I've been told that you should always write the good stuff at the end; people then only remember the good stuff - I think it's called the latency effect. So that's what I'll do.
We've been here about 10 weeks now and over that time, I have come to the conclusion that emigration is like the last trimester of pregnancy and the first few months of being a first time parent. Allow me to expand on this analogy. The thought of moving to the other side of the world is very exciting; the process is incredibly scary and painful and once you've done it, there is some much to deal with, all in one go, that you wonder how you're ever going to cope. If you're ever going to cope.
Everyone says that the first year is hard. I guess that is an understatement.
Work is fine. I thoroughly enjoy my job but it is taking up so much of my life. I have been told by other new members of staff that it is the most high pressured environment in which they've worked - and they had the summer holiday before hand to recharge their batteries; a luxury we had to do without. Still, I am not going to complain about that. As a true Aussie, I will 'suck that up'. What I will complain about, however, is the following:
We have still not received our furniture. Let me tell you, living without a couch for 10 weeks is horrible. I know that sounds superficial but sometimes,you really need to just chill out.
We haven't watched TV for about 5 weeks - again, sounds superficial but you try it!
We are still, chasing up so many loose ends in England because of lazy and incompetent gits who can't be bothered to do their jobs properly.
We're still paying for gas and electricity at a house we haven't lived in since December.
We're still having to constantly chase up stuff in England that should have been sorted out months ago. Doing that late at night (cos of the 11 hour difference), when you're already exhausted from a brand new job and sorting out 2 daughters who are struggling with the transition, is less than ideal.
The house we're renting here has drainage and sewage problems and at $800 per week, you would expect it to be sorted out sharpish. But no, 5 weeks on and we're still constantly having to badger the letting agents to get it sorted.
In addition to the parking fine and speeding fine, australian customs and excise have required a further $1000 to do whatever they feel they have to take weeks and weeks to do. We have had to pay an additional $82 for them to destroy a Christmas decoration which didn't meet with their approval!
Both the girls, now over the honey moon period, are struggling to settle. They are both enjoying school but not finding it easy in other ways. However, I have been very impressed with the health care system here. (We have now also sorted ourselves out with private healthcare - a must over here for lots of different reasons).
Ok, so enough of the woes! Yesterday, we had a lovely day at Manly Beach to celebrate Becky's belated birthday. We bought her a body board and then hardly saw her - she loved it. A real surf chick. At one point she got 'totally smashed' and was 'rescued' by an australian boy!
We had a big burger each for lunch on the beach and Becky decided it would be a great idea to recreate the seagull scene from Nemo by feeding one gull with a bit of her bun. The next thing we knew, we were surrounded by seagulls desperate for a bit of her lunch. Rather embarrassing!!!!!
I went for a couple of walks along the beach - beautiful, and got beaten by Erin in a sprint race! Oh how I love to be reminded of my age!
Nathan got burnt!
Saturday, 15 March 2014
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Nasty NSW speed cameras nobble naughty nimble Nathan!
Hi all,
Well it's been a whole week .... A lot can happen in a week! A lot of money can be fined and plenty of points picked up!
Yes, you've guessed it, Mr middle-aged boy racer has already managed to rack himself up some penalty points. Poor sod has had to put up with my snide comments and under the breath mumbles and now I've gone the whole hog; gone viral with his misdemeanours. Oh well, I guess he's only coming out in sympathy with his brother-in-law!!!!! Anyway, his argument is that the Aussies all drive at a snail's pace and, compared to us zany poms, that's true. But I warned him time and time again! The Aussies don't do things by halves over here. The road in question is a dual carriage way with a 60km per hour speed limit. Yes Nathan, I know that 78 km per hour is only 48 miles per hour and the speed limit for an equivalent GB road is 70 miles per hour, but we're not in England and 78km per hour is still 18km per hour over the limit whatever way you look at it! When in Rome and all that! We're lucky it wasn't a public holiday because then he'd have picked up 6 points instead of 3!
The fine was $248. Add that to the $246 parking fee we got in the first week here and we're anything but 'quids in'. More like ' dollars disaster!'
Anyway, that delightful letter was with some other post that we picked up from the hotel, having yet to change our address with all and sundry ..... Again! The other letter contained our Medicare cards, which was great, especially considering that we 'd been waiting so long for these that, having assumed they'd got lost in the post, we'd cancelled them and reapplied for new ones the day before!!!
Hoo bloody ray!!!!!
Oh, here's an interesting fact for you. My new claim to fame - Hugh Jackman (mum and dad - he's an extremely famous Hollywood movie star) went to Knox Grammar school!!! I bet he didn't have that silly wolverine hair style back then! I wonder if he played drums and bagpipes, wearing a kilt - ooh, what a nice thought!
