Friday:
Life continues in much the same round. Little activities with the kids. Tim has managed to get next week off after all so that will be lovely.
Today's box of the day (unpacking) was framed photos and various other memory items. Some are now on display, some back in a nicer official 'memory box'. Quite an emotional mix, from cute baby photos to newspaper clippings from when my eldest brother Craig died in a train accident when he was ten. Also my mother's ashes! Not sure what you do with an urn. My original idea was to have it buried at the crematorium with a memorial rose bush, they do that a lot. Until I found out the cost. Thousands of dollars a year for upkeep of a single rosebush. Mum wouldn't have approved of the waste, so I don't feel guilty not doing it. Now we're settled in a new home I could bury it here, I suppose. Aiden thought it was weird having grandma's ashes in a box, but I grew up with Craig's ashes at home so it seems normal to me.
Yesterday's box of the day was also interesting, it was all the things we shoved in the last box at the last minute when we moved out. Quite a few cleaning items (boring) but also all the things that were lost behind furniture until the removalists came. All the lost bits and pieces. I'm rather enjoying this unpacking a box every day process. When we moved we did most of it but ran out of enthusiasm before the end.
In the latest pool news, I managed to contact the tiler and he is finished except for the clean up. I won't hold my breath. Just happy it's done. We'll do a big clean up ourselves when the whole thing is finished. And the pool people say they will be finishing over the next two weeks! Looks like they will be done before 24 July, the one year anniversary of when we signed the contracts. Maybe. Not holding my breath for that either!!
We watched the first three episodes of 'The Librarians' series that I was given for my birthday. I'd say it's more like Dr Who than anything else I could compare it to. A group of miscellaneous genius's in a pan-dimensional library saving the world (which has more magic than most people know about) from various villains. We enjoyed it.
The other day we visited the smallest library in the region. It's actually a school library, in a little town in the national park next to the ocean, open to the public only a couple of afternoons a week. It was a longer drive than I'd expected, 40 minutes. I think it is extremely unlikely I'd be asked to work there, only one staff. Tiny. We tried to borrow a couple of books but couldn't because we'd taken them from the school-only end of the shelves not the public end. Luckily the drive through the national park (forest) was nice. And got us out of the house. It's very cold here (by Sydney Australia standards - so still well above freezing even at night but we're not used to the cold) so we spend more time in than out.
Showing posts with label unpacking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unpacking. Show all posts
Friday, July 7, 2017
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Despicable
Tuesday:
Today the kids and I saw Despicable Me 3. Fun movie. All that series have been good. Possibly too many fart/bottom jokes for my sensibilities. I loved the music, which was all 80s.
Our tiler, who rarely keeps his promises to come and do some work, actually turned up this morning before we were even out of bed. Two guys were here for a couple of hours then left without comment. It looks... finished. It looked kind of wet and sticky for hours, parts in the shade took all day to dry, I assume that is the sealant? I am cautiously excited that the paving is finally done, after more than eight weeks of being stuffed around. It looks really good, I don't know why it always looks slightly dirty in photographs.
But... if it is fully completed would he just go without saying anything? Wouldn't he want to let me know? Maybe he didn't want to be held to his promise of cleaning up after himself! Honestly I don't care much, as long as the paving is done. He left the gate open, too, I thought maybe he was coming back soon... of course no. I will contact him tomorrow to find out what is going on.
The kids and I have a holiday project of sorting the boxes in the garage. There were a dozen or so, things we didn't unpack right away when we moved a year and a half ago. Obviously nothing vital! They were originally stacked neatly to the side but as months passed we rummaged through some of them to find things and gradually got more and more disordered and in the way of parking the car. We've stacked them neatly again and sorted through four boxes of toys and 'dress-up' clothes. Keeping one box-worth, the rest to younger family members, charity, or a lot straight to the bin. Our plan is a box a day over the holidays which should get it done. Actually we already know quite a few boxes will stay sealed and out there so we won't be sorting those for now. It feels good to be getting that done when it's been an eyesore for over a year.
