count down

Tomorrow we have our final inspection.

I was meant to start annual leave but the boss is sick so I have to come in. I will work a short day but it's still a bummer.

Personal training is going well.

I turned 52 last week. It was a lovely birthday highlighted by an evening out for dinner with the boys and various girlfriends.

One has a new girlfriend. They are officially dating and he has told LGF that there is another girl in his life. She wasn't overly impressed but is in Europe and can't cause too many problems. Hopefully she won't come back for quite some time.

We will get internet connection at home in a fortnight so I will be able to post some pictures and update more regularly.

Back to work ....

Not long now

Settlement will be on the 19th September.

Our final inspection is at 0900 on 11th. We have already identified that the balcony seems to be on more of a slant than others but don't want to bring it to the builders' attention until after we have moved in so as not to delay things! That is not to say that it won't be picked up by someone else and then we will be right up the creek.

We have arranged for all the installations and deliveries in the week commencing the 22nd. And the cats should be back home on the 25th. I don't want them around when everything is being delivered.

I have signed up for 12 sessions with a personal trainer and have had 2. So far so good. If I decide that this person isn't for me I have names of others I can try.

Now I just have to decide what to do regards my job. I am sorely tempted to resign now and just see what happens down the track.

Much thinking needs to be done and in the mean time I'd better go back and do what I'm paid to do.

Be back soon.

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.