39 fricking degrees

The last day of spring, or November as we call it here was warm. It was warm like standing in the path of a hairdryer which also doubled up as a portable sauna.

To say it was uncomfortable is an understatement. It was icky and sticky and hair fluffy un tastic.

With Lime and I having a pitiful excuse of an air conditioner at home we made excuses not to go straight home from work!

So we went to wagamama's had smushed fruit smoothies and took our sweet arse time eating to ensure the traffic would have cleared and the mercury dropped before we headed home.

The house was 32 degrees inside when we got home... And given it was warmer outside we couldn't exactly open a window!!

The official decision is that if I don't have a permanent job by March we are moving rentals to one with aircon and a dishwasher and wait another year til we buy a house! God bless aircon and dishwashers!

Happy jedi Christmas!

As pointed out by Claire this week; it has been two months since my last blog. Boo. And I figured Belles arrival in Ausland and meeting me at Vic night market would be perfect. But no. I forgot to get a photo (sorry). And there have actually been a few things I could have blogged about. Although not very Aus specific.

I will post more this coming week. But for now I leave you with one of the coolest snowflakes I've seen in a while and a link to a load more x

http://anthonyherreradesigns.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60:star-wars-snowflakes-2012&catid=34:anthonydesign-blog

In the 80's...

In the 80's I probably didn't pay attention to the fact that Australia even existed. If I even knew of its existence who knows. But what I do know is I got my first perfume in the 80's.

My dad bought my sister and I small bottles of perfume. For valentines or for a random present I am not entirely sure. But it was my first perfume. It came in a small blue velvet bag with silver drawstrings and written in silver on the bag 'Panache'. (I still have the little blue bag - no I am not a hoarder - yes I am sentimental)

I have looked for it over the years but being a pre Internet product I could never find a trace. Until... I pottered around a shop at lunch with my friend Jen yesterday. And Ta-dah! There it was. Even a gift set was available!

I did spray some on the back of my hand being unsure as to what it even smelt like. And.... It smelt very 80's... For the bargain price of $4.95 I am sure there are many ladies somewhat older than me that enjoy wearing Panache on a daily basis. But I think for this decade I will give it a miss...

But if you do see it out there in the world. Have a sniff.

Christmassy time!

I realize there are still more than 90 days until Santa hops on his sleigh and starts his stupendously amazing trip around the world dropping presents down chimneys. But Christmas cake waits for no man.

Two weekends ago it began. And it will continue every fortnight with alcoholic feedings until it dons its marzipan and white icing cape and dazzles us all with its yumminess.

Yes it is an inanimate object. But it's yummy. And took 4 hours in an oven. And it means the Christmas countdown has begun! Even one of the department stores here has begun its Christmas store. Albeit rather empty of people (except me giggling down the aisles like a little kid).

Liam's just lucky that our decorations are in storage at his parents house so I can't get to them...

Merry Christmas Countdown!

Save The Date!

I have received several save the date cards through the years. And so now here is my holiday save the date email!

Most of you know I will be back next year for a holiday. And yes, I shall bring Lime with me. And he shall bring his golf clubs.

As it will have been anything from 15 months to 3 1/2 years since I've seen some of you by then i want no excuses. NONE.

It will be for approx 3 weeks. Two weeks of which should be the last two weeks of July. The other week could be before or after. It has not yet been decided. We will book our tickets early 2013.

So if you are already planning holiday for July or early August next year you will need to apply for permission to avoid me! I will accept groveling emails filed in triplicate with postal donations of chocolate from anyone who wants to excuse themselves from my plans.


Also - there are two key things I would like to share/remind people of.

1 Skype. You know who you are if this word makes you wince. Fix it.

2 whatsapp. If you have a smart phone get it. Then we can text and share piccies for free all day long. (and I may forgive your negligence of skype)

For those of you have both - you rock. Keep on rocking. And let's Skype again soon.