Today the kids and I saw Despicable Me 3. Fun movie. All that series have been good. Possibly too many fart/bottom jokes for my sensibilities. I loved the music, which was all 80s.
Our tiler, who rarely keeps his promises to come and do some work, actually turned up this morning before we were even out of bed. Two guys were here for a couple of hours then left without comment. It looks... finished. It looked kind of wet and sticky for hours, parts in the shade took all day to dry, I assume that is the sealant? I am cautiously excited that the paving is finally done, after more than eight weeks of being stuffed around. It looks really good, I don't know why it always looks slightly dirty in photographs.
But... if it is fully completed would he just go without saying anything? Wouldn't he want to let me know? Maybe he didn't want to be held to his promise of cleaning up after himself! Honestly I don't care much, as long as the paving is done. He left the gate open, too, I thought maybe he was coming back soon... of course no. I will contact him tomorrow to find out what is going on.
The kids and I have a holiday project of sorting the boxes in the garage. There were a dozen or so, things we didn't unpack right away when we moved a year and a half ago. Obviously nothing vital! They were originally stacked neatly to the side but as months passed we rummaged through some of them to find things and gradually got more and more disordered and in the way of parking the car. We've stacked them neatly again and sorted through four boxes of toys and 'dress-up' clothes. Keeping one box-worth, the rest to younger family members, charity, or a lot straight to the bin. Our plan is a box a day over the holidays which should get it done. Actually we already know quite a few boxes will stay sealed and out there so we won't be sorting those for now. It feels good to be getting that done when it's been an eyesore for over a year.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
World of Warcraft
Saturday:
In between sessions of unpacking (which didn't progress as far as I'd hoped, there is always more left than I thought) we played World of Warcraft. We have enough computers and devices that we can all now play together as a team. Tim and I have often played as a team of two, but now the kids have joined us! World of Warcraft is a computer game, an mmo (massively multiplayer online) which means people all around the world are playing at the same time and you can see their characters and interact with them while you are fighting the bad guys (fantasy world, trolls and dragons etc, something like watching a Lord of the Rings movie where you are the hero). Most of the game is set up for one person but there are challenging parts where a team of five is optimal so we nearly have that with just us. Of course these early levels are very easy but remember we're playing with a nine year old boy who likes to have his character run off ahead. I have chosen a character who can magically heal people so I'm trying to keep my family safe. It was a lot of fun.
Sunday:
This area has been very quiet so far, until last night. Our neighbours had a party and the music was so loud! In our house with all our windows closed it was like being inside a nightclub, I hate to think what it was like over there next to the speakers. I guess they were in the backyard. Aiden's room is closest and he couldn't sleep. I went to bed late because I knew there was no point trying. The noise stopped around midnight. If I didn't have children I wouldn't have cared, but there are lots of kids in this street who wouldn't have been able to sleep. Tim could have gone over there to talk to them but we decided not to. It was just a party, a rare event, on a Saturday night before Christmas. If you can't party then, when can you? But it was just so loud!
Today was much like yesterday, unpacking alternating with World of Warcraft. Then dinner at my brother-in-law's. A very nice weekend.
In between sessions of unpacking (which didn't progress as far as I'd hoped, there is always more left than I thought) we played World of Warcraft. We have enough computers and devices that we can all now play together as a team. Tim and I have often played as a team of two, but now the kids have joined us! World of Warcraft is a computer game, an mmo (massively multiplayer online) which means people all around the world are playing at the same time and you can see their characters and interact with them while you are fighting the bad guys (fantasy world, trolls and dragons etc, something like watching a Lord of the Rings movie where you are the hero). Most of the game is set up for one person but there are challenging parts where a team of five is optimal so we nearly have that with just us. Of course these early levels are very easy but remember we're playing with a nine year old boy who likes to have his character run off ahead. I have chosen a character who can magically heal people so I'm trying to keep my family safe. It was a lot of fun.
