Well, actually, i don't live in a swamp anymore. But i just like that as a title...
The water has gone, no more flooding under the house. Things around our area are still a little stinky, and people are still cleaning up, but the good thing is that it hasn't flooded again and we didn't lose anything.
The water was knee high under our house... we were right on the edge of the flooding, the house next door didn't have any flooding at all. So, we were lucky. The house on the other side of the vacant block of land, had to pump the water out of their backyard and under their house.
Anyway.. its all good at ours again. We were worried about the storm everyone was predicting on Saturday, meant to be another crazy wild thing that was going to tear through again.. but it never happened. It was funny though, on the news that day they had shown people taping their windows and sandbagging, getting ready for the big storm.. and it never came.
But, the creek near us is still incredibly high. It hasn't gone down at all. It used to go up and down with the tides, now its just high. Not only that, but its not moving anymore either... its all full of debri and rubbish, and its not flowing... just stagnating.... hmm.. not good... if we get another downpour, we may be in trouble again...
Will be on weather watch!
In other news, we got the windows on the truck tinted! On Friday last week.. looks really good. Makes a huge difference having the windows darker... looks much cooler.. heheh
And, i have also just sent off my application to Qtac to study a Bachelor of Creative Enterprise next year through CQU! Am going to be a uni student again... I'm enrolling externally, so that i can keep working, and study after work. It could be difficult, but i think it will be really good for me. My second choice is a Bachelor of Business, but I think the Creative Enterprise will be more interesting. :) Am sort of looking forward to it...
Its also just hit me that Christmas is a month away! YIKES! I might try and get some time off work in January, or after Christmas sometime.. maybe a week or two. Have to talk to work here and see when others are going on holiday etc.
Am hoping i can... a holiday would be nice...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
farewell
So.. news.. We have sold the van!
:( which is a bit sad.. but its a step forward.
After we came back from Fraser, Mateus and I started thinking, that perhaps the van isn't going to last us forever. And due to it being an import car, if something very bad should happen to her, we would have to let her go... So, we started thinking of getting a new vehicle... We started looking, and found a few ones that we were interested in, other 4 wheel drives, not really trucks, not really utes, not really cars.. heh.. Anyway.. we went and had a look at some on Saturday, and were driving around, and found one that was not on the list of ones to look at, but was very very nice. After taking on a test drive, and then much deliberation and driving around and looking at other cars etc, we thought of trading in the van for it, but got a really really shite price, so we put the van on the market privately. We put it up on Sunday for sale, and have sold it already.. well granted the guy comes to pay Mateus today.
I feel like a bit of a traitor to be leaving the van, but she has a new owner, and Mateus assures me that the new owner will look after her. :)
The new car/truck, i think I will stick to truck, cause it sounds beefier.. haha.. Is a 1995 Ford Raider. Its sort of like a ute, but intstead of having a tray that you can't get to in a normal ute, its got one you can. Imagine a car that has an extended boot but in the shape of a ute.. hahaha.. :) I love my descriptions.
Perhaps photos will be better:
So we're still able to sleep in it, the back seats fold down, and we've got the perfect flat bed there. Has plenty of space in the back too... Is a real 4x4, not that the van wasn't, but this one is a little higher, more practical should we wish to go to Fraser again for example. Mateus picked it up on Wednesday, and its a really nice truck. Very neat inside, really good condition... We'll be driving it around for the first time this weekend.. which will be good.
Our plans are to get a nudge bar for the front, and eventually we would like side steps, we want to tint the windows, really black, like limo tint. Especially the back windows... We will get bigger tyres eventually too, like the ones that were on the van, well they weren't bigger, but they looked cooler. Chunky, due to the writing on the sides of them, so we'll get ones like that too.
So, we'll make it ours... but i will miss the van...
:( which is a bit sad.. but its a step forward.
After we came back from Fraser, Mateus and I started thinking, that perhaps the van isn't going to last us forever. And due to it being an import car, if something very bad should happen to her, we would have to let her go... So, we started thinking of getting a new vehicle... We started looking, and found a few ones that we were interested in, other 4 wheel drives, not really trucks, not really utes, not really cars.. heh.. Anyway.. we went and had a look at some on Saturday, and were driving around, and found one that was not on the list of ones to look at, but was very very nice. After taking on a test drive, and then much deliberation and driving around and looking at other cars etc, we thought of trading in the van for it, but got a really really shite price, so we put the van on the market privately. We put it up on Sunday for sale, and have sold it already.. well granted the guy comes to pay Mateus today.
I feel like a bit of a traitor to be leaving the van, but she has a new owner, and Mateus assures me that the new owner will look after her. :)
The new car/truck, i think I will stick to truck, cause it sounds beefier.. haha.. Is a 1995 Ford Raider. Its sort of like a ute, but intstead of having a tray that you can't get to in a normal ute, its got one you can. Imagine a car that has an extended boot but in the shape of a ute.. hahaha.. :) I love my descriptions.
Perhaps photos will be better:
So we're still able to sleep in it, the back seats fold down, and we've got the perfect flat bed there. Has plenty of space in the back too... Is a real 4x4, not that the van wasn't, but this one is a little higher, more practical should we wish to go to Fraser again for example. Mateus picked it up on Wednesday, and its a really nice truck. Very neat inside, really good condition... We'll be driving it around for the first time this weekend.. which will be good.
Our plans are to get a nudge bar for the front, and eventually we would like side steps, we want to tint the windows, really black, like limo tint. Especially the back windows... We will get bigger tyres eventually too, like the ones that were on the van, well they weren't bigger, but they looked cooler. Chunky, due to the writing on the sides of them, so we'll get ones like that too.
So, we'll make it ours... but i will miss the van...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
gilligans isle
heheh.. so we made it, here and back again to Fraser Island. In the van... :) It was a bit of an effort... hehe... Don't think Mateus really expected it to be as 'off road' as it is over there... ;)
I was pretty worried about the van making it over there, handling the roads etc. I remembered it was pretty tracky over there... so wasn't sure about the van handling it. But she did, quite well too... apart from one slight problem, its too low!
This time of the year is pretty bad actually, cause there has been no heavy rain to smooth the roads out, which means that all the roads are really tracklike. Just two rather deep tyre tracks... and that was alright... but it was the middle of the track that was the problem. The sand bank in the middle... Poor Kickin' Super Tripper ended up dragging her underbelly through these sand banks all the way through!
At the start Mateus was pushing the van quite hard, cause he was worried that it wouldn't make it through... and we got to about halfway across the island, just before Lake MacKenzie, before we stopped at a little steep hill down, where we peered down, and thought that if we went down there, we would probably not make it back up. Was so potholed and rough... The van was rather overheated at this stage, so we thought it would be good to just rest before we decided if we should carry on or not. After a while we considered our options, and decided the best thing would be to turn back, we didn't want to have to get stuck there...and then try and get a lift to Lake MacKenzie, camp there for the night and hitch it back on Sunday.. hahaha... but Mateus was worried about the drive back, we had pushed the van hard, and it was rather full of sand that we thought it would be a good idea to have a lifeline there to pull us out. So we called up the tow truck service, and asked him to come and lead us out. We weren't stuck, and we didn't need towing, but it was more of a confidence thing. Having someone there to pull us out if we needed it made it a lot easier for Mateus who was feeling a lot of pressure... But we really shouldn't have worried, the van made it back fine.. and up an even steeper and more potholed road than the one we stopped at! There were a couple of times where we were stunned the van actually made it through there the first time.
Anyway, we made it, back to Kingfisher, parked little van there to rest and recover, and then caught a lift back with the tow truck guy.. we just grabbed the tent and a blanket, our clothes, some food and that was it... so basic camping haha.. now, the way to Lake MacKenzie, was shockingly bad... the road there was so bad at one stage that we wondered if this 4WD would make it through, and then glad we didn't bring the van down there.... heheh
Lake MacKenzie was empty by the time we got there... which was perfect. We set up camp in this hikers camping area they have there, (all fenced off from dingos)... and then went for a swim in the Lake which is just so clear... was gorgeous. (photos will come up on flickr soon).
Was fun camping there.. really minimal, no blankets, no light, not much food.. hehehe.. back to basics! There was another couple that were walking across Fraser that were set up in the camping site, and we borrowed their little gas cooker and made noodles... had biscuits.. hehehe... rations!
The next morning we woke up early, to a rainy day... Went walking along the lake... came back, packed up camp... then we had to decide what to do next. We had our ferry booked for 4pm, and needed to get a lift back to Kingfisher from there... We were contemplating asking the people that were coming to the lake to visit... but I was not looking forward to having to go up and ask people... would have looked so dodgy.
Anyway.. then i had a look at the map i had, and it had some numbers on the back, the tow truck service and lo and behold: Fraser Island has a taxi service! hahaha.. who would think it?! So problem solved... we caught a taxi later that day... went back to the Lake first, the sun came out and we went exploring all the way around the lake, had a bit of rationed food.. and then went back to Kingfisher.