Mwah. Nic x

The 'lympics down under

I may still be awaiting a potentially illegal copy of both the opening and closing ceremonies for my viewing pleasure (I WILL watch them). But to ensure I lack in fomo Babs has save the day!

A delightful package arrived this week. With several other yummy Cadbury delights included I also received Olympic mascot chocolate lollies, an Olympic mascot choccie bar, Olympic mascot jelly shapes, an Olympic keyring, a union jack scarf, an Olympic choccie gold medal, and of course the Olympic mug. Yey!

I am now truly feeling even more olympiccy. So much so I went to the gym yesterday and sweated like god knows what (to justify the chocolate). But we shall say I was feeling Olympic sporty!

Happy post Olympics fitness fad!

Germany in Ausland

The only good German food place in London I can think of is the little Imbiß by the Thames in Richmond. I'm not ignoring the theme restaurants. You know the ones where you can hold a giant glass tankard full of German beer and drunkenly sing along. But they don't really count as places you can get good German food. And if you think the food there is good - go to Germany. You will be blown away! (and still get to hold a big beer).

I have been semi avoiding and semi drawn to a tourist trap in Melbourne CBD called the Hofbrauhaus. It's a German themed restaurant with giant beers available and full of backpacking Europeans from what I'm led to believe. And unfortunately full of overgreased stodge they pass off as German food. Shame. Please note - I have formed this opinion from friends and acquaintances having attended the restaurant. As such - don't try to Hock.

So when I noticed a place called Muttis on the drive home from work one day I knew I had to try it out. It looked subtle, unassuming, and yum even from the outside.

This week has been such a productively German week. I bought Erdnuß Flips (peanut flavoured crisps the consistency of monster munch - yum), Senf mustard (the best mustard ever) and some choc pudding sachets. Love the delis in Ausland! And then to top it off a fabulous German Saturday lunch with some chums.

The food was to die for! I haven't had such good schnitzel in so sooo many years. And the Glühwein was perfectly alcoholic (also available mit schuß) and the sauerkraut was the god damned bestest sauerkraut I have ever tasted in the whole entire world.

Seeing how England is so close to Germany I would love an explanation as to how it's taken me to move to Ausland to find good German food. But each of you that comes to visit is totally coming with me to Muttis for dinner or lunch!!

As a comparison with English food - fish and chip shops here do a fabulous fish or three. But the chips... Yeah they're ok. But they're not amenable to vinegar drenching. Mmm.... My mouth is watering...

Wet and cold.

Tish pointed out I'm not updating my blog very often.

I'm not. And that's probably because it feels like England right now. Rain. Rain. And more rain. It started raining last night and it hasn't stopped. Which is pretty much what English weather always felt like.

And it wasn't just last night. It been all week. And the month before that. Escaping work for the cinema on Tuesday I arrived as a drowned rat. I was so glad to take my soggy shoes off for te movie. And it was so ick having to put then back on afterwards. Boo!

If anyone ever tells you they are moving to Ausland and look forward to sunnier climes and warmth send them North!

Just two weeks left til Spring though... Gimme a couple of months and I'll whine about the heat like a good little English girl!

Another one bites the dust...

Oh the job hunt. The never ending, frustrating, hated job hunt.

I don't like singing my own praises at the best of times. But when no one will let me try and sing my own praises... Grrr...

A job that had kept me waiting for over a month since closing just to know whether I have an interview (yes they really really are that shit in Australia with their time frames) has come back and said no interview. Finally.

I'm more bloody relieved to know either way than disappointed in the lack of interview to be honest. Although it was a fabulous perfect job I would have rocked at.

I decided last month when I applied for this one that that was that. And after this one if I'm still not in my chosen industry I would give up and hopefully take my current government job if and when it comes up for recruitment. But Lisa left me. The only one who made this job fun. And now I just don't know anymore. Yes it's job security. Yes we want to buy a house sometime soon. But do I really wanna settle here for the sake of paid sickness/holidays and a better mortgage....

