A flying visit

I have worked out that I can access this from work so here is a very quick update (but no photos!)

The cats went off to the cattery. Many tears were shed and I miss them so much. The new owners came to do their final inspection which was meant to be just to make sure that the appliances work and there were no huge holes in walls and the like. It should have taken 10 minutes. Well over half an hour later they finally left. It was a nightmare. The wife and her inlaws came and were into everything. Even things that they aren't getting. And they asked for more and more stuff. Even the cheap cushions. She got quite shitty when I said I'd packed them. They got a really good deal on the furniture but wanted to squeeze as much out as they could. I feel sorry for our ex-neighbours.

We then cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and packed and moved and finally, by mid afternoon on the Wednesday we were able to close the door behind us for the last time. Settlement went through on Friday with no glitches.

The rental is lovely. Small but cosy and I've had several walks along the beach.

The new place is coming along well. We were able to get a tiler that works for the builders to lay our tiles and they were delivered today. This will mean we will save some precious days when we finally settle which SHOULD be in 4 weeks. The bank is being a bit silly with the mortgage. We are not borrowing very much at all but they still want to do a walk through valuation and it is difficult to get them access. Himself is dealing with that.

We went to the club last Friday night and stayed with neil and suze. It was lovely. We are going there again tomorrow night.

Three is enjoying staying with One and Fireman Sam but I think will like being back in a place he can call his own. And in his own bed! Two has recovered really well from his surgery and has another camera job in the offing. Fingers crossed that the producers can raise the necessary money to get the project up and running.

I came back to work on Tuesday utterly knackered! I did NOT want to be here and seriously thought about quitting but I did say I would stay until the end of December and I really need to fulfil that obligation. I have another two weeks working 4 days, then a 3 day week, then 13 days off and then back for a 7 day fortnight and then off for two weeks. I will be back on the 22nd October to permanent 7 day fortnights and will decide then whether to leave at the end of December when my contract is up or whether to hang around if there is some part time work available.

The travelling has been great. It hasn't taken me that much longer to get to and from the rental and it will take even less time once we've moved.

And on that note, I'd better go and do some work.

I hope all is well with everybody. I haven't had a chance to check in my favourite places so I have no idea what's been happening with you all.

The house cooling.

We had a fabulous evening.

Other Brother and Mrs Other made the trip especially all the way from Canberra.  I was most touched.  Dr Teacher and his lot were here.  As were my boys and Fireman Sam and Gina.  Friends of Three came over as well.  And in the middle of the evening Suze and Neil from Bonbeach arrived which was the icing on the cake.  It was her birthday yesterday and they had an engagement to go to so I didn't expect them at all.  It was just lovely and made me realise what a good friendship we have. 

The mermaid didn't make it as she had another melt down.  I am very worried about her but there isn't a lot I can do to help her.  She needs someone to buy the business and quickly.  The sad thing is that it has the potential to be a good little earner but needs someone with some business experience (she has none) and also needs more than one person involved.  It is not the business for a sole operator.  She has contacted brokers but they aren't interested in small business that will sell for less than $200,000 and her ads in the papers have yielded zilch.

LGF is overseas and One is finally starting to consider a relationship with someone else.  He told me yesterday that whenever there was a chance of him getting close to someone he would back away just in case he and LGF got back together.  Silly boy.  Even if they do get back together he needs to use this time to experience life.  And to find out if she really is the one.

The kitchen and the study are all that's left to pack up.  The kitchen won't take much but the study could be a challenge.  Tomorrow Fireman Sam will come and help Himself move stuff out and I will see what can be tossed from the study.  We will get a skip on Wednesday and turf all that's turfable, give the place a final going over and then We. Are. Out.  Settlement is on Friday and if there is a hold up it won't matter as we don't need to settle on the new place at the same time.  Hopefully all will go well, our mortgage will be discharged and we will be able to enjoy the rental until it's time to move into Bonbeach.  In the unlikely event of Bonbeach being finished early I am thinking about letting One stay at the rental for a weekend.  Specially if this new relationship develops (anything to help!)

