Week 1 January 2018
Well Happy New Year everyone, hope it was as good as ours? We came down to devastation in the garden and house this morning, we were too tired to clear up everything at 1.30am so we just got rid of the food and left the rest. So this morning we set to and cleared the garden, picked up all the things we didn’t see in the dark last night and had a “tradies” breakfast (in english – a builders breakfast). It didn’t take too long with everyone helping so with full tummies,
Adam and Bob started on the ceiling outside and TJ and I started clearing the 800 or so pavers from the patio. The girls were at home today so we did a bit of clearing and playing with the girls alternately. Tomorrow TJ will be back at work and the girls back to daycare so Adam, Bob and I will get much more done, we were still very tired from a busy new year weekend too.
Wednesday the ceiling is up, just need to tape the joints and paint it later in the week but today Adam hired a UTE and picked up the bearers and joists for the decking . Luckily, after calling the local DIY store to check they have the 4.8m lengths in stock, they arrived to find that they only had 6m lengths so the guy said “well I said we had them, sorry, could you take the 6m lengths at the same price as the 4.8m “ ?great for us – extra wood for free! Those pieces of wood were sooo heavy though but we managed to get the first bearer attached to the house and the middle one cemented in place by the end of the day.
Poor Bob had to dig 14 holes for the posts to hold up the bearers.
Adam had 2 weeks off for Christmas so this was his last week and he had been busy the whole time so we decided to have a bit of fun. Bob had gone to golf, TJ had a works leaving party lunch so in the morning we took the girls to the local pool at Gumdale for some r&r.
Adam really enjoyed playing with the girls in the water and Mia managed to swim 8 strokes all on her own. In the afternoon, with the girls in bed for their nap and Bob back from golf, the third bearer was positioned and cemented in. It takes more time than you think as the measuring and levelling was a family affair and it had to be just right. The new decking would be level with the door from the house instead of a step down and with a slightly sloping garden, which hung over the lawn some 45cm (about 18” for the oldies) it wasn’t easy.
Friday, the girls are at daycare so lots to do while they are away. The rest of the pavers were cleared, then TJ and I painted the joists – all 17 of them – a protection against termites etc. Bob taped the ceiling joints and skimmed them and Adam and Bob screwed all the joists into place.
Saturday the decking boards were delivered
What is it with our bedroom, first the spider and now a gecko came visiting !
The 2nd Week
Well after all that hard work and being at home, the only thing to do is get out and go shopping, so Monday morning with Adam back at work, Bob and I went on a shopping trip to a mall. He bought himself a new golf bag to replace the old very tired one he has (I think he thinks he can play better if he has a new bag ? Lol) I treated myself to a couple of shirts and 2 pairs of loose comfy shorts. We had lunch at Shingle Inn, our favourite cafe and just enjoyed some time on our own.
Wednesday Bob met Adam at the Gabba to watch some 20/20 cricket, he had managed to get some tickets last minute which was lucky as the stadium was pretty full with 30,000 + people there.
While they were there, TJ had a haircut, the girls were in bed so I put my feet up with full control of the tv box remote ….
I haven’t played golf for 2 or 3 weeks over the Christmas period so it was nice to get out again. Thursday Bob took me to a lovely course called Gailes, about 25 minute drive away and maybe because of all the decking work and sleeping so soundly, I was relaxed and actually beat him at his own game for the first time since we arrived here.
Afterwards, he treated me to lunch in Ikea as we were passing it on the way home and of course you never leave Ikea without buying something!
The temperatures are rising so the swim pool, which is an outside one, is now warm enough for me! We spent the morning in and out of the pool, doing around 40 lengths in total. I haven’t swum for ages so it’s a starting point, I am aiming to do nearer 80 before we leave here.
I think Adam has the blues, being back at work and missing out on all the family time we had over Christmas and the new year so TJ decided to buy him a present. We had been discussing how we were going to cut off the excess lengths of decking and his neighbour, who owns every tool you could need, was on holiday. So she went and bought him a hand circular saw, I think that’s what it is called. He was very happy and quickly sawed off the edges.
