YAY! WOO HOO!

Noddy's made it to Australia!

and I have clothes!! woo hoo!

Before:

After:

We also have 2 thick winter coats, one woolen glove (thermal and god knows where the other one is!), and several sheets and towels that I shan't need. The thick woolly jumpers we brought are now on the top shelf ( where I hope they'll stay until we have to put them back in a box!)

We now have a laptop each, an extra web cam and the chargers for my electric toothbrush!! woo hoo! The photos of you all are now dotted around the place and my fluffy cushions are on the sofa.
Ahhh That's better. :)

Kites and Camels

We went up to Semaphore beach today to witness what should have been a kiting extravaganza. Semaphore is lovely, with it's own little steam railway, one water slide, mini golf and a beach with much wider sand dunes that we have outside our house. You'd think this would be pretty and lovely. Well it would be if it wasn't for the "beware of the snakes" signs that you have to look at worriedly before you look for evil snakes on your approach to the sea. (it's ok though I'm qualified to bandage you and tell you to sit still!)

Unfortunatly when we got to the beach the wind was not that high. This meant that there weren't too many big kites in the air and that the great "lolly drop" had to be postponed - no sweets falling through the air for me :(

Instead we went to Glenelg and whilst I was sitting drinking my Java Choc Chip (with minty syrup - mint choc chip you see!) I was amazed to spot a couple of camels in a line! In Glenelg! Classic! woo hoo!



Mum, I also discovered an amazing minigolf course for you! You'll love it ;)

Spent the evening learning to do Divs in notebook (i'm turning into Bogus!) so that I can design my own website for my new business. I now have an official Australian Business number - dear god! lol

Springing and falling

Something interesting has happened whilst we were all sleeping. Time began to shift and now the time difference has changed dramatically. Why? Well we're in Autumn and you're in Spring. We've lost Daylight saving and you've gained it! lol

So we went back an hour and you're about to spring forward one...

This means that I now have to add 3.5 hours to my time to find your time and you have to take off 3.5 hours!! Man it's going to be completicated ;)

Just check the little clocks for a bit or if you're using skype and you click once on our names it will tell you in the left corner of that name box what time it is with us.

Off to the Semaphore beach festival of kites! Pictures later!!

It rained!! woo hoo!

To make you feel better (click the link for the weather forcast)

It's funny. It rained - this time properly from 3pm until 5 and then on and off uover night. The news reporters got so excited that the weather people were outside, in the rain, getting soaked in celebration!! LMAO

I blame Vicky for bringing it with her on the plane! ;)

Here's the view from the porch as it was yesterday!

Basic Emergency Life Support

That's the name of the course that I attended and sucessfully completed today. Shenley, will be able to add me to their list of first aiders when I get back in Jan because to teach here, in SA, every teacher has to complete this course. I had to do CPR on several plastic people (a Grown-up, a small child and a baby). I also had to learn about Epi-pens, fractures, bleeding, asthma, seizures and defribulators. It was an interesting day. I am certain that Mr Firman will be delighted that I will be able to deal with any number of emergencies. Including:
bee Stings,
ant bites,
posionous ant bites
Posionous snake bites and
posionous Spider bites,

If a snake happens to bite you, I am now fully qualified to tell you not to move, to wrap up the area where you were bitten and tie it to you so that you can't move and to call an ambulance whilst you wait. Apparently, the good news is that snake bites don't hurt. The only way you know is as you see it nibbling on your arm.
Red back bites however... they REALLY hurt although they are not (as we are commonly led to believe) fatal.
There is also another spider called the "white tip" who isn't venomous but eats from dead things, then bites you so that you get infected and have to have bits of you chopped away if you don't take antibiotics quickly.

I got to hear lots of stories about snakes in people's toilets, the snake wire that the course teacher kept on her porch for killing snakes that sat too near her "wading pool" and the fact the white tips enjoy sitting on your sheets for somereason. Giving then ample opportunity to bite you in your sleep; they're not easy to spot either as they are tiny.

