Saturday, November 21, 2009 Went to our first Aussie homeschooling outing yesterday at Old Gippstown in Moe. It was 39 deg celcius!, and not at all comfortable (now, I wonder why? haha). The whole idea is that you experience life in the 1800s, which means that you also eat your packed picnic in the blistering heat.
But Gian had a good time as he promptly made a friend, Stuart. I chatted a bit with Stuart’s mom Kathleen, and all in all it turned out to be a nice morning, heat and all.
We are still looking for a car for me, and I am starting to get a bit despondent. We just don’t have enough money to buy a really good car, and schlepping all over to places at least an hour away looking at cars that in the end don’t fit the bill is not a load of fun.
Luckily Geoff has his company car (still a rental until he gets his real company car), so today we went for a drive to 
Neerim South, via Neerim East, Neerim Junction, etc. Neerim East is one of those 'now you see it, now you don't' towns. Has some farms and a hall - and that is it.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Church on Sunday was not that great (slowly but surely moving down our list of possible church homes), no other children Mieke and Gian’s age, and the pastor spent most of his sermon time talking about possible one world government stories, and that it wouldn’t happen in his opinion, etc. So guess we are still looking!!
After church we took a drive to Bittern (2 hours away again!) to look at another car (just to be labelled yesterday as another ‘clunker’ by Warren haha) - but at least we got to see a bit more of the countryside, and another side of Melbourne! Then drove through to Coburg, more than an hour away, and on the N-E side of Melbourne central - that one wasn’t much better, so we didn’t bother sending Warren there too.
Yesterday (Monday) the kids and I went to Moorabbin again (an hour and 10 mins away), visited 4 dealerships, and test drove one car that was in very good condition. Warren will go have a look today, so I am holding all my thumbs (picture that!) that this car will pass his inspection so that we can get this over and done with. We have now come to the conclusion that our budget is going to take a serious knock if we want to find me a good, clean(as Warren puts it) car.
The birds nesting in the roof still driving us bananas. We put some mothballs (hoping to stink them out!) in the spot where they wanted to make their new home yesterday, and now we hope that they will feel encouraged to rather go nest somewhere else. Need my beauty sleeeeeeeeep, starting to look like I am on something stronger than fruit juice!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Warren phoned this morning, and gave the Prado at Subaru Mentone the thumbs up! Eventually, the car hunting ‘ordeal’ is over. I sent them the signed documentation, paid over almost all the money and credit we have on our name.
Happy that we don't have to go car hunting, and because of lots of nagging, I took the kids swimming at the indoor pool today - they swam for 2 hours while I did emails and got a very sore bum from the bench I had to sit on. If this is going to be a regular event I think I will take my own camping chair with me. When that arrives one day, of course….
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Our ADSL modem arrived this morning - George the postman delivered it to our front door (all packages are delivered to your front door early in the morning). Apparently he leaves your goods by your door if you are not home. What really stunned me is that he delivered a brand new DVD player still in the box (not even disguised with brown paper or anything) for someone down the road from us (he obviously misread the address and saw 109 instead of 103). That is also just left by your door! Can you imagine something like that actually arrive at even the post office in South Africa?
Friday, November 27, 2009
Fetched my car, she drives like a dream, and is humungous. Can almost hear the hungry gulping at the gas - so suddenly I am glad that the speed limit is 100kms/h! That will help :-).
Also went to the library - again. Gian already read all the Asterix and Obelix books they had, and Mieke is slowly but surely working her way through all the Nancy Drew books! You can take 20 items for 4 weeks, 5 can be DVDs (and you can keep them for 2 weeks). Also been emailing up a storm to Kath, my new christian homeschooling friend. Going to catch up with her and her kids on Tuesday in a park in Moe, and will then try and get to meet her hubby sometime as well. Still no kangaroos!!!
Oh - and saw a strange hole in the ground across the road - wondering what makes that. Took a photo.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Went to Gumbaya Park today, and saw our first roos (in captivity of course). The park manager called the one roo over (his name is - guess - ‘Roo’ - now you would never have guessed that one, I'm sure :-)). 
Roo loves almonds, so he ended up having to bribe Roo to come out of the shade and closer to the fence using the almonds - so that the children can stroke it. Roo was raised by humans, and when he got too big he came to the park, he is 5 years old. Made the cutest little noises when he was happy (almost like a suckling/kissing sound). Some nasty nails on him though, he could do you quite a bit of damage if he gives you a whack.
Oh - the little sleepy fellow below the pics of Roo is a wombat. Apparently they are lethal if you run into one with your car on the highway - they take out your suspension, as it is like hitting a brick wall - they are so solid.
And that's all for now folks... More adventures to follow as we go and experience them :-).
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