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!

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...

In the Autumn Time! ♫ ☼

We went down to the beach this afternoon.  I made sure that we were well prepared with two camping chairs, icey water, reading books (Still battling with Capricornia… I have no idea how they made “Australia” the film out of it.) and money for iced coffee and cake.  Matt pulled a face ( as he usually) does when he saw me get all of this stuff together.  Especially when he saw me pack a light and now very old, purple table cloth and 4 pegs.  I was going to make a den using the two camping chairs.  That way if it got to hot we could sit underneath it in glorious comfort!!  Yay!

When we got closer to the beach however, we realised that today was definately not the day for experimenting with old table cloths and pegs.  It was very, very windy down there on the shore line.  We did stick it out for half and hour to an hour and we even had a coffee (although not an iced one) from our usual evening haunt,  The Jetty Cafe .  Eventually we realised that swimming was out, reading a book was out and so being at the beach was probably a bit pointless…  It was hilarious watching Matt chase down the beach and dive into the sand twice to catch flying objects before they were lost forever. First he ran and dived into the sand after his lovely, highly prized, straw hat and then, when the wind opened up his book and the money he had stashed in there (???!!!??) blew off down the beach, he had to do it all again.  That man can run when there’s $10 at stake!

(On a side note Span… He found an exact copy of “The Stand” in an old bookshop Friday and is now happily continuing the epic from whence he left it!)

Relaxing whilst a fictional world crumbles with some kind of virus... lol

So… after a small debate we returned home and set up in the garden.  I’m sat on my £20 sainsbury’s steamer chair now with Hen and Stan’s frieght box between me and Matt’s £20 Sainsbury’s steamer chair. It’s covered in the purple table cloth that was going to make up my den and Stan keeps hiding in it.  At least someone got to play dens..

1.. 2... oh! 3!

This week hasn’t been all that eventful. I guess life is returning to normal and so things have slowed down a bit.  That’s good I think !   Stan and Hen are continuing to settle in.  I mean.. How many kitties can you see in this picture?  They’re still at the – ” I’ll sit near you and look at your sideways but if you move suddenly I’m off”  stage.  At least they’re making some Aussie kittie friends. He lives next door with 2 female siamesie looking kitties (who hate Hen and Stan) so they can only meet to share their male stories of woe in our garden.  Poor love!

We have, after much searching, found ourselves a COSTCO replacement though A place in which you can bulk buy chocolate (and loo rolls etc ) It’s right behind the airport and has been there all this time.  One of Matt’s colleagues told him about it. You have to have an ABN (Australian Business Number) or prove that you work for a non-proft organisation – like teaching or somesuch – and then you get FREE membership.  It’s not as exciting as COSTCO and it’s a bit smaller but we can bulk buy kitty food and washing powder and make similar saving to before.  Unfortunately, there’s no cafe in which to purchase bargain jacket potatoes or giant tasty pizza but it’ll do until the actual COSTCO makes it a bit further south than Melbourne.

CAAAATTT FLAAAAAP ( read in stylee of John)

One very exciting purchase that we made this week solved Hen and Stan’s problems of access to the house and my problem with a very smelly litter tray.  A very clever company who also happen to have the most awesome name make patio door catflaps which are secure and require absolutly no amendments to other people’s (or your own if you’re not renting) property! It’s ingenius and the boys now have their own cat flap! It just sits inside the frame of your open patio door and locks itself into position.  You can then close your existing sliding door up to it and Bob’s your monkry’s uncle! Ta da!

As a result of this ingenious device we actually didn’t get woken up until way after 9am!!!  Yay!  However… we got woken up by Henny (as usual) who had discovered our bedroom window was open and had chosen this as an even more effective method of getting brekkie than standing outside our closed bedroom door.  He also seems a little afraid of coming back inside for some reason.  We’ve shoved him in and out but he keeps crying at the back door instead! Fool! Ah well he’ll get used it eventually. At the moment, he sleeping where he usually does next to the big rosemary plant at the bottom of the garden.  He always comes in smelling like Sunday roast now! (I hope Matt doesn’t eat him…..)

Yay Books!!!!

Yay! Matt got paid so we canbuy the bits and bobs that we needed to make the house all homley.  First step Book case!!! 5 boxes of books on this enourmous one that was in the sale at IKEA. I love it! Oh yeah and a coffee table that I am sure Span and Kel recognise!!

Shopping time!