Sadly the answer could be yes.

Australian job market - you suck!

Burfday cakeyness

It was Limeys birthday on Friday (and Charlottes) and it was Limes mum Eileen's turn on sunday. Happy Birthday again to all.

So anyhoo Lime slow cooked some lamb. And I baked a cake (and some potatoes - but they don't come with chocolate so don't count) And we had the family down from the mountain. Mae watched Snow White and the Seven dwarves for the first time. Some bits were pretty scary... But we battled through (Mae wearing her snow white dress and clutching her Little Mermaid book) and it was all happily ever after in the end. Have you ever watched it? There are some scary bits!
And Liam, Otto and Archie pretended the washing machine was a car and Archie drove it for a while.

Kids can be so much fun! Especially when they go home hyped up/ tired and grumpy / in dire need of a bath with someone else!

Please excuse the poor presentation skills. I watch masterchef here and there so I know the chocolate smudges all over the plate are poor form. But who really cares anyway when there is chocolate involved?!

Happy belated and early birthday to everyone! As bloody FB mobile doesn't tell me when someone's having one!

Silly Australian Media

Yes. I bought it. I had to. No self respecting Brit wouldn't. It's like when those sickos are drawn to watching accidents. I'm not drawn to those. I'm drawn to the Royal family gossip and news. Screw Kardash-bigbum-vacuous hole-media-desperado. Give me the royal family anyday.

But oopsy. Me thinks they went a little too far with this one.

Just so you know. The pictures are all of the same scene. Them two. On the beach. Walking along and snorkeling.
Nothing dramatic. Not a blow by blow of her fabulous outfits she wore each day. Just a few beach snaps. But still naughty. (let me know if you want me to post all the pictures although that could be illegal...)

NOT what you think.

So our long Queens Birthday weekend saw Lime and I popping up to the folks on the mountain for lunch with the siblings, niece and nephew.

And it was a lovely day, albeit a bit cold. And I got a big ol bag of free clothes too! Maternity clothes.

Let me clarify now. I am NOT pregnant. We are not planning on popping out babies this year. This year we are focusing on saving to buy a house for me to potter about and paint walls and try my hand at tiling (Liam doesn't like this tiling idea as he thinks I'll fluff it and they'll all be wonky. Where is the trust?!). And of course potter in the garden.

I had planned on trying all the clothes on with a pillow just to wind Lime up. But then he was also quite keen to strap a pillow to his belly and try some on as well... So I figured safer to just put them all away!!

But no. NOT PREGNANT. Unlike someone else I know in the UK...

Dear Cadbury's...

Dear Cadbury,

For once; thank you!

Thank you for for being so lazy that you couldn't be bothered to make wispa golds in Australia. Thus meaning they must be imported from the UK. Thus meaning they are made with UK chocolate. Thus meaning they are YUMMO!

Thank you Cadbury. You made my Saturday morning supermarket trip all the more worth it!

And I might go back for more today...

Sent from my iPhone

Chirpyness

Yesterday and Tuesday I finally caught up on jubilee madness. (I recorded some of it on my super duper new set top box that I can pause live tv on - which I realize most of you already have but that's not the point as this is about me and the wonder that is pausing live tv to make a cuppa then fast forwarding through the ad breaks.)

And I found this picture that makes me think of the Queen as a proper granny. Which I realize she has been for 30 years or so. But still. Now she looks like a proper granny. And she's wearing a fabulous hat which isn't granny ish.

Please feel free to share (via FB or anywhere else) fabulous pictures of your jubilee shenanigans. I have none. As I didn't take photos of myself on the couch. Bah humbug Australia for not having shenanigans! Bah humbug!

The closest alternative to Bunting...

A union jack on my bag. That is the closest I have got to bunting this jubilee long weekend. And my weekend isn't even that long... 😊

Brrr

While you residents of England swelter in your 20+ degrees Melbourne shivers with gloves scarves and hats as far as the eye can see.

