Categories: uncategorized
Date: 07 March 2007 00:44:40
Wow, can't believe it's been so long! Life has been interesting.
I'm still temping, hoping to hear from one particular job I applied for - for an interview at least! I've just applied for a job at the local TEchnical College, in admin, which would be good too .... the place i"m temping at has said that there would probably be a fulltime job for me if I wanted it so there's that as a fallback. They're lovely people but (there's always a but with me, isn't there) I'm just not that interested it he job ... however beggars can't be choosers and if nothing else has come up then that's what I'll be doing. Doesn't stop me applying for other jobs in the meantime though :)
We have been gradually setting up 'the shack' to suit the two of us .. more of my bits coming across, Mr Tasmania has made some shelves for the kitchen so things can be off the benchs (lovely), I"ve planted some flowers ....
... and he has now made me a cage, which I covered in chicken wire on Monday night, so the remaining flowers will have a chance to grow! It's all very well to talk about the lovely Australian fauna ... but not when the b*gge*s are eating your plants! At least the wallabies left me some alyssum .... I would fence the whole garden but we've got possums as well ..... I suppose we could enclose the lot and make a little gate at the end for me to come and go .... I think I'll just have a series of cafes and see what other plants will survive the rapacious creatures! ... there's always chilli spray too .....
We spent last weekend at the end of the Pieman River. Mr Tasmania's dad has had a shack down there for years ... it's quite well set up, draft free :), has a shower (gas powered, water tank, outside in another shed - but HOT!) ... nothing flash but it was lovely to have the time. We were picked up at Corrina by a friend in his boat (after a two hour drive) and taken down the river, which is absolutely beautiful. We passed 30 or so black swans, flying along the edge of the river, and on Sunday morning looked out the window whilst having breakfast to see another four just wafting down the river - lovely.
There were only us and the Proud Family (mum, dad, bubba + dog) at opposite ends of the 15 shacks so it was very relaxing. We chatted and wandered and talked to the Captain of the Arcadia, an old wooden boat which takes tourists down the river (twice on Saturday and once on Sunday) - a 4 hour round trip for $80 ... quite a good trip, worth the money I reckon!
Mr Tasmania had brought his computer (as we left straight from work on Friday) and I watched a Top Gear DVD on Saturday night whilst he read and listened to the AFL. I'm addicted to Top Gear, love it - and even better I loved it before I met him :) so he thinks it's great! We read a lot :) but also got out on the little motorbike and went for a burn up to the mouth of the river and along the beach. A guy who has 50 acres along the coast was home so we dropped in on him - he has an amazing view out over the mouth of the river, and is so well set up - seemingly he spends half his time there (he doesn't work), his wife comes and stays for months at a time, and half back in the little town where we also live.
It was a lovely trip and we made it back in time to go to sunday night church, which was very much needed on my part - there is so much comfort in being in church - I mean, God never goes away but I find the company of other believers, even when you don't know them well, is so important!
We did get back to find the hot water not working, much to Mr Tasmania's disgust, but he put in a sterling effort on MOnday night, involving hose pipes, two trips to a mates garage, a new valve, and lifting a floorboard, and now we have wonderful hot water at full throttle - we think it may have been gradually dwindling for a while but now the blockage is gone and all is right with the world :)
I'm excited as we head off home (to Sydney) on Friday after work - it's a long weekend in Tassie so we have three days, and I get to see everyone, meet my new nephew (who will be 7 weeks old), and just generally reconnect ... it's been three months since we got here and I haven't been home yet. I realise people move all the time and some emigrate and it's difficult to go home, but the reality is it affects each person how it affects them, the experience is completely relative and, along with moving 1200km's (to another state, on a small island, to the country, after being in the biggest city in the country for 7 years), I've gotten married, started a job, ended a job, and am now job hunting, all fairly stressful (the marrying isn't stressful, it's just a growing learning thing - big enough!) stuff so I think going home will be a very good thing.
I still have bad moments, not every day, just overwhelming feelings at time. I know my boy is totally worth it but it certainly isn't easy ... I also know it will get easier, and going home will make that process move along even better. We will be going back up at Easter for 5 or 6 days so that will also make it a lot easier ... and, once I am in full time work, there is no reason why I (or we) can't go back for a weekend every six weeks or so ... also, if Mr Tasmania has made plans (with me) to go surfing in Byron Bay I'll head up to the parents place ... or if he wants to go bike riding for a weekend etc ... I know I will gradually do more and more down here and will be programming in visits around things, and that's great - but at the moment I'm not there yet :)
I have programmed in a 'make a glass plate' slumped glass class, and a 'backyard ceramics' class in the next two months, so that's another start eh, get out and meet the poeple, have a chat, and maek something as well!
okay, better go, I"m writing this at work while everyone is in a staff meeting (just don't seem to have time at nights)!