Today was also Mia’s last day in daycare as she goes up to Kindy on Monday which is like pre-school, Zoe finishes in the babies and toddler class and goes up to 2-3 year olds and will be a Possum now !. Mia is very excited and I think Zoe would be but she doesn’t quite understand what is happening.
The weekend is here again, we are trying to join in the park run as much as possible so today, TJ, Adam and I went and Mia wanted to join us too. She did really well, the short course is 3.5 klms and she ran/walked most of it.
The 45 cm drop off the decking is a bit too high for the girls so we needed to design a step down. It took Bob and Adam most of the weekend to construct one and cement it into place – 3 more holes to dig bob but on the plus side, Adam got to use his new toy some more!
While they did that TJ and I had a cooking morning Saturday, making sausage rolls and chocolate chip cookies for Sundays Mother’s Group 4th year get together celebration at Gumdale Swim Pool.
They all met 4 years ago when their first child was born and have met regularly since. It was lovely to see so many families together, most having 2 children now there were around 40 people there. 
We all took some food and had a picnic and played in the pools and chatted until the 38 degrees of heat got to us and the children started to get tired but a great morning out for everyone.
3rd Week
The girls are off to Kindy and Daycare this morning, moving up to their new classes. Hope all goes well?
Another busy week starting off with a house clean as all the wood cutting and cementing had caused so much dust in the house. Then in the afternoon I felt like cooking so I flicked through the recipes in the Thermomix app and started with some Apricot Jam then I made some apple oaty bars for the girls and a chocolate fondant cake which was to die for and finishing off with meatballs for tomorrows dinner. Phew when I finally sat down in the evening my little legs were hurting from all that standing but the fondant cake after dinner made up for it – delicious.
Mia and Zoe had a great day, Mia finishes Kindy around 4 pm so they then brought her down to the Possums to spend the last hour with Zoe until Tj picks them up – Zoe was delighted.
Tuesday Tj has to tell her boss she is leaving. She has been headhunted by an ex colleague from BHP who called her to say “we need you, work any days, flexi or from home, its a permanent job, and how much salary do you want?” Well how can a girl resist? Bob played golf with his friends at Howeston as usual and in the evening we went to the cinema to see The Greatest Showman, a great film based on Barnum Circus. Afterwards we wandered down the street in Bulimba, a chic village with lots of boutiques and patisseries, the temperature was a warm 27 degrees, a lovely barmy evening to sit and watch the world go by with a nice cold glass of beer and a wine.
Do you know we haven’t been into the city yet so Wednesday we put our walking shoes on and caught the bus into town and walked and walked all around the city. Didn’t buy anything, window shopped, tried on a few things, had lunch and caught the bus home.
At teatime TJs cousin from Germany arrived for a 3 day stay while she is working in Australia on a business trip. Tj has her all organised for tomorrow -cooking class for the girls in the morning and in the evening meeting friends at the Glen hotel for homemade pizza and a glass of wine.
I have to say that Bob and I played golf at Wolston Golf, next to Gailes Golf we played last week, and this week I beat him again. It was a short course, only par 67 instead of the usual 72 but it still counts as a win Bob ! however, I think the kangaroos that I disturbed under a tree weren’t too happy with me!
Friday Jasmin wants to surf as she has had some lessons at home (not sure where in Germany they have a surf but ok). So we arrange a beach day on the Gold Coast some 1 and a half hours away. 
Bob and I wanted to go to Harbour Town, a large retail outlet centre which is on the way to the Gold Coast, so we shopped first and then caught up with them later. Surfers Paradise is where all the youngsters go, its full of t-shirt shops and hamburger restaurants, the beach is beautiful but the sea is rough. We spent a very pleasant afternoon there with them and TJs friend who brought her children down too and all the children just played so happily with their buckets and spades and filling the buckets with water.
