The weather here remains very UK like, some lovely sunny days followed by downpours. Maria and I had a trip into Brighton as the shops are supposed to be really good, but very expensive as it turns out. Well it is one of the poshest places to live in Melbourne! It was raining in the morning when we set out, sunny at lunchtime and we sat outside having lunch, then torrential rain on the way home. I have never seen rain like it, the sky went very black and it put over 100mm of rain down in one hour. We were driving along the beach road and had to stop as even with the wipers on fast wipe we couldn’t see a thing. There was a small saloon car in front of us and we could see the water level rising to over its wheels, people were knee deep in water trying to move their cars! We are now on flood watch, especially rural areas, NSW & Queensland are also affected – what the hells going on!!  When I got home following the storm I found that the wind had blown the window off the catch in the bedroom and the carpet was soaking, like a bucket of water had been poured over it, and really smelled. We have had to lift the carpet to let it dry, and now will have to use my carpet fitting skills to re-fit the thing. This house is jinxed I’m sure.

We have booked the movers for the 23rd Dec, but the landlord has said it’s ok to move some things in earlier, so are hoping to do that on Sat 18th before we fly to Sydney, then only the big things to move on 23rd. We have arranged for cable TV already as we have not had that all the time we have been here, and for broadband and a telephone line also, as the landlord here wouldn’t pay for the connection.

Ellie has now finished school for the summer hols, goes back at the end of Jan. She is planning to get together with some of her new friends, and the boys will be here from Saturday evening so we have lots of things planned. She is recovering well from her close encounter with the car outside school, most wounds healed now.

Work continues to be VERY boring, not sure how much longer I can do this job. No interesting illnesses or people, just giving tablets to old people and maybe the odd dressing if I’m lucky – wohoo. I may get back in touch with the practice in Brighton as she wrote me a really nice email asking me to get in touch if I changed my mind, sod the money!

We have been laughing at the Aussies and their reaction to the cricket, such sore loosers.Ste had the live cricket score on his computer at work and the Aussies had the live weather radar on theirs, desperately hoping for rain then it would be a draw!  They are analysing the match now and making changes as it will kill them if they loose against the Pomms in their own country, Ste and the boys cant wait for the boxing day test in Melbourne.

Well, off to have my hair done now, going to have something different done I think! I also have new eyes – well multifocal contact lenses. They seem OK and I can see again. I was fed up of changing glasses constantly when driving, then reading. I think Ellie was getting fed up of me asking her what things said also, like being reborn!!