Time for me to dribble on again !
Today we have virtually signed up for the new home and it has been a weird experience. Some people take months, even years to "design" their dream home and we have gone through all that in a matter of weeks. The Man and I agreed on a pre-designed plan (with our adjustments) in a couple of days, we went tile picking and spoke with the kitchen/cabinetmaker (needs more fine tuning there) and looked around in Truscott HiFi to sort out the oven, fridge (bought a new twin tub during that exercise) and picked out the bricks, roof and window frames. Whew !
Now all we have to do is wait and fine tune colours, cupboards, tiles, pick carpet and other tiles which are not included in the Hotondo "package". But wait, there's more... because we sign up with Hotondo (a franchise) we get a 42" plasma screen tv and a home theatre package when the slab is laid - How handy (IN A CARAVAN ??????) I shouldn't be ungrateful because it is a nice surprise but I can't see us unpacking it just yet. Will stick with the donated 1980's set from The Salvation Army for the time being - does the job just fine. Don't spend a heck of a lot of time watching it anyway.
It rained last night, the first time since we have been in the new van and boy, I can't wait (NOT) for a decent storm - gonna be noisy ! Might have to move the van into the shed if it gets too inconvenient.
Have found a morning day carer for the Girl and the family is beautiful. She now has 2 older brothers (13, 9) and a younger one (2), it's like we are part of their family - that's why I like them. So that's one hurdle down, plenty more to go. I have had a great start to the week though, getting more and more organised and knocking off a few jobs to do with the house/farm and also spending more time at work actually doing what I get paid for. Today I have got down to zilch in my IN TRAY and can get outside to do a few other things that are on the agenda like updating registers and a bit of auditing.
What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger !!!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Unbelievable !
The generosity of everyone and know (and some that I have only met once) is overwhelming to say the least !
I don't know how to put into words how we appreciate all your kind words/thoughts and the support you have given us in this time of tragedy. I use that term loosely as the only tragedy we suffered was material (and some emotional) but I'll say it again, we have each other.
Every where I turn, there is an offer of assistance ! Even the Nursery that I rang today to order some lawn (to suppress the dust) told me to come around and pick up a "recovery pack" of trees and products from donations from his suppliers. He even put me onto a local man who could supply us with lawn quicker than he could and that man offered us a 10% discount because we were affected by the bushfire. It is amazing how people can get together and assist each other. It puts my faith back into mankind to know that in a bad situation, all forget their prejudices and social standing and chip in where they can. In my old home town RD, I know that there are people working for us behind the scenes and I personally have messages sent saying how strong and positive we are, believe me, I want to give up already at times but know that we have to keep going and it is going to be a long (probably not hard, but inconvenient) haul to rebuild.
We put up a little (3m X 3m) garden shed on the weekend to act as a laundry and will have a bit of storage space to tidy up a bit (storing stuff in those plastic rolly containers) with clothes and blankets etc as the van does not have a lot of storage space and being the messy people that we are, it doesn't take long to make the place look like a bomb has hit it ! I have to go to the Salvation Army storage shed at lunch today to pick up a cupboard to store all the little things like laundry powder etc, brooms and anything that can get out of the van so I can have more room for the everyday stuff that needs to be kept inside. The pad is clear, the bricks have been removed so we don't have to look at the remains and can start to envisage our new home. The plans have been sent off to Adelaide for a quicker process (apparently the fella here would take longer) and the gentleman we have been dealing with is pushing it quickly (he is so nice, and The Man knows him from ODO from years ago - BONUS !), the building company owner is also pushing for any donations from his suppliers and we have come up with some clay pavers from Hallet bricks and he is working on Lysaght for the iron for the roof ! See, there is sunshine all around. I feel rather weird being in this position and would rather be the one on the giving end, not the receiving and it is hard to say Yes sometimes. My Boss here said that you must have done some good in the past as it is all coming back to you now, dunno about that.
The Girl had her first day at the new school yesterday and it was a bit traumatic for her. I guess it was her day to let everything get to her with losing her cat (no offers of cats please, I think that another family member is so keen to have this job to herself) and having all her possessions lost in the fire, new school (doesn't really like the uniform), new teacher and new people. Well, when we dropped her off, she was visibly upset and didn't want us to leave, the teacher and I made eye contact and that was our cue to leave her. Different story when we picked her up, Yay I had a great day at school and made 3 new friends ! Whew, kids are so resilient, I wish I had some of that coping strategy sometimes.
