Feels like forever!

Blog_9_ Feels like forever

Sunday 5^th November 8 days left

Up early to head to Nikenbah markets, took dog with us as you’re not meant to leave them in the cabins unattended! So I drove! J Tim’s letting me drive now! The air con has packed up (well freezes up if we keep it on! What is the good of having air con if you cant use it the whole time you’re in the car) so windows went down and a nice breezy ride to the market which is not far.

When we got there it was heaving at 7am ish! The market was full of plants, fruit, veg and loads of household stuff! The dog was very good as she was crowded in with people and quite a few dogs! But then being hot makes us all a bit soporific! And sometimes grumpy when its too hot and we have forgotten the water again (which we are trying to get better at remembering) but you don’t really need much in the UK just beer!

Tried to sort out more stuff for the house, bought some kitchen stools and found a sofa we like, but not sure so will think about the sofa.

Got back and had a swim to cool off, Tim started messing around with bike and strimmer so I went out in the car on my own! In search of the squash club, sadly I could not find L so had a nice drive around and back to the cabin.

Tim decided that he would come with me and see if we could find squash club, I am glad it took a lot of finding otherwise I would have felt silly! The road maps here show roads joining up but often they don’t and there are so many new roads being put in that it gets very confusing as they are not on your map!

We are having the most beautiful sunsets at the moment it will be a shame when we move to house as we will have to walk at least 8 mins to see it!

Found all the paperwork for a workshop on sonar acoustics that Doug Cato is giving which I was invited to when I saw him for work, so thinking of going if I can get flight and booked in

Monday 6^th November 7days left

Up early to sort out all the stuff to go to Canberra!

Sorted out loads of stuff for house, picked up stools, dropped Tim off to have his feet done and then went to internet to look for flights and hotel etc.

Found good prices but did not book as I thought would go to travel agent to see what they could do. Stopped for petrol and then back to pick up Tim. He come out all bandaged up and his foot looking rather sorry for itself (if feet can look sorry for themselves?).

Went to travel agent on way back and booked flight to Canberra and bus to Brissy airport. All I had to do now was find hotel! To phone box with a pocket full of coins, tried the hotel they had given me and they were fully booked apart from a suit! Phoned at least 7 hotels and all fully booked, so back to first hotel and booked suit! Lets hope I get some work out of this!

Back to cabin and sorting out suit case for early morning start! I think Tim would have liked to come but we had no one to look after dog. L

Early bed with loads of thoughts flying through my head!

Tuesday 7^th November 6 days left

Up at 6am to get bus out of HB to Brissy and plane to Canberra!

Excited, nervous and worried!

Bus journey was rickety and no air con with only 22 seats and no toilet!

We stopped somewhere in between for a loo stop and food, it was not like the service stations on the motorways in the UK!

There were a number of outlets and some with really healthy food, the view was on to a lake with black swans and loads of water birds it was a peaceful respite from the rickety journey.

Arrived at Brissy domestic and did a self service check in and did not send my bag which was great!

Long wait for flight, filled with coffee, reading and loo stops.

Finally on plane, and off to Canberra, 1hr and 20mins later we landed and I hit the ground running, into taxi and arrived at ADFA. I was guided to conference room and got there just in time for pre conference first talk by Doug Cato.

Spoke to Tim and confirmed I had arrived safe.

Finished, I met up with Dave Paton and he took me back to his house to see family and dinner, sue his wife was not well so went out to dinner to leave her in peace. It was Melbourne cup day and people had been drinking since early hours.

We had a nice meal and then it was rounded off watching a group of youngsters beating the shite out of each other! It tumbled out into the road and across to us! One guy hit the glass door and left blood dripping down it! Needless to say I did not finish my meal. The riot police arrived when it was all finished! A peaceful walk back to car and dropped off to bed.

Spoke to Tim.

Could not sleep in strange bed L stayed awake most of night

Wednesday 8^th November 5 days to go

Met up with Michelle for brekkie and then headed to conference, it was great to see a bit of Canberra on the way to the Defence academy, it was a lot quieter than Sydney and hardly any cars!

