Important living in Australia milestone reached

Last time I went to the farmers market, I heard an Australian turn to his Australian mate and inquire:

"Do we need to get some prawns for the barbie?"

Just one thing after another

That is certainly how it feels at the minute! We got back from our amaaaazing holiday all rejuvenated and full of life (if a little bit glum that we couldn't just jack everything in and disappear off round the world for a few years with the Darkinses), but also as I'm sure you can imagine, totally broke. Ever since then, Jerry has been in and out and in and out of the vets, with recurrent FLUTD. This has been both distressing (for all of us) and very expensive. He's back in the hospital again today with a blocked willy (ouch!) and is really in loads of pain and very sad. It is horrible.

Also, during one of Jerry's more normal urinary phases, Stu was also stricken down with terrible tummy pains. After 2 trips to the hospital in 12 hours (both of which required morphine to manage the pain) an ultrasound revealed that he had gall stones, and he was whisked in to have his gall bladder removed. Which was all traumatic enough, without the accompanying short sharp introduction to the world of private health care - including being told that we would need to pay a $5ooo deposit for the operation, because they hadn't dealt with our insurance providers before. I ask you - if I had $5000 available for a deposit, I think I would be able to just pay for an operation, rather than needing bloody private health care. Fortunately our insurance providers turned out to be awesome, and faxed over an immediate guarantee of payment, so Stu could actually get the treatment he needed.

So it's all been a bit crap.

Crazy cat, lady

Once again, my apologies for being totally rubbish at keeping up with my blog. If I could just refer you to any of my other eloquent apologies in recent blogs then that'll save me some valuable typing time.

Well - we have been busy. Our holiday in India was quite simply - AMAZING. The best holiday ever without a doubt. What a fantastic place, and we had the best time. No blog about that yet - I am waiting for Toby & Kat to send over their photos so I have a full set to chose from, but just to tide you over (and prove that we actually went) here's a wee preview. I am assured that this is quite a famous landmark, and should be quite sufficient as proof. The only downside really was that we came back to a poorly Jerry - he has psychological issues bless him, which manifest in lower urinary tract problems. Quite a lot of expensive vet treatment later he's still not quite better and may need therapy.

Stu's friend Jon is over visiting at the moment - they're out at the moment climbing the Story Bridge. Personally I think they need their heads read, but I suppose that'll teach me to get Stu a voucher for Christmas. They've been over to New Zealand for a bit to see Henry, and just generally gallivanting around - it has been very nice. It's going to be quite the year for visitors - the old people are also coming out later in the year for a visit - and we are taking Christmas bookings now if anyone fancies anything a bit tropical for a change!

We have been celebrating a few anniversaries lately - both our second wedding anniversary, and our first year in Oz! I can't believe we've already been here a year - it has flown by so quickly. We still love it though, and don't anticipate that we'll be moving back to England at any point soon - although there has been talk of heading back next year for a bit of a holiday - funds permitting of course.

Well I had better sign off - I need to drop some more hints to the Darkinses about sending me their India pics so I can do a great big India blog. Until then amigos, take care.

You know when you've been warholed

For the last few months here in in sunny Brisbane, the gallery of modern art (GoMA) has been home to an exhibition of the work of Andy Warhol. This has been incredibly exciting for the place - as much as I love wee Brisbane, it does sometimes seem to have a bit of a chip on its shoulders with regards to its place in Australia against cities like Sydney and Melbourne, so I think that the fact that we're the only city which is hosting this massive exhibition has been a bit of a validation for the good folk of Brisbane.

Now I'm not much of an arty person (don't know much about art, but I know what I like etc etc), but since I think the entire population of Queensland has been to see the exhibition at least once in its run, so we decided to bob along too. Since I am mostly ignorant about art appreciation, I wasn't able to do all the strokey beard 'interesting juxtaposition of light and shade' business, so for me by far the most exciting thing there was the Warholising phone booth. Since the beginning of the exhibition it has been possible by monitoring things like facebook profile photos etc to establish exactly who has, and who hasn't been along to the exhibition, so it was very exciting to be able to get our own done.

As you can see Stu's new baldy heid lends itself to the general theme of warholness pretty well. On that note, I am pleased and proud to say that so far he has raised about $1000 for the cause - however it's not too late, so if you haven't already, please donate using the link on the right!

Also - I am happy to announce a couple more living in Australia milestones have now been reached - I have eaten both Lamingtons, and Vegemite.

Gone Tomorrow!

And it's not too late to sponsor him - link to your right....

Hair Today....

