We've Moved.

So, as the girls and I wait patiently for our favourite Male to return to live with us from Abu Dhabi, we've been busy trying to find new digs and waiting patiently (ever so patiently) for our 20 Foot shipping container to arrive. After passing successfully through quarantine and customs (via Brisbane) I was most pleased to hear that it made it up to Cairns on the weekend.

Lucky I was successful finding a new home for us to live in, for at leas the next six months.  It is a difficult task trying to organise a place to live with two young girls in tow and a husband half a world away.  We (MrL) and I have similar tastes (I believe) so I am sure he will be happy with the house I was successful in applying (and subsequently getting) for.  I know our beautiful girls were.

With a lush green back yard, well, who could blame us feeling a little joyous at the occasion of moving in?

This house is something a little different from the ordinary.  We like that.  Built with colour bond and cladding and lots of timber shutters and window frames I know MrL will love it as much as I do.

I have had some teething problems here at the house (air cons/tv/gas - don't ask!) but it'll all be sorted out before I know it.  With MrL arriving here v. v. soon, I still have some unpacking and sorting to do.  But he won't care.  He just wants to be reunited back with his little family, as much as I want him to be too.

New Beginnings

Things are seriously falling into place here for us.

After searching high and low for a suitable place for my little family to live in Cairns, a perfect one turned up.  And I subsequently got.  I think it helped that that I befriended the agent and within three hours of putting in the application she rang me back to say it was mine.  I think it helped that I viewed the property twice, just to make sure I was doing the right thing.  It is tough to try and find a perfect place without your partner in crime who is still residing in the Middle East.  But we have similar tastes in most things so I am positive he will approve of my choice.

I was contacted too yesterday by our removal company that our shipping container had been given the all clear from Australian Customs and Quarantine.  It is heading up this way on the weekend.  All ready for me to take on the same day I take over the lease of our new abode.

Slowly falling into place.  New beginnings.

The Normality of it All.

Life is getting to normal here at our house.  

My sister is now back in London and all of our stuff from the packing boxes have finally been sorted.  I have a big fridge full of perishable items and my pantry cupboards are near to over flowing.   All I really need to do is get Monet's education sorted (which I have begun to look into at long last) and get my UAE driver's license, once my passport with my newly issued resident's visa is back in my hands.

It was so nice to sleep in our own bed after not having it for over two and a half months.  It was also nice to sit back on our couches and listen to music, or watch tv.  

I have my kitchen all sorted out now and I just love it.  Lyndon calls it my shed.  I have basically everything I need or could possibly want, so the kitchen has been getting a work out.  It is nice to have my cookbooks back and close at hand.  I might not have a dishwasher (all in due time) and I am still on the lookout for a set of  'Global Knives', but otherwise... 

We have set up the stair landing as Monet's playroom.  It is huge.  HUGE.  And she loves it.  I quite love the fact that it deters her from having her toys in the living areas.   At least this way her mess isn't in my face all the time!  *heehee*  As our villa is only 2 bedrooms, but has enough room for four bedrooms, Monet's playroom will also be doubling as a guest room.  So be warned if you are planning a visit! *heehee*

Otherwise not much is happening in these parts of the woods.  I'm too busy getting on with normality!

We Can Justify Anything.

Gotta love this little community of ours here at our villas.  Word on the 'grapevine' was that a Scottish lady in #93 was having a moving sale.  Everything is for sale to be sold asap.  

I went around with one of my new friends, as Lyndon had heard said she had a fridge for sale at a good price.  

There has been much discussion around these parts about a possible purchase of a new fridge with a bigger freezer.  I know that in months to come it will be too unbearable to go outside so one weekly shop will involve the purchase of loads of stuff to be frozen.  (Bread and meat for example.)  I know what humidity does, after living in Cairns, where nothing can really be kept out of the fridge for more than 5 minutes without melting (like butter) or getting mouldy very, very quickly (like bread).   Most things will have to be kept in our fridge and I am not sure if our fridge from home will be able to hold all that I wish.  