Nathan and I have been continuing to go on our evening strolls around West Pennant Hills. I don't know why we torture ourselves so. The houses are all like Mr Warbuck mansions! Can't imagine we'll be buying a house here. Oh well, maybe far away or may be real nearby, the sun'll come out and we'll buy a little garden shed in someone's garden. Nathan could be the gardener and I could be the hired help?
The girls had a lovely time at their swimming carnival last Wednesday, both competing and doing themselves proud considering they haven't swam since December. Next job on the to do list is to get them into a swimming club.
Following the disappointing weather last weekend,we thought we'd buy Becky her belated birthday present and take her to the beach this weekend. After all, it had been 30 degrees on Wednesday when we were outside all day at Knox, arranging and running the six events sports day. But no, it has rained all weekend so the belated birthday is belated again. We took the kids to see Frozen to make up for it. The irony does not escape me. We're waiting for a hot weekend and end up watching Frozen! The sun doesn't seem to have any problem blazing down while we're at work mind!
So, as I'm blogging here in bed - it's 10.40 pm Sunday night- hubby is writing highly interesting physics work sheets on his MacBook Air. I'm not sure if its physics or some kind of seizure but he's just started flopping about and clapping his hands like a demented seal.
I had better sign off and find out what's got him so excited. It's probably the excitement at the prospect of getting a jug or bug!
Night night
X
Well it's been a whole week .... A lot can happen in a week! A lot of money can be fined and plenty of points picked up!
Yes, you've guessed it, Mr middle-aged boy racer has already managed to rack himself up some penalty points. Poor sod has had to put up with my snide comments and under the breath mumbles and now I've gone the whole hog; gone viral with his misdemeanours. Oh well, I guess he's only coming out in sympathy with his brother-in-law!!!!! Anyway, his argument is that the Aussies all drive at a snail's pace and, compared to us zany poms, that's true. But I warned him time and time again! The Aussies don't do things by halves over here. The road in question is a dual carriage way with a 60km per hour speed limit. Yes Nathan, I know that 78 km per hour is only 48 miles per hour and the speed limit for an equivalent GB road is 70 miles per hour, but we're not in England and 78km per hour is still 18km per hour over the limit whatever way you look at it! When in Rome and all that! We're lucky it wasn't a public holiday because then he'd have picked up 6 points instead of 3!
The fine was $248. Add that to the $246 parking fee we got in the first week here and we're anything but 'quids in'. More like ' dollars disaster!'
Anyway, that delightful letter was with some other post that we picked up from the hotel, having yet to change our address with all and sundry ..... Again! The other letter contained our Medicare cards, which was great, especially considering that we 'd been waiting so long for these that, having assumed they'd got lost in the post, we'd cancelled them and reapplied for new ones the day before!!!
Hoo bloody ray!!!!!
Oh, here's an interesting fact for you. My new claim to fame - Hugh Jackman (mum and dad - he's an extremely famous Hollywood movie star) went to Knox Grammar school!!! I bet he didn't have that silly wolverine hair style back then! I wonder if he played drums and bagpipes, wearing a kilt - ooh, what a nice thought!
Nathan and I have been continuing to go on our evening strolls around West Pennant Hills. I don't know why we torture ourselves so. The houses are all like Mr Warbuck mansions! Can't imagine we'll be buying a house here. Oh well, maybe far away or may be real nearby, the sun'll come out and we'll buy a little garden shed in someone's garden. Nathan could be the gardener and I could be the hired help?
The girls had a lovely time at their swimming carnival last Wednesday, both competing and doing themselves proud considering they haven't swam since December. Next job on the to do list is to get them into a swimming club.
Following the disappointing weather last weekend,we thought we'd buy Becky her belated birthday present and take her to the beach this weekend. After all, it had been 30 degrees on Wednesday when we were outside all day at Knox, arranging and running the six events sports day. But no, it has rained all weekend so the belated birthday is belated again. We took the kids to see Frozen to make up for it. The irony does not escape me. We're waiting for a hot weekend and end up watching Frozen! The sun doesn't seem to have any problem blazing down while we're at work mind!
So, as I'm blogging here in bed - it's 10.40 pm Sunday night- hubby is writing highly interesting physics work sheets on his MacBook Air. I'm not sure if its physics or some kind of seizure but he's just started flopping about and clapping his hands like a demented seal.
I had better sign off and find out what's got him so excited. It's probably the excitement at the prospect of getting a jug or bug!
Night night
X
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