Tuesday, July 1--Chris' first day of work!

Chris is off for his first day of work at CSR Sugar!!!! Note the backpack---memories of first day of school??? I know he loved that I took this picture but I couldn't resist!

We met in Flinders Mall today to go to the bank and now we officially have Aussie money. We had wired some before we left but had to go to get our atm cards and apply for credit card, etc, and we had a really nice bank lady helping us. Took awhile to get it all done but the good thing is that I can do it all on line like I am used to with the billpay and all that which is great. The less I have to do in person the better!!! We stopped at a Kebob place for a quick "take away" lunch and it was good---basically toasted tortilla wraps with whatever you want in them. Chris had eaten there before so he was the "expert" on it. I did fine walking to meet him and found my way back to the apartment with no problem. Tomorrow I may venture out and find a place to walk---everything is under construction so you have to be careful where you go because you end up walking on the street alot.

Just turned the tv on and found Days of our Lives and Oprah, saw Ellen this morning but they are all about a year behind in episodes from the looks of it! I can tell the future for these folks!!! LOL

Think Chris is going to venture out in the car a bit tonight before dark--since it is winter here it gets dark around 6-6:30 so we will see how late he has to work. I don't really want him doing the driving thing the first time after dark.....the weather is beautiful---breezy, sunny and probably low 70's though I am not positive on the temperature! I have to learn to convert all those numbers.....give me time, give me time!!!

Will post more tomorrow!!!

View off our balcony!

Looking at the roundabout outside our apartment building!

Looking out our balcony over the Ross River

Monday, June 30, 2008

Hi All!!! We are all settled into our little apartment here in Townsville overlooking the Ross River! We had a great trip over----a delay coming out of Los Angeles (big surprise considering how messed up their international terminal is) and had to take a later flight into Townsville from Brisbane since we did not make it through customs and security in time to make our original flight. This trip was much better than the trip down in March---we had 4 pieces of luggage each so we got carts to lug it which was hugely helpful. Of course in Detroit my suitcase was over 70 pounds so I had to transfer some stuff to Chris' duffles in order to get it under the 70 pounds. They are VERY strict on that now----we had to pay for overweight bags and I had to pay for an extra bag since I was not Northwest Elite but other than that we did okay. Our vow is that when we fly back to the USA we will limit ourselves to one carry on backpack and one checked bag! Makes life much simpler but when you are moving you don't have a lot of options--you have to take that much luggage.

We had good flights over---watched movies and Chris slept a bit though I didn't really get much shut eye on the LA to Brisbane flight---just couldn't get to sleep I guess. Food was good, service was good and though the flight was full and we had a seat mate it was not bad at all. We were definitely glad to touch down in Townsville and meet Chris' boss. He was so helpful and drove our rental car to the apartment building for us so we would not have to do that right off the bat.

The apartment will be perfect for the limited time we hope to be in it---it has a nice kitchen and even has a little washer/dryer combo which i am using now----will tell you how that works out---I just don't get how a washer can be a dryer too but we will see!!! Of course it is small but gee whiz--what else am I going to be doing??? LOL

We found out today was an agricultural holiday in Townsville so the banks are closed and a lot of businesses are closed so we can't do our bank stuff today yet. We both woke up about 4 and then Chris wanted to get going early so we ate a leisurely breakfast on Palmer Street and then walked to the grocery store (Cole's) to pick up some stuff for the pantry. Sadly missing---a real coffee maker.....we will have to remedy that soon. They use a lot of instant coffee but yet I saw whole beans for sale in Coles so they have to have coffee machines like we have in the States.

Two things we have learned already today: when they say hash mark they mean our # sign. And when we asked to take our leftovers home we could not take Chris' omelet because it had meat in it.......not quite sure what that is all about but we will learn. I am just going to ask a lot of questions.

We paid to have internet in the apartment but there is a cap on usage I think so I may not be able to linger like I am used to. Bummer. I want to upload some pictures to the blog too but I will do that later after I take some worthwhile ones!!!

Chris will go into CSR tomorrow and get all his IT stuff done and paperwork done and then probably take the afternoon to get banking done and some other stuff. I think he wants to attempt to do a test drive later today---YIKES! His rental car is a Mitsibishi something and hopefully we will learn this driving thing easily but it is still kind of scary, you know???? Chris will be VERY busy for the next 6 months especially since they had a big accident in one of the plants last week which took the plant down for awhile. It is going to be very interesting to say the least but he is really excited and so am I!