And even though it's an opposite winter to yourselves we still get hot mulled wine to warm our cockles! Yum!
So even the outdoor only riverside bars can keep us warm in winter.

Austerity pretzels = yum

I have already bought myself an afternoon coffee. Oops. Will bring in some fruity tea for the rest f the weeks afternoon drinkys.

My recent Women's Health suggested a handful of these yummy pretzels are good for you. I'm not sure I can stop at a handful...

My week of austerity

This week I will do it. I WILL.

I WILL commit to the gym at least twice. Maybe thrice.

And I WILL commit to spending less money....

Leaving my cushy Telstra job behind I also left an abnormally high rate of temp pay. And now I'm back on normal pay and this country keeps throwing 4 day weeks at me... I'm starting to feel the pinch.

So it's time I think of unnecessary expenditures. That coffee in the morning, buying lunch everyday, buying brekky when I run late, that afternoons coffee... These babies add up.

So this week is my week of austerity.

We have a coffee machine at home. So I will bring coffee with me everyday in my keepcup. Lunch will be pre made (today is last nights chilli left overs and I have a tin of soup that has been gathering dust on my desk for a few months). I have pre bought munchies in my draw such as über healthy cereal bars and mini pretzels to help me through my day to avoid any unnecessary trips to shops. As 7-11 puts a premium price on office workers afternoon sugar cravings. And they don't have very healthy options being a krispy Kreme stockist...

I am hoping that from 10-20$ a day I will cut down to an average of $5 per day once my shop is averaged out...

Ill let you know how I do. Austerity measures here I come...

You're oh so excited by my hair aren't you!

This isn't just any hair. This is birthday hair. And birthday hair rocks more than any other hairs!

For my birthday yesterday I took the day off and booked in for a long overdue color and cut.

And because it was after all not normal hair but birthday hair they were dealing with they got all excited and curled my birthday hair for me. Which is so much more lovely than curling my birthday hair myself. As I love my birthday hair. But that is a bit too much effort.

My birthday hair and I enjoyed our day off. The sun shone ALL day. Not a cloud was in the sky. And it was a beautiful 20 degrees.

Lime came home and my birthday hair and I opened our presents and had a yummy steak dinner and then pootled off to the cinema where we sat in an oversized reclining armchair with cocktails, popcorn and peanut m&m's.

Birthday hair and I had a fab time. Although birthday hair was less curly and more 'kinked' before we reached the cinema.

Birthday hair and I would like to thank you for your birthday messages. And we love you all (an birthday hair will be back in 364 days).

Better than creme eggs!

Charlotte sent me a chocolate delivery for Easter and for my birthday. YUM.

Its all gone now... Whoops.

But I am soooo impressed with splats!

The chocolate/fondant egg ratio is sooo much better. And they're so munchy an yummy...

Suffice to say that between deliveries, lack of commitment and a little bit of sickness - I have not lost the target weight to buy my fabulous Radley bag.

But.... As its Aussie mothers day next weekend... I did buy me and mum a Radley tote bag each. Yey!

That doesn't really count as cheating right...?

But if you haven't tried them yet - get on the splats!! And send me some too 😁

Another UB

Not U B. but UB. Said together like stub but without the st.

That is what I have chosen to call it.

Today when arriving home from work I like the dutiful housewife hung up the dry cleaning, put the shopping away, and started on dinner.

Then once dinner was safe to leave simmering away I retreated to the boudoir to put on my oh so fetching navy blue trackydacks (tracksuit bottoms). Hot, I know.

As I put my oh so comfy fleecy lined trackydacks on I had an incoming call from the sister in law. So Elaine and I sat chatting on my couch whinging about Lime and how he'd broken my Internet. (and putting the world to right obviously).

It was while sitting I noticed an ever increasing itchiness... And on inspection I found what I feared. An Unidentified Bite (UB) on the side of my knee.