All in all a very productive and interesting day :)
God love Australia!

87 today :)

Happy Birthday Nan!



We did a webcam, present opening conference! A birthday like no other for her I guess! ;)

SHAUN!

Isn't it ace? And I'm missing it because i'm here and not there :(
The little sheep has a point! Baaaa~!!! BAAAAA!!!!

the LOFster

To prevent myself from going completely mad I spent $279 on a Casio keyboard. There was a time when you would struggle to get me away from my last one (the one I donated to the British Heart Foundation just before we left) but once I got a job and a career that didn't involve music it got shoved in the attic, lost and forgotten. Now I seem to have 12 hours a day to kill and so I've got a new, shiny silver one which plugs into the computer via USB! Ooohh. It's cheap but it does the job and I hope to be able to play lots of lovely classical piano pieces so that I can earn my right to an electronic baby grand ;) Need to find a house with a room big enough though ;)

I'm not updating this as much at the moment. The travelling around has stopped and so the new and exciting bit is becoming the familiar and normal. I guess in one way that's good. In another it's dull. There isn't really anything in Australia which makes me think I have to stay here and that I can't possible have this life in the U.K. That's good news for some too ;)
It looks like we'll be flying back into England before December 15th as that's when one of LOF'S mates is getting married and he wants to be there. We'll probably aim to be home a few days before.. It's still early days yet but it may mean that I need to have a chat to Span and LOM :)

The only vaguely exciting thing to happen so far this week was the moment our neighbours garage (or shed as they call it here) was on fire and I called the fire men. They sent two engines and 10 men and all that had happened was that the daft bloke had been charging a battery for something (i assume a car/bike) and it had started to catch on fire. He had a boat and all sorts next to it and smoke was bellowing out of the side of his house. LOF was banging on the door to see if anyone was in and we didn't get a response. Never mind. I did tell the fire brigade that he had it under control with his hose but, quite rightly, they wanted to come out and check it all was o.k. You'd think he'd be happy to have such conscientious neighbours who look out for him but, just as LOF went out on his bike this evening, I overheard him talking to his next door neighbour winging about the whole thing. Ah well. I'd still do the same thing again. I reckon he's just a bit embarrassed! I would be!

Our letter box was jammed today with brochures from wedding locations in the U.K. You fill in one online form! My god! They've spent some money to send them out. One even had heart shaped confetti in it. Lovely. The engagement cards seem to have stopped now so I guess it's time to take them down and keep them somewhere safe for the future. I may have to send Mum and Span out on a mission to some of these places. Mum can take her camera - On second thoughts I don't want to put the people off from letting us use their venue. "Can you just stand there... that's it."
She can be scary with a NIKON! I have reminded SPAN that as chief bridesmaid it is her job to clam down the mother! ;) LMAO!

I'll leave you with tonight's sunset.. Have a great Wednesday! :)

Unexpected visitors.

This week has been, up to a point, a bit dull. I still haven't found a job. I thought that my talented hair designs (as modelled by LOF)would be the start of a new career for me but, for some reason, I have had no offers of employment there either! I can't think why. The only other job that interested me was the role of "termite". A local pest control agent is looking for a person to dress up as a termite and wave at people in the road near their offices in order to encourage their custom. Never being one who was paricularly shy of termite costumes I did, for about 5 minutes, think this was a great idea and a brilliant way to pass the time. That was until I remembered how hot it is outside and how uncomfortable it would be to be in the full sun inside a fluffy termite. It was $25 an hour though...

As a result I have been reading a lot. Mostly books that others have read or mentioned; for example I have nearly finished the 5 people you meet in Heaven which is very strange and lovely. Those who think that they are "far too busy to do that" need to read that book; it makes you remember what is important!

