linda@no9

Would it be wrong to say if it wasn't for the event I wouldn't go back? I think it will confirm being here is the right thing for us. The sun shining defo shines a different perspective. X

http://home.keypoint.com.au/~mickfms-dsl/photos/col/little_critters/spider_wasp.jpg Saw one of these the other day. Only discovered it was a spider wasp after a FB friend mentioned she had one in her garden and wanted to place bets on who would win. Spider or wasp. Evidently the wasp. Bloomin great big things. Now, dragonflies I do like!

I gave all mine away, and then back to Ikea to buy them all back again!

It was a cracking story. There I am, posed on front page, open scissors in hand. Looked like a scene from Psycho!! However, I shall remember to don the shades when venturing north to Carramar. After all, I'm a celebrity there ha ha ha

Aw Peanut, can relate to EVERYTHING you said above. My son is still in UK but graduates in September. We will all be flying back and staying in a little holiday cottage in Devon that we used to go to for our hols. We are treating it as a 2 week holiday. If it wasnt for him graduating, I wouldn't be going back. I am holding my breath for when he says, Mum, i'm on the next plane out with his G/F. He grads as a Geologist BSC and she is nursing. I miss them so much, but thats it for me. My home, like you, is where my family is. Always happy to provide wine and sympathy along with the odd belly laugh should you require one. xx

Thanks Rossmoyne. Im not sure what folk are expecting regarding the move here. It certainly isnt what I expected. As I said, I wanted the dream, but now I'm here, not sure what that dream is. People come here for advice and all I can say is take the advice you can relate too. It certainly shouldn't be seen through rose tinted glasses. That's when you can come unstuck. Our first rental was a nightmare. I'm not going back there as I am learning to live day by day and not allow issues to fester. You have to accept this is 'just how it is' However, ive learned to ride the rollercoaster and so far things are going great. The highs outweigh the lows now. Yes, Im a dressmaker. Come see me at UWA!

Hi Elfie. How are things with you? It certainly is up and down and I dont think any of us prepare for life in Oz. It's silly things for me like looking at a plant and wondering what it is. You take so much for granted in UK. I used to have more down days than up. When I was up I was orbiting Mars! Its learning to take things in their stride. The rental side is sh1te. Ive heard so many people say this. Agency attitude is, well, there's always someone else who'll pay. Kind of leaves a stale mate really. Put up, shut up. I seem to recall being told that once. Ive bitten my tongue so many times Im surprised its not in half! Work is brilliant and my books are beginning to fill. Im doing my first show 6th April so hope that will really cement my business here. My daughter has her ball the day before so making her and her mates dresses along with 5 pieces to show for the expo. Burning the candle at the mo. Work hard, play hard isnt that what they say? Work hard and then weekends are mostly spent reading with a nice glass of wine. With the lovely weather, thats all we need isnt it? xx

I was on the front page of the local paper recently. The headline. London's loss is Carramar's celebrity gain. Ive never lived in London and I dont live in Carramar!

One thing I have found is, it's very easy to plan your new life in oz from your uk home. Reality will hit. There is a lot to take on board, but the best bit of advice? Save as MUCH as you can!!

Im not, hubby is, but as you said, good spray with mozzie repellent.