So I bought her fridge.  It is less than a year old and cost less than $700AUD.  Not bad for a double door fridge and freezer.  In stainless steel.  Very nice indeed.  Oh, did I mention too that it has a 'drink dispenser' on the front door? I'm showing off now aren't I?  Not really.  I'd be showing off more if it was an 'ice dispenser'....  Our fridge from Australia is now being resigned to be a 'drinks' fridge which is keeping the husband happy.  

I also scooped up a bargain 'butchers block/trolley'.  I have been wanting one of these for years.  That cost about $50AUD.  

Lyndon went around to collect the fridge and the trolley, with a couple of neighbours last night and came home with yet another (bargain) purchase - a digital surround sound package, never been used.  He was very excited as it is a top brand and our other one broke some time ago.  Lyndon assures me that the sound will be impeccable (which is a good thing).

By the way, did I mention that we actually got our shipping container on Monday night?  Made me very happy to say the least.  The removal guys (eight of them) arrived at about 4pm, brought in all the boxes, set up all the furniture, unpacked my kitchen and were gone less than 90 minutes later. 

 

This place is now beginning to feel a lot like home.  

(I will post photos when all has been unpacked and put into a proper home, which could be some weeks away! *heehee*)

Safe, Well and Smiling :-)

I'm here.  

And I am well.  

And I am happy.

After a rather non-eventful yesterday...oh bar the fact that Monet was crying in the line when we were checking into Etihad Airline in Sydney, not because she was sad she was leaving the country, it was because she lost a hair clip!  I swear, people were looking at us and thinking 'please, I hope I'm NOT sitting next to those two!'  I was silently wishing that the floor would swallow me up (you'd think I was putting pins in her eyes she was carrying on so much!)

We spent a while in Sydney airport and on the 15 hour plane journey doing a lot of this...

Magic pens.  Oh, simply 'magic' to a four year old, let me tell you.  Monet was entertained by doing that and also by simply sticking stickers onto her hands and arms and then putting them into a book.  She watched a couple of movies and promptly feel asleep for about 6 hours.  *Lucky me*  I wasn't fortunate enough to have 'that' much sleep (ie.  half of what she got) but the time I did spend sleeping I was using one of those 'ugly' neck pillows.

  

Ugly? Sure.  Price of comfort?  Priceless, no matter how ugly and silly one may look with it draped around your neck.

With Great Relief (part I), Monet and I got through customs. (Always a worry of mine.  Maybe one too many viewings of 'Border Security' where people aren't let into the country and are put on the next plane back to their homeland!)

With Great Relief (part II), our in-tact luggage was spotted on the luggage carousel, practically first off the rank!  (I always have visions of either my bags not showing up or if they do turn up, the zipper is broken and my bra and knickers are spread across the carousel for the world to see.) 

 

With Great Relief (part III), Monet and I spotted Lyndon's 'western' dial as we walked out of immigration.  Monet's face was priceless and she didn't let go of Lyndon's hand, nor left his side for quite some time.  It was bloody marvellous to see our Lyndon, let me tell you.  

It was fabulous to step into our villa in the compound complex.  Nice too to walk around and see our new 'abode' in the flesh.  Monet's new bed is HUGE (and very comfortable!)  Lyndon had also purchased a few new items for Monet including a small table and chairs (she's doing some colouring in on it as I type), loads of art stuff and one of those spongy floor jigsaws of the alphabet...

We all finally got into bed last night (this morning?) at around 1:30-2am.  

And I know you wouldn't read about it, but we woke this morning to a huge thunder storm with rain and heaps of lightening, lighting up the morning sky.  Who said it never rains in Abu Dhabi?  (Ummm, that would be me!)  