Now I do love to read but each book is $25! Not good for the bank balance when you get through a couple a week! Now, before you suggest it, I have been to the library where I have perused through a large collection of 'my mother' style Mills and Boon and the complete works of Danielle Steel - Not really my thing. Plus there's something special about a nice, new shinny book! :)

On the up side, my house, which is usually a mess lets be honest, is now usually tidy; that's the only thing to do all day! ;)

On Thursday however, three unexpected guests arrived. (None with 8 legs thankfully)

In our front room there is a very nice rock (probably stolen by a previous tenant from the beach) which we use to conveniently prop open the door. LOF was outside with his new two wheeled toy (which I will allow him to blog about) so I went to prop the door open with this stone. As I moved it, this little creature ran out and hid under the sofa! Cool! I like things that eat 8 legged creatures and flies! :)
This, obviously brightened my day :) however, it wasn't going to keep me entertained past the minute we put it back outside and LOF chased it with the camera. (hoping to add its portrait to the hall of weird and fabulous creatures we seem to be creating. )

What has made the last two days more interesting was a phone call I received on Friday and the result of that conversation.

An Australian number appears on my phone with Double E's name next to it.

ME:Hello! Is that Double E? How are you?
I see you're calling on your Aussie number! Now you can't possibly be in Australia you only went home 4 weeks ago and that would be far too exciting!
DE: Well I'm in Salisbury Plain.
Me: OH, well that's no good.
DE: Salisbury Plain, North Adelaide
Me:Scream


So, for the first time in about 5 weeks LOF and I have friends! Friends who pop around for coffee and who take us out. We just seem to eat and eat and drink coffee after coffee and it's nice. It's a shame that they're going home again. :(

It's not until you move away from it all that you realise how often your house wasn't occupied by visitors! We were always entertaining or being entertained and it's really nasty and weird that I can't do that here yet. :(

We are meeting a Canadian couple and their kids tomorrow at the beach up the road. We've never met them before but they chat a little on the Ex-pats forum and offered to meet us. Maybe they can be our new, Australian, friends? Who Knows. In the meantime I will continue to call Span whilst she's at work :) Moah ha ha ha ha! ;)

LOFs new look

Created live online this afternoon because we're serious about looking good...




and because we're worth it




I personally think the pretty beads do him a great justice :)

What came in the post today...

Despite the phone having not been posted til Thursday I received it today along with a card from Mum and Dad, Kelly and Nan + Grandad. Thank you all very much :)
Apparently if you put in a box it gets here faster. By the way some of you are being ripped off by your posties! Kelly only paid 50p for her international post, nan over a pound!! Watch out ;)

Clean up Australia Day

It seem that in OZ, once a year, a day occurs where people are urged to meet in groups to clean up their country. Lof and I went to the website and discovered that there was once such meet near our house at Patawalonga Creek. We went along and did our bit, secretly hoping that it might be a way of meeting people in the community. We didn't really make any new friends but we did collect two large sacks full of rubbish that had been dumped in the creek. I'm sure the wildlife, which I was told included wild tortoises (although I didn't see any), will be very appreciative :)

Red back number 3

Is now dead but was living on the garage door.

We were spraying the numerous ants which have been living outside for a while now and taking it in turjs to invade the house either by the front or back door. Having completed the back we decided to take a short cut through the garage to the front. This was where LOF saw the 3rd redback as the garage door electronically rolled up, spider still attached - unfortunatly without squashing 8 legged murderer. Regardless o what man in Bunnings said Lof went at it with the can of industrial strength spider killer and it promptly died.

He then made the "wise" decision of spraying all along the edges of the garage walls. This was when all manner of spiders were released and tried to crawl towards us at the exit. Dear GOD! I'm calling the men in, the ones with the bombs and sprays and guarantees that nothing will bite me...

and LOF wants to get citizenship!! Bugger that! IN England they're scary and harmless - an small. Here? Burrrr.

Why you should watch the webcam even when it's dark outside

Because sometimes a cool electrical storm starts!

