So, it would seem that things have gone a little crazy here in the ol’ southern hemisphere. By now, no doubt, you have seen the news stories about how New Zealand’s Christchurch has been hit by an earthquake. Quite rightly, probably, you didn’t hear about what was happening here in SA.  To us ‘poms’ to be honest, it was just a sever October storm (think that one what happened when I was a kid in the 80s).  The only difference is, we’re not really supposed to get such weather types down here in SA – or at least that’s the impression I’ve been given.  At the very least, it was very obvious that the infrastructure wasn’t up to dealing with it!

42,000 of us were left without power last night as the winds raged outside.  What’s really strange is that Friday, in my opinion, seemed to be a much more dramatic weather day. The storm started at about 9am – thunder, lightning – the works and didn’t end until tea time.  When I got off the train after work I was watching the lightning strike over the sea.  It was awesome – if a little scary.  It also worked very well during a lesson I was teaching about murder mysteries (tee hee)

Yesterday’s weather was grey and windy. We lost power at about 4pm – Half way though “The Prince of Persia -Sands of Time” (worth watchin’ that!) – and it didn’t come back on until way after dark.  Matt and I busied ourselves with our won little candle-lit jamborie.  I called Mum and Dad to let them know that I wouldn’t be on line and that I was safe.  I was convinced that Mum would see the news about New Zealand and think “oh my god are they alright!!”. Amusingly she did warn me not to go to the beach – for fear of tsunamis…. LMAO!!

Anyhoo.  Last night was fun!   BLACK OUT! ooooh

Today it’s quite sunny – a few rain clouds about.  Nothing too interesting to report… Oh unless you count Matt’s discovery of  Thebarton  FOODLAND’s Butcher:

Champion of the Beefy World!

Last weekend we were invited to a BBQ at a friends house.  Very cool Whilst we were there Matt was introduced to the idea of the fabled Thebarton Foodland.  Now, those of you who know my lovely husband, will know that large portions of cheap meat (that tastes good) is a very important part of his spiritual being.  I believe his religious denomination on face book actually reads “The Church of Beer and Steak”.

We were actually in Coles (think Sainsbury’s) when we began to hunt for some bacon. At this point I remembered the meat from the BBQ last weekend and suggested a change of store. Everything in the trolley was promptly returned to the shelves as Matt’s eye’s lit up.

Proud to be Beefy

And… boy… look what he found.  That’s nearly 5 Kg  (just over 11 pounds)

/ 176 ounces) of porter house steak for $24.00 (£14.25).  I’ve never seen him happier. It’s taken him nearly 30 mins to cut it up into 21 steaks. He also found a large bag of Chicken breasts and chicken drumsticks (about $7s each)

I just hope he likes Beef that much!

On the way home we were joking about how the scenario might be  a little different in the UK. How, if we owned one, we could chuck the whole slab of meat on the BBQ and invite Adi, Jack, John, Adam and all the other greedy meat eating beastly men around to just sit with steak knives and gobble the whole thing up.  Alas, he’ll just have to do it all by himself.  Poor thing!

I hope there’s not another black out… Otherwise that’s a whole lot of meat to eat in one go if it were to defrost!

First of all, an apology.  I haven’t posted for a while.  I’ve been having such a busy, busy time of things recently and I haven’t had the time / energy to post! lol  BUT I have soo much to catch up on.. So… get comfy my pals and read along

The last, rather brief, mostly video, post I wrote was an announcement that Mini and Ad were in Australia and were engaged!  All jolly good news Since then I have been busy entertaining them.  They left me on Monday morning to go on an adventure down the Ocean Road; they should be flying somewhere over Pakistan by now as they are going to land Friday evening (UK time).

The funniest thing about having people to stay is you’re never quite sure what kind of activities they’ll want to take part in or at what pace they will want to do them.  Whilst they were here I learnt that it is best not to expect to do very much at all until about 11:30 at which point they will have managed to get up and dressed and will be ready to step out and do something interesting.  Nothing wrong with that at all – after all they’re on their holidays.  It gave me the morning to check emails and do work related things  anyway

Koala spotting at Morialta

So, what did we get up to in those afternoons? Well on the Saturday after their arrival we all trundled off to Morialta conservation park to do a bit of koala spotting.  We saw at least 5 before we made it to the waterfall at the centre of the park.  There was some debate over which walk we would endeavour to complete.  You see Adam and Matt had consumed a little bit too much beer the night before and I had a cold… then it started to pour down… proper, torrential CAPITAL R Rain!