We've spent late morning/early afternoon browsing a shopping mall and spent a good two hours doing our supermarket shopping at 'Lulu Hypermarket'.  I am in cooking heaven.  Seriously.  Fresh produce from around the globe - cheeses, dips, olives, fruit and vegetables, breads, cakes, spices, anything and everything.  I know I said it just before but I will say it again, I am in cooking heaven.  

We're currently having some 'quiet time' on this coolish UAE day.  Lyndon is having a lay down (working very long hours the poor lad.  He worked on Thursday from 11am till 5am Friday morning!)  I suspect Monet will fall asleep in a reasonable hour tonight and I am looking forward to cracking open one of those Stella Cans.

I am safe, well and smiling. 

:-)

A Long Time Coming

Monet and I have only got a handful of days left in Australia before we head off to our new home in the Untied Arab of Emirates.  Lyndon is there waiting excitedly for us to arrive.  Neither of us can wait to see each other.  It has been a long five weeks apart.  

(Monet and my dad walking near their home...)

I am unsure when I will be posting next, I suspect it won't be long.  I know Lyndon has got the Internet all hooked up in our new home and our MacBook is waiting patiently for my fingers to start tapping away on it again.

(Monet and her cousin chatting and eating!)

Lyndon has stacked our new little fridge (our furniture arrives about 12 days after us) with some of my favourite things - glass bottled coke, Red Bull, 500ml Stella cans.  Oh! he does know how he can spoil me.  *smirk*  He has even gone and got some fresh ham for Monet, seeing that is her favourite.  

(The back patio at my parents, Monet and Grandma made the paper decorations)

The new oven has been installed, there are new block-out blinds in all the rooms, a couple of bean bags waiting for our bums to sit on, new cutlery, a big heavy-based frying pan, new beds for us...the list goes on.  Enough stuff to get us by until the day our shipping container arrives, packed with our goods from Trinity Beach.  

(Monet playing at the next door neighbours of my parents.)

I'm 'flirting' with the idea of beginning to pack our suitcases today.  Everything is ready and waiting to be packed in, it is just a matter of seeing if it does all fit back in our cases!  

(Bubble blowing)

My parents and Lyndon's parents, along with Monet and I are going out for tea altogether tonight.  

(Being a Pussy Cat!)

I have requested that only my dad drop Monet and I off at the airport.  They are horrible places aren't they?  At least this time it is not I who is being left behind - I hate that.  

We're off to begin the new chapter in our lives.  It has been a long time coming....

A Coat and a Jab

I've been sorting through my old wardrobe here at my parent's house.  I have been finding lots of things long forgotten about including this little number, modeled by our own beautiful four year old Miss Monet...

The winter jacket was actually worn by me, when I was four.  I think my Grandmother had bought it for me, to wear on those cold, winter days when I went to Kindergarten.  (Well, Monet won't be wearing that when she goes to Kindergarten now will she?)  It is in rather perfect nick and if we were residing in Victoria permanently she'd be wearing it now.  

Monet thought it was rather wonderful to be wearing her mum's 31 year old coat.  I wonder what else I might dig up in that wardrobe?  (Plenty of junk waiting to be piffed no doubt!)

In other news I had three jabs in my arms yesterday.  My right arm was so sore last night I couldn't lift it.  I had a bad night sleep, due to being not able to sleep on my preferred side.  (Don't you hate that?)  Monet had to have two jabs but she has been fine.  Who would wanna move to the UAE?  *wink wink*

He Leaves Australia Tomorrow...

We won't get to see Lyndon now for at least four weeks. The lucky devil is now in Melbourne awaiting his early flight to Sydney tomorrow before flying off to Abu Dhabi in the afternoon. We figured it was best (and a hell of a lot less stressful) if he left us the day before in country Victoria with family.

So far, so good.

It has been a very strange and long couple of weeks now. It has been two weeks since Lyndon's work visa came through. We've done so much and no wonder I cannot stop yawning. *yawn*

I know once we know Lyndon has safely arrived in our new home city, I will be itching to follow. Once he becomes a resident of Abu Dhabi (takes about a week after he arrives), he can then 'sponsor' Monet and I and we can follow when we are all ready to do so.