I got all hissy and pissy yesterday (Himself insisted on doing things that I didn't think needed doing!) so One took me out to do some shopping for birthday presents for the Mermaid and Suze.  We went down to Bonbeach to see the development on the new place (coming along nicely) and then I took him to see the rental.  The owner was there and let us go through it and he was very impressed.  It is very One.  I could see him living in a place just like that.  Small but not too small, modern, minimalist and right on the beach.  I wish he could afford it but at least it gives him something to aspire to.

Mrs Teacher is about to drop by to pick up the telly, some glasses and some books.  

I am not looking forward to this coming week but hopefully by wednesday evening it will all be over and I will be able to enjoy a few days of holiday before I go back to work.

I will try and get back here at least once before we lose the internet.

High days and holidays!

A different view of the river.  The beach is behind me.

The bridge carries the road and the railway line.

So.  Today was GOING to be the last day of work but for a variety of reasons I am having the week off and then going back.  I had hoped that I would be able to get everything done and get off early but ... no.  Bugs bugs and more bugs conspired to keep me there to the bitter end!  And we had some doozies.

Anyway.  It's now Friday evening and I am officially on holidays for a week (11 days in total).  I have ordered pizzas, consumed wine and am looking forward to the coming week.  Well, most of it.  I'm not looking forward to the cats being collected for the cattery.  Or the new owners coming through.  Or clearing out the kitchen drawers.  But I am looking forward to tomorrow night's house cooling (only I'm not looking forward to being fat but it's a bit late to fix that) and I'm looking forward to sitting and reading and looking at the beach and walking along the beach for hours.  And eating well.  And drinking less.

Tomorrow will be busy.  I need to clean the house for the evening, buy the Mermaid and Suze birthday pressies, go and look at the new place (I haven't been down for a whole week!), pick up food for tomorrow evening, buy grog and stress a lot.  Sunday will be spent recovering from Saturday, more cleaning, moving and fixing up this place.  Monday we will be moving into the rental.  And I don't know if we will have internet access there.

So.  This may be the last entry for a wee while.  (Or not).

Depends on whether I get time to come here over the weekend, whether we have internet in the rental and whether I can access this from work.  

It's raining.  We have had glorious winter weather for days.  I left work at 4.50 and at 4.55 it started to rain.  And is forecast for the next 11 days.  No kidding!!  I just hope that it falls overnight so that I can enjoy my days off and the exterior works on the new place don't get held up.  Selfish?  I don't think so as long as it rains lots at night!  Actually I think it will be quite pleasant sitting in the rental overlooking the beach and listening to the waves and the rain.

I'm off to have dinner and wait for the Olympics opening ceremony to begin.  I'm not a great follower of sports but love the ceremonial aspects of the Games.  And watching Aussies win.

OI! OI! OI!

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PS.  The pizza was crap.  Two crappy takeaways in two days.  I think something or someone is trying to tell me something!!

gross!

I have just eaten the most revolting meal of fish and chips I have ever had in my life.  If you could see inside my stomach it would have an inch of fat floating on top of the gastric contents.   Our (ex)favourite fish and chip shop has changed hands and the new owners do not know how to cook.  To the point that I am feeling really queasy and that is most unusual for me.

Three came home to sleep (he wants to spend time with Sheba before she goes to the cattery!) and Two rang to say he and GGF were at Chady and could they drop in.  He is so much better.  He still has a lisp which cracks me up.  I hope it goes once he can fully feel his mouth again.  

We are in serious count down mode, hence the takeaway dinner.  

The agent rang me today to say the new owners want to do a final inspection on Monday. ARRGH!  Then I decided that as we are moving out that day it will probably work as the place will be chaotic anyway.  The cats are being collected at about 8.30 *sob* and then I will leave and pick up keys from the Mermaid so we can drop the lounge suite off at her place and then I'll go down and pick up the keys for the apartment in Aspendale.  And by the time I've done all that they should have been through.  