Rain at the Waterfall - Morialta

So that was that!  5 Koalas and a short sprint back to the safety and shelter of  the car!  Adam, upon feeling the rain falling down the back of his neck,  immediately recovered from his hangover – Miracle cure!

Sand Whale Building

During the week, whilst Matt was at work, Mini had to visit the beach. It was sunny and lovely and after a cuppa at the Jetty Cafe she set to work on collecting “special shells” (still not sure what that means) and then making a sand castle.  When Adam put his foot in the middle of it, it turned into a whale.. Not sure how… Not sure why a whale has a large hole in it either but it kept Mini entertained enough.. She even dragged Matt back that evening to have his picture taken with it.  I think she was concerned that the sea, a dog, or a happy child may come along and get rid of him.  Rather over protective of that “soap dish” style whale she was!

Whale Watching at Sunset

Garden Time

In the afternoon, whilst waiting for Mr W to return home from work I put Adam to work on the garden… MOAH HA HA!  No really, I was going to do it and he insisted. Possibly because it was an excuse to just put his Ipod headphones in and get some Me time!! Lol.  He did a very nice job too, whilst Mini found one of those fluffy caterpillars from previous posts and made it  a house out of a leaf……. lol I’m sure it was very comfortable and very happy when it realized it could eat it’s house…

During the next day we stayed in.  Adam wasn’t feeling very well so we just ended up chilling in the house.  When Matt got home we headed off to Glenelg though and visited the chocolate cafe and the pier. I think Adam was particularly impressed with Glenelg and all it’s cafes and bars

Aboriginal art Adam

The following day meant a visit to Adelaide’s city center in search of a large koala pencil case for Mum, amongst other things.  We also visited the SA museum.  Do you think Adam chose his “life” circle T-shirt on purpose?

Cleelands park was the order of the next day.  That place where you can cuddle a koala and feed the kangaroos.  Unfortunately, that was all we managed to do.  It began pelting it down with rain and we had to retreat to the cafe and home again!

Koala group shot!

Adam and his new Kangaroo mate

Wii boys

Several evenings were taken up playing games on the Wii. I attempted to convince Matt that we NEED Wii Guitar Hero but it’s not happening yet.  Need Pete to work on him a bit more! lol He and Adam played a lot of the real thing (as in actual guitars) all week anyway so I guess that’s ok..!

The final weekend was very busy too.  Pancakes at the port, dolphin tours, tennis, dinner at Redpoles (It was Matt and I’s 2 year wedding anniversary!) It was all going on!  Finally, we had to go and pick up the hire car for Mini and Adam’s trip down the Ocean Road.

It was a very busy, action packed week and a bit   I think they had fun.  We certainly kept them very busy I hear that they have met Carl Kennedy on the set of neighbours though.  I’m pretty sure that that would top anything else they have done the entire time they’ve been here!!

Here are some more piccies…. just in case you haven’t seen enough yet!

On the Dolphin Tour

At the Warrawong Sanctuary doing the night walk

Tennis Anyone?

Snogging on the beaches- EURGHHHH!

Beach Posers 2

Sea Side Piccies

Beach Posers 1

On a serious note.  I loved every minute of having Mini and Adam around and it was so hard when they left.  It made me remember how difficult it can be to be on the other side.  It’s not the wrong side of the world but I miss my lil’ sis when she’d not around.  I’m really glad she made it over for the “summer” … Hope she can make it again for the actual Summer one day. Then she can have her beach holiday!

They’re here and they’re running a muck!

and getting engaged!  — OOOOhhhh!

The ring!

The Location - Day Dream Island's Jetty

I kid you not!

This week Matt’s been off work – well he actually quit work and so didn’t really have any work to go to, as such! He starts his new job on Monday though and hopefully he’ll be much. much happier in his newer surroundings ( Cue funky annoying music).  He is, as we speak, organising and copying across his research materials onto his mobile phone – remembering how he used to like his job

As a result of this impromptu holiday and the fact that it’s the beginning of term we’ve ended up spending all week together – which is lovely He’s also spent some time in the garden making new friends (as you can see in the post below) and I got to go out for a curry (first one since we got here) and meet the friends he had made at his old job as they toasted him farewell. He has some pretty cool pals from RB who will miss him (and his matrix puppets) This can be found on Matt’s face book wall.

A eulogy for the departed employee.

We haven’t done much this week really. A lot of making decisions about NAS drives and Ethernet over power adaptors (not something I think I should be encouraged to blog about) but it has been nice to chill out (and spend a fortune on Nas drives and Power line adaptors).