I suspect we'll be leaving on a Silver Bird within the next four weeks. *fingers crossed*

(Notice I didn't say anything about the weather in this post?!)

Hammer (& Nail) Time

We are having a good clean up around here today.  I'm toiling in the kitchen - wiping out cupboards, cleaning all dishes etc., whilst Lyndon is clearing out the dead plants on the balcony from their lovely huge ceramic pots.  We have a lot of tenants living here we didn't know about, both in the kitchen and in those outdoor pots.  (Can't believe I slept soundly knowing there was a baby gecko lurking in the lounge too last night!)

It is break time here.  'Kid shows' are on the telly and Lyndon has gone down(?)/up(?)/across to Bunnings with a list as long as his arm.  

Friday's night 'gig' for Lyndon was great.  Everyone turned up and a great meal was had by all.  The restaurant owner was very pleased we were all there.  I imagine the bill at the end of the night was quite big.  

Here is Miss Monet and I ready to go out on Friday night (gee two photos of me in the last few days!  What's going on??)...  Notice the new dress for Miss and my new bangle?  *grin*

See those smiles?  Well, mine anyway.  They are genuine.  Can't believe that the ball is rolling with Lyndon finishing up work, with real estate agents we have chosen for the management of this property and the removal company pencilled in from our quotes we sent to the Lyndon's new employers - we could be out of here before we know it!  

*scared*

*excited*

And because any excuse will do, last night the three of us went out for tea and had a lovely meal.  We got 10% off the total bill price, just by mentioning we were locals.  No proof of ID needed either.  Email me if you want the name of the restaurant.  *wink wink* ;-)

Guess I better get back to it.  This place doesn't clean itself you know.

Take A Bow.

It is Lyndon's final day for the company he works for today. Even though he has been a little poorly treated since the resignation letter four weeks ago, we are still very grateful.  (There were numerous people within the company in Brisbane who seemed peed off with Lyndon, but we honestly put it down to jealousy!  True.)  Without the company offering Lyndon a job over two and a half years, we would not have made our home in Cairns, nor would have we probably even thought about moving overseas. (So Marianne and Mum, you can blame them! *heehee*)

We'll be back to being a one car family tonight.  The much loved company car will be returned this afternoon.

I will be 'car-less' for the remaining days?/weeks? here, as Lyndon (in typical Lyndon fashion) has lined up some work for himself in Cairns until his work visa comes through...(hello visa...where are you??)

Tonight we are going out to celebrate with some of his fellow workers for a drink and a feed at a restaurant, literally just down the road from us.  

Monet needed a new dress, apparently... (no, that is not her hat!)

I lashed out and bought a new bangle (a whole $5 from 'Diva')...

I bought the 'office lady' a Krosno glass bowl (gorgeous), all wrapped up and ready to hand over later on (she's been very supportive in the last couple of months especially)...

And Lyndon?  Well, he can rest assured that there is still half a slab of Natural Blonde sitting in the fridge...

and we'll stop off on the way home (I'll have to pick him up remember!) this afternoon and he can buy himself a slab of 'Knappstein' beer, his favourite.

I'm proud of you Lyndon.  Very proud.  

C'mon visa, c'mon!!!

And for something 'completely' off the subject, read this and then watch this.  (In case you didn't realise, I have a soft spot for Mr. Tex Perkins and in case you also didn't realise, this is a piss-take.  I have a soft spot for piss-takes too....)

Answer

Well, those of you who were waiting patiently of where we are moving to, here is your answer...

(Sorry, not the clearest of maps)

The United Arab Emirates and no, not Dubai.  We are moving to the capital of the Emirates, Abu Dhabi, the richest city in the world (believe it or not!). 

We're excited.  I hope you are too!  