Then we had to worry about the van not starting or having issues with its steering, at one time coming back to Kingfisher, Mateus started feeling something wrong with its steering.. the wheels weren't turning... but she was fine! She's a goer that one... :)
Was definitely an adventurous weekend.. didn't go entirely as planned.. and we ended up spending way more money than we had expected.. tow truck and taxi service etc... plus we think I lost some money over there... a couple of hundred that Mateus had in his wallet was gone... and we believe it fell out of his wallet when i paid the tow truck... :( eep!! So apart from that horrible bit, it was fun. We know now, that we will have to get the van raised if we want to take her back. We will go back if we do.. depends how difficult it will be to raise the van.
You should of seen the amount of sand in the engine.. unbelievable.... and she is rather squeaky now... must get her cleaned up as soon as possible...
So, we will return to Fraser to conquer the wild once more... :)
(The van's tires have Wild Conqureror written on them... hehehe.. and i joked that we would see if she really was a Wild Conqureror on the barge over... hahaha.. not completely defeated, but not entirely conqurered either!)
I was pretty worried about the van making it over there, handling the roads etc. I remembered it was pretty tracky over there... so wasn't sure about the van handling it. But she did, quite well too... apart from one slight problem, its too low!
This time of the year is pretty bad actually, cause there has been no heavy rain to smooth the roads out, which means that all the roads are really tracklike. Just two rather deep tyre tracks... and that was alright... but it was the middle of the track that was the problem. The sand bank in the middle... Poor Kickin' Super Tripper ended up dragging her underbelly through these sand banks all the way through!
At the start Mateus was pushing the van quite hard, cause he was worried that it wouldn't make it through... and we got to about halfway across the island, just before Lake MacKenzie, before we stopped at a little steep hill down, where we peered down, and thought that if we went down there, we would probably not make it back up. Was so potholed and rough... The van was rather overheated at this stage, so we thought it would be good to just rest before we decided if we should carry on or not. After a while we considered our options, and decided the best thing would be to turn back, we didn't want to have to get stuck there...and then try and get a lift to Lake MacKenzie, camp there for the night and hitch it back on Sunday.. hahaha... but Mateus was worried about the drive back, we had pushed the van hard, and it was rather full of sand that we thought it would be a good idea to have a lifeline there to pull us out. So we called up the tow truck service, and asked him to come and lead us out. We weren't stuck, and we didn't need towing, but it was more of a confidence thing. Having someone there to pull us out if we needed it made it a lot easier for Mateus who was feeling a lot of pressure... But we really shouldn't have worried, the van made it back fine.. and up an even steeper and more potholed road than the one we stopped at! There were a couple of times where we were stunned the van actually made it through there the first time.
Anyway, we made it, back to Kingfisher, parked little van there to rest and recover, and then caught a lift back with the tow truck guy.. we just grabbed the tent and a blanket, our clothes, some food and that was it... so basic camping haha.. now, the way to Lake MacKenzie, was shockingly bad... the road there was so bad at one stage that we wondered if this 4WD would make it through, and then glad we didn't bring the van down there.... heheh
Lake MacKenzie was empty by the time we got there... which was perfect. We set up camp in this hikers camping area they have there, (all fenced off from dingos)... and then went for a swim in the Lake which is just so clear... was gorgeous. (photos will come up on flickr soon).
Was fun camping there.. really minimal, no blankets, no light, not much food.. hehehe.. back to basics! There was another couple that were walking across Fraser that were set up in the camping site, and we borrowed their little gas cooker and made noodles... had biscuits.. hehehe... rations!
The next morning we woke up early, to a rainy day... Went walking along the lake... came back, packed up camp... then we had to decide what to do next. We had our ferry booked for 4pm, and needed to get a lift back to Kingfisher from there... We were contemplating asking the people that were coming to the lake to visit... but I was not looking forward to having to go up and ask people... would have looked so dodgy.
Anyway.. then i had a look at the map i had, and it had some numbers on the back, the tow truck service and lo and behold: Fraser Island has a taxi service! hahaha.. who would think it?! So problem solved... we caught a taxi later that day... went back to the Lake first, the sun came out and we went exploring all the way around the lake, had a bit of rationed food.. and then went back to Kingfisher.
Then we had to worry about the van not starting or having issues with its steering, at one time coming back to Kingfisher, Mateus started feeling something wrong with its steering.. the wheels weren't turning... but she was fine! She's a goer that one... :)
Was definitely an adventurous weekend.. didn't go entirely as planned.. and we ended up spending way more money than we had expected.. tow truck and taxi service etc... plus we think I lost some money over there... a couple of hundred that Mateus had in his wallet was gone... and we believe it fell out of his wallet when i paid the tow truck... :( eep!! So apart from that horrible bit, it was fun. We know now, that we will have to get the van raised if we want to take her back. We will go back if we do.. depends how difficult it will be to raise the van.
You should of seen the amount of sand in the engine.. unbelievable.... and she is rather squeaky now... must get her cleaned up as soon as possible...
So, we will return to Fraser to conquer the wild once more... :)
(The van's tires have Wild Conqureror written on them... hehehe.. and i joked that we would see if she really was a Wild Conqureror on the barge over... hahaha.. not completely defeated, but not entirely conqurered either!)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
island time
We're back!
Yah.. back on Sunday, i just haven't written on here yet.. or uploaded any photos. Heh.. so the island was fantastic. Stradbroke Island is so beautiful! Its such a nice place to go for a little holiday... we set up camp on Friday night (which entails parking the van in a suitable spot) and then went off to the festival for a few hours. Was such a great festival too... not super crowded like normal summer music festivals, and everyone was relaxed, there wasn't anyone running around being stupid after drinking way too much. There was only one drink tent, which i think helped ... along with the fact that the majority of people there were hippies! hehe.. dreadlocks and barefeet... kids in tow... was so nice... (although a little intimidating at times too).
But it was just so nice to go to a festival that was relaxed rather than going to a super packed out one where you can't hardly walk and everyone is drunk and acts like complete idiots... heheh... yeah.. i must be getting old...
But they also had the right setup too, the festival started in the afternoon everyday, which was great as well. Meant you could just hang out at the beach in the morning, go for a swim, walk around and then head off to the festival...
We spent the mornings walking around and exploring the beaches, cooling off in the crisp water.. the water was sooo clear... it was beautiful.
And yeah, was just a great weekend for the both of us. Good to get out of the city here, and we've got the perfect van to go away on more weekends. The bed was perfect.. (mateus built the bed for the back of the van, a little wooden frame). And there is heaps of room in the back there... We bought a little cooker, took an esky too, had all the food we needed to stay for a weekend.
We've even added a few more items to the camping equipment, got a couple of camping chairs and a tarp or two to make a little awning at the back of the van and a little table too... More trips are planned! ;) Just need a converter (i think thats the name of the thing we need), a power supply thing so that we can have some power other than using the van's battery...
We're actually thinking of heading over to Fraser Island. Mateus is keen to try Kickin' Super Tripper on the sand... He wanted to give it a go on the weekend, but i wasn't so keen... So, thats the next plan.. Fraser... I hope she can make it!
Onwards we roam... :)
Yah.. back on Sunday, i just haven't written on here yet.. or uploaded any photos. Heh.. so the island was fantastic. Stradbroke Island is so beautiful! Its such a nice place to go for a little holiday... we set up camp on Friday night (which entails parking the van in a suitable spot) and then went off to the festival for a few hours. Was such a great festival too... not super crowded like normal summer music festivals, and everyone was relaxed, there wasn't anyone running around being stupid after drinking way too much. There was only one drink tent, which i think helped ... along with the fact that the majority of people there were hippies! hehe.. dreadlocks and barefeet... kids in tow... was so nice... (although a little intimidating at times too).
But it was just so nice to go to a festival that was relaxed rather than going to a super packed out one where you can't hardly walk and everyone is drunk and acts like complete idiots... heheh... yeah.. i must be getting old...
But they also had the right setup too, the festival started in the afternoon everyday, which was great as well. Meant you could just hang out at the beach in the morning, go for a swim, walk around and then head off to the festival...
We spent the mornings walking around and exploring the beaches, cooling off in the crisp water.. the water was sooo clear... it was beautiful.
And yeah, was just a great weekend for the both of us. Good to get out of the city here, and we've got the perfect van to go away on more weekends. The bed was perfect.. (mateus built the bed for the back of the van, a little wooden frame). And there is heaps of room in the back there... We bought a little cooker, took an esky too, had all the food we needed to stay for a weekend.
We've even added a few more items to the camping equipment, got a couple of camping chairs and a tarp or two to make a little awning at the back of the van and a little table too... More trips are planned! ;) Just need a converter (i think thats the name of the thing we need), a power supply thing so that we can have some power other than using the van's battery...
We're actually thinking of heading over to Fraser Island. Mateus is keen to try Kickin' Super Tripper on the sand... He wanted to give it a go on the weekend, but i wasn't so keen... So, thats the next plan.. Fraser... I hope she can make it!
Onwards we roam... :)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
pluto pup
We've been thinking, about getting a puppy... :) Mateus and I... We've sort of had it in our minds since we decided to get a house.. and now that we have a house, we've been thinking about it even more.
I've always wanted one.. as you know.. but have always thought that I wouldn't really be the best owner of a puppy cause I used to live on my own, and would always get home late and never have any time for the puppy.
