A week without internet. Oh my god. It was terrible. The things these people out in the sticks have to put up with...

Anyway, we're back. On the net that is, not in Brisbane. Though the unit does look pretty good now that it has been painted. And the stairs are stained. That's only about a year after the project was started. They weren't sanded too well but still look much better than they did before.

We do have stuff spread everywhere up here still but we are slowly working out way through it all. And then I'll have to mow the lawn. Not looking forward to that. And then, in a couple of weeks, I'll have to mow it again. What is it with that?

Ever since we saw the place i've had ideas for renovations but I've finally convinced Kel that some of them are a good idea. We can basically add a separate office (and so have four bed rooms plus an office) without actually adding anything to the house. All we have to do is knock out one internal wall, move another about a meter and build a completely new one. Seeing it took me a year to finish the cupboard at the unit that should take me... Hmmm, what year is it?

We've been to Kingaroy a few times and it isn't too bad. We mistakenly wandered into a Jesus shop the other day but we survived that so we should be right now-- we've seen the worst. There was a bit of an episode at the hospital today (when we went to register Kel for the antenatal thingy) but I'll tell you about that next time. Will also tell you about wirk, which starts on Monday at 7:30am. Oh my god.

Other than that, we looked at some dogs to buy today. May be getting a kelpie pup. May not. Depends how we feel in the morning. We won't actually get it tomorrow as we are going to Brisbane...

We've only spent about four nights up here so far. For a while it felt like we weren't living anywhere but when we walked in the other day (after a few nights at Kel's parent's place while we were painting) we both agreed that it felt like home.

That's all.

Scott

Where's the Dole Office?

Well, our transformation from city folks to country bumpkins has officially started. We've already pack lots of boxes, of course, but as of today neither Kelly or I are employed in Brisbane. Woo hoo. I was given pizza, chocolate-caramel slice and a gift voucher from the people at my work (I have to say that -- they may be reading :) ). I used the voucher to pay for half a cot. Problem was, we (the K-Mart warehouse guy and I) couldn't get it into the car. It would have fitted into the boot if only we could've cut a bit out of the back of the car. And it was about 10cm too long to fit in the back seat. Thankfully one of the Reps from work offered his services (and more importantly, the services of his ute) and delivered the cot for us. Thanks Phil.

And it's actually best not to mention the boxes. They're everywhere. My parents took a trailer load of them up to their place a couple of weeks ago but we've packed some more and they are filling wardrobes and half the lounge room and the hallway and now there's a cot in a box as well. Kelly is going crazy. But we are almost done.


We've hired a truck which we'll be filling on Sunday (with some helpers). Then on Monday, it's off to our new home. And then on Tuesday, for me at least, it's back to Brisbane to return the truck. And then back to Nanango. And then on Friday, it's back to Brisbane so we can paint. Oh, it's nice to have a holiday every now and then, isn't it? it will be worth it though. Nanango will be great and painting will help get better tenants for the unit. One of the girls (staff, not children) from Kel's (old) work may be renting, which would be nice.

The unit (and the job which the girl took after going away for a while) was mentioned at the leave Taking Party the staff organised for Kel last weekend. It was a very informal thing that involved a BBQ, dominoes, Playstation and general chatting, but was really nice. And there was a present filled with lots of baby stuff which was nice as well.

I think that's all from me. We will post again from Nanango, hopefully, with pictures of our crap spread around everywhere.

Scott

All About Work

It was the Sunday before Christmas and all through the house,
everyone was excited -- even the mouse.

Well we don't actually have mice, but if we did, I'm sure they would have been excited too.

We were busy working away, packing boxes etc, when Scott's mobile gave a jaunty little ring. He answered most politely as he didn't recognise the number, and was pleasantly surprised to find a gentleman on the line ringing to talk to him about a job in Nanango.

It all started a couple of weeks ago when Scott made use of the wonderful tool that is the internet to find some businesses in Nanango & Kingaroy where he might like to work when we move up there. Being the wonderfully pro-active man that he is, Scott then proceeded to write to these ten or so businesses, telling them how wonderful he is and pleading for them to take pity on us and employ him.

Two weeks later, or there abouts, and he gets the all important phone call that we were waiting for.

It seems the local hardware store in Nanango will be needing to replace a member of staff in early February, and Scott's letter landed in the owner's lap right before he made moves to advertise the position. After being suitably impressed by Scott's charm over the phone, it was arranged that we would head up to Nanango on the Friday after Christmas for Scott to have an interview.

So, after a two hour car trip, a short trip through town and a half hour interview, Scott walked out with a job. He starts on the 4th February and we are very excited. The furtherest he has ever gone for a job interview, but well worth it I'm sure.

To start with it will be about 25-30 hours per week, paid on a casual rate. This suits us as Scott rarely has time off sick. It's about 1.5km from the house and we will save money on petrol as Scott plans on riding his pushbike to work.

So, Yay for us!! No endless weeks of eating baked beans and noodles because neither of us have jobs.

Christmas is upon us but, for me anyway, it doesn't feel like Christmas. I think that may be because we are moving in less than a month-- that seems a lot more exciting and important than anything else at the moment. We've started packing a bit of stuff-- the plan is for my parents to bring the trailer with them when they come down on Monday and they can take a load back to their place to keep until the move. We have boxes piled just about everywhere at the moment, though most of them are still empty, unfortunately.