Bless me PerthPoms for I have sinned. Its been ages since my last visit so thought I'd make an update. 7 months in and how are things? Rental Well, the rental thing isn't bad. Still take ages to sort something (we have a blind needs fixing and air con looking at and still hasnt been done since notifying pre xmas!) However, if there is something WE need address (like extra water for the gardens as the lawns were looking dry) has to be done quick smart. I dont get so stressed about inspections now. Cant wait to buy for ourselves though. The area we are in, Madeley, is lovely. About 20 mins to the beach. We do have a nice garden and bought cheap metal loungers from Segals ($30 each) which is great to lie on on a weekend with a coffee. We dont do the beach quite so often. Sometimes the surf can be a little rough. I like gentle lapping waves and have a favourite beach at Coogee that has that. Schools Girls have settled in so well. Everything, text books, costs and Gumtree seems the place to buy it (apart from school fees) We are very pleased with both schools our girls are in. Hillarys primary for our 7 year old and Duncraig Senior High for our 16 year old. Food You get to stop converting back to the pound and accept a loaf of bread will cost anything from $1 (great for toast) to $2.50 for normal bread to $7 for specialty breads. I love the markets for fresh produce rather than super markets. I also dont spend to long in the English aisle. That IS expensive and there are relativity good substitutes. I tend to cook from scratch more as pre-made is expensive. A lasagna for example can cost around $13. Its great to support the local business (WA) too. Cheaper to buy home produced than imported. I do miss Walkers cheese and onion. That's about it. Being ill I havent as yet happily. Obviously a visit to the docs cost money. That's when you appreciate just calling the local UK GP and getting seen for free! Weather If I recall, ive been able to sit outside with a coffee most morning and nights since my arrival late August. We've had some pretty hot days and pretty muggy ones. Still March and 27'c. Muggy today. Its actually nice to start seeing 'winter' veggies in the shops! Out and about You dont have to spend a lot. The parks are wonderful and hubby and I are getting into the habit of popping down to the local coffee shop for Macchiato (toped up) and just look out across the ocean. You learn to be more chilled. Spiders and anything with less than 8 legs Seen a few Red Backs, but a quick spray and that's it. For such small things they are aggressive looking little suckers and you kind of grow a respect for them. Little thing- big damage. But you learn to take them in your stride (this from someone who HATES spiders) Huntsman- havent seen one. Crickets- funny, and love hearing them at night. Flies - yeuk. Keep a can of spray in the house at all times and food nets/covers are great if leaving food out. You just learn. Snakes - havent seen one although a recent trip to a winery had notices warning of Dugite snakes that were hatching. If you see one inform the staff. I believe they are protected. Eating/drinking out Food courts are great and I do love the Chinese food. Most places will box up what you leave. The portions you get are HUGE. We can do a bag of chips between 4! Swan valley food and wine trail. Awesome. Loved it and great for wine connoisseurs. Buying wine at the vinyard can be expensive, so check out Dan Murphys (local bottle shop) Transport Rail is great. You have a card which if you link it to your bank account when you 'tag on' it tops up automatically if you dont have enough credit on it and gives you a 25% discount on travel. There is no time limit either. You just buy a pass. None of these weekly/monthly ones that you lose out on if you miss a few days. You can use it on buses too. General feelings Ups and downs still. Hubby settled into work, girls in to school and social lives. Me? I work from home which can be lonely (I do have a galavanting and coffee buddy, Melanie, who's ace. She makes me feel less lonely.) Dont get me wrong, im super busy, but there are days (most) that I say goodbye to the kids at 8.30am and don't open my mouth until 3pm ( a good thing my hubs says lol) I wouldn't go back to uk and when I do feel down it's not something I think about. If there was ever any feeling to go back, it would only be for the familiarity of the place/previous life. Small problems can be amplified because of the unfamiliarity of Australia. I often ask my husband what exactly is it about living the dream? What is/was the dream? The sun shines and life seems to be slower paced. There isnt really a dream for me. It all takes time. As I said, 7 months in and still feels strange (getting less now) Still dont feel 'at home' but I spent 48 years in uk! You have to take each day as it comes. I think if after 2 years I'm still having these feelings, no idea what I'll do lol. Anyway, that's me for now. x

Been ages since I posted, but havent had much of an issue with anything apart from the flies. You can get a repellent which we find good. Other than that, unless you are going to be staying near a lake and the council havent sprayed, havent noticed much in the way of the mozzies. As it's already been said, worse for me in Scotland!

I'm in Madeley and love it. Kingsway shopping center has good selection of shops/cafes. Whitfords for larger. Whitfords is 10-15 mins along Whitfords avenue. It takes me 20 mins to get to the beach and the sea breeze is lovely. Lovely selection of open spaces, big sports complex where there are clubs. My hubs catches the train from Greenwood which is a 10 min drive and then 15 mins on train to Perth center. He then has 30 min train to Midland. Whole journey takes about 50 mins. Love it here!

Not comforting!

Happy zooming!

Hope everything goes well as I'm sure it will. Great to be reunited with family. All the best.

I know a lot of people express concern over clothes and such here, but I actually haven't had a problem. Shorts and T's sorted

Had a bizzare dream one was hissing at me. Do they hiss?

Exactly my point. Suck it up!

Hi Jen. Thanks. Evidently we have been advised to suck it up. The RE agent will now not correspond with us! So, who supports the little guy?

I pm'd you jen, but haven't had a response to my e mail as yet! So, if hes broken the clause, what are our rights? We have a friend who is allowing us to move in with them if we need to because quite honestly, I'm concerned that if we go out, he'll be round looking through the windows!! I feel I have no privacy at all, uncomfortable about being here. Its not like ive moved half way around the world to be scrutinized by a cleaning schedule I now have to endure this!

We feel very uncomfortable now wondering if this guy intends to just 'stop by'! The neighbour who is only supposed to cut the grass, just pops in to trim hedges and other stuff. 6.30am the other morning! With a large expance of glass in the family area downstairs, my 16 year old uses the downstairs bathroom to shower. Can you imaging her still half dressed and seeing an old guy peering through the windows because hes 'just stopped by' to water the garden? So, reading through the lease agreements, what protects the tenants from all this? It sees we have to comply with an awful lot, but what are our rights?

Comforting!

The higher you go, the more personal it gets. So basically the more dosh you got, the better the preferential treatment x

And an e mail has been put together stating exactly that!!