But, I think it might work now... :D
It would only be alone in the mornings, because Mateus gets home in the afternoons, and would be great company for him... could take him for walks and play around etc. So we've been thinking seriously about it.
Just a little dog, or medium little. The neighbours out the back of us have these two sweet little puppies, not sure what type of dog they are, but they are so gorgeous. One is black, one is white.. sort of like mini-boxers without the slobby cheeks... haha.. is the best way I can describe them. And after finding that video below, I really want a boxer now! hahaha
Anyway... anyone have any suggestions for types of dog? I looked around on the rspca site the other day, there are some really cute cross breed pups around... ;)
I like the idea of a cross breed... a mutt! Sort of go for the underdog...
Need to see if the owners would allow it first, owners of the house that is... They did have a maybe to small pet, so we might be able to... we're waiting to ask after they realise just how great tenants we are!
Oh, door update! They came around this morning, with bi-fold doors... but when they went to put them up, realised that the company had cut them too small! Damn... so now we have to wait, for them to buy new doors, send them down to Sydney to be cut, and then send them back up here again. Don't ask me why they have to send them down to Sydney... its a little stupid in my brain, no-one can cut them in Brisbane? Hmm.. maybe theres an opportunity there, door cutters needed!!! So, another couple of weeks before we get doors.
We're off to Stradbroke Island tomorrow! To the Reggae festival Island Vibe... Taking the van on our first weekend away! Sleeping in the van even... :) Have tomorrow off work so that I can fully relax and get into the whole island vibe.. hahahaha
This is where i'm headin... enjoy the weekend everyone...
I've always wanted one.. as you know.. but have always thought that I wouldn't really be the best owner of a puppy cause I used to live on my own, and would always get home late and never have any time for the puppy.
But, I think it might work now... :D
It would only be alone in the mornings, because Mateus gets home in the afternoons, and would be great company for him... could take him for walks and play around etc. So we've been thinking seriously about it.
Just a little dog, or medium little. The neighbours out the back of us have these two sweet little puppies, not sure what type of dog they are, but they are so gorgeous. One is black, one is white.. sort of like mini-boxers without the slobby cheeks... haha.. is the best way I can describe them. And after finding that video below, I really want a boxer now! hahaha
Anyway... anyone have any suggestions for types of dog? I looked around on the rspca site the other day, there are some really cute cross breed pups around... ;)
I like the idea of a cross breed... a mutt! Sort of go for the underdog...
Need to see if the owners would allow it first, owners of the house that is... They did have a maybe to small pet, so we might be able to... we're waiting to ask after they realise just how great tenants we are!
Oh, door update! They came around this morning, with bi-fold doors... but when they went to put them up, realised that the company had cut them too small! Damn... so now we have to wait, for them to buy new doors, send them down to Sydney to be cut, and then send them back up here again. Don't ask me why they have to send them down to Sydney... its a little stupid in my brain, no-one can cut them in Brisbane? Hmm.. maybe theres an opportunity there, door cutters needed!!! So, another couple of weeks before we get doors.
We're off to Stradbroke Island tomorrow! To the Reggae festival Island Vibe... Taking the van on our first weekend away! Sleeping in the van even... :) Have tomorrow off work so that I can fully relax and get into the whole island vibe.. hahahaha
This is where i'm headin... enjoy the weekend everyone...
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
festival song part two...
Too much for one post!
On with the photos.. ;)
Here is the kitchen and you can see the dining there too... on the right hand side is the second bedroom door... frame... no door.. ;)
The favourite place of all, the hammock and bbq! hehe.. on our back deck... its so nice... i have finally put that hammock up, well actually Mateus put it up, i just lay around in it!
The other side of the deck, sorry about the rubbish in the corner.. bin day is today... hehe... nice screen there so we have some privacy from the neighbours at that side. The neighbours, by the way, have a great big german shepherd called Bear... heheh.. He is just like one!
The backyard.. with the same clothes line as home home! Even has little papaws growing in the corner... :) Mateus is super excited... hehe
And finally, the view from the other side of the house.. looking towards the front door.
So, there is the house.. its sweet and little and the perfect size for us.. Ivan and Jess moved with us too.. we're not sure if they will stay on with us or not... not too worried about that at the moment...
Things are going really well here. We've been spending a lot of the weekends fixing the van and setting up the house.. and yeah, its been really good. Its Mateus' birthday today, so we had a bit of a celebration on the weekend. Cake (chocolate and coconut cake with a dash or two of rum in it.. ;)), I got him tickets to a reggae festival thats being held over on Stradbroke Island in October, so he's started setting the van up as a camper van, building a little bed frame etc. Its so nice to be able to spend time together like that....
And... I have something else.. A new piercing! Hehehe.. I got my bottom lip pierced!! In the middle... its going to eventually be a little spike, but at the moment its a bigger one, to deal with the swelling.. I got it done on Saturday, so its still pretty new.. but i really like it... My lip is a teensy bit fat, but its not really noticeable.. which is good.
TA DA!!!
cute huh?? ;) hehehe....
On with the photos.. ;)
Here is the kitchen and you can see the dining there too... on the right hand side is the second bedroom door... frame... no door.. ;)
The favourite place of all, the hammock and bbq! hehe.. on our back deck... its so nice... i have finally put that hammock up, well actually Mateus put it up, i just lay around in it!
The other side of the deck, sorry about the rubbish in the corner.. bin day is today... hehe... nice screen there so we have some privacy from the neighbours at that side. The neighbours, by the way, have a great big german shepherd called Bear... heheh.. He is just like one!
The backyard.. with the same clothes line as home home! Even has little papaws growing in the corner... :) Mateus is super excited... hehe
And finally, the view from the other side of the house.. looking towards the front door.
So, there is the house.. its sweet and little and the perfect size for us.. Ivan and Jess moved with us too.. we're not sure if they will stay on with us or not... not too worried about that at the moment...
Things are going really well here. We've been spending a lot of the weekends fixing the van and setting up the house.. and yeah, its been really good. Its Mateus' birthday today, so we had a bit of a celebration on the weekend. Cake (chocolate and coconut cake with a dash or two of rum in it.. ;)), I got him tickets to a reggae festival thats being held over on Stradbroke Island in October, so he's started setting the van up as a camper van, building a little bed frame etc. Its so nice to be able to spend time together like that....
And... I have something else.. A new piercing! Hehehe.. I got my bottom lip pierced!! In the middle... its going to eventually be a little spike, but at the moment its a bigger one, to deal with the swelling.. I got it done on Saturday, so its still pretty new.. but i really like it... My lip is a teensy bit fat, but its not really noticeable.. which is good.
TA DA!!!
cute huh?? ;) hehehe....
Saturday, September 27, 2008
festival song
Hey hey hey!
I'm here.. around... enjoying the house and the recent sunny weather... summer is definitely coming back... And I am actually looking forward to it!
Hehehe...
But, before I go any further, here is the soundtrack to this post.. (I like the idea of blogposts having soundtracks... sets the mood... ;))
The Festival Song (Summer Days)
The house is so good... Moving out of the apartment is definitely one of the best things thats happened recently. Not that living in the apartment wasn't good too, just that the house has a better atmosphere. So much better, settled even.
We inspected this house late on a Friday afternoon, and basically right then and there put in our application, got approved the next day while we were driving around looking at other houses... Its perfect, two bedrooms, two bathrooms... cute little queenslander, but you know all that already!
But the funniest thing about the house, is that we have no doors!!! Yes, thats right.. no doors.. on the bedrooms and the ensuite in Mateus and my bedroom. Hehehe.. which was quite a surprise... because the house has door frames, that really stand out.. you see the door frame, and expect a door there. But, the owner apparently believes that people don't need doors, and hasn't put them up. hehehe.. And we didn't even notice until after we had moved everything! Hahahaa... At the inspection, we didn't look for doors.. we saw the frames.. looked for windows etc. Assumed all houses came with doors.. apparently not! We got the keys on Monday, and Mateus and Ivan had been moving everything all week, and it was only on the Friday when we were staying there for the first night, that they noticed we had no doors! Hahahaha.. Hilarious... So, we've constructed our own doors.. Mateus and I have hooked up a sleeping bag on our bedroom door, and have that piece of material from Cambodia as our ensuite door... and Ivan and Jess have the spare mattress up in their door. They are lucky, cause that second bathroom does actually have doors, one into the bedroom, and one into the kitchen... hehehe.. just a bit funny that we didn't realise before we moved in... But, the owner is going to put up doors, in the next few days we hope. Folding ones, so that we don't lose space. Should be really nice... to have a door again... ;)
Anyway, here are some photos! YAY!
The front door.. my umbrella suits the house hey! :)
The view through the front door.. living room on the right, our bedroom on the left.
Living room, complete with little office 'nook'.. heheh.. We bought that desk and chair from Pam cause she has left the country to go to Japan. Fits in perfectly and is really good to have a desk for the computer... Living room is the perfect size for our furniture.. the couch fits in perfectly, not too big, not too small... its quaint.. hehe
Our bedroom... Mateus' surf board... bed... door frame, but no door... hehehe ;)
The ensuite in our bedroom... we took that little clothes rack from downstairs, and Mateus is using it to hang all his t-shirts... Not enough hanging space in our room... but the rack is good... The material is pretty too... reminds me of you E!! :)
To be continued...
