - and they've had to book me in again for 5.30 this evening :curse: Bearing in mind i'm due back in work this afternoon - i am not impressed! Have had to tell my manager i'll not be in again today....
Looks like i wont be meeting my year end targets having so much time off this month. Oh well!

So is the weather starting to warm up nicely for you guys over there?

Cathy

Originally Posted by kezzabird

Weather not been overly fantastic so far, very cloudy and we've had a lot of rain. The up side is the countryside is greening up nicely and the vegies are doing very well. But if I remember correctly December last year wasn't that great either.

I can sympathize with your cold symptoms, I'm suffering myself too at the moment, must be the change in temps with the weather. I am feeling very sorry for myself today sitting here with a hot lemon and honey drink and a box of tissues.

Kerry

Originally Posted by Teabag

not till March, will do something before then!!

Originally Posted by Possums

Hiya

seems Woolies UK and AU have origins in the same US company but are both completley independant, taken from article below.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...28/2432756.htm

I have good memories of Woolies as a kid its sad to see it go

things not good here either

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...tion=australia

had some really warm days up here, yesterday was out in the garden all afternoon but rained all day today!

I'd have played hell at the GP's useless, sorry to hear your still not good, talking to a family member last night who has gastric flu sounds really yukky

been having toothache, have made appointment to see a dentist for first time today and she said it can be about $200 per apointment!!! would have been cheaper to fly over to our dentist mate in Sydney



Sorry to hear your not well either Kerry, weather certainly is unpredictable!

we drove through Oatlands on Sunday and its as brown and dry as ever couldnt believe it, getting greener up here

noticed the opium fields are in full bloom.

Originally Posted by kezzabird

Holy crap have you read this?

http://www.themercury.com.au/article...ania-news.html

Originally Posted by kezzabird

Weather not been overly fantastic so far, very cloudy and we've had a lot of rain. The up side is the countryside is greening up nicely and the vegies are doing very well. But if I remember correctly December last year wasn't that great either.

I can sympathize with your cold symptoms, I'm suffering myself too at the moment, must be the change in temps with the weather. I am feeling very sorry for myself today sitting here with a hot lemon and honey drink and a box of tissues.

I don't think that the woolies here have anything to do with the Uk woolies, there have been no reports of companies going under here, so far anyway. I read in the Mercury the other day that retail sales were no different from last year and some were actually up on last year, I guess the test will be after Christmas. It helps that Kevin Rudd is dishing out money for eligible family's and pensioners, we will be getting $1000 for Alex, it's a grand for every child. So that will help pay for his school uniform next year.

Kerry

Originally Posted by Possums

Hiya

seems Woolies UK and AU have origins in the same US company but are both completley independant, taken from article below.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...28/2432756.htm

I have good memories of Woolies as a kid its sad to see it go

things not good here either

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...tion=australia

had some really warm days up here, yesterday was out in the garden all afternoon but rained all day today!

I'd have played hell at the GP's useless, sorry to hear your still not good, talking to a family member last night who has gastric flu sounds really yukky

been having toothache, have made appointment to see a dentist for first time today and she said it can be about $200 per apointment!!! would have been cheaper to fly over to our dentist mate in Sydney



Sorry to hear your not well either Kerry, weather certainly is unpredictable!

we drove through Oatlands on Sunday and its as brown and dry as ever couldnt believe it, getting greener up here

noticed the opium fields are in full bloom.

Originally Posted by travelbug

Hi I know i should have complained at the doc's - but they're pretty useless the receptionists around our surgery - so i dont think it would have made any difference. At least when i went last night they had record of my appointment!! there's loads of things going around over here - but i knew mine was more chest related - the sounding like an old wheezebag kind of gave it away!
Can you claim back any of the dental costs? does medicare cover dentist work as well - or just medical? i guess if it doesnt it's worth paying for one of those HSA kind of schemes if there's a few of you? I think i'll have a check-up etc at the dentist before we emigrate....might be cheaper that way!

Cathy

Originally Posted by Sammy T

Hi Cathy

Sorry to hear you are still feeling rough, hopefully on the mend now

As far as I'm aware none of your dental costs are paid for by Medicare (someone may know different) When we first arrived Ally had awful toothache and we had to find a dentist to fit us in the same day, $160 it cost us! But I have just had a check up and clean which should have cost me £128 but was fully paid for by my Medibank health insurance, we can all get 2 check ups/cleans a year, so that almost covers the premiums, even without any other claims!
Saying that Medicare does not cover dental costs, I've just remembered that Izzy is eligible for a free yearly check up with a Medicare voucher scheme for all children over 12 as part of a programme to encourage teenagers to look after their teeth.

Sam

Originally Posted by kezzabird

That's good to know with regards to the healthcare paying out, I wondered how it would work as we have just recently got private health care that includes optical and dental. I think it covers just check ups and cleans like you said. I still haven't plucked up the courage to see a dentist yet, I hate them at the best of times. But I should if only for Alex's sake, he really needs a check up too.

How is the house buying going?

Originally Posted by Sammy T

Hiya Kerry

We have also only just sorted out the health insurance, as we wanted to take advantage of the lower premiums if you sign up within a certain time. The optical and dental benefits alone make it worth while.

House buying going well, we should settle on Friday, all being well and are hoping to move in next week, as long as we can get removals organised, will be a bit hectic but will be nice to be in our place for Chritmas Day

Bet Alex is looking forward to Christmas, isn't he?

Sam

Originally Posted by Sammy T

Hi Cathy

Sorry to hear you are still feeling rough, hopefully on the mend now

As far as I'm aware none of your dental costs are paid for by Medicare (someone may know different) When we first arrived Ally had awful toothache and we had to find a dentist to fit us in the same day, $160 it cost us! But I have just had a check up and clean which should have cost me £128 but was fully paid for by my Medibank health insurance, we can all get 2 check ups/cleans a year, so that almost covers the premiums, even without any other claims!
Saying that Medicare does not cover dental costs, I've just remembered that Izzy is eligible for a free yearly check up with a Medicare voucher scheme for all children over 12 as part of a programme to encourage teenagers to look after their teeth.

Sam

Originally Posted by kezzabird

Oh yes he was telling me today how Santa was going to fit a trampoline on his sleigh!

Originally Posted by travelbug

Hi Kerry, hope you feel better soon
I've been signed off sick for another week by the doc - have a chest infection. Fingerscrossed the antibiotics will kick in quickly!
Glad the countryside is greening up a bit and that your veggies are doing well though.
That's good with that grant for kids. For what reason is that? is it like a childtax credit that we get over here?

Cathy