We are 99% certain we are going, we're just waiting for the promised 'offer' to arrive via email this coming week if all goes smoothly.  I'm so very proud of Lyndon and really of ourselves, for following a dream that is (finally) becoming a reality.  

It will be a move that we have mentally prepared ourselves for over the past nine months.  That was when we considered the job opportunities over there and applied for said job.  His interview was way back in the first week of April and yes, it has taken that long for him to get a definite answer.  It has been a long (long, long) road and story too (you honestly wouldn't read about what we've been through).  

Fingers crossed the offer comes through soon.  

You know I'll let you know.  

Watch Out...

I'm a great believer in the saying 'Life is Short'.  I have been made more aware of this since having Monet when you realise and witness how quickly one grows.  

I was brought up to grab hold of opportunities that pass you by, which goes hand in hand with my 'Life is Short' philosophy. 

So something has come up - we think Brisbane is not happening, but our apartment is still for rent.  We are still definitely moving, but not to where we thought we were a week ago.  Not wanting to 'leak' anything else here in case it all falls through, but we've been waiting since the beginning of the year for this moment and we think it finally is happening. *yay*

You better stay tuned...

Here We Go Again. (I don't think it will ever stop...)

Back in late June, I posted about things happening that I couldn't quite post about yet.  Well, I think I can now. 

We're moving. 

Lyndon has been given a work opportunity too good to pass up - it is a job that will hopefully go on to bigger and better things in the future for both him and us.  The job was offered to him a while back and it took a lot of umming and ahhing on our behalf to work out what is best for our little family.  This seems like the right thing to do at present.  

So, what?  where?  when?  Well, I can't tell all, but it seems as if we'll be gone sometime  in September.  So where?  where?  I hear you ask.  

Brisbane.  Or BrisVegas, which ever you prefer.

Cairns, you've been good to us, but it is time to move on.

The hardest part of the move will be those bloody water restrictions!!  *urgh*

End of an Era

Before we moved up here, the three of us lived in South Melbourne and *loved* it. It was a great suburb and had everything we wanted. Our apartment was close to Lyndon's work place at the time, a 15 minute walk into the city center, opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens, The Shrine, park lands, close to a local shopping strip and the fabulous and famous South Melbourne Market.

It was also close to numerous fabulous pubs.

One of our favourite places to meet our good friends on a Sunday afternoon, was the famous 'Bell Hotel'. I read with sadness today that Billy Bell, the owner, is pouring his last beer tomorrow. I know Lyndon and his mate John will be sad to read of this and want to be there.

(Photo courtesy of The Age website)

They used to brew a few of their own beers on site, but now only one is home brewed. We had some good meals there and downed some refreshing ales. Monet also read a lot of books at this pub, in fact, I think this was one of the first places I had given Monet a 'scrapbook' of collected postcards/photos/pictures i had put together, where it occupied her no end.

Another of the hotels frequented by us in South Melbourne was 'The Railway Hotel' which has been a location for the new Steven Spielberg epic mini-series, which has been filmed both here (Mossman mainly) and Melbourne. It will be a great mini series to watch as we know both locations pretty well. (It won't be shown until 2009 in Australia however...)

South Melbourne is a terrific old suburb, but is only one of many of Melbourne's great suburbs. For me, it rates alongside St. Kilda and Malvern, two suburbs I lived in over the years and loved for my own special reasons.

I remember crying, probably bawling in fact, when we packed up and cleaned our South Melbourne apartment, headed for Cairns. I wasn't crying for the fact that we were moving 'away' to a strange new place and leaving behind family and friends, I think I was crying as we were leaving our life as we knew it, in that great city apartment with the fabulous city views in a terrific suburb.

Do you 'like' where you live?

What's Another Few Years?

So, you remember this post from a couple of weeks ago? Now the joke goes something like this...

Did you hear the one about the couple who thought they'd set a wedding date, but ended up scrapping the idea because they didn't want a wedding getting in the way of a fabulous holiday?