Zoe loved to sit on the edge of the sea and let the waves roll over us but she kept asking to go in further where the bigger waves were. The sea was very rough today and for me, the lifeguards had only sectioned off a small amount of beach for swimming because of the high tide so we stayed on the edge.
Saturday morning and the girls slept in a bit as they were exhausted from yesterday beach day. Jasmine’s flight back to Melbourne had been cancelled late last night so she was rebooked onto an afternoon flight so we spent the morning, cooking fresh tomato pasta sauce and paste for dinner later and watching Adam and Bob using up the pallets that the decking came on, to make a herb garden for the wall. Not bad for half a days work and cost nothing!
Later we took Jasmin to the airport, Mia wanted to come too as she loves to see the airplanes. As it was a domestic flight we were allowed through to the departure gate to say bye to Jasmin.
Sunday we were up early for breakfast, before Christmas we had planned an all you can eat breakfast at the Glen Hotel but had to cancel because Bob wasn’t well. Today we were going, meeting Laureen and Mike, friends of TJ from her old job at BHP and now our friends too. Its 20$au each (about 11.50 pounds UK) and you can have cereals, fruit, yoghurt, full English, muffins, waffles, crepes, pastries, ice cream, toast, juices, tea and coffee as much as you want. Its free for under 4 year olds – hoho they didn’t think that age eat much !!! Zoe and Mia certainly had their monies worth! Laureen and Mike came back to the house afterwards to see the new deck which they were very impressed with and when they left we all went to bed for an afternoon nap – I think it is all catching up on us.
Time for a quick shower and change and Bob and I had tickets to see Mamma Mia at the theatre, love the film and the show was spectacular, all the ABBA songs we love and a bit of dancing in the aisles at the end too.
4th Week
Tj is working today as they are short staffed so she offered to go in on overtime. Normally we clean on a Monday so Bob and I set to and cleaned the whole house through, did some washing and while I cleared the ironing pile, Bob rubbed down the garage doors ready for painting. We stopped for a coffee and to watch an episode of Blindspot – love this series – then I asked him if he wanted to help me do some cooking? Tj has this Thermomix machine which makes cooking easier and I quite enjoy using it but Bob has no idea how it works so I thought I would get him to help me make a carrot cake – his favourite cake.
He really enjoyed the experience and the cake was delicious and while we did that I also make some lemon sorbet and a jelly for the girls for tomorrow. We had time for an hour with our feet up before preparing dinner for the family when they arrived home.
This week on Thursday it’s Mia’s 4th birthday so lots of organising and baking. Bob played his usual golf on Tuesday and TJ and I made cupcakes for Mia’s daycare buddies. I spent some time writing this blog up to date as it gets difficult to remember what I have done if I leave it too long between updates. Wednesday TJ took half a day off work and we picked up the girls from daycare early so that we could go to a 5-year-olds birthday party at the University swimming pool. The party was in a shallow pool with a slide so the girls really enjoyed that and then when the food came out they really liked that too! They eat a lot of fruit here and it’s amazing how much they both put away.
Thursday morning and its 5.45am and Mia is so excited. There are balloons all over the lounge and a pile of presents for her birthday. Daddy is working from home so that he can spend a bit more time with her before Bob, TJ, Zoe, Mia and I go off to Skydome for some trampolining. Mia wanted her hair down for this event, you will see why in the photos – What a mane she has – beautiful!
Mia tried a new thing at the Skydome, jumping into a pit of sponges, she was a bit wary to start with but eventually, she did it. Zoe however, doesn’t like it ! After a bit of lunch and a lot of water to cool down we all went home for a rest.
After their naps in the afternoon, we all set off for the local shopping mall for Mias next treat – having her nails done in a salon – a bit posher than sitting on Nannies lap having them painted in the lounge at home! She was very good and grown up and did what the lady said and sat still.
To finish off her birthday we all had dinner at the Hogs Breath Cafe, a sort of steak and burger restaurant with a pink hog as the emblem.
