But we're coming to the end of the first month of spring....

Spring???? I think we must be having Melbourne's weather. All 4 seasons in one day.

It's always changeable between Sept-Dec.One day warm the next chilly.

Another thing they don't tell you on "A New Life Down Under'

I want my money back

And what is is thing about hibernating in winter. One of my Ozzie friends thinks I am certifiable because I sat on the beach in a T-shirt and shorts in August while hubby surfed. It was really warm and I loved it but she thinks I am crazy.

So glad you are enjoying it. We travel back on 17th October...can't wait.

Kids are looking forward to wrapping up warm on fireworks night.

Hi Debbie,

Did you go through what a lot of us seem to go through and have good days and bad days etc? we are desparate to get a date sorted so we have something to plan for...I think it is not having a date and things "sorted" that causes the stress!!! once that's out of the way I am sure we would feel a lot better...

Anyway good luck to you all...toffee apples, treacle toffee and a cold christmas...you lucky people you!!! I really do wish it was us though!!!

Good luck and all the best of wishes for your family in a lovely country called the U.K
Jackie in perth....wishing I was on that plan that has just taken off over our home (going west I might add!!!)

Hi Jackie

We ummed and aarred for a long time trying to decide what to do for the best and for the kids etc. Not an easy decision. In fact, I think it's harder to decide to return than to come in the first place.

Once we came to a decision it seemed as if a height had lifted off our shoulders and we could then start planning our return home.

The hardest thing for us to do was book the flights...we really couldn't decide when to do back, so we settled on going back sooner rather than later. We knew we didn't want to stay, so what was the point in dragging it out. Once the flight was booked and the shock of it had past we are now really looking forward to going 'home'.

Hold in there Jackie, your time will come soon enough. Keep us posted of your plans.

Debi

Ps...Jackie, I love reading your quotes at the end of all your post...they are brill!!

Oh yeh we are off 5 November, but what i mean is we might not settle where we want to go in UK. Our plans could change once there...but hopefully only in UK not back here in Oz...

BTW you sound sooo fed up - big hugs and karma for you ive been there

Ahhh! Guy Fawkes night....I think its one of the UK holidays that I miss the most, Treacle toffee, baked potatoes cooked in the fire, sparklers and of course the fire works themselves....sheer bliss...

I used to love walking the streets at about midnight, the air would be thick with acrid smoke from all the fireworks and it would feel like I was in a scary movie, with all the mist swirling around....

I love little houses...the smaller the better...it drives hubby mad when we are house hunting...he grow up in a large old Victorian house...and likes space...I'm more than happy in a small flat...in fact of all our homes I miss my little flat on the bay at Portchester the most...

I'm the same, but only for the fact that they are soo much easier to clean...
but no give me a small and charming house any day, as I think they have more character

Our full time home is small...you can't swing a mouse in the kitchen...
In FL we went a bit bigger...but I can close a lot of the house off...we have a lot more family visits in FL for Disney so we need a little more room...but when we sell up we will downsize...

Thanks Debbie,

This site has helped us loads esecially me...I now know other people feel the ameway and I am not ging to be carted off in the "yellow van" although after thse last few days I feel that would be ablessing and would put e out of my misery!!!
I think it is when you wake up one moring and think "that's it I want to go home" (although it does not really happen that way.....I wish!!) and I started to mention it to a couple of my friends it seems as though I was a "leaper or had some sort of "catching illness" they have backed off in a way which has surprised me....and that makes it harder to get through your days sometimes when you are fed up...and want to talk to someone about how your are feeling...this site has been my "therapy"...going a bit deep there!!!! I think that leads to some of the stress , that you act that you are 100% happy and things are normal (if there is any such thing!!!) and don't want to bother people with your troubles. I was watching Ready Steady Cook this morning and it must of been a Christmas Special...well what a lovely show it was...so Christmassy and they were all having such fun...and the food...well I wish I could turn out something like that out of a few packets!! anyway it was the start of ....god do I miss that!!! the lovely lead up to Christmas...buying your outfit for the new years party!!! etc...all you lucky people with your flights booked you have all that to look forward to.

My husband is on the mines at the moment (first time to earn money for England) he is not liking it at all and is back in two weeks (cannot wait) and we will have to sit down and make definate plans as we cannot go on pinning away for home and the clock is ticking!!

Thanks again to everyone for their advice and for those who are on their way home....it's just a lovely country to be returning to and do I wish it was my family with tickets in hand and off to the airport.

Jackie from (is that the yellow van pulling up outside my home)Perth

Hi Jackie, what does your OH do and what mine has he gone to?

He worked for Telstra for 8 years.....he had enough (now really regrets leaving) then went as a Project Adviser for Western Power (through skilled)
we went to England March 08 - May 08 and on the way back stopped in Dubai was offered a job as Project Manager with a British Company he said yes as we all wanted to head back home.....we all came back to Perth, husband went to Dubai (May 08) company was paying for everything but we could not find a place for our older son....(yr 11) we tried different schools but by the end of Aug 08 my husbands company needed to know what we were going to do....it was awful, my husband loved his work....thought Dubai was great but way to hot...he came back to Perth as he did not really have a choice and started to look for work in the metro area..could not find one with a good enough salary so we could start saving to return home to England and ended up on a mine in Port Hedland as an Electrician which is his trade..not worked as it though for years...since before coming to Aus....he is not enjoying it...hates being away from home..work is horrible...etcbut he just says think of it as getting money together until Dec 08.....somedays it is not so bad but others it is just the pits.....a friend's husband works on the mines and does 4 on 1 off and I asked her the other day how does she put up with it, don't you get lonely...she just laughed and said I think of the "Bucks"!!!! I want to wake up feeling like that but I don't...I miss my husband, our sons really miss their dad but they are good lads!!! so really life is pretty c--p at the moment....but I have to start thinking about it being our way home....

Wow my life story in only one paragraph!!! now that's sad!!!
Jackie who is just about to go around the bend!!! with my dog..."sky"..taking her out for some fresh air.