I very quickly removed my trackydacks. And left them in a pile on the floor for Limes investigatory skills later on. I've heard the stories...

Of course, I'll cut to the chase now. Lime found nothing in those trackys. His hypochondriac paranoid arachnophobic girlfriend has imagined another bite....

Even with a raised lump similar to a bad mossie bite he turns to me and says "are you sure you didn't just catch it on something or scratch yourself". Yes. That is it. Thank god for Lime. Here I was thinking I knew what a bite insect or otherwise looked like and obviously I was completely wrong and have been since I was a child. Silly me.


Now I'm not saying it was a spider. It could have been a mozzie escaping the cold outside. But I haven't seen or heard him. And if you've visited our house you'll agree there's not many places to hide. Magnolia walls throughout. No substantial wall art. Etc etc.

But there is certainly no evidence of a spider either. As I would imagine it would be harder for a spider to escape my trackys than a mozzie. Unfortunately the spiders that tend to bite don't all have webs. So not easily traceable either.


So here I am. Wide awake thanks to a rather uncomfortable itchy bite on my left side knee. While Lime snores away.
Can't even take a photo for you as its fricking dark.

Beware of those UB's people. You never know when they're really scratches and you're just a paranoid arachnophobic watching tv wrapped in a blanky while your trackys are left in a pile on the front room floor 'just in case'.


Sent from my iPhone

I'm officially a fruit

A grapefruit.

Long live the Marsh Grapefruit!

Healthy & safe v health & safety

I am not healthy and safe. I don't think the words fit well together.

For instance two weeks ago I went to a healthy aerobics class that focuses on LBT for the first time in a few months. I couldn't walk for 3 days! Sitting down and standing up were AGONY. An then silly me did it all again the next week...

So today after a good warm up of a run decide to use the climbing wall for my last 15 mins before I have to shower and dress and run to work.

The bruise hasn't come up. Yet. I can feel it. its been stiffer and achier all day! But let's just say the climbing wall won! The blood washed away (although I have now this afternoon cut my thumb open too and that bleeds as I type this) but ouchy. Healthy is NOT safe.

There are sooo many injuries and potential injuries.

Even the paper today is whining about Aussie rules football injuries needing medical assistance. And there are a lot of them by the way the article goes.

Look at my trampolining injury that left me with codeine and a chiro bill. The ski trip which broke my arm...

A swing cut my tongue open when I was running round the park as a child (a form of exercise even when fun just like skiing and trampolining).

I can not think about a single incident suffered from sitting on my couch with a cup of tea. And maybe a bar of chocolate. And the Telly. Obviously.

So let's consider this - is healthy worth the unsafety?!

Did you all die?

A psychologist once told me (I work in a counselling centre) that I will always be homesick and never truly settle or make proper friends here if I don't mourn for the life I had. The life I left. And the one that is no longer me. And accept you are all no longer who I am.

I don't know how that works. And maybe I misinterpreted. But you guys aren't dead. I didn't leave you as people. I Left the UK for Australia. If I coulda brought you all with me I woulda.

Does that mean no more Skype? No more emails? Should I delete you all from Facebook? Ignore my parents and sister and decline chocolate deliveries?
Stop saying things like "in England we do it this way..." "when I lived in England..." "my friend blah in England..."?

Should I burn my UK passport? And denounce you all to Satan?

Oh the questions. I feel if I put these to the psychologist she may think I'm nuts. I will keep these to myself.

But suffice to say I think that her theory only applies when your life is taken from you and you have no choice.

But I share with you a floral arrangement from the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) called inspired by Mexico's day of the dead. But you're not all dead. Just so you know.

Autumnul Yumminess

When the weather gets cool and you need some stodgy food of some sort what could possibly be better than slow cooked pork shredded all melt in the mouth like in a white soft roll then smothered with apple sauce?! Hmm? What? No. Didn't think so ;o)

Last week came the big chill. I bought new slippers. Fleecy lined and they come up my legs. Not uggs. A knitted patterned giant sock with a sole. The heating came on before I even considered leaving my bed. And all the summer clothes were stashed in the back of the wardrobe in a very big suitcase while all the jumpers were brought out.

