WA Equals .....

... Wait Awhile ... well it also stands for Western Australia but these days I have taken to think that Wait Awhile is also very fitting as everything that you do out here seems to take 2-3 times as long as in the UK.

I think it is because everyone is just so laid back and chilled whereas in the UK everyone is running around trying to get as much done as possible and cramming everything in. I also think that the heat out here has something to do with as it is so hot that whatever little you do it shatters you out so much. I have found some things frustrating such as the shops shutting at 6 pm and totally on Sunday .. the only late night they have is a Thursday when they are open to 9 pm so this means that they are totally packed. But I have found out that the vets, doctors, dentists and pharmacists are all open from 7 am to 11 pm - 7 days a week so if you are working this is ideal so I suppose it all balances out in the end!

I have been applying for jobs now for the past few weeks and have had a few interviews but can't seem to find a job that even remotely interests me. I have been to agencies and all I seem to be offered is PA or Executive Assistant roles which I know will be a job but not too sure that I want to go back to that life again. I was offered one role as PA to MD for Health & Safety company but it just didn't feel right and would mean that for a lot of the week I would be on my own in a small office and for all those who know me well know that this would drive me mad as I like to have a wander and a chat to see everyone at work!

I think the problem is I enjoyed my last job at AB so much that no other jobs come up to it. I enjoyed the hectic manic days of knowing that you have 20 - 30 travel bookings on the go, a meeting to organise and trying to sort out a company party and from that to just typing up memos and letters and taking phone messages for a Manager seems very dull .. but I won't give up and will keep searching until I find the one for me as I am a great believer that things do turn up out of the blue and this philosophy seems to have worked for me all my life so fingers and toes crossed .. I will keep on searching (or until Doug gets me a job at Macdonalds as he keeps threatening to!!)

Well, not one to hang about I have completely organised my house (yes .. that's right I have found Ikea again .. got to love the Swedes for organisation!!). I have everything how I like it now and everywhere looks really homely! I also arranged for a gardener to come in and trim the palm trees near the pool as they were starting to hang in the water and meant that when you were swimming you got a branch in your face .. very painful!! It also means that the pool has the sun on it all day now so it is a lot warmer for Doug who has a bit of problem getting in the pool if it is not at near boiling point .. you can tell I was an Army Cadet for so long as I am straight in and on with it!! I have also really enjoyed being in the water and seem to be getting over my phobia of water a little bit every day!

Last weekend was Australia Day and meant a long weekend (and actually meant I dragged Doug away from work!!). On the Sunday we had a lovely barbie with Debbie and her family and although it was really hot (36 degrees) we had such a great time. On the Monday we were up really early and couldn't decide what we should do. So we packed the car up and made a picnic (thank goodness for my Applied Bio picnic hamper it comes with me everywhere!) and we headed south on route to Bunbury.

We drove round the CBD which compared to Perth was tiny and reminded me of the Lake District as it was so lovely and quaint. We had our picnic and then went down to Lighthouse Beach which was the most gorgeous beach.

We set ourselves up on the sand and then Doug, the dogs and myself swam in the sea! I was really enjoying myself until this massive wave came from nowhere and totally engulffed the 4 of us! Doug was really heroic and grabbed me to stop me going under. We were swept up on the beach and then noticed that Biscuit had lost his collar in the wave - it was that strong it had pulled it off!

We go down to the dog beach every night after Doug finishes work and the dogs look forward to it all day! As soon as Doug comes in at night Oz runs to get his collar and drops it at Doug's feet! The dogs are really good swimmers and we throw tennis balls into the ocean for them to fetch (we go through about 8 a week!!) but the funny thing is that Doug seems to attract all the other dogs on the beach and all the little kids! We normally end up with about 6 dogs around us and a couple of kids all running round after the dogs all excited .. it makes me laugh so much to see and at least we are never lonely!!

We are settling into Ozzie life fast and are enjoying everything about living in Perth ... we only wish we could share it with our family and friends.

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