Sunday:
This area has been very quiet so far, until last night. Our neighbours had a party and the music was so loud! In our house with all our windows closed it was like being inside a nightclub, I hate to think what it was like over there next to the speakers. I guess they were in the backyard. Aiden's room is closest and he couldn't sleep. I went to bed late because I knew there was no point trying. The noise stopped around midnight. If I didn't have children I wouldn't have cared, but there are lots of kids in this street who wouldn't have been able to sleep. Tim could have gone over there to talk to them but we decided not to. It was just a party, a rare event, on a Saturday night before Christmas. If you can't party then, when can you? But it was just so loud!
Today was much like yesterday, unpacking alternating with World of Warcraft. Then dinner at my brother-in-law's. A very nice weekend.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Library
Tuesday:
Back in the library, this time with my iPad to myself, because apparently we won't have internet at home for 10-20 business days! Arg!
The weekend was of course mainly spent unpacking. The lounge room is a very pleasant space now, the kitchen is mostly done, and we have enough clothes to be going on with. But there are still plenty of boxes in every room, and the study/rumpus is a complete shambles so there is still plenty to do. I'm back to a level of physical work that I can handle, tired each day but without the sore knee and aching muscles. My appetite is also back to normal, for a while I was too exhausted to eat much.
There are two rooms that will need a lot of thought and/or new furniture. The eating area off the kitchen is big, our little kitchen table is much too small there, and only fits the four of us, no extra visitors. We now have room for a big generous table there. And the study/rumpus (previous owners used it as a TV room but we have ours in the lounge) is lovely and big too, so it currently echoes cavernously with just our two computer desks and a lot of boxes. We plan to add two more desks for the kids, and also have a music and/or reading corner for the drum kit, guitar, keyboard, bookcases... It will take a bit of planning to make it look nice. The space is big - but not infinite! I'm thinking about getting some inbuilt cupboards.
On Saturday we walked up to the nearest playground, next to the shops and the library, it's less than 15 mins each way. On Sunday afternoon Tim's family came over to see the new house. We'll have a proper housewarming later but Tim's family all live close by. Also it was nearly Aiden's birthday (he turned 9 today) and also cousin Veronica's so we had a bit of a celebration for that. Pizza and cake. Aside from that I've been eating quite healthily, cooking in my new kitchen, fruit for snacks.
Yesterday ended up being very stressful and chaotic. Tim had his first day of work and Jasmine her first day of school. I handed Jas over to her teacher then Aiden and I went to visit his school. He met his teacher and we bought him a uniform. We had to visit the real estate agent who sold us the house (to hand over money for the outdoor setting we'd bought from the previous owners) and it was just across the road, we decided to take the pedestrian footbridge instead of crossing at the lights. It was very scary! Aiden talked about it for a hour afterwards. It was narrow, creaky metal, apparently of WWII construction, very high, very steep stairs. I'm scared of heights, but even Aiden vowed to never set foot on it again.
While at the real estate agents, I brought up the most important of a few things in the house we couldn't get working. We didn't know if they were broken or if there was a trick to them. One was the range hood, which is supposed to draw away steam and smoke from the stove. The agent called the previous owner who gave instructions, which later worked out fine so that was great. The other thing was the spa bath in the ensuite. That spa was a big selling point for the house for me. We've all had baths in it but can't get the jets working. Again, I was given instructions I thought I understood but when I got home found I didn't after all. I don't want to keep hassling the previous owners, they've sold and moved on, but I would like to work this out!
Next Aiden and I came to the library where I blogged and then he played games, then we went to a nearby cafe and had a very delicious lunch, then did some grocery shopping, and finally went home. Then things started getting really chaotic and stressful. Firstly I called the internet provider to find out how long before connection. After a very long wait, the consultant denied all knowledge of us expecting to have Internet set up in the new house. She had a record of Tim calling more than a week ago but with nothing finalised! Whereas I happen to know he spent well over an hour on the phone getting it, we thought, all done. I couldn't argue the point because I had been on hold so long I was now in danger of being late to pick up Jas on her first day - and I was 5 mins late which she pointed out but she was fine.
Later I got a series of emails from them confirming setting up Internet with 10-20 business days wait time, so it was obviously all ready to go but they didn't click the final approval button or something. So annoying.