I'm here.. around... enjoying the house and the recent sunny weather... summer is definitely coming back... And I am actually looking forward to it!
Hehehe...
But, before I go any further, here is the soundtrack to this post.. (I like the idea of blogposts having soundtracks... sets the mood... ;))
The Festival Song (Summer Days)
The house is so good... Moving out of the apartment is definitely one of the best things thats happened recently. Not that living in the apartment wasn't good too, just that the house has a better atmosphere. So much better, settled even.
We inspected this house late on a Friday afternoon, and basically right then and there put in our application, got approved the next day while we were driving around looking at other houses... Its perfect, two bedrooms, two bathrooms... cute little queenslander, but you know all that already!
But the funniest thing about the house, is that we have no doors!!! Yes, thats right.. no doors.. on the bedrooms and the ensuite in Mateus and my bedroom. Hehehe.. which was quite a surprise... because the house has door frames, that really stand out.. you see the door frame, and expect a door there. But, the owner apparently believes that people don't need doors, and hasn't put them up. hehehe.. And we didn't even notice until after we had moved everything! Hahahaa... At the inspection, we didn't look for doors.. we saw the frames.. looked for windows etc. Assumed all houses came with doors.. apparently not! We got the keys on Monday, and Mateus and Ivan had been moving everything all week, and it was only on the Friday when we were staying there for the first night, that they noticed we had no doors! Hahahaha.. Hilarious... So, we've constructed our own doors.. Mateus and I have hooked up a sleeping bag on our bedroom door, and have that piece of material from Cambodia as our ensuite door... and Ivan and Jess have the spare mattress up in their door. They are lucky, cause that second bathroom does actually have doors, one into the bedroom, and one into the kitchen... hehehe.. just a bit funny that we didn't realise before we moved in... But, the owner is going to put up doors, in the next few days we hope. Folding ones, so that we don't lose space. Should be really nice... to have a door again... ;)
Anyway, here are some photos! YAY!
The front door.. my umbrella suits the house hey! :)
The view through the front door.. living room on the right, our bedroom on the left.
Living room, complete with little office 'nook'.. heheh.. We bought that desk and chair from Pam cause she has left the country to go to Japan. Fits in perfectly and is really good to have a desk for the computer... Living room is the perfect size for our furniture.. the couch fits in perfectly, not too big, not too small... its quaint.. hehe
Our bedroom... Mateus' surf board... bed... door frame, but no door... hehehe ;)
The ensuite in our bedroom... we took that little clothes rack from downstairs, and Mateus is using it to hang all his t-shirts... Not enough hanging space in our room... but the rack is good... The material is pretty too... reminds me of you E!! :)
To be continued...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
stay tuned
I have moved, the house is fantastic.. we feel like we're on holidays.. apart from the work factor during the week... :)
A longer post to come with photos...
A longer post to come with photos...
Monday, September 08, 2008
home sweet home
Well, our lease is up on our apartment, and we've been house hunting already! And not only that but we've caught one!
A sweet little two bedroom cottage in Windsor. Its gorgeous... a cute little thing, both bedrooms have ensuites, the second bedroom's ensuite can be used as a main bathroom by locking it off in the bedroom. Slate tiled kitchen and dining area, wooden floors in the bedrooms and living room. Small enough that it won't make our furniture look super small, thats the problem with our current apartment, its so big our furniture looks tiny! Has a deck at the back that has a little serving area thing from the kitchen... the windows from the kitchen open out onto it. Big backyard at the back, with yard maintenance included in the rent, which is great, means we don't have to pay someone to do it. Its got a lockable area downstairs, undercover parking and a little shed thing under there too, extra secure. Small pets considered... and we're thinking of getting a little dog! ;) Maybe...
There is a vacant block of land on one side, which is nice, means we get a little bit of privacy on that side... Its really close to the city too, kind of just past the Royal Brisbane Hospital and a little more, then turn left and drive off the main road and your there. Quiet... and I've already scoped the area out, there is an Organic Community Farm at the end of one the streets nearby that have markets every Sunday! SCORE! Fresh produce... :D
We're going to be moving in from the 15th of September, taking our time moving, cause both Mateus and I are working during the days... but with the van it should be nice and easy... :) well most things, the bed is going to be a little drama, but we'll figure it out.
Am really looking forward to cracking out that hammock too! FINALLY!
It will be perfect...
*grin*
Things have been super smashing lately... :) tis all sweet...
Much more to write, but really should get back to work. I am currently the GV Queensland Registrar, Noosa Registrar is on holidays for 3 weeks for her wedding. She's getting married this weekend, we're heading up to Noosa for it.. I'll have to get some photos... Anyway, so I am now covering all Queensland schools registrations... BUSY
But am happy to not have to worry about house hunting... now its just the moving... Something to think about later. Now I will day dream about lying on the back deck in our hammock sipping a refreshing beverage and enjoying the weekend... ahhhhhh
A sweet little two bedroom cottage in Windsor. Its gorgeous... a cute little thing, both bedrooms have ensuites, the second bedroom's ensuite can be used as a main bathroom by locking it off in the bedroom. Slate tiled kitchen and dining area, wooden floors in the bedrooms and living room. Small enough that it won't make our furniture look super small, thats the problem with our current apartment, its so big our furniture looks tiny! Has a deck at the back that has a little serving area thing from the kitchen... the windows from the kitchen open out onto it. Big backyard at the back, with yard maintenance included in the rent, which is great, means we don't have to pay someone to do it. Its got a lockable area downstairs, undercover parking and a little shed thing under there too, extra secure. Small pets considered... and we're thinking of getting a little dog! ;) Maybe...
There is a vacant block of land on one side, which is nice, means we get a little bit of privacy on that side... Its really close to the city too, kind of just past the Royal Brisbane Hospital and a little more, then turn left and drive off the main road and your there. Quiet... and I've already scoped the area out, there is an Organic Community Farm at the end of one the streets nearby that have markets every Sunday! SCORE! Fresh produce... :D
We're going to be moving in from the 15th of September, taking our time moving, cause both Mateus and I are working during the days... but with the van it should be nice and easy... :) well most things, the bed is going to be a little drama, but we'll figure it out.
Am really looking forward to cracking out that hammock too! FINALLY!
It will be perfect...
*grin*
Things have been super smashing lately... :) tis all sweet...
Much more to write, but really should get back to work. I am currently the GV Queensland Registrar, Noosa Registrar is on holidays for 3 weeks for her wedding. She's getting married this weekend, we're heading up to Noosa for it.. I'll have to get some photos... Anyway, so I am now covering all Queensland schools registrations... BUSY
But am happy to not have to worry about house hunting... now its just the moving... Something to think about later. Now I will day dream about lying on the back deck in our hammock sipping a refreshing beverage and enjoying the weekend... ahhhhhh
Thursday, August 21, 2008
paper planes
My soundtrack at the moment... Really cruisy and easy. Life is good, and this song is super cool... haha
We had a great weekend at home last weekend. Spent some loving time with Kickin' Super Tripper, our van... heh.. she needed it. Its running really well now. We were/are so impressed with her... She drove all the way to the top of the mountain eassssy! :) Definitely a goer!
Only thing is, when we got back to Brisbane, we realised that one of the headlights has died... :( But... I've just called the place we bought the van, and they are happy for us to bring the van over and take it down to their auto electricians or whatever. So yay for that!
I even had a go at driving her! Hahaha.. which was funny. Mateus taught me how to drive, and sort of three point turns... but yeah.. i really need to keep practicing! hahah... tricky! Was so funny, i didn't want to meet anyone on the road... lucky noone came along...I am sure i would have freaked out if they did.
Oh! I have some more news too, I'm going to a job interview on Friday! At SpeakOut Creative
Am a little nervous, not really about the job interview.. but more about what to do if the job is good and i get it and i want to take it... thats the part that makes me sick, having to think about what i will do if its good and i want it and i have to tell GV... eep
But, anyway.. it looks like a really good company, and they have a good idea behind them... So we'll see... tomorrow morning!
We're planning to go go karting this weekend too! Which will be interesting I'm sure.. hehe.. I've never been, but its fun apparently.. so people keep telling me. I'm just worried about the whole driving aspect.. haha... :) I guess I'll get more practice there hey! Only thing is it will be going super fast... hahaha... SPEED!
happy happy :D
Thursday, August 07, 2008
night watch
*yawn*
Am tired after two night shifts in a row... so glad I finish work at the normal time today!
We've started an Evening Class here at school, which means one of the admin staff has to stay back until 9pm every weekday.. But the good thing is we get to start late too...
Which is REALLY nice... I can wake up without my alarm, go to the gym... clean the house a little.. I even baked a cake on Tuesday! Berry Sour Cream cake... which was eaten up in a record 24 hours! ;) Definitely a keeper...
I even got to hang out with Jessica a little, which was good too... cause I don't get to see her much during the week, with her schedule and mine being so different. (Jessica is my flatmate).
