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.

My Beloved Family

Tim, Amy & Chloe spent 2 beautiful weeks with me recently here in Perth.  What an absolute joy and delight it was for me to have them in my little home, especially as they would be my last visitors before my big move to Melbourne.  Oh how I enjoyed being Nanna to 5 month old Chloe with lots of cuddles, walks and babysitting.  I loved spoiling the family (or trying to) with cooking (something I am not doing a lot of these days) and generally trying to give them a good holiday in Perth.  Unfortunately the weather was not warm enough for swimming which was a big disappointment for them as they wanted to introduce Chloe to the ocean and of course we wanted to see her in her new bathers that I bought her in Rome (remember the pictures I posted after my trip to Rome?!!!).  Oh well.  

Amy had the phone ready to capture this beautiful photo !

I love this face.

Tim & Amy at King's Park.  We had a picnic lunch there.

This is my 500th post!!  Wow!  (Actually it has taken a bit long!  I have been trying to blog since April 2006!!).

Here is my 14 month old grandson Nathan playing peek-a-boo with Peach the dog.  As you can see, Peach is not taking the slightest interest, but it is 'oh so cute'!!  Just had to share it with you.

The days are racing by and I am ever conscious of the fact I will soon be leaving Basel and my beautiful friends here and heading back to Perth.  

I really can't begin to tell you all the things I have been up to!!  I can tell you I have been to Scuol in the mountains for 6 days with my lovely Swiss friend Christine and we absolutely had the best time together and I didn't really want it to end.  We hiked, went bike riding (and racing through my mind was......"what goes down, must come up"!!!), went on a rather hairy bus ride to 1800m and had a nice walk, saw the cows coming down from the mountains and even a little snow was falling.  It was bitterly cold! 

We had lunch up at S-Charl.  Disappointing not to see any wild life.  They were all hiding from the hunters who go up there this time of the year.  Christine was telling me the animals go into the National Park where they are protected.









Today Kiwi Christine and I went to a Cello Concert by Cyprian Kohut at 11am.  Roger and I met Cyprian and Alina in 2006 in Basel when they use to busk on the streets.  A very special couple and I think they will really go places in the music world.  They are from Poland.  I hope to catch up with them both for lunch next Saturday.

I continue to catch up with friends, enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful surrounds of Basel and I continue to thank God for all the blessings he has given me, but especially that I am here and beginning to feel music come back into my heart. 

PS  A little birdie has told me that Grace is keeping up with my writings here and I just want to send her my love and "see you soon"  xx

Wednesday 5 September 2012

I thought today might be quite an emotional day as I met together with our beautiful friends Dave and Simea and their cute little daughters in Weil am Rhein.

Getting to their place proved to be a bit of a challenge (and in the back of my mind I am saying to myself  'I don't always want to be a strong and brave person!!')  Read on .......

I left home at 9am and caught the train to Stetten.  I waited for the connecting train to Weil am Rhein.  I heard an announcement in German and panicked a little bit.  So I got on the train that was going to Loerrach and I found someone that spoke a little English.  "No, she said, you need to get off and go to the other platform"  (I knew this already).  So then I got on the train that said "To Weil am Rhein" and when it was arriving at Stetten (back to where I started!!) there was an announcement in German!!  Everyone got off the train and so did I!!  So...... what to do.  I spoke a little German to a lady and she was telling me there was no problem.  But I felt there was!!  

I thought, I could get a taxi but I did not have Dave's address OR phone number.  I only knew how to get there from the train station.   Grrrrrr.  Silly me.  Fancy not having his phone number.

So I decided to walk to the bus stop and saw the bus went to Weil am Rhein. I asked a lady what was going on and sort of worked out there were bridge works on the line!!  I thought that if I got to Weil am Rhein I could work my way back along the train tracks to the train station I needed!!  Needless to say I was very clever and arrived at Dave and Simea's home, but 1 hour late.  I was only slightly emotional.  Nothing that a good hug seeing old friends couldn't fix (and a cup of coffee).  We had a precious time together, but all too short.

I was picked up from their place by one of Roger's good friends Andreas.  Andreas was one of Roger's train buddies and they had some good times together.  Andreas has looked after Roger's model train layout and he discussed this a little bit with me.  (The layout has gone to a good home, which I am so pleased about).  He also mentioned that he still had Roger's trains and would I like them.  I didn't realise the impact this would have on me once I received them and got them home.  I burst into tears and had a good long cry on Christine's shoulder.  Now to get them back to Australia!!

I had a happy time with Andreas, Constanze and David and I was treated to a very yummy BBQ lunch which we were able to eat outside surrounded by very green German countryside.  A picture indeed.

Needless to say I now need to calm down and try and get some sleep.  I seem to be experiencing so many emotions whilst here in Basel, which is very natural I am sure.