Here is the view from the end of the driveway....first to the left, you can see the shops nearby, and to the right, up this hill and to the left (after the white car there), is caitlin & eventually Jennifer's new school, Gisborne Primary School.

This is the kitchen...and then here is one of the bedrooms plus the bathroom, and master bedroom!

This is the living room!! A sliding door off of that leads to the two bedrooms, with downstairs bathroom. And a "walkway" leads into the kitchen and dining area.

Our New House

Hi there...

Well, we have finally got the keys to our new house. So as promised, here are photos from it.

It will be more like home once all our furniture is here.

Another Countdown now!!

Hi all...

Well, we have another countdown now. This one is until we move to our new house in Gisborne. Which is now only 11 days away!!

We have purchased airbeds, for again we sleep on them until we get our things in the crate. Which will hopefully arrive in Australia on the 22nd November, so could be then or a week after.

Then I happen upon the quandry of, "Where will I store all the things we brought over??". I don't think they have lofts in this country. Luckily didnt bring an awful lot, but still!!

We also got our car last weekend there. It's a ford explorer. We will perhaps get it fixed up for LPG gas which alot of cars have over here. They all seem to have extra tanks for it, and bigger cars easier to put it in, although the cars we see using it usually have the tanks in the boot. So we are going tomorrow to get our drivers liscence exchanged for Victoria ones. This will get the insurance down, as well as having it for ID, which they all need over here. So we managed it!! Get a car and a house to live in in 6 weeks!! Although, quite difficult as some of the houses quite strange, and seems that no two houses are the same.
Anyway, will put some piccies of the car on this site, then when we get the house, take piccies of that.
Also on friday, get Caitlins school uniform ordered for when she starts Gisborne Primary school. She is going to look exactly like what they do on home and away. They wear the blue and white checked dress in summer and the jogging pants and sweatshirt in winter. A hat is also compulsory in the summer as they dont get to play if they dont have it. The sun was so strong the other day, it melted Jennifer's crayons & pastels, I kid you not! So that you will need to see. Jennifer will start Pre-Prep, which is our primary 1. She will start Prep after christmas. Here they go to grade 12 when they start high school, at age 13 years. So they end up leaving about 17 or 18 years old!! Imagie that, but quite a good idea, then they are slightly older and may have a better idea what they want to do.
Weather abit mixed these days. Was warm but then cooled right down, even with a bit of smirry rain on sunday there. But we have to remind ourselves that it is only spring!!

Another reason I'm worried that I'll miss Christmas...illogical to have it in the summer!! So totally going to sicken you all by having a barbie for christmas dinner, and perhaps go to the beach for the day!!! Well, It has to be done really! Would be letting you all down otherwise!!

Stuart getting right into the Aussie way. Will post a piccie of him in here. All that's needed it the Billy Ray Cyrus pony tail or mullet and we will be sorted. Although, he hasnt had a drink of the amber nectar though. So he will need more practice there. Been drinking plenty of Coles apple juice though...
Will wrap this up now, nearly time to go and get Caitlin from school. So until next time

Lotsa love from Oz

Denise & Co

Three weeks here already!!!!

Hey all!! well, we have been here three weeks already!! Can't hardly believe it.

To bring you all up to date.... Caitlin has startd school at the local school here for now, Williamstown Primary school. It seems really fun, I mean, they have climbing frames complete with monkey bars and a chute!!! And not one bit of graffitti anywhere.
Back in scotland that would have been destroyed by now. And you can use it outside school hours.

And it's so laid back, the teachers are known by their christian names! Caitlin's teacher is Nicki or can be called Mrs S! She seems really nice. And next week, Caitlin will also be in school for the first time ever, on her birthday. In scotland, it was always in october week. And she is going on an excursion to a lego toy exhibit. As the project in school at moment is toys and the engineering of them. I may actually go with them, also for the first time ever, as a parent helper. I've always been at work and could never go with them. Jennifer is too young at the moment to start school here. She has to be five before the april before the new term, ie after christmas holidays. So she will need to go to a kindergarten for the time being. Shame as it seems like a seems like a step back. Caitlin is in grade 2!
So thats what I've been up to, walking Caitlin to and from school. I dont think i've walked so much. But Jennifer gets to go to the park, so we are pretty much outside all day.

Today we went for a drive along the Great Ocean Road. With breathtaking views, but really twisty roads. You climb up, then drop down towards the beaches. So we stopped off and purchased some swimming wear for the children. Something to protect against any jelly fish. So they really do look the part. Didnt take photos as Stuart's phone was dud, but will next time. Stu also got the Aussie vibe going on by purchasing his first ever pair of "thongs". So he is now truly aussie!! So my face, hands and arms are a nice shade of brown, but yes, the legs are still milk bottle white!! Don't think I have pigment there at all!! And stuart has got a really deep tan on his neck!! Sun was behind us at the last beach we were at. So we stopped at Bell's Beach for a dip, then went further round to stop at Lorne Beach, a really awesome sight, as far as the eye can see both ways, with the temperature getting up to 28 degrees.

So more news, we also managed to get our house we had our heart set on. A beautiful two storey town house in the middle of Gisborne. A lovely wee town, almost like a Strathaven. So when you come out the house, turn left, you can see the shopping precinct. And turn right, 200 yards up the street is the local primary school. It has lovely wooden floors downstairs, with carpet in the bedrooms, the living area along from the kitchen area, with two bedrooms with a full bathroom downstairs. The only thing upstairs is the master bedroom with an ensuite!! Absolutely gorgeous!! It has a small "backgarden" area, but a new build, with a gravel bit set aside especially for the Bar-b-que!! Which is one of the first things we will need to get. It's just brilliant. Even better with wineries close by as well, i'm in heaven!!

Stuart is working away, good man that he is. And although it's 10 hours a day, the day seems to go by quite quickly for him. And he enjoys coming home everynight and still having most of the night. And also having the weekends brilliant for him. He's soo much happier here. I've always thought he had that S.A.D thing, as he was always miserable in Scotland, but what a difference being in the sun has made. Makes it all worthwhile.

Well, I'll go now, got the washing to hang up and get my dinner, but please, i hope folks are starting to save up cos I'm soo looking forward to sharing all this with you. I really wish you could be here with us!!

Until the next blog, keep well, love to you all

Denise & Stuart, Caitlin & Jennifer

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And it,s only spring
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