You didn't?

You have now...

Hey, we figure we've been engaged for sooooo long, what's another year or two? It seems there is a lot for us to accomplish in the next 5 months before we head overseas (a possible move south included) and planning a wedding in all this was ludicrous. (What was I thinking?) We figure a holiday at this point of time is 'right' for us, before Monet goes and gets an education and while she is still pretty much 'free' when we travel around Europe (I've been researching!)

In fact, I have been researching a lot of things on the internet lately. Do you know how good the internet is when trying to research reviews on possible Christmas presents for a 3 year old? Bloody brilliant I tell you. There will be no wasted money in this household this Christmas.

I was thinking of getting Monet a digital camera for Christmas (to take on her impending European holiday - sorry I keep repeating that but its my blog and I can say what I want!) but it seems the ones on the market for her age group are basically crap, especially when we're used to getting quality (?) photos out of my Sony Cybershot when taken by her. (Example below - she took that last Sunday at Thorton's Beach.)


A 'kiddie' digital camera for her has been crossed off the gift list.

Also reviewing hotels on the internet too. And itineraries. And prices for travel etc., Fabulous. I can't imagine how I travelled to the UK on my own in 1996 without doing all the previous research I am doing now.

(And for those of you who said "Rome, go to Rome", well....)

We're Here...

So here we are now, all safe and sound in our new abode and just how wonderful is it? Wonderful!

Our move went very smoothly indeed on Saturday. I would never do a moving job by myself ever again (we did that a few years ago and it was terrible and never ending!), removalists are definitely the way to go. It also helps to be pretty organised as we were, with our large packing boxes all packed and waiting by the Friday night.

We did two car loads of 'bits and pieces' on Friday, after the settlement of this property. We mainly took Monet's loose toys and pantry goodies on the Friday, which I think stressed Monet out a little by the Friday evening. She definitely was not herself - we figured it was a big (BIG) combination of a toothache (owch!) and thinking she was moving out without us (because most of her goodies were now at our new home and not at our city apartment). We got her to sleep in bed with us to calm her (trust me, she was all over the place the poor little button!)

Saturday morning the big move began at 8am. We were all moved by midday to our new abode. Phew.

Of course we had boxes everywhere but we have now sorted out everything and put most things in their rightful home. We have one box left to unpack and its one of those boxes I don't want to touch as I have to find a home for it all. (Crappy little things, you know what I mean!)

This place is more spacious than we first thought which is terrific. Monet's room has all her toys in it (rather than them being all over the apartment like in our last home!) including her big Dora Cubby. She has been sleeping wonderfully too, all night in her bed. That's a big bonus. Lyndon and I got a new bed delivered on Sunday and we've told her she's not allowed to sleep in it during the night. Maybe that's why she's been sleeping well. Who knows.

Here's how my new kitchen is looking....

The worst thing about moving though, is that you always have your 'old' place to clean. Anyone who rents knows this. It is seriously the pits. You're all excited that you're in a new place but you still have to go and clean your old place. (We need our bond back!!) We gave the place a bit of a wipe down (I had already cleaned the bathrooms and the kitchen was extremely clean as I did them last week) on Sunday. As we couldn't be bothered cleaning the tiled floors and the windows, we hired cleaners to do the place yesterday. How easy. I hope they've done a good job (Lyndon will check - he actually got the cleaners from his workplace to do it)

So yep. Here we are. All happy, bar someones tooth, but that's being fixed tomorrow. (And that's an entirely different post!!)

Every Single Hand Helps When Moving...

Bye Bye For a Week...

This will be my last post for a week (boo hoo!) because our phone line (and therefore our broadband) are going to get disconnected tomorrow. It was either have five days without the internet here or five days without the internet at our new place. Obviously you know what we choose.

