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Published: August 16th 2009
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Well, we are well and truly into Winter now and boy have we been cold! We've had bad storms and really heavy rain and I think because this year we are living closer to the coast - we seem to have been hit even more with the bad weather. There was one particularly bad storm one night with heavy rain and thunder and gale force winds that we thought the roof was going to cave in - we have a steel colorbond roof so it makes the noise of the rain and wind even louder - sort of like camping indoors ;0)
One weekend we gave in trying to ‘get dressed’ for bed which included thick pjs, socks, and a hoody top and went out a bought an electric blanket - bliss!!! We also put 2 duvets (doonas out here!!) on the bed for extra snuggness! We even bought Biscuit a new bed so that he is raised off the floor now as he was struggling a bit with the cold weather and his old bed and I think his joints were stiff because of the cold and his age. He loves it and does look very comfy (especially when
I put a little blanket on him at tuck him in at night which he loves!). Aussie takes ownership of the bed during the day and as it is under the window he sits on the bed watching the children walking to and from the primary school which is at the bottom of our road - he’s so nosy for a dog and likes to see what is going on all the time!
It hasn’t been all bad weather as it is after all Australia!! We have had some nice trips out on the bike now that I’ve bought my new helmet and we had a long ride up to Lancelin one Sunday afternoon and had a lovely picnic. We also got invited to go out with a bike gang - no don’t worry we’ve not joined the Hell’s Angels but it is a gang that go out for long bike rides and do charity events for local children and the armed force veterans.
We set off early on a Sunday morning and drove to the meeting point (which was 1 hours ride south from our house and when we got there my bum was already sore!). There
were hundreds of people there - I was so surprised. We set off in a really long convoy and made our way slowly through the Aussie countryside which was lovely and as it was such a warm sunny day so I really took in the views! We slowly made our way to the coast and on to Rockingham to get access over to Garden Island - which is an Island off the coast owned by the Royal Australian Navy.
It’s a maintenace facility and the only access for the public is over a huge causeway that spans 13,000 feet from the mainland! Only 80% of the island is open to the public normally but as this had all been previously arranged by the bike gang we got a military convoy over! It was spectactular to watch and be a part of! We got a guided tour of the island and also got to see all the war ships that were docked - they were huge! After the tour we were escorted off the island and then we decided to have our picnic lunch near the beach at Rockingham - it was lovely (it was also such a relief to
get off the bike as by now my bum was so numb!). On the way home we stopped a very regular intervals as we were both walking like John Wayne!
We are now into August and the last few days has seen warm sunny days returning and the temperature creeping up to 20 degrees - but the nights are still very cold. We are patiently waiting for the beach at Jindalee near to the house to open and we go down most nights to see what building work has been carried out. We have also found a sneaky path down on to the beach and take full advantage of it as it’s like having your own private beach! The pub is also coming along nicely and hopefully will be open in the next few months. I do miss going to a pub - and I think as a lot of the locals in Butler (Brighton) are English it will be more like a traditional UK pub! We have still got to get round to painting the outside of the house from the horrible blue colour but the majority of the paining inside is now finished and looking very clean! We finally bought our furniture for the theatre room at the front of the house and have enjoyed looking round the furniture shops (well I have - poor Dougie!).
Doug has become totally obsessed with golf and has been sulking the last couple of weeks as his golfing partner has been on extended leave in the US so he hasn’t had anyone to play with! But I am glad that he has taken it up even if it does mean getting up so early in the morning to get to the golfcourse (I have to get up to make him coffee and breakfast as I worry about him going out so early!) but at least when he’s not here I can go back to bed for a long lie-in!
So, we are nearing the end of winter now and really looking forward to Spring and of course Summer (just so that we'll be warm and put away the electric blanket!). We are also busy planning our next ride out on the bike and also a few other trips that are on the horizon - really feeling settled and content now ;0))
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Fav mum in law
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Cannot wait to see our grandogs
Poms, love pic's of our grandogs, glad you are all settled now, Lots of love and Big XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, carn't wait to see you all, its going to drag LOLOLOL . Ann and John XXXXX