The day went quick and met up with loads of people, made good contacts and hopeful to get some work with someone!?

The drinks after the conference workshop I was meant to meet up with someone to try and get some work L they did not turn up…………… too busy with other work!

We all went out to dinner to Italian next to hotel and had a nice time.

After a few glasses of wine I did sleep !

Thursday 9^th November 4 days until loads of painting and decorating

Early rise again as all talks start at 8.30am felt a bit stuffed in the nose, feels like a cold coming on L

Talks were good and more talking to contacts and making of a few friends!

Finished and back to room with a friend in tow as the room they were in, in the backpackers was horrible and we were both catching the same flight to brissy! So we will share a cab in the morning, and it means I won’t sleep in as the flight leaves at 6.25am!!

We are (those who are left) out for dinner tonight which will be good as the hard networkers have left which gives us all a chance to chat to those people who are left!

Feeling tired already, hope I can stay awake for dinner, looking forward to getting back to Hervey Bay as it is cold here, 21 degrees and I did not bring any jackets or cardies!

We all went out to the local town centre where I had been the first night and went into a really lovely restaurant on the corner of the street which was very well occupied and had a really nice menu. After a very strange dinner with the gang due to Adrian making very strange statements which threw everyone. Back to bed and pack for morning.

Friday 10^th November 3 days until more packing!

Up with an early wake up call and taxi arrived on time! Off to airport at 5.30am! Will be glad to get back to Hervey Bay as Tim says its hot, even though they had had thunder and lightening storms. Apparently Roxy was really scared as the thunder and lightening was loud!

Dived in for a strong coffee at the Airport with Craig and then on to flight and up and away to Brissy had a great chat with Craig and looks like I might get some work from his dad if possible!!?? I need some work as I am going stir crazy doing nothing! Not good at this sitting around lark! Flight went really quick and just hoping bus will be on time! Said goodbyes as Craig was flying on to Townsville which was 32 degrees!! I had to wait for bus 4 hours of sitting around at airport bored out of my head, and very sleepy!

Got on bus and met up with two people at the back Carol and Greg, Carol a sassy dark haired Ozzy from Gin Gin who was on an internet dating frenzy to find a man to give her luxury and keep her and Greg from Gimpie, who was rather large (in fact very large!) hairy, full long beard, tattooed and wearing a singlet and shorts, who was on hit way to Thailand to see his bird who had just had an abortion and who was asking for more money to sort out complications!!?? It was the shortest 4 and ½ hour ride back I think I will ever have! Greg was trying his hardest to chat up Carol but she just showed me a stream of pics of all these internet dating guys!

When Greg got off the last hour and a ½ seemed to go slow as Carol spent it deliberating over which guy she wanted to be with, they all had something nice about them but not one had it all!! Lucky her to have so many to choose from!

Got off and Tim was waiting, said goodbye to Carol exchanging numbers and she gave me the dating site to give to Tims mum so she can have a try !!!! J

Back to Cabin and feeling shattered collapsed in a heap getting pizza in and early night.

Sat & Sunday 11^th 12^th To much to think about!

Up early to go to more garage sales! Tim is obsessed and would not stop, it was really very hot and all I wanted was a swim in the pool. But Tim can’t get in as he must keep his foot dry!

We managed to get a bed for us which Tim was going to pick up on Monday once we were in the house.

Sorted out delivery of garden furniture and veranda furniture! More stuff to build.

So Monday we have got the TV, washing machine, hypoallergenic vacuum cleaner, the sofa and chairs, and the entire garden stuff arriving! It’s going to be very busy day!

We packed a few things up ready for the morning, and went to bed excited!

Monday 13^th November

Moving in day!

We had breakfast and packed all our stuff up, got it all ready to go. Then we went to library as we were waiting until 11.30 am until we got the keys. So we did not want to just sit around and wait. We then went for milk shake near solicitors to sort out keys and stuff. Popped in to find out what was going on and were told money had not come through yet, then she checked and it had just arrived, so she promised that we would have the keys by midday! Bit tight as we have all the deliveries coming after noon! Gulp! Bit tight! As normal not smooth and solicitor had not sorted, we were waiting at estate agents for keys. Eventually got it all sorted after Tim had had a hissy fit which I was on phone to solicitors. As I was finishing the call the estate agent came out to get me as it had all gone through and we could have the keys!