But this is Melbourne... And as a girl at work said "you should have known better by now".

It has been mid to late twenties all week. No jumpers being worn. Maybe a cardy on the way to the station at the most. Or on the way home as the time change means the sun is down when I'm done at my gym after work. Boo.

And tomorrow Good Friday is destined to be 28 degrees. Hello Autumn! My name is Nicole. And I like you more and more!

The April mission!

Cake. Yum. 

'twas Mae's third birthday tea on Satdee. And although I missed it through a lurgy that has loitered in its early stages for too long Lime brought cake home. Yum. 

But cake is too yum. 

Last April I did it. Over 5-6 weeks i lost 5kg. A dietician told me that we eat quite well. But our normal food sustains my weight. No loss. No gain. Sustains. So I did it I lost 5 kg through diet alteration and deprivation. But it wasn't too bad. 

Several months on I have sustained that weight loss with just the normal Christmas blip. And so now it is time to deprive myself of yumminess once again. But with a carrot at the end. 

I have been lusting over a Radley handbag online. It is lovely. It has snowdrops embossed in to the leather. Tis beautiful. But expensive. And unnecessary. 

So my challenge to me is if I manage to lose 4 kg, so a kilo per week in April. I shall buy me the fabulous Radley bag for my birthday! 

That sounds like a bloody great idea to me. And what better motivation than a fabulous handbag at the end?!

Sent from my iPhone

An apple a day shatters away...

I have of late despised my iPhone. It's 2 years old. My alarm stopped working when we crossed in to 2012. (it stopped for 2011 too) The main button to get it going doesn't always work. But it's lasted the 2 years. And tomorrow being our 2 year and 4 day anniversary of being in Oz is THE day we ditch our crappy current provider and throw ourselves at the mercy of Telstra. Telstra being the BT I suppose of oz. They're the only ones with reception outside the city walls. And it's tiresome not having phone reception in the backwater of Australia.

If I haven't mentioned it before - Aus mobile contracts are stiffer and more expensive than UK ones. Which sucks. But I still refuse to act like a poor student and go prepaid/ pay as you go. I've never had pay as you go. Never want one. I'm not a poor student.

So we have waited our two years and tomorrow is it. D day.

I know my iPhone has been suspicious for a while. More and more random quirks have been appearing. And after refusing to allow any incoming calls today until gone 5pm and refusing to allow me to check my voicemails even though it diverted everything to me bleedin voicemail it made a bid for freedom as I stepped out of the office and in to the sunlight.

Silly silly iPhone. You don't have legs. And oh yeah, concrete hurts.

So instead of being used as an interim iPod (mine is from 2005 and refuses to recognize the computer so can't upload or jiggle my playlists) this lump of shattered poop shall be binned. And it shall be binned while still wearing it's shameful clothing choice for today - cellotape. Actually, silly shattered poop is wearing imitation cellotape by the name of 'sticky tape'. That is how low things have gotten.

But admittedly; other than trying to cut my fingers open (hence te sticky tape) it is still working! I write this now from the shattered poop. And the screen is clear. No stupid black smudges like nokia smashed screens would torture you with. Bless my silly suicidal iPhone. And may it rest in peace a la bin.

Thermal stinkiness

It has been 5 weeks since my last blog. Time flies eh.

So quick update on the past 5 weeks.

1 Sonia & Isaacs wedding. 'twas fab. They looked beautiful. Loved it. See the photos on FB.

2 NZ. 'twas fab. The country is beautiful. Loved it. See the photos on flickr.
The photo is of the Artists Pallette at the thermal wonderland in Rotorua. The whole town stank. And I woke up to the stench of sulphur and comfort inn and immediately started wretching. Ikky.