I took the day off work yesterday to sort out some things for the new place and to do the school thing with the Girl and in my travels, walked past a gallery with lead light items in it. Voila, an identical piece of leadlight art was hanging in the window and I promptly went in and bought it, I also got a dolphin one for the Girl as a present seeing as she was upset that morning - went off a treat with her, she said "this is beautiful Mum, thanks" What a girl ! The selection process of the interior of the new house is going off reasonably well too, The Man and I are agreeing both ways (ie. he gives in a bit to me and I give in a bit to him as well) ! We are jumping the gun a little but I need to paint a picture in my mind about things as I tend to process them a little more methodically and as a stubborn Taurean (starsign for the uninitiated) I take a little longer than most to come to a decision. We have taken the tact of going into one supplier and sticking with them so as not to confuse the issue with too many choices (eg tiles, benchtops, cupboards, carpet, you name it) although there is enough choice to confuse the even seasoned interior decorator. Did I mention that the building company offered me a job as their interior decorator ? I might even pick up on my studies of this and swap ship once I am qualified - who knows - see, more sunshine glowing. I'm not busting to leave this job but maybe I can do something I love instead.
Stay tuned ...
I don't know how to put into words how we appreciate all your kind words/thoughts and the support you have given us in this time of tragedy. I use that term loosely as the only tragedy we suffered was material (and some emotional) but I'll say it again, we have each other.
Every where I turn, there is an offer of assistance ! Even the Nursery that I rang today to order some lawn (to suppress the dust) told me to come around and pick up a "recovery pack" of trees and products from donations from his suppliers. He even put me onto a local man who could supply us with lawn quicker than he could and that man offered us a 10% discount because we were affected by the bushfire. It is amazing how people can get together and assist each other. It puts my faith back into mankind to know that in a bad situation, all forget their prejudices and social standing and chip in where they can. In my old home town RD, I know that there are people working for us behind the scenes and I personally have messages sent saying how strong and positive we are, believe me, I want to give up already at times but know that we have to keep going and it is going to be a long (probably not hard, but inconvenient) haul to rebuild.
We put up a little (3m X 3m) garden shed on the weekend to act as a laundry and will have a bit of storage space to tidy up a bit (storing stuff in those plastic rolly containers) with clothes and blankets etc as the van does not have a lot of storage space and being the messy people that we are, it doesn't take long to make the place look like a bomb has hit it ! I have to go to the Salvation Army storage shed at lunch today to pick up a cupboard to store all the little things like laundry powder etc, brooms and anything that can get out of the van so I can have more room for the everyday stuff that needs to be kept inside. The pad is clear, the bricks have been removed so we don't have to look at the remains and can start to envisage our new home. The plans have been sent off to Adelaide for a quicker process (apparently the fella here would take longer) and the gentleman we have been dealing with is pushing it quickly (he is so nice, and The Man knows him from ODO from years ago - BONUS !), the building company owner is also pushing for any donations from his suppliers and we have come up with some clay pavers from Hallet bricks and he is working on Lysaght for the iron for the roof ! See, there is sunshine all around. I feel rather weird being in this position and would rather be the one on the giving end, not the receiving and it is hard to say Yes sometimes. My Boss here said that you must have done some good in the past as it is all coming back to you now, dunno about that.
The Girl had her first day at the new school yesterday and it was a bit traumatic for her. I guess it was her day to let everything get to her with losing her cat (no offers of cats please, I think that another family member is so keen to have this job to herself) and having all her possessions lost in the fire, new school (doesn't really like the uniform), new teacher and new people. Well, when we dropped her off, she was visibly upset and didn't want us to leave, the teacher and I made eye contact and that was our cue to leave her. Different story when we picked her up, Yay I had a great day at school and made 3 new friends ! Whew, kids are so resilient, I wish I had some of that coping strategy sometimes.
I took the day off work yesterday to sort out some things for the new place and to do the school thing with the Girl and in my travels, walked past a gallery with lead light items in it. Voila, an identical piece of leadlight art was hanging in the window and I promptly went in and bought it, I also got a dolphin one for the Girl as a present seeing as she was upset that morning - went off a treat with her, she said "this is beautiful Mum, thanks" What a girl ! The selection process of the interior of the new house is going off reasonably well too, The Man and I are agreeing both ways (ie. he gives in a bit to me and I give in a bit to him as well) ! We are jumping the gun a little but I need to paint a picture in my mind about things as I tend to process them a little more methodically and as a stubborn Taurean (starsign for the uninitiated) I take a little longer than most to come to a decision. We have taken the tact of going into one supplier and sticking with them so as not to confuse the issue with too many choices (eg tiles, benchtops, cupboards, carpet, you name it) although there is enough choice to confuse the even seasoned interior decorator. Did I mention that the building company offered me a job as their interior decorator ? I might even pick up on my studies of this and swap ship once I am qualified - who knows - see, more sunshine glowing. I'm not busting to leave this job but maybe I can do something I love instead.
Stay tuned ...
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