Special friends from Basel

What a thrill it was for me to be able to spend a week with my friend Christine on her visit to Melbourne from Basel via New Zealand!!  At times I was rather distracted with my unit settling the week she was here, but we did manage to do some nice things together.

I took Christine to the Yarra Valley & it was picture perfect.  We stopped off at the Dairy & had a lovely cheese platter, which is made on the premises.  The property had a distinct dairy smell!!

 This is us at Chateau Chandon.  We had a delicious lunch, and what a backdrop!  Flies were a bit pesky, but we managed!!

Then I heard from Katja who now lives in Cairns with her husband Stewart.  She came down from Cairns for a 2 weekend course & I was able to catch up both times.  It was so good to see her again & I was very stimulated by her wonderful conversation.  As you can see, the food was pretty good as well!!

Champagne & nibbles with the family in my new home

The family got together on Australia Day - 26 January, to drink a toast to my new home.  It was great to see the little boys investigating and getting into mischief in an empty house!!

 Cheers to me!!

 Family gathered in the dining room

Chloe Grace taking it all in !!

My Villa Unit in Nunawading, Melbourne, Australia

Here I am on the day the house settled (24 January) with my gift from the Real Estate Company!!  Just before I turned the key & walked in (along with Christine from Basel & Tony from the Heating company!!!)

The entrance to the house.  Shows how dry it has been in Melbourne with the brown 'grass'.


Tom & a couple of his mates pulled out all the carpet in the house last weekend & then Tom, Glenda & I pulled out the small wooden boards the carpet was attached to.  Not a nice job, but had to be done.

The painting was started Monday 4 February & so far only the undercoat has been done.  I am hoping it will be finished by 15 February.

I've decided I want a German kitchen again so I have contacted Kitchen Haus in Perth & the wonderful Gerard has sent me a plan of my kitchen so I can do the measurements, which is a bit scary.  Hope I get it right.  He has photo's of the kitchen as it is now.

I am having gas ducted heating installed Friday 15 February and I have just booked George the floor polishing expert to do the floors, beginning 7 March.  Of course I would have liked it earlier but he is going on holidays beforehand, so I will just have to wait & hope Glenda & Tom can put up with me for a little longer (they have been so patient with me up till now).  At this stage I am hoping to move in around 13 March with all things going to plan, but I won't have curtains up as they will need to be made & this takes ages.

Ridley Family Christmas

The 9 of us, plus our dear friend Cheryl, gathered from 4pm on Christmas Eve for our Christmas celebrations (true European style - minus the snow!!) at Glenda & Tom's home and enjoyed their warm hospitality.  We feasted on yummy pre dinner nibbles and drinks and opened our presents whilst the children were around.  It was lots of fun for us all.  

After the children went to bed at 7pm we sat down to the full Christmas feast - turkey, roast vegetables, cauliflower cheese, greens and lots of yummy ham cut straight off the bone by Tom.  We finished off with Christmas pudding and custard.  Our after dinner delight was egg nog prepared by Tim & Amy.

One very proud Nanna

My beautiful family

Table simply set!!  We had to wait for the twins to go to bed before we could set up !!

Tom was very proud of his ham !!

MY FUTURE HOME

I have found myself a little home!  Below is the link if you would like to check it out.  My offer on this villa unit (that's what they call it in Australia) was accepted on Thursday 27 December.  I am so relieved to have found something that I can work with!!  There is much work to be done on it, but at least I can do what I would like & not what someone else has done (well, that's the plan anyway).  It is due to be settled on 24 January 2013, if all goes smoothly.

http://www.noeljones.com.au/property-details/4678417/

Our Darling Husband & Father

 Jocelyn & Roger at Monets garden in France - July 2010

Roger & Glenda - 18 December 2004

Roger & Tim, early '90's

Tim, Jocelyn, Glenda & I had a nice lunch together yesterday - 15 December to mark the 1st Anniversary of Roger's death.  We were hoping to have a family picnic but the heavens opened and the rain did fall so we decided to move inside!!

It was so lovely to spend time with the family.  It was a difficult day for us all.  I am so glad I am now in Melbourne with the support of my beautiful family.  Of course the grandchildren are the delight of my life and bring me much joy.  

I am staying with Glenda, Tom, Nathan & Edward until I find a home of my own.  The unit that was auctioned on 1 December went for far too much money.  We will all go to another auction this coming Saturday 22 December and see how we go.  I am not getting my hopes up.  Real Estate is done so differently here in Melbourne and most places are auctioned.  I don't like the way they do it here!!

I have received so many lovely emails and cards from dear friends far and wide.  Thank you if you are one of them.  I am finding it hard to settle down and write Christmas cards this year and also don't feel like pushing myself.  I know you will understand.  The big relocation to Melbourne has taken it's toll on me, along with everything else that is going on.  But I am sure I will settle down and 2013 will be a happy one.  Finding a home of my own is top of the list.

Moving to Melbourne

So, I am on the move to Melbourne, flying out on Thursday 6 December.  It will be wonderful to be in the same State as my kids again and of course my lovely grandchildren.  Selling the house and packing up is a huge step for me now that I am on my own and I am missing Roger and his help very much.  He was always good at packing and calming me down!!  But I am getting there slowly and I don't feel overwhelmed, thankfully.

I received an offer on the house on 30 October, 10 days after Irene put it on the market.  I put so much pressure on her to get it on the market after I returned from Europe and then a quick trip to Melbourne from 11-16 October.  But we did it together and I am very pleased with the outcome.  A young 32yr old man has bought the home and will live in it.  In my heart I really wanted to sell it to someone that would live in it and not rent it out, but Irene kept telling me the one with the highest offer is the best!!

Now I have the task of finding a little home in Melbourne.  Glenda & Tom have found a unit which they know I will like.  It will be auctioned next Saturday 1 December, so we will see.

I am having highs and lows at the moment, which is to be expected as I near the anniversary of Roger's death on 15 December.  I still miss Roger very, very much but after my trip to Europe I feel I am better able to get on with my life, which is a big plus.  

I've recently had 2 young 21 yr old German guys staying with me for 6 days.  They have working permits for Australia and are looking for jobs.  I gave them a timeline for staying as I really needed to get on with my packing and not entertain/look after young men!!  They were enjoying the 'home away from home' a little too much.  They left Friday to stay in a backpacker hostel.  Hostels are far too expensive here in Perth.  It is quite ridiculous.  I am surprised the boys didn't check out accommodation before they left Germany, but I think they have rose coloured glasses on really!!

I enjoyed my first Thanksgiving Dinner the other day and it was very special.  Of course I ate too much!

I've only been for 1 swim this summer.  The weather has been unseasonably cool in Perth.  I would love to get some morning swims in, but looking at the weather forecast, I don't think this is going to happen.  But Irene & I did enjoy 4 hours down at Cottesloe the other Friday.  Picnic lunch, 2 swims, 2 games of Chinese Checkers and lots of talking with 3 cups of tea!!  Very special.