3 job. Still working for the government. 'tis fab. My FT replacement isn't quite cutting the mustard just yet so I'm working a combo of my old stuff and all the random things they need doing and never did. Such as emptying the kitchen in to the nearest op shop (charity shop) using a company car. Score.

There's lots more great news but it's other peoples news. Not mine. So I shan't share. But there has been another pregnancy announcement over here (seriously belle - they're breeding like rabbits!).

Anyhoo I shall run to work. But will blog again soon about the oddities of Kiwi driving.

x

Grey v Red

Grey skies, choppy seas, but beautiful scenery.

Last weekend we went on our first camping weekend. It was at a beautiful little spot called Skenes Creek. With another 16 chums and several tents and a caravan including a giant Gazebo which was pulled in a very big trailer down from the big smoke.

There was midnight skinny dipping (albeit in undies - I still count that as skinny), an el scorchio camp fire, a new pregnancy (no not me!!), beer, wine, barbecued breakfasts, a seafood festival, damned good fish and chips (Clare - I've totally gone flake over barramundi these days), beach strolls, dog stalking, cute as a button Jerome, snail attacks and many bags of naughty munchy goodness.

And I came home red with sunburn.

The grey skies passed, and the thought of sun screen on a weekend reported to be bloody miserable in the weather stakes didn't enter my mind.
It's not as bad as Limes burn was over crimbo. But ouchy.

On a plus note, the drive to Skenes Creek covered the half of the Great Ocean Road Sonjy and I didn't drive in 2003. And it was beautiful even in the grey.

I just wish I had taken a better photo to share.

Of course it has been

Australia has had it's wettest 2 year period in history.

Read it, i'm not lying.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8415342/australia-has-record-two-year-rainfall

oh yeah - how long have we been in Australia...? mmmmmm... 23 months.

which is 1 month shy of 24 which is... ta dah! - TWO years. Which is how long it's been recordy wet for.

Happy Spider Free Tuesday!!

CRUNCH!

Happy Monday!

And oh what a Monday!! Lime and I slept in today. So no gym trip for me. The gym would have also involved me driving to work... Alone....

But we slept in, so Lime was in the car with me. Thank god!

At a set of lights a rather smelly car in front of us made me switch off my vents and open my window for fresh air. As it was chilly (albeit not as chilly as Europe currently) I wound the window up before the lights changed and in doing so I suddenly heard a crunch!! Yes. A crunch.

As I turned completely innocently having no clue what could possibly be crunching in my window I was confronted by 3 hairy Huntsman legs dangling at me!!

Shock. Panic. Depair. Just a few of the feelings I was feeling.

Lime reminded me to breathe. And told me I had definitely killed the beastie as there had been the crunch. Thankfully!

What perfect timing. If I hadn't crunched him there could be a beastie running his hairy legs all over my car.

But seriously. The scary scary thought of that being there... The then driving down a very busy 4 lane road and not crashing in to anything until I could pull over safely and Liam could save me.

Aargh!! Beware the hairy 8 legged beasty!

Well hellllloooooooo twenty twelve...

2012 shall be a good year. I feel it in my bones. I can feel it in my residency.

But first - a catch up... On what is, has been and will be 2012...

2012's start here was el scorchio. 38 degrees one day. With no aircon aside from our bedroom the tv was moved in to said bedroom and has remained there ever since. We shall move it back at some point in Feb when we know it's safe.

My folks adopted a dog. Pop round and visit Toby (and my folks). He's a cutie. The little white Westy my mum always wanted except they bypassed the puppy training years and got him full grown and toilet trained.

Belinda returns to Ausland this year! Yey! We miss you Ms almost-a-Harte.

The Bailey-Browne baby will join us this year.

And many babies born at the back end of last year will meet me too! Lucky lucky them.

This is the year Lime and I want to buy a house. We wants it! Not until Winter more than likely (June-July). But this is that year where I get to nest and do my very own garden as opposed to a rental that I don't get to keep.

