Thursday, 19 July 2012

5th July-19th July, sun, sand, walks and lots of cakes and a smack in the face .....

I am not even going to attempt to update you lot day by day, as the days go so quick they seem to be over in a blink. But I just sort of captured a couple of funnies and a batch of piccies for you, so here goes.

I will own up now, in that when we arrived we were met by Mike who greeted us with a 'sorry guys, we have a power cut!!!!" I look at John and we just laugh cuz everywhere we have been they have had a power cut.. so cud it be us???? But no... its defo not us this time. Mike explains that a man driving his 4WD had a stroke and heart attack at the wheel and ended up driving the car into the power pylons up the road. Anyway about 5 hours later power is restored and the top road re-opened, poor man...., but at least now know where the candles and the torches are, so there is no more falling over each other and getting lost...we've had a number of 'outages' while we have been here, buts its just become the norm, so we just carry on as best we can and wait for the power to be restored.

Now, you have to imagine its first thing in the morning and showers have been had and we are just getting dressed. Buddy and Missy are just getting up and I turn round to see John, one hand on the sink area of the bathroom, one hand and arm spread back and one leg back and one leg forward.... sort of stretching..."what are you doing I ask?" 'I was copying Buddy" he replies ???  Well that just about says it all, next minute he has swapped legs and arms and he is doing it the other way round??? It must be his age, as I cant think what else it can be, but proberly lest said the better. Its just that I have to live with him.....he then stands up straight, has a giggle, gets dressed and leaves the room.

Its fair to say we have had lots of laughs and giggles along the way, but probably more so here as its so relaxed. I've also been baking and I might add they are flippin good cakes, so good, that a batch of twelve lasts about 1 day!!! and as there are only the two of us here, that takes some doing..

The local shopping is quite good and there is a large shopping mall about 15 mins away. I drive there on my own now and am also able to pop into another centre on the way back and still manage to arrive home having not got lost and in one piece.

Buddy and Missy are great and no bother. We have to keep Missy on her lead at walk times as she has taken to wandering off into the bush of the local reserve and not coming back!!! Fair to say Mr Smith was not impressed at these antics, especially when he had to get right in the bush, find her and get her out, after she had decided to hide herself in the middle of loads of brambles and bushes. She then became trapped, so in went Smith....,. Added to which when we called her she took the silent vow......little madam. Long story short, she came out being carried under Johns armpit looking very pleased with herself!

The local reserve is called 'Denis De Young' ( He was a local man who left hundreds of acres of bushland to the council for the community to use providing it remained as bush land and not built on) and its just acres and acres of open bush land, no cars, no bikes, no nothing, just walkers and their dogs and a really large 'trotting track' for the local horse community.  Its alright but you have to watch out for spiders (redbacks, seen and 'deaded' one so far!) and snakes and stuff, luckily a gravel path has been laid through some of it which as you can imagine I sort of favour.

Then there is the torrential rain and when it really rains here you know it. I will leave you with the piccies. This where the ozzies come into their own as they collect gallons of the stuff...

There we are sat out the garden, eating cakes and tea as you do... and up pops a small black and white jack Russell. He just wanders up and walks around. I look at his collar "Jake", oh I say to John this is that dog the neighbours were talking about, he lives next door with Alan and Jude and goes walk about for days. So I go inside and get a lead, put it on him and take him back and over into Alan and Judes garden, where I let him go, so peace is restored.. Next day a slightly bigger black and white dog wanders into the back garden and then promptly wanders back out again??? Outcome was neither dog belonged to Alan and Jude (hahahaha) turns out their dog is called Jack and is a very large sandy coloured lab, so I think I will keep stum about putting Jake into their garden!!!