Bunnings Warehouse

Firstly a big thank you to all at Shenley who signed that lovely card. Yours was the first we opened and it was great to see so many people's names in it. It was lovely. Thanks to Mummy Moo and to Auntie Mel too. Yours arrived in the same postbag :). Ann your "welcome to your new home" card arrived on Tuesday; i bet you wish LOF had warned you, then you could have saved yourself a stamp! ;)

The good news is that it seems that the stuff I sprayed in the letter box seems to have detered the 8 legged nasty killing machines. ( the last one is still on the dining room table Shiver) That doesn't mean though that once the post has been delivered (usually at lunch time) that we don't take the post out with a big stick and then stab it a lot just to make sure no-one is sat on there.

I've been to Bunnings Warehouse to buy some meaner stuff which pledges to get rid of the critters for a minumum of 6 months . If it walks in my letter box it dies a horrible death.

Bunning Warehouse is B+Q ( but it has a catchier theme tune see the ads here). It's so much like B+ Q that when I walked down the gardening isle and was met by the lighting department for a minute there I thought I was in Redditch. Everything is much cheaper though. The plants in particular. A big shrub which would be about 15 pounds in the uk is 8 dollars here. Nice. If I wasn't so scared of the bloody spiders that would live in them I would plant some.

Any way, my visit went something like this...
Conversation in Bunnings Warehouse:

Me: Hi, can you help me? I need some stuff to murder some 8 legged animals which keep coming into my letter box. They look suspiciously like red backs.
Him: Red backs! laughs yeah.. what you got there.
Me: Spider killer from two brands. This one has a picuture of a red back on it but I want to make sure I'm buying really powerful stuff. Is it likely to be red back do you think? It had the same markings.
Him: Yeah probably. They're everywhere.
Me: Really!? My landlord said I'd have to be really unluky.
Him: nah. I live in the hills and they're everywhere. Where do you live?
Me: Westbeach - by the sea (always add that because it's exciting)
Him: Ah well there won't be as many there but they'll be about.
When I was a kid we used to have a basement in our house. We stored all our stuff down there you know? Well you used to turn the light on and the walls would be crawling with them. Everywhere.
Me: Eurgh! Shivering and squirming
Him: Nah they're nothing mate! They're pretty harmless really.
Me: Really? Maybe it's coming form the U.K. or something but we're taught that they'll kill you!
HIm: Yeah but it takes hours to take any effect and then you just get a really bad headache. You go to the hospital and they give you anti-venom and you're fine.
Mum used to send me down into the basement with an insect bomb. I'd set it off and then watch them crawl out of their crevices and when they were on the floor Makes stamping motions on the floor
Me: Oh my god! Weren't you scared?
Him shrugs shoulders A little bit but they're everywhere where I am. You don't need to be worrying about them it's the silver tips and ?? (can't remember the other name) that you need to worry about if they bite ya..
Me: Oh my god what are they? IN fact I don't want to know.
Him: Yeah i was gonna say. DOn't want to put you off our beautiful country now do we?

Only in Australia!

The first day of Autumn is upon us...

And it doesn't feel like it .
The lowest the temperature got today was 18.7 at 07:02am
the highest was 32.7 at 03:01pm.

It doesn't look very autumnal tommorrow either...


Forecast for Friday
Hot and dry day with increasing high cloud. Light to moderate northeast to
northwest winds, shifting moderate southwesterly late evening with a possible
thundery shower to follow.

Precis Late evening change.
City: Min 22 Max 37
Elizabeth: Min 19 Max 38
Mount Barker: Min 15 Max 36
Noarlunga: Min 20 Max 35

UV Index: 8 [Very High]
Fire Danger: High to Very High (Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban District)

Saturday Fine. Partly cloudy. Min 21 Max 28
Sunday Morning shower or two. Min 16 Max 24
Monday Fine. Sunny afternoon. Min 15 Max 24
Tuesday Fine. Mostly sunny. Min 15 Max 28
Wednesday Fine. Sunny. Min 15 Max 28
Thursday Fine. Sunny. Min 15 Max 28

Where's the snow?
It always reaches the maximum by the way...
Hot hot hot!!