Today is the first train I have taken to work since November. With the summer holidays and most people disappearing for summer the roads and the city were sooo quiet so Lime and I drove in every day. Although now everyone is back at work - boo - and the 15 min drive is now 45-60. So back on the trains... Boo!

Hopefully this year will be one where ex's stay away and grow up and just let it go.

And not to mention the hopefulness of me getting a proper job!! Because that is what 2012 is all about. The settling year (hopefully).

The picture for this blog is of a beautiful beach in Rye where Eeeelaine and I surf hunk perved after a day at the Hot Springs. Boiling in a pool atop a hill looking out over the mornington peninsula was rather noice. But then yes... We arrived at the beach car park to dozens of near naked hunks preparing to surf... Hello Australia!

And that is my new years resolution (aside from skyping more); visit more beaches! I'm in Australia god dammit. I should go to beaches!!

Mwah x

This is no ordinary glass of bubbles...

This is a permanent residency glass of bubbles. Sipped by the riverbank of Melbourne while planning a celebratory dinner.

Yay me!

Government politics

Someone wants me to apply for a job. They want me. The company policy is citizens only. Boo!

But the director; Yes I said Director, of the Melbourne side of the company gave me a HR chicks number who can bypass that. Alas, I still need a date of when I will receive at least my permanent residency...

Quick few points for some of you -

Being married to Lime before we left or now - I STILL would have been a temporary resident as I am now. It's policy. Its sucky. But it's policy.

I could have a baby tomorrow and if Lime dumped me I could STILL be denied permanent residency. Probably not, but it could happen.

Citizenship is not permanent residency.

Citizenship involves having had 4 years of residency, an exam, an interview and a silly ceremony where you're given an aussie native plant (and a pretty certificate).

Citizenship also then involves jury service and legally enforced voting, along with a pretty blue passport.

So back to the company I'm working for... It's the Australian Government.

So... The government want to give me a job. But the government want permanent residency status. But the government won't give that to me yet. Hmmm.... It's confusing and irritating and annoying ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!! Aarghh!!! God damned different government departments not scratching each others backs!!

I felt very deflated - like our tyre on Christmas Eve. How do tyres know the worst time to be flat? Or how did the nail pick our tyre out of all the other tyres on a road somewhere to attack?!

On a plus note Clare Babs has fabulous new job. Yey for Clare!!!

I'm jealous (I will also reply to your email soon!) ;o)

Happy Weekend! x

I bought new gym socks...

And thank god I did!

New years brought a few rather el scorchio days. That has only just been broken with a cool change (yey to cool change!!) And to escape the heat lime and I ran off to our local Westfield and pottered around the shops and cinema in air-conditioned luxury until we got bored and came back home to our sweat box. (we moved the tv in to our only aircon room the bedroom and lived there for a couple of days - limes chest infection and sunburn prevented any escape plan or alternate activities).

Now also being sales time it was rather busy by the time we got our hot sweaty selves out of our air con fabulous bedroom and to the carpark. We had to suck it up and park under the blazing sun. Not a worry. Aircon will save us on our journey home (it was 39 degrees yesterday).

What we had not considered was the effect scorching sun has on items inside the car... Like seatbelts (ouch), the seat itself and of course most importantly - the steering wheel!

It was literally like trying to turn a frying pan without a handle after you'd just fried eggs. The radio warned of "severe UV levels". I don't know what that means in comparison to other UV levels. But the word severe makes it's point quite eloquently.

Quick thinking Lime came to the rescue - at first he went for tissues in my bag (he has man flu and decided I should carry his tissues, and his sunglasses case, and his wallet, and his aftersun, and his cough medicine - I see a pattern emerging) but came out with my new gym socks.

Thank god I bought gym socks!! Gym socks saved the day and meant I could steer without fear of blisters on my fingers/palms. I think other drivers were quite jealous. They just won't admit it...

This blog is temporarily sponsored by Bonds. Socks that save the day.

Happy heatwave x x