Flood or famine

I have just got home from a very lovely Sunday expedition - a stroll along the river into town for some coffee and toast by the river, and then a ride on the city cat home while Stu has gone to a mate's to watch some Rugby. I am increasingly of the opinion that there are few things in life more pleasing than being on the front deck of the city cat. I am not entirely sure what it says about Brisbane that my favourite place in it is a mode of public transport, but I love it anyway. It's a nice day today for a change, and since it looks very much like I am a fair weather blogger it has inspired me to write my second entry for the year. We have been experiencing the more tropical side of life in tropical queensland lately it has to be said - there has been massive flooding in the north of the state. In one case a flood left an area the size of England underwater - sometimes I feel like I am getting the hang of the size of Australia, and then something like that just throws me completely off balance. It has been very grim, but even more worryingly despite the fact that we have apparently just had our wettest summer in 50000 years (or something) the drought is still unbroken. It's all a bit scary if you ask me.

But never fear - I am still very much in love with lovely Brisbane. In fact on Monday all the poms are getting together to share resources and information in Project Permanent Residency - yes it looks like we are applying for the next level of residency. Life on a 457 visa is not really ideal (to say the least) and the thought that if Stu lost his job we would have 30 days to leave the country is too much to bear, so we're going to try and secure our future here a bit more. Typically though it is not easy - once we have figured out what visa we actually need to apply for (this information does not seem to be readily or easily accessed - sometimes I think they don't want us poms here you know...) we then need to save up god only knows how much cash for the application. Ah well - I'll keep you posted.

The family are good, thanks for asking. The kids are growing up fast - you know how it is. Margot is thriving after her stint in the hospital when we first brought her home (she had an anorexic phase and stopped eating for a week - SUCH a little princess). She is really too cute for words, and has real 'my big brother is the coolest thing EVER' syndrome and follows Jerry round everywhere. So sweet!

So I suppose that given the fact I have effectively disappeared off the radar for the past few months and been a VERY bad friend indeed I should fill you in on what we've been up to. Well back in January we had our first of the public holidays (there are approximately a million public holidays in Queensland each year - it rocks). It was for Australia day, and what better way to celebrate we thought to ourselves than to embrace what it truly is to be Australian - so we went to the cockroach racing at the Story Bridge Hotel, and for a picnic on the beach. One of these events was very pleasant. One of them was less so. At the cockroach racing there was an extremely high proportion of very drunk patriotic Australians - now I would like to make it clear that I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with drunk patriotic Australians (indeed they considerably advanced my knowledge of the words to Advance Australia Fair which can only be a good thing) but when you are a pom.... well I took the approach of being very quiet and very still until Bex arrived and we could beat a hasty retreat to the Boardwalk.

Our other big adventure recently was a trip out on a sail boat round Moreton Bay. Photos below - not a lot to say about it really other than it was just lovely lovely lovely.

Solo yacht trip

Lots more excitingness coming up over the next few months - we're off to India soon to meet up with the lovely Kat and Toby and do some touring round and consume our own body weight in curry. Also we are going to have some visitors this year! Stu's mate Jon is coming out at the end of April, and the old folks are coming in August, so we're going to go off and do some touristy stuff. Obviously there's always room for more visitors if anyone fancies a nice holiday.......

One last thing - I am making a change to the increasingly inaccurately named campaign of the week. As most of you know, Stu's mum died 8 years ago of myeloma, a currently incurable form of leukemia. He will be taking part in the world's greatest shave in order to raise money for a leukemia charity over here, and I know he would be most grateful for donations. This is obviously a cause very dear to our hearts, so please dig deep - details are on the links on the right.

Here's to a great 08

Well time is fleeting, and it is already the 13th Jan - I can't believe it! My new years resolution to be a better blogger doesn't seem to be becoming particularly true.....

So.... our new year's eve was so boring that I won't even mention it - however we have made a pact that this year we are actually going to get off our arses and do something on new year's eve. which is something we don't normally manage. We are hoping to go to Sydney to see the amazing fireworks, and hopefully get a harbour view suite like we did on our honeymoon in order to maximise the experience! Costs may prohibit as always, but we are always so boring on NYE that we want to do something a bit different this year.

I have started my new job.... it is going OK. I think there is going to be a bit of a learning curve in terms of some of the... personalities I will be working with, but it should be OK. Flextime for anything worked over 36.25 hours a week should make up for this I reckon. At least it is not the previous hell employers.

We've not done anything very exciting yet - money's too tight to mention with the gap in my paydays from changing jobs, and christmas and new year, so we're eating a lot of pasta and baked beans. The most exciting news is probably the expansion to the Robinson family..... please welcome wee Margot! I just couldn't resist her - she kept shimmying under the door of the pen at the RSPCA and running up to me and climbing up my leg. She clearly wanted to come home with us. She is a little wee poppet, and is getting on pretty well with Jerry. She has been poorly this week and had to go to hospital, but she is all better now.