Gloom and Doom

Alright, maybe not doom.  That's a bit melodramatic.  It's just rained every day for a week, the laundry has really piled up and of course, there's no news on the home front.  It's hard not to get a little dejected.  I have a house to call about this morning - only because we're raising our weekly price maximum.  Not excited about that but we really have to find something now.

  The good news is that the packing is coming along and Ted picked up a ton off boxes from his office yesterday.  So we're on our way.  Tessi's birthday party is this weekend so I really have to get going on getting everything organized.  At least she's pretty easy on the toy front still.  I wonder if I can sucker her into having a donut cake too?  Doubt it...she's in FULL horse mode.  Hmmm, maybe I can get her to let me serve a trough of hay?  I mean, we want to be authentic don't we?  Better not try, she's not one to be crossed lightly.

Ren Your Houses People!

ACK!  Sydneysiders!!  Don't you listen to the news?  It's a bad time to try and sell property!  Just rent it!  Rent it, I say!

Especially if you live within a 20 minute drive of Normanhurst, are within walking distance to a major bus line or train, have 4 bedrooms and allow pets and will rent for under $700 a week.

Thank you.

New Look for The Blog

Thank you Ted for helping get the new template for the blob.  I still have to fix some things and get my fancy widgets back as I really did like that revolving globe I had found.  But no matter, at least it's different looking.  A little more cutesy than I normally like but I am happy it's something new.

Today's plans.  Pack.  Pack like there is no tomorrow.  Well, pack until I'm out of boxes, which isn't too long as I only have 4 or 5 left.  I did get rid of a bunch of the girls toys the other day.  Some very sacred stuffed animals that they really, really don't care about anymore.  Of course, with Tessi's birthday just around the corner I'm sure a few more will be making an appearance.

The other goal for today is some bow-making.  That's the fun part of the day.  Seems silly I know, but it's one of the few things I feel I can do well and that I have complete control over.  Control....sigh...that is something that is sorely lacking in my life right now.  The move, the kids, LIFE.  Ack.  When you're a control freak and you don't have control over things - well BOOM!

Hopefully today I can get some things accomplished and that will make me feel a bit more in charge.  Not to worry though, the more I think about it I must be in charge.  Why else would Connor and Tessi be constantly trying to overthrow me if I wasn't?  Hmmm, maybe I need to wear a fake military uniform with a cool sash....

I Take it Back....

Even if the house isn't exactly what I wanted....it sucks to be rejected.

So much for being Penny's neighbor.

D-Day

Well sort of.  Today we should hear about the 3 applications we put in this weekend.  I'm really blase about all 3 of them.  I want a house but none of them were Shangri-La so I just can't get too excited.  Would be nice to have something though.

Wish us luck!

Sometimes a Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing

So I'm up again in the middle of the night.  Reaccuring Acid Reflux can be helpful in that it does make me sit up and not want to do anything constructive, so I sit at the computer.  I just added a few fun widget thingys to my blog and I thought I'd get a new template.  It's a shame I'm not married to anyone who knows how to design a webpage or anything.....

So I know a little bit about computers.  Not a lot, but a little.  I've decided that is is way more dangerous than knowing nothing.  I've just spent 20 minutes trying to download a cool, spiffy, free template and all I've gotten is more acid churning in my stomach.  Just what I needed.  I would have been better off knowing nothing and sticking with what I had but nooooooo, God forbid I do that.



Now I'm going to spend some more time trying to fix what I changed and hope I can get it to look a little more normal.  Suppose it's better than looking at more more house listings...which I did already...but that's another posting.

How to Pack A House

It's really not hard.  The best way to do it is get into a really, and I mean REALLY bad mood.  Then as you are looking at the beautiful stuffed animal lovingly given to your daughter 4 years ago when she was 2 you can say, "Oh to Hell with it.  She doesn't play with it"  and chuck that bad boy into the trash.  It helps also to be packing the things that belong to the child or spouse who has most recently pissed you off.  Swear to God, you can get it done in an hour or so.  Right now I could pack up Connor and Sasha and have no real proof of their exsistence in a matter of minutes. 