We did start our College course on Monday.  We decided that in order to make new pals we should go and learn something new.  We’ve signed up for “Therapeutic Massage for couples”.  Every single person we’ve told about this (without question) and both raised an eyebrow and giggled whilst making some kind of leud comment.  Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!  Free massage every Monday – awesome!  And… it isn’t even remotley kinky.  There are 10 couples studying together.  (We only work on our own partners by the way) over half of them are over 50 and the other remaining couples are about our age.

Last Monday we worked on facial massage during which Matt almost started snoring (lol) and decided that the best way to end a relaxing facial massage was to tweak my nose and make a honking noise. It’s actually ok and not strange at all!  We’re all crammed into the room and have tables we have to dress with pillows, sheets, towels etc before we start but it was good fun and very tasteful. lol

Next Monday we’re doing back massage and how to “drape” in order to preserve dignity.  We’ve had to purchase massage oils and everything – oooh exciting!  I’m glad we’re doing it though!  We need to get out more… On that note.. I’m off to dinner with some new pals in a mo at a lovely pub called the Oxford in North Adelaide.  We seem to be actually getting a life these days   It’s all very promising!

We’ve been here longer than six months now. Crazy. I can’t believe how quickly that went or how much easier this has been the second time around. Perhaps, it’s been easier because there is no uncertainty, no deadline for decision making and in a lot of ways that makes it so much easier to just ‘be’, to settle and enjoy. The last 4 years have been fraught with form filling, decision making and the weight of what felt like an awful lot of enormous decisions.

It’s funny how, once you’re here – decisions’ made, it doesn’t feel like such a big deal anymore. How easy it is to forget how much has been achieved, how much you put yourself through. Perhaps it’s just my natural tendency to over think and over analyse that created the tension in the first place? All I know is that this time I’m happy. I really am.

I do miss friends and family. I get jealous of what I’m missing and then get annoyed with myself because it was, after all, my choice to move here. I feel guilty when something happens and I want to be there and can’t… Perhaps I then over compensate with Skype, Facebook, emails etc. (Sorry!)  I hope that all my friends know they can call anytime and I’ll listen and give my usual brand of slightly dodgy advice!

A few days ago mum asked me whether I ever felt homesick. I wasn’t really sure how I was supposed to answer that one. I know honestly is the obvious answer but is it insulting to those you love if you genuinely don’t? I haven’t once felt like I need to be back in England, not had the urge to return to my house in Studley. I’ve never, once wanted to move back forever. I’m happy to just “be” for the moment. To be still, without the stress of form filling, packing boxes, solicitors, goodbyes and hand overs.

I’m happy to live 5 blocks from the beach with regular ducky visitors on my lawn, to see the sun everyday – even if it must rain in winter. I’m happy drinking coffee rather than beer in cafes rather than pubs. I’m happy to be able to go for long walks along the beach or in the hills. I know that I could have done more of these things in the UK. The weird thing is I never chose to. For what ever reason, the UK didn’t inspire these things in me. Maybe I’ll get bored at some point and Australia will stop inspiring me too. By that point, hopefully, I’ll be driving my kids crazy by trying to get them to appreciate what they have. We all know how ‘ungrateful’ the youth of today are It’s really nice to inspired. That’s what this place does.  It gives you the space to expand (no not just with ice-cream and cakes and coffee ), to reflect and push yourself.

There’s no way I’d have been brave enough not work full time. We couldn’t afford to do that in the UK.  This time we made  decision to live off one wage.  Future proofing for when I’d be with the babies.  I have Matt to thank. It’s been hard for him to take all that responsibility and it’s weight.   He’s learning things about his career and his direction too. I hope the events of the next few days help him with that a little more.   I hope he gets to a comfy place, an inspired at work place – there’s certainly opportunity for him

Running a business has been different. Not as busy as I’d like and I’m finding myself being slowly being drawn ever closer to the classroom.  An interesting thing.  I thought I’d move away from teaching but I can see so much potential in this education system. I want need to be a part of that – Shenley has created a bug in me that needs to be fed.  It will be interesting to see where I end up with that.  Educational Career paths that seemed un-appealing in the UK suddenly seem very exciting here. I guess I need to get inside the door properly before I’ll know for sure.  I definitely, need to get inside a classroom though.

I wonder where what we’ll be up to in another 6 months? Apart from playing host to the Clarkes (senior) and Athersmiths of course!

NOM! and YOM!

Well! Happy Easter blog readers ! We’ve been enjoying a lovely sunny (26 -29 degree) Easter weekend here and are loving it! April/ March seems a lovely time of year here as the weather matches that of a lovely, hot summers day in England.  You know one of those rare days where you get sun burnt in the garden because you can’t quite believe this is happening in the UK? It’s been like that all week and looks to continue to stay that way too So… next time you’re thinking of a visit somewhere at this time of year hop on over on a plane (it would be very easterly of you to do so wearing Easter bunny ears).