Good news is that Mateus is finishing up at the bar on Saturday night... for now. He has decided, and quite rightly so, that he is working too much, and its not good for him. He's been in and out of having a cold now for 2 months straight! So, he has asked to finish at the bar from Saturday. They've been really good to him, but working as he is during the days during the week, and then going to the bar for 3 or 4 nights does not make things easy. So, we will finally be able to spend some time together on weekends... And we will finally be able to go on those trips we had hoped we would be able to do with the van! HURRAH! Those are sorely needed... am getting very tired of work and Brisbane at the moment.
I've even gotten back into that TESOL course I started so long ago! I've given myself a deadline to complete it by September, when Pam will leave the school for Japan. :( Not very good news... its going to be really hard to work here without her... the crew is splitting up!
Hmm.. not good... But I've been focusing on the good things... like Mateus finishing at the bar... :) And OH! Check out this gorgeous clip I found on youtube last night while trying to cure my boredom...
Cute huh?
Am tired after two night shifts in a row... so glad I finish work at the normal time today!
We've started an Evening Class here at school, which means one of the admin staff has to stay back until 9pm every weekday.. But the good thing is we get to start late too...
Which is REALLY nice... I can wake up without my alarm, go to the gym... clean the house a little.. I even baked a cake on Tuesday! Berry Sour Cream cake... which was eaten up in a record 24 hours! ;) Definitely a keeper...
I even got to hang out with Jessica a little, which was good too... cause I don't get to see her much during the week, with her schedule and mine being so different. (Jessica is my flatmate).
Good news is that Mateus is finishing up at the bar on Saturday night... for now. He has decided, and quite rightly so, that he is working too much, and its not good for him. He's been in and out of having a cold now for 2 months straight! So, he has asked to finish at the bar from Saturday. They've been really good to him, but working as he is during the days during the week, and then going to the bar for 3 or 4 nights does not make things easy. So, we will finally be able to spend some time together on weekends... And we will finally be able to go on those trips we had hoped we would be able to do with the van! HURRAH! Those are sorely needed... am getting very tired of work and Brisbane at the moment.
I've even gotten back into that TESOL course I started so long ago! I've given myself a deadline to complete it by September, when Pam will leave the school for Japan. :( Not very good news... its going to be really hard to work here without her... the crew is splitting up!
Hmm.. not good... But I've been focusing on the good things... like Mateus finishing at the bar... :) And OH! Check out this gorgeous clip I found on youtube last night while trying to cure my boredom...
Cute huh?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
todays delights
If I could wear anything today, this is what I would wear... I love it!
Outfit by Anna at Door Sixteen
Friday, July 11, 2008
funkyyyyy squad
Check it out, I have a fringe!
I'm talking a real fringe.. hehehe.. its pretty cool huh!
I have found the most awesome hairdresser ever.. his name is Gareth, and he's London born with this great style, accent, tattoos etc. He cut my hair last time, with the swoopy side part thing. And he just seems to get me... I had to go out to Toowong to have my haircut with him, but I would do it again in a flash.
He was saying last night that when he looked at me he sees this awesome 70's style, and just gets that idea when he looks at me... hehe.. which is cool, cause I think of Charlies Angels and things, and they were cool chicks! hehe
Anyway, am super chuffed as well cause he was secretly telling me that he will start his own salon soon and he has invited me to come over to it when he gets it set up. *HAPPY HAPPY* He's got all these awesome ideas for graffiti artists to do artwork for him and projection screens with cool art flicking through and funky hair cuts and it basically sounds just perfect!
I'm talking a real fringe.. hehehe.. its pretty cool huh!I have found the most awesome hairdresser ever.. his name is Gareth, and he's London born with this great style, accent, tattoos etc. He cut my hair last time, with the swoopy side part thing. And he just seems to get me... I had to go out to Toowong to have my haircut with him, but I would do it again in a flash.
He was saying last night that when he looked at me he sees this awesome 70's style, and just gets that idea when he looks at me... hehe.. which is cool, cause I think of Charlies Angels and things, and they were cool chicks! hehe
Anyway, am super chuffed as well cause he was secretly telling me that he will start his own salon soon and he has invited me to come over to it when he gets it set up. *HAPPY HAPPY* He's got all these awesome ideas for graffiti artists to do artwork for him and projection screens with cool art flicking through and funky hair cuts and it basically sounds just perfect!
Whatcha think?
Monday, June 23, 2008
comforting
I went out to get some lunch yesterday... and I've been thinking about changing some things, and well, I've been rather preoccupied with some things... so thought I'd get some soup. Found this soup, butternut pumpkin... that would be yummy. The guy asked if I wanted it heated up, and I said yeah, sure. Waited for that... stood around waiting and thinking and maybe I looked a little 'deep in thought' or something... because when he brought it out, he handed me a big brown paper bag, and said "Everything you need is in the bag!".
Hehe... everything I need is in the bag...
It made me smile... :) everything? Really, thanks!! hehe
Wouldn't that be wonderful, if someone just gave you a brown paper bag that had all the solutions? hehe
Hehe... everything I need is in the bag...
It made me smile... :) everything? Really, thanks!! hehe
Wouldn't that be wonderful, if someone just gave you a brown paper bag that had all the solutions? hehe
Saturday, June 21, 2008
found!
I stumbled on this blog on one of my click click click scroll link click click click episodes here... You know those times you click on a link, and then click on another link and then stumble on something brilliant? This is one of those...
Its a blog called A cup of Jo and its short and sweet posts are full of sweet little posts and pictures and random fun-ness...
Its super sweet... :) Check it out... A CUP OF JO
Especially of note are the flirty week post (love the pic), the colour me wallpaper post (can just imagine who that would suit!! ;)), the stripey stripe shoes (gorgeous, i want!), the two parisian cuties (awfully cute), and my personal favourite post: MASH Mansion Apartment Shack House! Do you remember that game.. where you find out who you will marry, how many kids you will have, where you will live etc. Oh I remember it, only thing is I've forgotten how to play it.. but never fear, you can play it online!! HURRAH!
My MASH: You will marry Mateus.
After a wild honeymoon, you will settle down in Brazil in your fabulous House.
You will have 5 kid(s) together.
The family will zoom around in a Brown Camaro.
You will spend your days as a Writer, and live happily ever after.
Hehe... how funny is that! I even put more than Mateus in the boys section.. hahaha ;) And I'm going to be a writer! Love the car too.. hehe.. sorry about the moving to Brazil!! ;)
Try it out... Its old skool fun!
Its a blog called A cup of Jo and its short and sweet posts are full of sweet little posts and pictures and random fun-ness...
Its super sweet... :) Check it out... A CUP OF JO
Especially of note are the flirty week post (love the pic), the colour me wallpaper post (can just imagine who that would suit!! ;)), the stripey stripe shoes (gorgeous, i want!), the two parisian cuties (awfully cute), and my personal favourite post: MASH Mansion Apartment Shack House! Do you remember that game.. where you find out who you will marry, how many kids you will have, where you will live etc. Oh I remember it, only thing is I've forgotten how to play it.. but never fear, you can play it online!! HURRAH!
My MASH: You will marry Mateus.
After a wild honeymoon, you will settle down in Brazil in your fabulous House.
You will have 5 kid(s) together.
The family will zoom around in a Brown Camaro.
You will spend your days as a Writer, and live happily ever after.
Hehe... how funny is that! I even put more than Mateus in the boys section.. hahaha ;) And I'm going to be a writer! Love the car too.. hehe.. sorry about the moving to Brazil!! ;)
Try it out... Its old skool fun!
Monday, June 16, 2008
bust a move
Just call me dance floor champion! Ah-Huh! Thats right... I am the champion... I actually outdanced someone on a dance floor on Friday night... hahahahahahahaha!
You see, we went out, Mateus, his friends from Kangaroo Island, some other friends of ours and myself to Birdee Num Num's.. this backpacker club... and we were dancing away.. me in particular... on the dance floor.. and we noticed this guy pulling these really funky moves, seriously he could dance... so me being all "I can dance", went up to him and started dancing next to him, challenging him to outdance me... Hahahaha!
So, he would dance, and then I would "reply"... There we were on the dance floor, he was seriously dancing quite well... and I was answering his moves with every single daggy dance move I could think of: the lawnmower, the shopping trolley, the sprinkler, the 80's kick pump, the crazy feet move... hahaha... And I WON! (meaning he left the dance floor, possibly cause he was so embarrassed for me... but it was seriously cool!) hahaha
I am the champion!!!
You see, we went out, Mateus, his friends from Kangaroo Island, some other friends of ours and myself to Birdee Num Num's.. this backpacker club... and we were dancing away.. me in particular... on the dance floor.. and we noticed this guy pulling these really funky moves, seriously he could dance... so me being all "I can dance", went up to him and started dancing next to him, challenging him to outdance me... Hahahaha!
So, he would dance, and then I would "reply"... There we were on the dance floor, he was seriously dancing quite well... and I was answering his moves with every single daggy dance move I could think of: the lawnmower, the shopping trolley, the sprinkler, the 80's kick pump, the crazy feet move... hahaha... And I WON! (meaning he left the dance floor, possibly cause he was so embarrassed for me... but it was seriously cool!) hahaha
I am the champion!!!
I just need to get this whole routine down, and I'll be set for life... ;)
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
metat-ow-sal
I think I broke a metatarsal... again.