Tomorrow is my last day at work for a week.  

Happy day.

happy feet

Today was the first day since I acquired the plantar fasciitis (back in JANUARY!) that I haven't woken up to stiff, sore feet.  Methinks I should have bought new shoes sooner.  Oh well!

Three more days at work and then a week's holiday.  Yay.

Nothing else to say.

The last Monday in this house

Yup.  The final countdown has begun!

One of the many things I love about the new place is the little park areas scattered throughout the estate.  This one is just around the corner from our place.  A very pleasant place to sit with a cup of coffee or a glass of red (depending on the time of day!) and look at the lake, the ducks and the golf course.  That's if I get sick of looking at the river from our balcony!

Today I filled in the forms for the redirection of our mail.  Our friends have kindly let us use their address until we have moved in.  There are two of them and 5 of us (we still get most of One and Two's mail).  I hope this isn't going to stretch the friendship too much!

Then I went through the freezer and got rid of a lot of stuff.  I have several boxes of frozen cherries which I shall have to store somewhere.  I'm not going to throw them out as they can be hard to come by and I love my cherry protein shakes.

Then we went to Active Feet and I bought some new shoes for me and convinced Himself to get some decent athletic shoes as well.  He complains that his feet and ankles hurt whenever he does any decent walking and I'm sure a lot of it is because his shoes don't provide adequate support.  I love my new shoes and my feet are a tad tweaky this evening which suggests that they are providing a bit more support than my old ones (shoes not feet).  They feel like they did when I first got the orthotics fitted.

I am looking forward to getting back into the exercise again.  I had plans to get up early tomorrow and go for a walk/run but then had a massive anxiety attack at the idea of it.  Something's not quite right.  I think it has something to do with work but I need to do a bit more investigation into my feelings in that area.

Kek commented on a post a while ago and I have only just found it.  I know, there are things I can do so I can see when people leave comments but I sort of haven't quite got around to that yet.  Anyway, she kindly invited me to email her and reminded me that she does online training (and suggested I could go over to her side of town for a one on one) so I have some good options happening.  I would like to find someone close to home cos I'm not sure how the on line thing would work without the commitment to meeting a person but the big thing is finding someone who has been overweight and isn't a spring chicken.  Kek is younger than me but isn't the same age as my kids ... which a lot of trainers seem to be.  Her web site shows what an amazing transformation she has undergone.  And I want some of that.  So I guess that's a long winded way of saying I will be contacting her once things have settled a bit on the home front.

We met Two at his surgeon's office today for his post op follow up.  He is doing very well and the surgeon was well pleased.  I haven't yet worked out how to let these people know that I'm a nurse.  "Hi, I'm Two's mother and I'm a nurse" seems a bit wanky.  But when I ask a question and they answer me in the most simplistic terms it seems rude to interrupt and announce that I know the basics please cut to the chase!  When a family member (or patient for that matter) asks me a question I always ask if they have any medical background and tailor the answers accordingly.  Much easier and less embarrassing for all concerned.  As it stands I still don't know why Two had an echocardiogram done.  He had a rapid heartrate (not uncommon post op especially when someone's in pain) and there were no irregular beats (from what I understood from today's conversation but who the hell knows!)  A cynic might comment that it was a way of getting another $350 out of the admission.

Two is well.  That's all that matters.

Back to work tomorrow.  It was lovely having today off.  I have committed to working until the end of the year but the way I'm feeling right now, that may be the end of it.  And then I'll look for something basic and close to home.

4 more drives to and from work from this address.

7 more sleeps in my bed.

6 more dinners for the cats (CATTERY, folks, I'm not my mother! No final solution for these felines!)

4 more nights with telly (Dr Teacher will take our old one on Saturday so we will be tellyless until we've moved into the beach flat).

8 more days of guaranteed internet access - not sure what we will do in the 6 weeks.