Well, Kouy is due here later tomorrow, so off I go to the shops to get her a balloon, you know those helium things with the messages on. But thats easier said then done. I could not believe the price either. The standard 'small' balloon that we would normally pay about £3-4 for is $25 (£18) plus  a further $2 blowing charge???? . WE love Kouy dearly but flippin hell, thats a bit steep, so I am thinking outside the box.... The lady at the local Spotlight (Dunelm Mills sort of shop) suggests I go to the local party shop as they are the only ones who do plain balloons. So directions in hand and off I go, venturing in to a new area. The party shop is bright pink and just as the lady says stands out!. I ask the man for a plain balloon that I can write a message on, he looks at me like I am mad. His wife explains' we don have much call here for plain balloons" anyway long story short I buy a plan balloon for $7, and if I want a weight on the end its another $4, so I bypass on the weight as I have a nice cuddly toy back at the house that will make a really nice weight. and just pay the $7. I talk the man into lending me his perm marker and I stand in the shop and write the message on the balloon... Both he and his wife stand watching my artistry, YES artistry , wish me well and warn me to get it out of the car asap as its a tad hot today and the balloons don't like extremes of heat either way.  Now all I have to remember is to tie it up in the car and take it out the other end. So tied up it is, and its off back to the house... AS I'm driving along, I have got this bloody balloon making a break for freedom and bopping about all over the back seat and yes I did tie it to my shopping!!!! but clearly not tight enough. I am concentrating so hard on the balloon that I nearly miss the turning, but eventually arrive back, pull slowly up the drive and park amidst Buddy and Missy trying hari kari in front of the car....  I carefully open the back door and make a mad grab for the thing before it flies off and into the WA skies. It gets tied to the 'duck' and all is well. Lest just hope it stays up as promised (7 days apparently)...

John and I have now realised that we probably should have emigrated here years ago and when the kids were really young. The quality of life, the opportunities, the weather, the education, the outside life, the space, because as a place to live its just got so much to offer. Who knows where we would have all been now, but hey ho we did't, lifes still good and we are still seeing lots of it, so no regrets just some missed opportunities.....

Anyway too much said, so heres the pictures..

The washing line is to low, so I ask John to pull the rope up!!!!


Umm tightening that line, that was a big mistake, because washing line is now broke, cuz tightened rope, pulled down tree trunk, smacked Linda round chops, bought tears to eyes and her drawers to the floor!!!! so I say no more..

Pleased to say tho... the rotary line is now out of the bush(I mean John cut the garden back) and in  full use ! and my drawers are back where they should be, flying high!!!!!!

A view down the side of the house.


This is Missy, enjoying the dregs of Johns ice cream... love her..


Bonnie, only time we cud get a piccie...


John hoovers the pool edge..


yes this me, cleaning the pool.


and still cleaning the pool..


I collect wood for the fire, well yes it is only one, but be fair it is a big one !!!


Off for walkies...twice a day..


Madam, with her new collar on that I made, dosent she look pretty?




This is the lemon tree in the garden, all the veg left overs are put under this tree for the local wild life to feed on... The lemons are massive, juicy and really tasty and the tree is full of them, so we are gonna make some lemonade (well Kouy is when she gets here lol)


John really!!!!! you greedy boy...


Theres no ships in there John... ( he is actually checking the water level as we have had some heavy rains...) he confirmed it was full...so we will continue to shower....


Cutting wood for the fire....thats heats the house, and the kettle and the washing up water.


This was the brambles, that Missy decided to hide in....


Yes, the long walk through Denis De Young reserve and those two black dots are Buddy and Missy....


more of the reserve..


and some more...



These are 'pig melons'  they just grow on the roadside and are sort of attached to each other by some sort of string that they produce. No one seems to eat them, they just lay and rot back into the ground over time..


Western Australia (WA) is well know for its flora, this is actually just one of many in Mike and Cheryls garden..




The rain is diverted with pipes, when the tank become full. I kid you not this pipe gushed... I had palpitations that we were going to get a repeat of Dawesville...I had started to look for a tinnie and oars....


Well once again thats all, sorry the blog got a bit behind, but this retirement lark is hectic.....

The kids are doing great, Roxanne has had her graduation form Uni and very lovely she looked too, Billee is now searching for a job as she has left school... (still remember her in her fairy dressing up outfit!) and she is off to Florida In Aug, lucky girl xx and Kouy is working and studying hard and trying to calm her excitement at coming out to stay with us here....yippeee. Steven awaits his next baby. So overall things appear fine and seem to becoming together for all of them.

Love to all, and just to remind you all that our Kouy lands at midnight tonite, so tomorrow will bring lots of cuddles and hugs.

We just have to get through today and then she will be here, and it cant seem to go quick enough....Just to let you know its 7.20am in the UK, and 14.20 here, so I am off to make a cup of tea, cup of coffee and add those to a cake ( yes been baking again xx) and no doubt you are all getting up and having breakkie....

Bye.... xxx Love to all our kids and friends xxx

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