Okay, enough blogging for now! I will keep you posted on what is going on so tune in!! And remember that we are 14 hours ahead of the eastern time zone so I will always be writing when it is your tomorrow!! LOL

We are Australia Bound!!!!

WE ARE LEAVING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I must say that I am a little bit nervous about all of this but.....I am also very, very, very excited!!!! This is going to be such an adventure and we have felt God's hand in every detail. The only glitches we have really had in the whole process was problems with getting Fed Ex to deliver things like they were supposed to!!!
This morning I got my hair cut one last time and got one last cafe mocha from Panera. YUM! I know I can get mochas in Australia but I LOVE Panera and will miss them.
We have had such a great few weeks with our families and know that we are blessed beyond belief. Their support and prayers of them and all our friends are so important. And we have reconnected with some folks because of this adventure and that is another really cool thing!!! I am so happy to get back in touch with my friend Sally from Pennsylvania!!! That has been wonderful!!!
So my last words in the US for awhile will be thanks to all of you --keep us in your prayers and keep in touch!!! I will be blogging from down under soon!

We are leaving in 2 days!!!!!!!

So the days are getting short and we will be leaving for Australia in 2 days! I can hardly believe it! We have had such a great time in Ohio with our families----we spent the week at Lakeside last week and then this week in Lima with Chris' family which has been great. Of course now I am stressing out about how much stuff I have to take on the planes-----our suitcases will be bulging and I think I am just going to have to weed some stuff out and leave some here. It is just so hard to know what to take and what we will need and you know how you get your favorite stuff to wear and don't want to leave it??? Well that is my problem..... and it is a big problem that is for sure. Tomorrow Chris and I are going to go through files, make copies and repack our suitcases one last time and get ready for the trip on Friday----Colleen and Bryan are graciously taking us to the airport and hopefully we will all fit in with our stuff!

So I am trying to get excited but I am just a little bit overwhelmed at this point but it will be okay! I just have to get packed up and then I will be okay----take it one minute at a time!!

keep checking back--more coming!!!

Week at Lakeside

We have had a great week at Lakeside this year---started off with Paula's commissioning as an elder on Monday night, followed by a party, followed by a week of eating leftover shredded chicken and pulled pork sandwiches .......and more shredded chicken and pulled pork....but it was tasty.
Of course the mayflies came in Monday night and the town is infested. And I do mean infested. I will attach a picture of a house that is just covered!!! They are just gross in my opinion and even though they don't live long they still seem to want to come year after year the week we are here!!! Oh well.
We had a nice dinner out last night with the fam----Chris and Shari came up for dinner and we went out to a place in Port Clinton which was yummy. Mark left this morning to go see friends in Indiana before he flies back to Arizona tomorrow and we have yet to decide what we are going to do today--maybe go to Marblehead for our yearly lighthouse visit.
Life is good and it is great to be with family and relax before the big trek to the Land of Oz. Should be interesting----Chris found out that this morning that there are major issues at a couple of the sugar mills so I think it is going to be an interesting time of it....sigh. I will need to find some friends quick!!! I have a feeling I won't be seeing too much of him!

It's JUNE!

We finally have had 2 days of great weather in a row!!! Chris and I actually sat outside on the deck a good part of the afternoon reading and enjoying the 80 degree weather!!! We didn't know how to act!

Got the official okay today that Chris can go ahead and schedule the pick up of our boxes that we are sending to Australia. With all the rules and regulations and things you have to declare I decided that most of my stuff will get left behind here----i am going to take my very favorite teapot for brewing and maybe a few of my favorite Pampered Chef items!!! And books....Chris limited me to 3 Bibles ---guess as we were sorting things out he came to the conclusion that I have way too many Bibles and that I need to limit it a bit. You would think with all those Bibles I would be a scholar----sorry to say I am not!

We are down to about 10 days left in Mason City and still a bunch to do but it is getting done bit by bit. We are looking forward to 2 weeks in Ohio with family ---get to see the boys for a few days and that will be wonderful. time is going to fly!!!

That is about all for today!!! Boring I know!!!! LOL