Cardiff Capers

Another busy week has flown by. I have one more week before my maternity leave starts.. not that I'm counting (5 work days!). ;-)

We've just finished our third and final antenatal class. It was a good one - lots of practical and useful tips for after the little one arrives. It's all becoming a bit more real now.. Here's the latest bumpdate, taken today:

Definitely feeling huge and with four weeks to the estimated due date I've got all the little niggles to deal with.. including feet like this:

Not the most pleasant pregnancy side-effect but at least it doesn't hurt. Photo was taken Friday night and Saturday morning (after sleeping with my feet on pillows) - I don't even think that Friday was a particularly strenuous day! 

Yesterday I washed more baby clothes. We've been doing some with each light wash (the only light stuff we have are B's shirts, so it's helped to make a full load).

Work-wise, this last week has been very busy for both of us. I headed to Aberystwyth with a team on Monday, Tuesday we ran workshops for 40 students and 8 teachers before driving back to Cardiff in the evening, Del flew down from Bangor on Wednesday morning so we could go over some handover (my maternity cover starts the Monday after I finish) and we headed to Swansea to run an evening training session, Thursday morning I was at an event in Treforest (only half an hour away), and I started sorting out my office on Friday. *phew*

Bruce was just as busy, running workshops in a Cardiff school on Monday, had a probation meeting on Tuesday, Wednesday had a sleepover group to entertain on the flight simulator, Thursday he had two science shows and workshops (and really disorganised staff/helpers), and a group of older students visited for a tour and workshop on Friday! *phew again*

Tomorrow, Prince Charles is visiting B's work, so there's all kinds of crazy security that he'll have to negotiate. But he has been invited to a gala, orchestra, choir thing (and will need to wear a suit and tie). Fancy!

More next week.

Your turn!

Moving Plans

So by now you've all heard that Cheryl and I are moving back to Bendigo. Our reasons for this are pretty simple - here in Adelaide we have each other for support, and while we're both awesome people and very helpful, it would be nice to have family around when we need them. Also as the kids get older we'd like them to have their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents nearby.  The possibility of babysitting certainly doesn't make the idea any less appealing too ;)

As such, there are some pretty major changes to be made, and I thought I'd update you all on where we were at with them.

For my work, I'll be moving over to contract at GDD, which means I need to get an ABN, set up a home office and start learning words like BAS and GST (okay, they're both acronyms, but you get the idea). I've bought a MacBook Pro which is now my main computer for work, so when we do move I'll be well and truly adjusted to using it. I'm also planning on getting a widescreen monitor, an external hard drive to store work on, and a printer. I think that'll do me. I do like the idea that the "office" is pretty portable - if I want to I could always go outside or to a park for a few hours to work. We met with an accountant last night, and he'll be helping me out and handling the tax side of things for me.

Cheryl is going to quit her job, and see what pans out in Bendigo. Right now what with the cost of parking, petrol, child care and the like we're actually losing money with Cheryl back at work.. Originally the plan was once Lily stopped breastfeeding Chez could get more hours, but now she thinks she'll just finish up around November and be done with it.

Oscar and Lily don't work, so it'll be an easy adjustment for them ;) We are planning the move to give Os time to start Kindy, hence end of Jan/early Feb as a moving date. Lisa has given us some great links to look into on that front.

We've decided to keep our house here in Adelaide and rent it out, and then rent a place in Bendigo. Realistically if we can get as much in rent from here as we're paying in Bendigo we'll be in the same situation.. although we will have to account for agent fees and the like as well. In a lightning strike of extreme luck a friend of ours has just bought a house as an investment property. He's in the process of doing it up a bit with help from Cheryl's siblings, and he's happy for us to move in there. It's about 30 seconds walk from Edith and Landon's place.

Cheryl's been contacting a few removalists to get quotes (it's EXPENSIVE) so hopefully we can just pick a date and move all our stuff, and Cheryl's fam can meet the truck at the other end for us.

That leaves us with a fair bit of work to do in the next few months - apart from packing/selling everything we own (the selling is an attempt to bring down that moving cost, which as I said is EXPENSIVE) we've also got a lot of work to do to the house to get it tenant-ready - fix the door, patch up cracks, repaint, replace the dishwasher.. and fork out the $1,800 to fix the electrical box as well. We can't claim those as deductions, apparently, but we can use them to bring down the capital gains tax when we do decide to sell.

I've also got to register for an ABN, get a licence for my swords, and probably a few other bookworky things I've forgotten. Still, The Move continues it's inevitable rumbling approach like the cleaner from the Labyrinth, and each weekend brings it a little closer.  At least we look to have locked down the two biggest worries (my work and the house) so that's good.

But yeah, looking at the help provided us by Lisa, Rach, Daz, Edith, Landon, Mum.. I think that pretty much explains why we're making the move. We really appreciate having people we can rely on who can help us out with this big life change.

And the babysitting will be nice too ;)

The week that was

Hi all. Thought this the best way to catch you all and I 'll post a reminder on FB to check in because I don't and I hadn't seen Damien's last post.

Games I have for the Wii are Play Motion, Crazy Mini Golf 2, Family Game Show, Just Dance, Mariocart and Wii Fit plus. All still unopened because I'm too busy.

What power tools do you want Damien? Glenn has the sander at the moment. Dayna's drill set is here and I'm keeping the Makita one Dad bought most recently.

We did get Jared set up in his own space yesterday. Think we could attach some panelling to the back of the bookcases to make walls. Lisa the large panels are 4 ft wide. I think we could cut two down to 3 ft to fit the bookcases and maybe use another one as a door that Jared can pull across when he wants to say the door is shut. We'll probably have to use a hand saw to cut them. I found a powerboard for him.

Maybe Adam should look at this diet Damien and Glenn are using if Damien is getting results. I want to know more especially when you can eat pizza and icecream on your free day.

lisa I'm free next weekend again if you want to do more. You can call to collect the drawers for Carolynn and the panelling on Tuesday or Friday morning if you want so Carolynn can get on with her room.

Shopping with Denise on Monday but no idea of times. Lunch out with Nana on Tuesday but home before and after unless I stay for coffee with you all. Spinners on Wednesday, home by 3ish, Exercise Thursday then out for afternoon tea at the Gibson's and maybe square dancing with Denise at night. Meeting Friday afternoon.

Photos of the new rooms wanted. I'd like Adam to move some of the adult books to his two bookshelves to free up the bookshelf in the passage for the children's books. Bring the cot and mattress back here when you collect the foam mattress for Daria. So much easier to plan than to do but we are making progress.

The big clean up

Today we moved Adam to a different area. He decided he would rather be in the corner of the lounge so some changes happened on the day. By late afternoon, Adam was repacking his things in the corner of the lounge. His desk had been repaired and the area for Jared was mostly clear. Lisa cleaned the windows and washed the curtains and we cleaned the floor and vaccuumed the walls.

I think tomorrow will be a day for them to catch up on the cooking and get settled. Maybe next weekend we can collect the bookcases for Jared's wall and set up his bed.