This will at least get me to pack up everything and clean without the distraction of blogging!! So in advance I apologize if I don't come and visit your blog but rest assured that I will be blog catching up you within the next fortnight. The first thing that will be unpacked and set up will be the internet connection. Trust me. I know what we are like.

I have had in my mind so many posts I want to tell you about but I don't really have the time...

I want to tell you that when Monet says blanket, she says (very cutely mind you), "blanklet" (as in anklet!)

I want to tell you that down at the Marina over the past week Monet and I have spotted these huge salmon-coloured jelly fish, with heads like big pasta bowls and tentacles like blobs of fingers, which Monet calls "jelly babies"...

I want to tell you about the gorgeous pink feather boa I bought Monet (how could I resist?) so she could dance around the room like Kylie...

I want to tell you about how we went out on Friday night for a drink with a couple of Lyndon's work mates and Monet was really well behaved and got out of the pram and danced for everyone...

I want to tell you about how today we went looking for a bed for Lyndon and I, and we both had a computer tell us which type of bed was suited to us and it was the same type (which is apparently very unusual!)...

I want to tell you about how this is our last weekend in Cairns City and how we spent our time packing away our goodies...

I want to tell you about how we all got ourselves 'battery-powered' toothbrushes...

I want to tell you just how hilarious the new Hi-5 DVD is, which I don't mind watching...

I want to tell you about the lovely home-made 'Dim Sims' I made the other night which turned out much better than I expected but you can view the recipe here on my other blog...

I want to tell you that Monet is two nights into her five nights of sleeping well in her 'big bed', sleeping towards her new 'Kylie' DVD...

I want to tell you how I am planning on decorating Monet's new bedroom within the next couple of months...

So much to say, so little time.

Next time I blog I will be sitting pretty in our new home. Our new home! How exciting. We are really looking forward to it. This time next week we hope to be pretty much settled in with most of our stuff in its rightful place...

In the meanwhile, I hope everyone has a terrific week and I'll catch up with you all really, really soon.

Melody x

Keep On Moving...

We are like a couple of professionals in the moving stakes, Lyndon and I. Look, we even went out and bought one of those packing tape dispensers...

...And we write on the tape, not on the box, in case we have to use those boxes again.

I've been packing at least one big box a day and we are slowly getting through it all... I can see ourselves this time next week eating off paper plates and using plastic cutlery because I would have packed up the whole kitchen!! And we'd still have a week to go before we move!!

Since going out with Lyndon, coming up to 11 years in June, this will be our 10th move together and Monet's third (and she's not even 3 yet!).

I think that Packing tape dispenser will probably get a fair bit of work out in years to come as I know what we are like. But then things may change, considering we are moving into our 'own' place this time and not renting!! (Yippee!! We still can't believe it.) And if we do happen to move, the company Lyndon works for will be paying for removalists to pack and move our stuff anyway (like they did with our Melbourne to Cairns move), so maybe we don't need to hold onto that tape dispenser after all. Heehee...

Over the past 10 years, how many house moves have you made?

Unfinished Projects

One thing I do love about moving is the amount of stuff you get to throw out! I love to feel organised (obviously) and there is nothing like going through all your stuff to cleanse the soul (or something like that anyway!! Hehe..)

So this morning's pathetic wet weather, lead to me sort through my 'scrap booking' tub I have. Oh my I have a lot of items, all ready for scrap booking. I went through the coloured papers, through the assortment of stickers, photos, tags, cut-out shapes, paper frames and sorted them into little bags. (I love those little plastic bags with zip-tops!)

My aim at our new abode, is to actually begin scrap booking again. Or finish scrap booking. I'm not sure which. I need to spend less time here at this computer and finish off Monet's 'Baby Scrapbook' before she turns 21. I know, she will be 3 on her next birthday but Lyndon found a Cross-stitch I began in like 1991, and it still isn't finished. See what I'm like? I need to finish this for her as I have done over half already and it seriously is a lovely memento.
Do you have any unfinished projects at your place?