The pink Hog … scared Zoe but Mia loved him 
Friday was Mia’s “Boxing day” birthday and also Australia day so everyone had the day off work so we all went to Sea World, leaving the house super early in the morning, expecting loads of traffic on the roads and a venue full to bursting. However, the roads were clear-ish and we sailed down to the gold coast in record time for a bank holiday and were in SeaWorld without queuing! I think everyone must be at the beach ??? Anyway, we had a great day, the weather was hot but not too hot, we got on all the rides without waiting more than a couple of minutes. We saw all the shows and had lunch watching the jet skiers. The only thing that happened was that the pigeons came round us looking for scraps when we were having lunch and Zoe went into meltdown when they went under her chair. A very nice lady who cleans the tables gave us a spray bottle of water to shoo them away, which worked well. Here are some of the photos from our day at SeaWorld Gold Coast.
At the weekend the girls swim lessons restarted after the Christmas and new year break, the weather was hot hot hot, touching 38 degrees today so we all decided to have a swim in the outside pool after the girls’ lessons. We took a picnic and played in the cool water all morning. No pics I’m afraid as the pool has a “no photos” policy. The boys went off in the afternoon to the driving range for a bucket of balls, Adam is taking his golf clubs with him to Perth as his colleague also plays golf so they are hoping to get a couple of rounds in. In the evening Bob and I went off to the cinema to see 3 Billboards, a sad but extremely funny film.
Sunday Adam is preparing to leave for Perth for a weeks business trip but in the morning Bob and Adam went out and got some herbs for the herb garden and we all helped fill the boxes with liners and put in the herbs, we now have, Parsley, Thyme, Coriander, Chives, Oregano, Basil and Mint to hand. Meanwhile, I am experimenting with the Thermomix again, today is a lemon sorbet.
Last days of January
Its Monday again and almost the end of January, the girls are at daycare, I have some time to sit and start updating the blog and then TJ and I are off for a haircut at the Queensland Hair Academy. Its a great little place, cheap haircut and friendly people, in fact I was so lucky that the teacher didn’t have a pupil spare to practice on my hair so she cut it herself – that’s a bargain for you!
Tuesday I did some cooking while Bob did the garden, turkish delight jelly this time, but it turned out a bit runny, have to look at the recipe and see if I can find a way to stiffen it up a bit! lol Its still really hot and sticky but the forecast for the next few days is cooler thank goodness. Lucy sent me her report from the appeal solicitor for the planning permission appeal – I spent some time reading the several pages of waffle but there were some good points made. Fingers crossed that it works for them.
Wednesday, while Tj is at work Bob and I went off for a round of golf, I haven’t played as much as normal as it has been so hot and he has a little group of men golfers he has found so I like that he goes off and plays once a week with them on his own and gives me time to myself. However, today we are at Mount Warren, we love this little course, its only about 25 mins away, its 58$au for both of us in a buggy, the greens are good, the staff in the shop are friendly and it’s not usually busy. Bob beat me again but I put up a good fight today although the temperature was still in the mid 30’s. Afterwards, we went for lunch and a bit of shopping and bought the girls some new t-shirts and shorts that we found at $2 each!
Well that’s January, I thought we hadn’t done much this month but when you write it down you realise you did do loads. This is why the time is ticking past so quickly Now that all the madness of Christmas, birthdays and a new year party is over, its time to do a bit of crafting I think. We are almost halfway through our trip here, we love this place so much and we will be so sad to leave but we have Lucy and the boys cuddles to look forward to, when we return to the Uk in May.
Love Lyn x
Wow you have been busy. Sounds like you all having a great time.
What a wonderful time you are having. It would take me a year or more to write all that. Florida, the most favourite place I’ve ever been to (sixteen times).
I spent Christmas at Joanne’s and had a lovely week. They all came back to Newcastle with me on the 28th and Phil, Sue and Mark came from Liverpool so it was nice to have all the family together again. You wouldn’t like to be in England at the moment as we have had loads of snow and the worst is the gale to go with it as the snow is flying everywhere as it comes down. Enjoy the rest of your time in Australia.