I have sent away a few letters asking about employment, but it was just to general people we found on the internet, not someone who had actually advertised a job, so we shall see how we go. Kel was talking to someone who used to work in childcare out at Kingaroy and the woman said Kel could probably walk into a directing job out there and name her price. I reckon that mens I can stay at home and look after the baby and cook and clen and stuff while Kel goes and ears the money. I've yet to talk her into it.

Speaking of babies, there was another scan last week (no pictures-- they are actually less exciting than last time) and an appointment with the doctor today. Apparently everything is still going as it should be. Heart beat is strong and all that kind of stuff. Kel has been able to feel movement -- just slight flutterings for the most part-- for a couple of weeks but I was able to feel something for the first time the other day. Now that was exciting hough it wasn't mush more than a second of pressure against my hand.

I am now off work until Jan 2. Kel has to work a couple of days in the middle there, unfortunately. But I suppose I will be at home packing and something. Oh well.

I also finished my novel the other day. It is now out being read by people in Vision while I go back and change the previous novel, which now has the title of Songs of Other Worlds. Or Singing Other Worlds. Or... something like that anyway.

Thank you. And good night.

Scott

General Rubbish

It's hard to believe that Kel and I have been married for only 3 months. It feels like it's been six months since we got back from Europe. And I don't mean that in a bad way-- just that it all seems so long ago. It's also hard to believe that in less than two months we will be moving to Nanango. I even brought some boxes home from work the other day for when we start packing.

And... And... in about 5 and a half months we will be parents. Everything has been going all right on that front, except Kel's blood pressure is a bit low apparently and, as a consequence, if she stands up for too long she feels a bit faint. We don't intend to find out the gender of the baby but we do have some names chosen. If it's a boy it will be Riley Caden Marlie Robinson. And a girl-- Bella Shyanne Lily Robinson. Of course, they could change another 10 times before May.


Kel's work recently went through accreditation. They haven't officially gotten the results yet but apparently they can't fail.

My novel is going well. I'm hoping to have it finished by Christmas.

Other than that...

Scott

Doctors

Kel went to have some medical checks done yesterday. You remember she was feeling sick when we were in London? Well, it turns out she has a parasite. We now have pictures and everything. She is due to go into hospital on May 7 next year to get it removed...

Yes, in case you haven' already worked it out, she's pregnant. Yay.

Apparently she was pregnant at the wedding. And during the week before the wedding. During that time she had an aromatherapy massage, ate things she shouldn't have, drank alcohol and did a dozen other things she shouldn't have. It was all planned, just not really expected at that time because of all the stress from the wedding. (Though Scott wants to know what is so stressful about marrying him?)

No ill effects from all that though. Apparently everything is fine as far as the experts can tell.

What else has been happening since we came back from Europe?

Scott is playing cricket and not doing particularly well. He is also writing and that is going quite a bit better.

Kel is still waiting for the accreditation people to visit her work. Plus she is growing a baby.

Wedding Flashback

We promised we'd go back to the wedding, so here it is... Cue harp music

Unfortunately it rained for most of the week leading up to the big day so, on Thursday night, we decided to move it into the reception hall. Not idea, but better than being wet. (And we did managed to get a refund on the park, so it wasn't all bad.)

Scott stayed at Kelly's parent's place the night before then spent the next morning running around like an idiot getting things organised while Kelly was pampered and what not.

She arrived only a few minutes late and entered the hall, looking absolutely amazing, to the sounds of Bernard Fanning's 'Watch Over Me'.

The ceremony was great. The celebrant put in a lot of effort and it showed. It was very warm and personal. The only hitch was a microphone that didn't want to stay where it was supposed to. Sharon(not mother-in-law-Sharon, friend-Sharon) did a great poem reading and nobody really stuffed up their lines.

After that it was off for the photos. We took some around the hall then headed off to Cleveland Point, where the ceremony was supposed to be held, for some more. Unfortunately we were a little bit pushed for time, but we still got some great shots. (see for yourself).

We headed back for the reception, which involved musical tables and spit roast. The spit roast was great and everyone seemed to enjoy the changing seating arrangement between courses as well. It gave them the opportunity (ie, forced them) to talk to people they probably would have ignored for the whole evening if left to their own devices.

We didn't do all the formal stuff in the usual way, spacing it out between the courses and and mixing up the order a bit. The main reason for the latter is that we'd secretly been taking dance lessons for about six months
and were a little bit nervous about the whole thing. We wanted to get it out of the way fairly early in the night.

To tell the truth, we were terrible compared to our last few practices, but that was still about a hundred times better than anyone actually expected so it seemed to go down well.


We chatted and danced and did the speeches. Scott's was very amusing (even if he does say so himself) and Best-Man- Josh's was very restrained. Scott got of more lightly than kelly did when Chief_Bridesmaid-Sylvia did her speech.

We left reasonably early-- 10pm or something like that and went off to... Don't you worry about that.

While we were enjoying ourselves, our guests stayed behind to clean and tidy the hall. They did a wonderful job, apparently, because we got our entire bond back. So we would like to thank them all very much for that.

And that's all I have to say about that.