In the car on the way home Jasmine mentioned she needed a pair of compasses for maths the next day. So it was back to the shops before we got to go home.
The next thing was an email from our conveyancing solicitor in Canberra, they couldn't settle on selling our house because there was one form not completed by us. How had they not sent us this
form, and how had they not noticed until the day of settlement! It was supposed to all happen yesterday, and now it didn't. So frustrating. And I could receive emails on my phone but not send them, and I certainly couldn't print out the form.
We went back to the library, couldn't get anything working, frantic calls to Tim who of course just started in that office and didn't have a printer set up yet, gave up and home again, more calls, back to the library, finally managed to get the document sent to Tim who was able to print it out.
Home, started dinner at a time we are usually eating it, stopped cooking to pick up Tim from the station (about 10 mins drive each way), finished cooking, collapsed. This morning we got Ping to witness the form and I sent it off by Express Post. Several days delay on the buyers getting their house and us getting our money, due to our lawyers incompetence.
Oh, and can I rant about Foxtel? We got it just to watch Game of Thrones and then cancelled, which rather annoyingly you have to do over the phone, not easily via Internet. Billed the following month, cancelled again, got money refunded. Billed next month, rang yet again to cancel! Got money
refunded. Is it over yet? Apparently not. We got a letter yesterday saying that now that we'd cancelled
the service, we had to give back their set top box or be charged $300. But we never got a set top box! We had Foxtel play, which you stream though the Internet. How can their records not show that? Any chance of getting Tim as a return customer went from low to an infinitely negative number.
So yesterday afternoon was pretty horrible. I was stressed and snappy.
Today was Aiden's actual birthday so we started the day with presents in bed. So glad I bought them all weeks ago.
I dropped Jasmine at school in the car then parked back at home and walked Aiden up to his school which is close, maybe 10 mins walk. Handed him over and bought some second hand clothes at their uniform shop to supplement the new outfit I bought yesterday. Walked home, drove up to the post office to Express Post that document, came to the library and spent about an hour and a half typing this. And now we're up to date with my life.
I have lost a little weight with all the work and not eating as much, trying to stay away from the junk food since I got a kitchen. I plan to join the gym at some point but for the moment I have as much physical activity as I can deal with.
And now to catch up on everyone else's blogs! Then lunch, and more unpacking.
Back in the library, this time with my iPad to myself, because apparently we won't have internet at home for 10-20 business days! Arg!
The weekend was of course mainly spent unpacking. The lounge room is a very pleasant space now, the kitchen is mostly done, and we have enough clothes to be going on with. But there are still plenty of boxes in every room, and the study/rumpus is a complete shambles so there is still plenty to do. I'm back to a level of physical work that I can handle, tired each day but without the sore knee and aching muscles. My appetite is also back to normal, for a while I was too exhausted to eat much.
There are two rooms that will need a lot of thought and/or new furniture. The eating area off the kitchen is big, our little kitchen table is much too small there, and only fits the four of us, no extra visitors. We now have room for a big generous table there. And the study/rumpus (previous owners used it as a TV room but we have ours in the lounge) is lovely and big too, so it currently echoes cavernously with just our two computer desks and a lot of boxes. We plan to add two more desks for the kids, and also have a music and/or reading corner for the drum kit, guitar, keyboard, bookcases... It will take a bit of planning to make it look nice. The space is big - but not infinite! I'm thinking about getting some inbuilt cupboards.
On Saturday we walked up to the nearest playground, next to the shops and the library, it's less than 15 mins each way. On Sunday afternoon Tim's family came over to see the new house. We'll have a proper housewarming later but Tim's family all live close by. Also it was nearly Aiden's birthday (he turned 9 today) and also cousin Veronica's so we had a bit of a celebration for that. Pizza and cake. Aside from that I've been eating quite healthily, cooking in my new kitchen, fruit for snacks.