Mateus and I went to the Gold Coast on Monday, which was really nice.. we borrowed George's van from his work for the weekend to go van hunting, and on Monday decided to go down to the GC. You know, I actually can't remember ever going to the Gold Coast, which makes me think that I've either never been, or I've only been when I was really really little... So, that means I've never been to the Gold Coast! Hah.. how cool is that? I'm pretty proud of myself. I always thought it was a little like uhm... Miami when it was cool, only teleported into the future, so it isn't cool anymore... if you know what I mean.
So we made the trip to Surfers Paradise, which is definitely not a surfers paradise, the waves are crap apparently (so Mateus told me). We drove in and parked the car a little way from Surfers, so that we could get a free park, hopped out and proceeded to walk down the beach, towards Surfers... We were walking and talking and walking and talking and walking and walking and talking and walking and talking and walking and walking... We realised early on, that the buildings in the distance were a long way away... hmm.. ah well, the beach was nice anyway. Walking walking walking... then we stop... and we're thinking, hmm.. this is a long way to go.. we must have parked a long way away...
Then I turn around, and I see the Q1 building rising up behind us... WAY behind us. Hmm.. wait a minute, wouldn't that building be right in Surfers??
Hahah... we walked for about an hour and a half in the entirely wrong direction!! Hahahah... which meant we had to walk for another hour and a half to get to the place where we parked, and then walk a little more to get to Surfers, only this time in the right direction.
During the walk, my foot was fine, but at the end of the day, it started to play up... and everyday its been almost impossible to walk on by the end of the day. These bones suck... Take ages to heal too... *humph*
Anyway, the walk was really nice, and the beach was good, sunny, warm... ocean was there.. cold, but it was there.
It was a taste of the days to come.
Looks like we'll be able to pick up our van tomorrow, depending on whether they got the parts they needed today... and we found our carpark now too, so we'll be able to park the van when we do pick it up.
The apartments here don't have correlating carpark numbers, which makes it really confusing when you don't know what your carpark number is. The other weekend, we spent an hour wandering around the carparks trying to figure out how it worked... Our unit number is 3106, but our carpark number is C118. Yeah... logical!
Van pictures to come... :)
Mateus and I went to the Gold Coast on Monday, which was really nice.. we borrowed George's van from his work for the weekend to go van hunting, and on Monday decided to go down to the GC. You know, I actually can't remember ever going to the Gold Coast, which makes me think that I've either never been, or I've only been when I was really really little... So, that means I've never been to the Gold Coast! Hah.. how cool is that? I'm pretty proud of myself. I always thought it was a little like uhm... Miami when it was cool, only teleported into the future, so it isn't cool anymore... if you know what I mean.
So we made the trip to Surfers Paradise, which is definitely not a surfers paradise, the waves are crap apparently (so Mateus told me). We drove in and parked the car a little way from Surfers, so that we could get a free park, hopped out and proceeded to walk down the beach, towards Surfers... We were walking and talking and walking and talking and walking and walking and talking and walking and talking and walking and walking... We realised early on, that the buildings in the distance were a long way away... hmm.. ah well, the beach was nice anyway. Walking walking walking... then we stop... and we're thinking, hmm.. this is a long way to go.. we must have parked a long way away...
Then I turn around, and I see the Q1 building rising up behind us... WAY behind us. Hmm.. wait a minute, wouldn't that building be right in Surfers??
Hahah... we walked for about an hour and a half in the entirely wrong direction!! Hahahah... which meant we had to walk for another hour and a half to get to the place where we parked, and then walk a little more to get to Surfers, only this time in the right direction.
During the walk, my foot was fine, but at the end of the day, it started to play up... and everyday its been almost impossible to walk on by the end of the day. These bones suck... Take ages to heal too... *humph*
Anyway, the walk was really nice, and the beach was good, sunny, warm... ocean was there.. cold, but it was there.
It was a taste of the days to come.
Looks like we'll be able to pick up our van tomorrow, depending on whether they got the parts they needed today... and we found our carpark now too, so we'll be able to park the van when we do pick it up.
The apartments here don't have correlating carpark numbers, which makes it really confusing when you don't know what your carpark number is. The other weekend, we spent an hour wandering around the carparks trying to figure out how it worked... Our unit number is 3106, but our carpark number is C118. Yeah... logical!
Van pictures to come... :)
Saturday, May 03, 2008
oh what a feeling
GUESS WHAT?!!
We bought a van!!!
It looks a little something like this.. only ours is a little different. I stupidly didn't take any photos of it when we were there... but anyway, ours is cooler. For starters, our has these really cool wheels. I'm talking tyres that you would see on a custom car... big ones... hehe.. shiny and they look cool...
Anyway, its a Toyota Masterace Surf. (we liked the name too...) 1991 4x4 Diesel, 8 seater, sunroof, electric windows, automatic, air-con... Its only done 157,000km's, which seems rather low for a car that is that old... especially because it had a Northern Territory parking sticker on the inside. All the better for us! It was imported in 2000... from somewhere around the world...
So, ta da!!
We're very excited... It has to go and get its road worthy certificate, and they will renew the registration on it too, but hopefully, this time next week we'll have it!
We drove around this morning, had all these vans lined up to look at, looked at one before this one, an old Mitsubish Delica... hah, yeah.. it was not so good, and the dealer looked really shonky. Creepy looking guy that when we walked into the place came up to us like he was coming up to us to steal our money walking home late at night.. just this creepy look about him.. dodgy dodgy. So, promptly got out of that place.. and this was the second van we looked at. We pulled up behind it and liked it from the start.. seriously, you have to see the wheels, they make the van!
Anyway, inspected it all, few things need fixing inside, which they are getting done for the roadworthy, and took it for a test drive.. seemed pretty good to me. Mateus was the one listening to the engine to see if he could hear anything wrong, and checking the smoke etc. While I was the one looking at the 'look' of the car.. heh, i liked it. Pretty good suspension I noticed though.. anyway.. took it for a test drive, came back, had a bit of a chat about it etc... and put a deposit on it!
Its really big inside, and we can put all the seats down in the back, and wah-lah, we have a bed! And yeah, cool sunroof in there too.. curtains... great air-conditioning, works really well. Stereo is old, has a tape deck, but they still make those things that you plug into your ipod or whatever that is a tape right? So all is good!
We're looking forward to going away... Will be just what we need!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
tumultuous times
Ah... I jinxed myself, I said a few more days and it would be smooth sailing again. Well, its anything but smooth at the moment.
The move is over, and we love the new apartment. But it was not easy (is still not easy) to get here and to get through these days.
Mateus' grandfather passed away last week. Which is absolutely horrible. He was one of the most important people in his life, and this has been the worst time in Mateus' life. It would have to be the worst thing to happen, and to be so far away from his family is painful. The news came through the day before we moved, hence the fact that its not been easy.
I don't know what to say, other than the fact that it is the most painful thing to see someone loose everything and not be able to help them... I am supporting him in every which way I can, and that support is well needed and appreciated, yet still... I wish I could do more.
It is horrible to see the person you love walking around in this state... absolutely and completely.
Thus, I will be a little silent for a while...... right now, I am the rock.
The move is over, and we love the new apartment. But it was not easy (is still not easy) to get here and to get through these days.
Mateus' grandfather passed away last week. Which is absolutely horrible. He was one of the most important people in his life, and this has been the worst time in Mateus' life. It would have to be the worst thing to happen, and to be so far away from his family is painful. The news came through the day before we moved, hence the fact that its not been easy.
I don't know what to say, other than the fact that it is the most painful thing to see someone loose everything and not be able to help them... I am supporting him in every which way I can, and that support is well needed and appreciated, yet still... I wish I could do more.
It is horrible to see the person you love walking around in this state... absolutely and completely.
Thus, I will be a little silent for a while...... right now, I am the rock.
Monday, March 31, 2008
living in limbo
lim.bo n. pl. lim·bos
An intermediate place or state.
That is me at the moment... I am living in an intermediate place... half way between home and home.
We move this Wednesday... which meant we spent all day yesterday packing and have already cleaned most of the house. Everything that we own is in bags or boxes lying around the apartment, or dismantled on the balcony ready for moving.
I don't really like this state of living... feels like I'm not actually anywhere. I mean, I am there, but at the same time, I am not.
Also, being sick doesn't help... Sick all last week with the flu.. lost my voice again... Heh.. Its beginning to be a regular occurrence when I get sick with a cold/flu that I loose my voice! Which is strange, I mean, I don't talk all THAT much... Anyway, its fun to be all husky... ;) Personally, I wish my voice would stay that way. But, I am getting better... its almost gone now. I will be happy once I am better again... can start to LIVE again... rather than wandering around in this drugged up sick state of mind.
Few more days, and it should be all smooth sailing again... HURRAH!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
throw stones
Wow... I can't believe how sometimes, you can be thinking something, and then you see something or someone says something that is just perfect for you in the state that you are in....
perfect
perfect
Sunday, March 16, 2008
parklife
Moving update: We have an apartment!
We're now going to be residents of the Parklands Apartments at Roma Street!! Definitely a lifestyle change... The apartments are right in the parklands, and you have to go into the Roma Street Park to get there... very swish!
The apartment has great views too, overlooking the park...