Back to cabin to ship dog first and a number of other stuff including me, as I would have to wait for all the deliveries as it was after 12. Tim loaded up all the stuff from the cabin and he was getting it too us, as the new place was only 5 mins away!

Found out all the nastys as normal in new house, shower had cracked tray, cooker was filthy and grill was still caked in grease and dried on meaty bits! Yuk! He had even taken the extension lead to work the filter for the swimming pool! And the cupboards were full of cockroach poo!! Ewwww!

What is it about moving, the guys want to unpack and build all the new stuff and the girls end up doing all the cleaning!! L After living on my own for more years than I like to remember it is hard, as I have been so used to sorting out all the stuff myself and have found it hard to not want to build stuff and do the nice bits apart from all the cleaning!

For years you want someone to do all those jobs around the house and then when it comes you find out you are so independent. Its strange as I now know how frustrated dad feels that he cant do all the jobs he wants to do, and how mum feels doing all the jobs she is not used to doing which I have done for years not having a man around. Strange balance!? Perhaps best to go away and get someone else to do it all and just move in to a new sorted house!

After a long hard day finally passed out exhausted with back aches!

The Rest of Week! Until Friday 17^th November

The week has been an array of tradesmen, quotes, building furniture, staining decking and furniture. Cleaning, unpacking boxes, bags, and more and more stuff!

Tiring week as the dog has been a bit stressed out and waking at 5am most mornings for a wee as she is drinking so much water with the heat!

We have done gardening, sorted out the pool and have cut back a house load of shrubs, trees and other stuff! There is now a zen garden in the front with water feature and coloured stones. The internet people were trying to sort out internet for us but did not manage today L not sure if they can. I was hoping that we could up load the long long blog and then collect emails and chat to friends and family ……….. but not yet! They are coming back Monday so we shall see if we can get it sorted.

We have used the cooker, the new BBQ, and the pool J Tim has his own bath room which he is excited about and we have used the new washing machine that does not pummel your clothes into a munched up heap!

Last night it was so cold that we had to shut all the windows and the front door and went to bed fully dressed! And Still woke cold, even the dog was trying to get warm, so we had to get her, her blanket from the car! Strangely we did not have one so while she was warm we were not!

So Today (Friday) Tim went shopping for doona cover, to keep us warm!

At 7.30am we got up and there was a knock on the door from a guy quoting for rubbish removal! Went out into garden and realised it was warmer outside than in, the house does the job of keeping cool in the hot weather but it takes longer to warm up! So we sat out by the pool to have a warm up and some orange juice!

Tim cooked scrambled eggs for breakfast!

Tim went on an array of shopping to his favourite store, Bunnings (B&Q equivalent!) to get some more stuff for the zen garden. He then picked up our dinning table and chairs and then came back to help me finish digging out loads of soil in front garden. While he was out I sorted out all our clothes in to cupboards, washed up breakfast things, painted the head board for the spare bedroom, rubbed down garden furniture and moved it all to front porch, finished the chemical additions to the pool, and fed the dog.

We swapped roles which I quite enjoyed, and Tim hated! As shopping is not one of his favourites!

My week has not been so good have been bitten to death by mozzies, bitten by sand flies, bitten by horse fly and today bitten by a spider which was less then the size of my little fingernail, and as I am still ok it must not have been one of the deadly ones!

It seems very strange that in this fantastic hot weather people are shopping for Xmas pressies and father Xmas is coming to the shops this weekend! Not sure what we will do this year, as Tim still hates Xmas (as he always does) and does not want to celebrate which makes it hard for me as I love it and get excited about it all (it feels horrible when you wake up alone which I have done for years, only the joys of Luke coming into my room to see what Santa has bought brings pleasure, even when you are in the company of loads of family its hard not to feel alone when they all have partners)

While I am typing this he is fast asleep in the recliner chair! Bless! And he wants to go to more garage sales in the morning!