Chocolate eggs have been purchased and are currently in the process of being eaten (YOM) but this weekend has almost been more like Christmas than Easter. We’ve been able to to buy so many of the things that we still needed to get as a result of our choice to leave some things in the UK. It’s been ace!  We’ve got a lovely new LCD TV, a NOM NOM (or TOM TOM as most call it) so I dont’ continue to locate the schools i visit through the use of IPhone on knee (not very safe), a petrol lawn mower and a cat….  Yes another cat who, for the moment is being called Wilfred.  We have no idea whether this cat is a he or a she.  It’s hard to tell… I know what to look for but the poor little fur ball is in a bit of a state. He found us last night when we were heading to the beach for a coffee at about 9pm.  He was heading out of the bushes by the creek and started to meow as he walked to towards us. What’s really funny is he is almost exactly the same in colour and markings as Henny. He is bigger though and has a different face structure.  When Matt bent down to stroke him, thinking he was just a friendly neighbourhood cat, he realised just how emaciated he was and gasped.  He literally looks like he hasn’t eaten in months.  He has no meat on his bones at all.  You can see his spine at the back of his neck, put your hands behind his ribs and he has no muscles to feel behind his ears.  You know the spot cat lovers – it’s good for strokes and makes their ears wiggle… Not on Wilf.

Looking for my mum and dad. Have you seen them?

I promptly scuttled off to get some moggy bix and my phone so we could call the RSPCA.  The trouble is he/ she has chosen to arrive along with the Easter Holidays.  The RSPCA advised us to keep him over night if we could and then named a shelter we could take him to in the morning.  So we did that. Well… wme brought him home and he stayed the night with litter tray, food, water and comfy blanky in the utility room.  In the morning we thought we’d better call the shelter to check they were open.  They were but told me that if he was in that state they would probably just put him down.  “Let’s put it this way we have 30 cats coming in today and 2 pens left” I was told.  Right… Not bringing him to you then. Tried the other shelter.  Same thing. *sigh* but this cat needs medical attention and we don’t even know if he has a microchip and an anxious owner.  There’s no way we’re putting him in a car for 30 mins drive so they can put him down.  No way at all. So… he’s still in the laundry room and there are now posters in the local church, chippie, shop and outside the primary school and on the road where we found him.  I’ll take him to the vets myself on Tuesday and getting him checked over.  He’s sleeping at the moment but he’s eating and drinking and he’s safe.  That’s all I can do for him for now but, it seems, it was more than the RSPCA or Animal Welfare League could do for him.  God knows what will happen there!  Hopefully his owners will come forward… If not and he’s healthy enough… maybe there we will be a 3 cat household (gulp) but he’s not being put down just because the pens are full! Oh no!

So Wilfred has remained in the laundry room ( or utility room as I used to call it pre-emigration) whilst we have mowed the lawn with our new mower, prepared dinner, watched and played computer games on our new TV and relaxed.  Hen and Stan know he’s there.  They’ve been sniffing at the doors but they don’t seem stressed out about it at the moment.  lol. Hendrix is currently curled up in a ball on his radiator hammock (there are no radiators of course.. it’s on a camping chair to give the same effect)

Other exciting news has involved the discovery of, and subsequent delivery of, the meat offer at Matt’s work. We now have an entire draw full of pieces of lamb for him to eat.  I guess that’s the advantage or working for a bank that deals majoritively with the Rural Community. There’s a massive hunk if it defrosting now for dinner later.  All for him…  lol.

I also attended the CEGSA AGM this week which was very insightful. Heard a very interesting man speak about the current 7 trends in ICT and education.  That’s not for this blog (I’ll do a teachertech one soon) but it definitely got me all fired up again and interested in what’s out there. I also made a few more contacts – the main purpose of these events being networking – and discovered a .2 English job in a High School I really admire. I’ve handed them my CV and all the paperwork required so hopefully I’ll be doing a regular stint there on a contract to cover someone doing a sabbatical on another project one  day a week.  They only have one IWB at the school though. (ARGHHH!) so I’ll need to sort that out for them   Should be fun though

I seem to be carrying a camera (either posh on or I phone ) everywhere at the mo.  Helps me to write my weekly blog post. So… here are some of this weeks shots

OOh Green! See! ohh and wellies, short shorts, green top, headphones around your neck (?) I KNOW it's not a good look. I KNOW!

Playing WOW on the big screen with Meowral support from Hendrix

The Super TV with DNLA, Flash, Internet connection, HD tuner and super powers...