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms.. big balcony. The complex has a pool, gym, bbq area and the works... plus being right in the park its so close to all the bbq areas in the park itself and everything.
We move in on the 2nd of April, which gives us some time to get everything together, and is actually good timing considering we have to move out of here on the 4th of April. At least we won't be paying double rent!
We're going to do everything above board this time too, ie. we've already told them there will be 4 of us living there... so its all good!
Very exciting... a very good change to make.
We're now going to be residents of the Parklands Apartments at Roma Street!! Definitely a lifestyle change... The apartments are right in the parklands, and you have to go into the Roma Street Park to get there... very swish!
The apartment has great views too, overlooking the park...
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms.. big balcony. The complex has a pool, gym, bbq area and the works... plus being right in the park its so close to all the bbq areas in the park itself and everything.
We move in on the 2nd of April, which gives us some time to get everything together, and is actually good timing considering we have to move out of here on the 4th of April. At least we won't be paying double rent!
We're going to do everything above board this time too, ie. we've already told them there will be 4 of us living there... so its all good!
Very exciting... a very good change to make.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
hopeful again
News flash: We're moving again!
We've decided enough is enough, and are leaving our bitchy building managers behind! We had problems from the start at our apartment, with the managers being incredibly rude and uncooperative and everything has just boiled over this week, so we're breaking our lease.
Long story, but we applied to put Ivan on our lease, to live in the second bedroom, and they turned him down. But at that time, Ivan was already living with us... so we agreed that we would just be a little illegal and keep him in the apartment. Anyway, all was good, we were just sharing the keys between us... Then, we had our first inspection.
Oh boy... I have NEVER had an inspection that bad in my life. The guys did a FANTASTIC job cleaning the apartment before the inspection, we tidied everything away, made sure everything was really clean, only to receive a letter in our mailbox saying:
1. Carpets need to be vacuumed regularly to prevent damage.
2. Shower screens need to be cleaned to prevent soap scum build-up.
3. Marks on living room carpet and main bedroom need to be removed.
4. Hard floor in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
5. Bath in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
6. Benches in kitchen need to be wiped down.
My answer to these 6 points were as follows:
1. WHAT?! The carpets are vacuumed regularly, its the moulting rug that is the problem.
2. Fair call, they are pretty soapy at the moment, but I will clean it.
3. What marks in the bedroom? That stain was there from when we moved in!!
4. So, I moult a lot and there was some hair in the corners.. big deal...
5. Again, stained from previous tenants!
6. WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?!?! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?!
Ahem... They should be glad they weren't around when I got that letter... far out.. the expletives that came out of my mouth.... GRARH! We live there for crying out loud, and the place was clean and very obviously we are not damaging the apartment at all!
The next paragraph on the letter is a very fair call though... "We believe you have a third tenant living in your apartment and this person should be removed from the premises".
Yes... our bad, we actually have 2 extras.. but SHUSH!!
Anyway, we try to think of damage control and we decide that I will go down to the managers on Monday morning, and tell them that there is someone staying with us, who is Mateus' "cousin" and he is just staying as our guest for a few weeks. We understand that we can't have a third person living there unless we put them on the lease, but he isn't living there etc. etc.
Right, then, on Sunday, the bitchy managers actually run into Ivan when he is taking the rubbish out. And they ask him to pass on the message that I need to see them about him living there because he is not allowed.
This infuriated all of us no end because how dare they assume that he is living there, and how can they just walk up to someone and say that. No who are you? Do you have friends here? Are you living in these apartments etc. I mean, he could have been a friend that was over at our apartment for the afternoon and was being nice and taking our rubbish out!
So, Mateus and I go to see them on Monday.. and we walk in, and we explain that we understand that we can't have a third person, he is Mateus' cousin etc. etc. etc. They will not listen, and will not come to a compromise. So, after arguing with them about having guests stay with us, we say fine, if you won't accept someone staying with us, we are leaving. Whats the procedure for breaking the lease?
They give us the forms, we go upstairs and we bring them back down, signed, sealed, delivered!
So, we are leaving in three weeks! YIKES!
House/Apartment hunting again... We have already put in one application, and the managers there are really nice and were very impressed with our application. They have even done all the reference checks! No word yet... Guess they are trying to get hold of the owners... We'll hear tomorrow morning if not this afternoon...
We're also looking at some houses, as opposed to apartments, in the city area too. Much better because we will have our own space and no managers breathing down our necks.
So... anyway... moving again!! Hah...
Oh, the funniest thing about the whole situation is the fact that we stood up to these managers, and this morning, I got a call from them, kissing my @ss... Apparently they had discussed it with the owners of our apartment, and we would be able to come to some agreement to have the third person in there now... HAHAHAHAHA! If we want to stay we can just go in and talk to them about it... Yeah, we said we'll think about it, and let them know.
NOT LIKELY!
I mean, yeah, we'll think about it... but only as a last chance.
Hehehe... Feels good to have them chasing us for a change... ;)
We've decided enough is enough, and are leaving our bitchy building managers behind! We had problems from the start at our apartment, with the managers being incredibly rude and uncooperative and everything has just boiled over this week, so we're breaking our lease.
Long story, but we applied to put Ivan on our lease, to live in the second bedroom, and they turned him down. But at that time, Ivan was already living with us... so we agreed that we would just be a little illegal and keep him in the apartment. Anyway, all was good, we were just sharing the keys between us... Then, we had our first inspection.
Oh boy... I have NEVER had an inspection that bad in my life. The guys did a FANTASTIC job cleaning the apartment before the inspection, we tidied everything away, made sure everything was really clean, only to receive a letter in our mailbox saying:
1. Carpets need to be vacuumed regularly to prevent damage.
2. Shower screens need to be cleaned to prevent soap scum build-up.
3. Marks on living room carpet and main bedroom need to be removed.
4. Hard floor in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
5. Bath in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
6. Benches in kitchen need to be wiped down.
My answer to these 6 points were as follows:
1. WHAT?! The carpets are vacuumed regularly, its the moulting rug that is the problem.
2. Fair call, they are pretty soapy at the moment, but I will clean it.
3. What marks in the bedroom? That stain was there from when we moved in!!
4. So, I moult a lot and there was some hair in the corners.. big deal...
5. Again, stained from previous tenants!
6. WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?!?! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?!
Ahem... They should be glad they weren't around when I got that letter... far out.. the expletives that came out of my mouth.... GRARH! We live there for crying out loud, and the place was clean and very obviously we are not damaging the apartment at all!
The next paragraph on the letter is a very fair call though... "We believe you have a third tenant living in your apartment and this person should be removed from the premises".
Yes... our bad, we actually have 2 extras.. but SHUSH!!
Anyway, we try to think of damage control and we decide that I will go down to the managers on Monday morning, and tell them that there is someone staying with us, who is Mateus' "cousin" and he is just staying as our guest for a few weeks. We understand that we can't have a third person living there unless we put them on the lease, but he isn't living there etc. etc.
Right, then, on Sunday, the bitchy managers actually run into Ivan when he is taking the rubbish out. And they ask him to pass on the message that I need to see them about him living there because he is not allowed.
This infuriated all of us no end because how dare they assume that he is living there, and how can they just walk up to someone and say that. No who are you? Do you have friends here? Are you living in these apartments etc. I mean, he could have been a friend that was over at our apartment for the afternoon and was being nice and taking our rubbish out!
So, Mateus and I go to see them on Monday.. and we walk in, and we explain that we understand that we can't have a third person, he is Mateus' cousin etc. etc. etc. They will not listen, and will not come to a compromise. So, after arguing with them about having guests stay with us, we say fine, if you won't accept someone staying with us, we are leaving. Whats the procedure for breaking the lease?
They give us the forms, we go upstairs and we bring them back down, signed, sealed, delivered!
So, we are leaving in three weeks! YIKES!
House/Apartment hunting again... We have already put in one application, and the managers there are really nice and were very impressed with our application. They have even done all the reference checks! No word yet... Guess they are trying to get hold of the owners... We'll hear tomorrow morning if not this afternoon...
We're also looking at some houses, as opposed to apartments, in the city area too. Much better because we will have our own space and no managers breathing down our necks.
So... anyway... moving again!! Hah...
Oh, the funniest thing about the whole situation is the fact that we stood up to these managers, and this morning, I got a call from them, kissing my @ss... Apparently they had discussed it with the owners of our apartment, and we would be able to come to some agreement to have the third person in there now... HAHAHAHAHA! If we want to stay we can just go in and talk to them about it... Yeah, we said we'll think about it, and let them know.
NOT LIKELY!
I mean, yeah, we'll think about it... but only as a last chance.
Hehehe... Feels good to have them chasing us for a change... ;)
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
buzz
WOOP WOOP!
I (finally) taught my first ever lesson!! And it went smashingly! At least I think it did... ;) I felt like it did, and after talking to other teachers around here, if you feel like the students had a good lesson and you walk out of it feeling like it was a good lesson, it generally is, you know when its not. So, I am super psyched!
Look at me, I'm a teacher! Hahaha!
I taught a Conversation English lesson for an hour, and had a full class of 12 students! There were more that wanted to come in, but I had to close the door on them... Heh... I think that had a little to do with the fact that everyone here at work had been super excited themselves about me teaching and told every student to come along... So nice! Its really great to have all this support... Especially from Mateus; he has been the one that has pushed me that extra little bit to finish this off, and I am so glad he did... And its really great to have all this support and excitement from everyone around me too... Even the students here are excited for me!