Easy Peasy.


  Now, people you like or stuff you care about...well....that can take a while.

Finding a House

I've moved around my whole life.  Enough times, in fact, that a lot of people assumed we were military.  We're not.  My folks just moved a lot.  As an adult, I move too.  The sad thing is most times I don't even want to...it just works out that way.

I really had hoped to only move one more time in my life.  But no joy.  We're going to another rental.  Ok, so here we are searching and once again I have found the perfect house.  Sadly, it's in 3 different locations.  Every house we lok at has "something" off about it.  Something that really doesn't work for us.  Unfortunatley time is running out for us and I hyperventilate every time I see the calendar so perfect is no longer a goal, manageable is what we need.

House #1 - Perfect location.  It's in Normanhurst, it's the same street as 3 people I know, one of whom is a dear friend.  PENNY, this is you.  Seriously, it's a dream.  Ted can still walk to the train, I could conceivably walk the kids to school.  I won't, but I can say that I can.  The downside is that it's a bit small.  There are enough rooms but it's small.  The fridge won't fit in the kitchen but it'll work in the dining area.  I have a nice fridge and I'm NOT giving it up.  The laundry is below the house and thanks to my elbow I won't be able to carry laundry up and down the steps...so that will be an issue.  But it's a nice house, with a nice yard. 

House#2 _ House is great.  Huge, extra rooms, Gigantic master bedroom with REAL closets.  Yard is good, not great but a good size.  Locations is eh.  Not sure how Ted will catch the bus, have to work on that.

House #3.  House is mirror image of house #2 - must be same designer.  Only, it's ever so much smaller.  It doesn't have 2nd living area and upstairs feels cramped.  It has a pool.  This would be a dream for the kids.  A living dream.  The bus stop is 2 houses away.  Bad side is that it's on a very busy street.  Really busy.

So if we take the second house, plus the pool of the 3rd house and put it on the location of the 1st house, we're good.

Since that's not going happen we have to learn to settle.  I'm hoping we get the Normo one.  Dear God, please don't anyone ever tell Teddy about the house with the pool.  I'll never live that one down.

More False Advertising

Moving boxes are expensive here.  I mean EXPENSIVE.  The small book size ones are anywhere from $4-$5.  There's an online place that will do them cheaper but they want a 100% deposit and you get that back when you return the boxes.  What the Hell?  Don't know about you but it takes me a LONG DAMN time to unpack everything.  In fact, a very long damn time.  I say with pride and with shame that there is a box in my bedroom right now that was packed in San Antonio, 2 moves ago.  No way I'd betting a deposit back.

So, I'm looking for cheap boxes.  I see an ad in yesterday's Bunning's catalog.  That's the local Home Depot.  Lo and Behold!!!  Boxes, many sizes and a fancy, wizz bang tape dispenser.  And the boxes are almost cheap!  Hot damn!  After school drop off I race out to my local, grab a trolley and march in.  I decide to not be a guy and cheat and ask where the boxes are from the first employee I see.

And that's where my good luck end abruptly.

The employee gives me the blink hard, and look here little missy look that you can only get from a home improvement store employee.  "We don't have 'em"  He decides to censer himself and responds.  I roll my eyes and point out the flyer.  Plain as day, there they are!  He grunts, nods that he can read too but then in his best, you damn fool voice, "A large Bunnings would have them, not us"

Ahhh, yes, this is not a LARGE Bunnings.  I forget that in Australia, home improvements stores the size of the ones back home are LARGE ones and few and far in between.

My thoughts vacilate between, "Jesus, I'm a dumb ass, I've lived here 3 years and I don't know that?" and "Jesus, you people are dumb asses, why don't you print that those are only available at certain stores?"

Now I have to plan a trek out to the LARGE store.  No problem, I have nothing else to do.  Except pack.  Except pack and find a new house.  Except pack, find a new house, get laundry done.  Except pack, find a new house, get laundry done and get the kids to school.  Excecpt pack, find a new house, get the laundry done, get the kids to school and get Connor to her special class after school in Chatswood.  Except...oh to Hell with it.  There's way too much to do.

