We took a drive out to the block today, seeing as the builders started back at work last week. It looks like they have been busy, all our piles are poured - I should think the slab will be on it's way down next week and the frame up by the end of January with a bit of luck. It's all getting a bit exciting! ... read more

Well, how time flies. We've been away from 'home' for almost 16 months now, we've been in Australia for 14 months and in work and in our rental place for over a year. The time has just flown over, it doesn't seem five minutes since we packed up and left the only sunny day we had seen in England all that summer. Things are still going well. Emma is (reasonably) happy at work, as am I. Neither of us are particularly excited about what we are doing, but it pays the bills - and we didn't move here for the work, that's just a necessary evil. Summer is fast approaching, we have had a couple of rare days in the 30's, but it's been pretty cool and wet up to now. Unfortunately, the rain never falls ... read more

Well, I've probably left it a bit late to write up much about Mum & Dad's visit as I've forgotten most of the things we did! They came out in April, which already seems an age ago. We were pretty lucky with the weather considering it was into autumn and cooling off. Suffice it to say, M&D had a great time and it was brilliant to have them over here. We showed them around Melbourne and walked up a few blisters. We took some time of work to show them around, and managed to fit in a couple of trips. One to Sydney and a road trip along the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay, as well as day trips out around Melbourne surrounds. Sydney was awesome as it was also my first time there. We ... read more

Well, we've been here for a little over three months now - so time for an update I reckon. The time has just flown by, although we have only been here for three and a bit months, it feels like a lot longer. We have managed to cram quite a lot in in that time, so I suppose that makes it seem like we have been here longer. We feel really settled, especially now Emma is working. Things have just fallen in to place. We have made a few friends and we're out every weekend exploring, and seeing what's going on in the city. The weather has been great on the whole. We've had some racking storms and some pretty cold days, but mostly the weather has been fine, dry , warm and blue skies. Pretty ... read more

Well, there goes our first Christmas & New Year in Australia. All in all fairly uneventful. We had a nice time and, although it didn't feel like Christmas, I still managed to put on the obligatory Christmas poundage - so it's back in the gym in earnest in the new year. Our stuff was finally delivered on the 19th December, and with the help of Grace and Jim, we soon had it all unpacked and set up. We only had 3 breakages - an ornament, a plant pot and a cheap desk lamp and nothing seemed to be missing. So, pretty good really. It's nice to have a house with furnishings again, it doesn't echo anymore! We had some awesome storms the next day, the whole place flooded. The city was a mess, we had water ... read more