Yesterday ended up being very stressful and chaotic. Tim had his first day of work and Jasmine her first day of school. I handed Jas over to her teacher then Aiden and I went to visit his school. He met his teacher and we bought him a uniform. We had to visit the real estate agent who sold us the house (to hand over money for the outdoor setting we'd bought from the previous owners) and it was just across the road, we decided to take the pedestrian footbridge instead of crossing at the lights. It was very scary! Aiden talked about it for a hour afterwards. It was narrow, creaky metal, apparently of WWII construction, very high, very steep stairs. I'm scared of heights, but even Aiden vowed to never set foot on it again.
While at the real estate agents, I brought up the most important of a few things in the house we couldn't get working. We didn't know if they were broken or if there was a trick to them. One was the range hood, which is supposed to draw away steam and smoke from the stove. The agent called the previous owner who gave instructions, which later worked out fine so that was great. The other thing was the spa bath in the ensuite. That spa was a big selling point for the house for me. We've all had baths in it but can't get the jets working. Again, I was given instructions I thought I understood but when I got home found I didn't after all. I don't want to keep hassling the previous owners, they've sold and moved on, but I would like to work this out!
Next Aiden and I came to the library where I blogged and then he played games, then we went to a nearby cafe and had a very delicious lunch, then did some grocery shopping, and finally went home. Then things started getting really chaotic and stressful. Firstly I called the internet provider to find out how long before connection. After a very long wait, the consultant denied all knowledge of us expecting to have Internet set up in the new house. She had a record of Tim calling more than a week ago but with nothing finalised! Whereas I happen to know he spent well over an hour on the phone getting it, we thought, all done. I couldn't argue the point because I had been on hold so long I was now in danger of being late to pick up Jas on her first day - and I was 5 mins late which she pointed out but she was fine.
Later I got a series of emails from them confirming setting up Internet with 10-20 business days wait time, so it was obviously all ready to go but they didn't click the final approval button or something. So annoying.
In the car on the way home Jasmine mentioned she needed a pair of compasses for maths the next day. So it was back to the shops before we got to go home.
The next thing was an email from our conveyancing solicitor in Canberra, they couldn't settle on selling our house because there was one form not completed by us. How had they not sent us this
form, and how had they not noticed until the day of settlement! It was supposed to all happen yesterday, and now it didn't. So frustrating. And I could receive emails on my phone but not send them, and I certainly couldn't print out the form.
We went back to the library, couldn't get anything working, frantic calls to Tim who of course just started in that office and didn't have a printer set up yet, gave up and home again, more calls, back to the library, finally managed to get the document sent to Tim who was able to print it out.
Home, started dinner at a time we are usually eating it, stopped cooking to pick up Tim from the station (about 10 mins drive each way), finished cooking, collapsed. This morning we got Ping to witness the form and I sent it off by Express Post. Several days delay on the buyers getting their house and us getting our money, due to our lawyers incompetence.
Oh, and can I rant about Foxtel? We got it just to watch Game of Thrones and then cancelled, which rather annoyingly you have to do over the phone, not easily via Internet. Billed the following month, cancelled again, got money refunded. Billed next month, rang yet again to cancel! Got money
refunded. Is it over yet? Apparently not. We got a letter yesterday saying that now that we'd cancelled
the service, we had to give back their set top box or be charged $300. But we never got a set top box! We had Foxtel play, which you stream though the Internet. How can their records not show that? Any chance of getting Tim as a return customer went from low to an infinitely negative number.
So yesterday afternoon was pretty horrible. I was stressed and snappy.
Today was Aiden's actual birthday so we started the day with presents in bed. So glad I bought them all weeks ago.
I dropped Jasmine at school in the car then parked back at home and walked Aiden up to his school which is close, maybe 10 mins walk. Handed him over and bought some second hand clothes at their uniform shop to supplement the new outfit I bought yesterday. Walked home, drove up to the post office to Express Post that document, came to the library and spent about an hour and a half typing this. And now we're up to date with my life.
I have lost a little weight with all the work and not eating as much, trying to stay away from the junk food since I got a kitchen. I plan to join the gym at some point but for the moment I have as much physical activity as I can deal with.
And now to catch up on everyone else's blogs! Then lunch, and more unpacking.
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