1 more party - roll on Saturday!

MizS ... if you google Patterson River, Carrum, Bonbeach, Chelsea, Edithvale or Aspendale (in Australia!) you should get an idea of what the beach and our river are like.  The city of Melbourne is at the top of Port Phillip Bay (a substantial body of water) and suburbs and townships extend down both sides of the bay.  I am biased and think our beach is the best!

Counting down

Not long to go.

And then this will be home.

Well, in a few weeks.  We have to stay in the beachside apartment first.  It could be worse!!

It's late.  One and Three came over for dinner and we have spent the last few hours laughing at politically incorrect videos on you tube.  

I have tomorrow off (arrange redirection of mail, buy new shoes, walk, read, do some washing and clean out the pantry and freezer.  Not necessarily in that order!).

Today we took a couple of loads of boxes to the storage place and then went to DFO (factory outlet) and bought Himself some new shoes and some new bed linen (lots of threads, very nice!) all quite inexpensive.  Score!

So now I shall toddle off to bed.

G'night.

The messy bit of moving

This morning we were up bright an early to take the cats to the vet for their second shots.  And we got them micro-chipped as well.  The vet said she had never seen a cat in a chiller bag before.  

Then we zipped down to the blind shop to give them a sample of the paint we will be getting so they could match the plantation shutters we have chosen for our bedroom and the landing.

Then, seeing as we were nearly there we went down to the new place and checked out progress.  We have the formwork for the balcony and the painters were painting.  This is good.

Then I made Himself walk down the river path to the beach.  It was a bit choppy on the bay today as you can see.

Now we are home and the place looks so bad.  I went to the op shop to see if they wanted a pile of books but they had just closed so I'll go down on Monday.  I nipped into a discount clothing place and grabbed a top to wear tonight (we are going out for dinner with some friends) and then bought lunch for Three and me.  But you really don't want to know what we had.  Trust me.  Suffice to say bakeries don't sell veges!

Himself has gone to get some more bubble wrap, packing tape and polyfiller to patch the walls.

And I am surrounded by chaos.  

Three is over to finish packing up his room (and to have a shower and eat and watch TV and use the washing machine).

I guess I'd better go and finish cleaning out my dressing table.  

  

The house cooling is going ahead.  Next Saturday. I popped in and saw the Mermaid and discussed what to get from her shop to feed people.  We would usually have a bbq but it's in storage!  And by getting my stuff from her I will help her a bit ... if she charges me properly which I will have to make sure she does.

The sun is streaming in through the windows.  It would be a lovely afternoon to go for a long walk along the beach.

I can't wait.

How you know your kids have grown up

Two stayed with us until last evening when he announced (after some prompting) that he would really rather be home with GGF and his cat.  I don't think he really felt "home" here at all but didn't want to upset his father and me.  This is good.  I think.  Can someone tell my heart that?

Three has promised he won't leave home just yet.  He is enjoying his time with One and Fireman Sam but is looking forward to the move and has no plans to move out permanently just yet.  *phew*.

Himself is now on 3 weeks annual leave.  Next week I hope he will move the bulk of what's left out to storage.  The following week we will clean up here and move to the holiday place and the final week will be interesting!  There will be nothing for him to do and I will be at work.  I hope he will unwind and relax and walk on the beach and learn to do nothing.  But I'm not holding my breath.

We went to the pub for dinner this evening.  It is probably the last time we will eat there.

Tomorrow we take the cats to the vet for their second shots.  We carted them in gym type bags last time but only have one at home at the moment as Three took one when he moved to One's. I plan to put Sheba (the littlest one - or the bonsai cat) into a chiller bag.  It has a zip and isn't too small.  Is there something wrong with that?

I have a day off on Monday and will do things like getting the mail redirected and contacting the solicitor to make sure settlement is still OK on this place.

This time in two weeks we will no longer own this house and I will be able to relax a bit.  

At least, that's the plan!