Really really happy with it... plus, you get this weird teaching buzz: you realise that you can teach, and the students are enjoying your lesson, and you are too, and its kinda fun. Mind you, I did have a great bunch of students that were really outgoing and I was teaching a conversation class, which isn't anything hard... but, its still fantastic!
Now, what should I teach next week?! Hmm.. off to work on my lesson plan!
I (finally) taught my first ever lesson!! And it went smashingly! At least I think it did... ;) I felt like it did, and after talking to other teachers around here, if you feel like the students had a good lesson and you walk out of it feeling like it was a good lesson, it generally is, you know when its not. So, I am super psyched!
Look at me, I'm a teacher! Hahaha!
I taught a Conversation English lesson for an hour, and had a full class of 12 students! There were more that wanted to come in, but I had to close the door on them... Heh... I think that had a little to do with the fact that everyone here at work had been super excited themselves about me teaching and told every student to come along... So nice! Its really great to have all this support... Especially from Mateus; he has been the one that has pushed me that extra little bit to finish this off, and I am so glad he did... And its really great to have all this support and excitement from everyone around me too... Even the students here are excited for me!
Really really happy with it... plus, you get this weird teaching buzz: you realise that you can teach, and the students are enjoying your lesson, and you are too, and its kinda fun. Mind you, I did have a great bunch of students that were really outgoing and I was teaching a conversation class, which isn't anything hard... but, its still fantastic!
Now, what should I teach next week?! Hmm.. off to work on my lesson plan!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
giggle inside
Anouk has inspired me...
10 things that make me sparkly;
1. - getting any kind of mail, email or mail, and reading new blog posts etc. from everyone.
2. - seeing my niece's smile... ;) videos and pics of my niece...
3. - cuddles and sweet kisses
4. - chocolate sprinkle on the top of cappucinos :p yum
5. - the light after a storm or rain... when the sun is all yellow and golden...
6. - treats such as clothes, shoes, books, dvds, music, games
7. - smelling luscious (karma perfume, lush soap etc)
8. - seeing bats fly around at night, and swallows swooping during the days...
9. - laughing so hard my stomach hurts
10. - the wind blowing in my hair...
and an extra one because I love it so much 11. - the woosh and super speed you feel when a plane takes off... :D Makes me smile everytime...
but there are so many more... *hug*
10 things that make me sparkly;
1. - getting any kind of mail, email or mail, and reading new blog posts etc. from everyone.
2. - seeing my niece's smile... ;) videos and pics of my niece...
3. - cuddles and sweet kisses
4. - chocolate sprinkle on the top of cappucinos :p yum
5. - the light after a storm or rain... when the sun is all yellow and golden...
6. - treats such as clothes, shoes, books, dvds, music, games
7. - smelling luscious (karma perfume, lush soap etc)
8. - seeing bats fly around at night, and swallows swooping during the days...
9. - laughing so hard my stomach hurts
10. - the wind blowing in my hair...
and an extra one because I love it so much 11. - the woosh and super speed you feel when a plane takes off... :D Makes me smile everytime...
but there are so many more... *hug*
Monday, February 18, 2008
midsummer nights dream
Mateus and I are going to buy a van, as soon as we are able. Will be so great to have the option to get out of Brisbane, go traveling a little on our weekends, spend some time whereever we want.
The sweetest summer dream...
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
ridiculous office jargon
So, we're having some sort of Marketing "Pow-Wow" in a couple of weeks up at Noosa. I've been invited to go up there, which will be good if I can get a weekend away with M... Anyway, we've all been assigned a particular task and asked to give a little speech at the meeting... Mine, to be shared with the Registrar from Noosa is on "targeting our key demographic group online". So, we have to give a 20 minute talk on this and what we can do to be an industry leader etc. etc. *groan* You can imagine how thrilled I am to be given this task...
We have ignored the request for the past week, and now we are actually starting to freak out about this 20 minute talk... we're planning all sorts of evil plots to get out of it... such as fleeing to South Africa, I get to be the stow-away, reading out fairy tales, my fellow partner is a fan of Sleeping Beauty, I was thinking of reading a little golden book.. hehe... Baking scones and feeding that to them instead of talking..etc. etc.
Anyway, as a very helpful gesture, my boss decided to send through an explanation of what he expects from us, and some guidelines... Check it out:
*ahem*
After receiving this email, I then proceeded to wallop him around the head, and sent back a reply:
*gulp*
We have ignored the request for the past week, and now we are actually starting to freak out about this 20 minute talk... we're planning all sorts of evil plots to get out of it... such as fleeing to South Africa, I get to be the stow-away, reading out fairy tales, my fellow partner is a fan of Sleeping Beauty, I was thinking of reading a little golden book.. hehe... Baking scones and feeding that to them instead of talking..etc. etc.
Anyway, as a very helpful gesture, my boss decided to send through an explanation of what he expects from us, and some guidelines... Check it out:
Hi Liz and Linds
Since Linds is struggling to find anything to do on a slow enrolment day, here are some further guidelines to consider on your website presentation:
Ideally, any strategy will enable e-business mindshare, integrate transparent infrastructures and exploit best-of-breed web services in a fully brick-and-click value-added communities optimization environment. Through recontextualising vertical vortals, intuitive pictorial media and implementing other out of the box action items, it will empower a 24/365 uber-mindshare matrix.
The implemented functionality should retarget frictionless schemas through innovative intuitive models in such a way as to redefine impactful users and rescale current educational dot-com paradigms. It must continue to e-enable proactive paradigms and, ideally, expedite cross-platform ubiquitous marketing channels through meshing extensible infomediaries.
I hope that clarifies what we're after.
Cheers
*ahem*
After receiving this email, I then proceeded to wallop him around the head, and sent back a reply:
after ringing it through a thesaurus! Bloody weasel words!!! The translation of Ian’s ridiculously incomprehensible email…… still freakin’ hard to understand…
Hi Liz and Linds
Since Linds is struggling to find anything to do on a slow enrolment day, here are some further guidelines to consider on your website presentation:
Ideally, any strategy will enable electronic business (e-business) development of consumer awareness (mindshare), put together (integrate) clear (transparent) communications (infrastructures) and use (exploit) the best product of (best-of-breed) web services in a fully both offline and online (brick-and-click) value-added community (communities optimization environment). Through redefining (recontextualising) websites that provide gateways to information (vertical vortals), sensitive (intuitive) graphic (pictorial) media and implementing other out of the box action items, it will give power to (empower) a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year (24/365) ultimate development of consumer awareness (uber-mindshare) mold (matrix).
The implemented functionality should retarget smooth (frictionless) foundations (schemas) through original (innovative) instinctive (intuitive) models in such a way as to redefine influential (impactful) users and rescale current educational dot-com examples (paradigms). It must continue to electronically enable (e-enable) hands-on (proactive) examples (paradigms) and, ideally, speed up (expedite) cross-platform ever-present (ubiquitous) marketing channels through interconnecting (meshing) flexible (extensible) middle-men (infomediaries).
Thanks so much Ian! Your fantastic explanation has helped us a lot…
*gulp*
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
letter for tiger
Isn't it cool when you first move into a place and you get mail??! I got a little package today in the mail... Some sweet little candle holders! Thank you Kerstin! I have them up in my apartment already. And thanks to Papa for sending the nut and the shifter... most appreciated! Mail is so sweet.. I had forgotten just how special it is to get a letter!
The phone is finally working... had slight issues getting it connected, and almost had to get a technician to come out and check the cable, but then it fixed itself.. love it when things fix themselves.... :) And I just got an email from my new internet provider... Internet is connected too! I will run home tonight and connect it all up. (Its not like I haven't been disconnected anyway, with this free wireless I found, but I think my connection will be a lot quicker than the wireless one we are currently using).
OH! More news... I handed in an introductory letter to Pam (my schools director of studies) to start my trainee teaching here!!! Finally, I am going to get that going... I have 7 hours of teaching to complete, 2 hours of observation and around 20 hours of preparation... (how they mark that I do not know. Preparation time.. that means me preparing lessons... I'll just kind of whip them up... hehe...) Anyway, it will be scary, and I hope I can teach well... I'm already asking other teachers for advice! So, good luck to me!
The phone is finally working... had slight issues getting it connected, and almost had to get a technician to come out and check the cable, but then it fixed itself.. love it when things fix themselves.... :) And I just got an email from my new internet provider... Internet is connected too! I will run home tonight and connect it all up. (Its not like I haven't been disconnected anyway, with this free wireless I found, but I think my connection will be a lot quicker than the wireless one we are currently using).
OH! More news... I handed in an introductory letter to Pam (my schools director of studies) to start my trainee teaching here!!! Finally, I am going to get that going... I have 7 hours of teaching to complete, 2 hours of observation and around 20 hours of preparation... (how they mark that I do not know. Preparation time.. that means me preparing lessons... I'll just kind of whip them up... hehe...) Anyway, it will be scary, and I hope I can teach well... I'm already asking other teachers for advice! So, good luck to me!
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