I quit.  I may spend the day unpacking the wine.

Guidelines for Renting a House in Sydney

Dear all Home owners trying to rent property in Sydney,

When listing a property for rent please take a moment to consider proper wording for your home listing.  This will help make the process of finding renters as smooth as possible.

As you think about the selling features of your property please do not entice families in with your beautiful rooms, your huge kitchen, your built-in backyard cubby house and your sparkling clean in ground pool and then accept a family only to learn they have pets and then tell them they are welcome to rent as long as they give away their animals.  It will save you a lot of time if you simply put the words, "No pets" on your listing.  The real estate agent who spent the day checking the references of the applying family and drawing up the contracts because in his words, "This is the winner" will thank you.  Particularly since he had already emailed the family prior to the home inspection saying that pets were ok.  The family, who dragged 3 children to your open house and pried their fingers off the gate to the pool, and waited for 4 days for approval: only to learn they could have their dream home if they give away 2 members of their family, will thank you.

To the Home Owner of the home in question in Hornsby Heights.  I know you will find a suitable family soon.  There's no way a house as beautiful as yours will be vacant for long.  Forgive me for being less than charitable when I wish beyond hope that your new, pet-less family has children that cover your beautiful built-in closets with fairy stickers, fills all the power points with play dough, has bowling practice through your picturesque lounge room window and decides to make the pool the biggest mud pie making facility in NSW.

Signed with Love and Regards,

Future Renters in Sydney

Oh Dear God

How the HELL do people move in this country?  Box size cardboard moving boxes are $4-$5 and mid-size ones are $5-$6 a piece.  WHAT??!!!  Where is the U-HAUL store when I need it?


I'm going to go buy a few boxes and beg for the rest. 

Australia, someday you people are going to realize that you don't have to pay an arm and leg for everything.  When that happens the revolution is coming my friend, it's coming!

Return of the Blogger

Ok, I'm going to make an effort to blog again.  Not because so many of you are pining for my words of wisdom but more in a attempt to try see if I have any.

Unfortunatley we have a new and dominating theme for the blog for the next weeks or even 2 months.  Today's magic word kids is MOVING.  Blah.  The owner of our house has decided to try and cash in on rampant commercialism and is reclaiming the house to sell it.  GOOD LUCK BUDDY!  That first inspection report showing what is usually referred to as electrical wiring is going to take a few $1000 off that asking price.  HA!

No, I'm not bitter.  Thank you for asking.

So today the packing has officially done.  I did one box.  Teddy one after having to re-do it 3 times.  Umm, sorry Hon, you can't pack heavy hardbound books in a box that's 2 feet tall.  No, YOU pick it up.  Oh, you can't....see???  No?  Just take the books out and but the rugby ball in.  Sigh....Boys are special....

Connor attempted to pack.  She got 1 doll about 4 inches long, 1 Littlest Pet Shop diary and and 3 stuffed animals.  Apparently she's not too trusting of me and thinks that I'm throwing it out.  I wonder where she gets this notion....could be from me threatening to throw out any toys I see left on the living room floor.  I least I know she can hear me.  She doesn't care what I say, but she hears it.

The house hunting has begun and we've found a place I want but 4000 other people want it so I'm trying not to get my hopes up.  Failing miserably but I'm trying.  We'll know soon and I have 2 open houses tomorrow and another in the works.  So we're not panicking yet.  By we I mean Ted.  He's fine.  "It'll work out" Tencza thinks everything will be fine.  I, on the other hand, my myself hyperventilating a lot.  I don't like change.  An odd thing to say from a woman who has moved enough times to be confused with being military and willingly moved around the world, but there it is.


Well, wish us luck, let me know if you know of a nice house in NW Sydney, within a 20 minute drive of Normanhurst Public School and whatever you do, save me your boxes and newspaper.