It's All Over Bar The Shouting

Overlooking the pool from my balcony (left) and looking across the canal (below).





                                                   
       

After the second move in six months I'm here for the next two years at least, thank goodness!  Apart from the removalists taking the furniture and delivering it here, I did the packing, unpacking and cleaning by myself and I don't mind admitting that I'm over it.

Anyway, enough of that...I'm here now and it was definitely the right decision to take this place.  Although smaller than what I'm used to, it's light and airy and gets the sun all day in winter.  There are no carpets to worry about nor cheap linoleum on the floors.  Instead there are offwhite tiles, easy to keep clean and which add to the overall lightness.  

I've met some of the neighbours who seem a friendly lot and in the same vintage.  There are also younger people, male and female, plus a couple of kids who seem nice enough.  I met one couple from across the way yesterday who own the most  beautiful cat...a Ragdoll cross, whose name also happens to be Bella!

The underground carpark is secure and can only be accessed by tenants who are given a security key for access.  We can also store stuff down there, which is handy.

So, all in all, I'm very happy with the place and don't intend moving anywhere else for a while.  I'm also closer to the shopping village, there's a doctor's surgery directly across the road, although the surgery I currently (rarely) attend is within walking distance and I'll just continue going there if I need to.  The beach is closer, too, although I haven't had time to walk there yet.

It's lovely sitting out on the balcony typing this.  There are kayakers on the canal and I've seen fish jumping plus ducks gliding along.  Yesterday the kids from the complex were swimming.  Not sure if I'd swim in the canal.  I have heard that sharks have been caught in the canals on the Gold Coast!

It's been a hectic couple of weeks but I can relax now.  Nearly all my stuff is unpacked and what I don't have space for I'll store.

* * * * * * * *

I'm expecting the copies of Old Age and Villainy to be delivered any day now.  They retail for AUD$10 plus p&p, or you can order the ebook from Amazon by going to their website and typing in the title or my name.  If you order a copy through me, it will be signed.

* * * * * * * *

Well, that's it for now.  I hope you have had a great weekend.  It's been summer like temperatures here.  It was the Winter Solstice yesterday and 26C! 

Success!!

I was returning from the shopping village yesterday when I saw this sign.  I stopped (on a yellow line *cough*) and hurriedly took a photo with my phone.

Upon reaching home and putting my few purchases away (I'd forgotten to buy the cats some grain free cat biscuits), I rang the number and asked to speak to Nicholas Waters, the name on the sign, which I didn't manage to get in the shot.  It turned out that I was speaking to a very pleasant gentleman named Russ...Nicholas Waters was the name of the apartment complex of which Russ was the manager.

I introduced myself and asked how much the weekly rental was.  As it was in my price range, my next question was if I could have pets.  Upon his query, I told him I had two cats.  His reaction amazed and delighted me...he and his wife were cat lovers and had two of their own.

The next thing I was racing down the road to view the apartment.  It's about 100 m further from where I am now but  at the back of the complex overlooking the canal, a lovely grassed barbeque area and the pool.  Ok, it's only a one bedroomed place but I figured it was time I downsized anyway.   During the time I was looking through the place and chatting with Russ, my mind was busy planning where my furniture was going.

I mentioned I was interested; Russ said bring the deposit in, which I did, and it was mine!  I can move in next week, Friday 13 (13 has always been a very auspicious number for me).  However, I've given a fortnight's notice to vacate my current place which gives me plenty of time to move out, clean it thoroughly and have the carpets cleaned and pest controlled.

There are no carpets in my new place (I don't particularly like them) but it has lovely white tiles throughout.  It's very bright and airy and gets the sun all day.  There's a balcony, which will please the cats and the best thing is...I don't hear the traffic!  I have a two year lease and apparently the owner has no plans to sell, which I was very pleased to hear.

So...that's what happened yesterday.  It's the quickest I've ever been approved for a place to live and as when I've previously hunted for a place, it's the first one I've actually been to see.  The Universe has been very good to me!

Oops!

 The giant bird of paradise (strelitzia).  They grow to an enormous height and the flowers are quite spectacular.

A flower of one of the many types of ornamental ginger plants found in Queensland.










As I mentioned in my last post, I have to move as my place has been sold.  I had a phone call from the property manager saying the owners would be on the Gold Coast this week and would like to go through and have a look at the place.  They'd bought it strictly on the photographs the real estate agents had on their website.

We set a time for 2 pm on Tuesday.  I was happy as that gave me plenty of time to tidy up.  After a leisurely breakfast, I had a shower then cleaned the bathroom, shower cubicle and toilet before making my bed.  I also cleaned and freshened the cats' litter trays and took them out onto the balcony.  I was just about to do the breakfast dishes (by this time it was 9 am) when there was a knock on the door.  It was the owner and his wife!  He'd got his wires crossed with regard to the time and finding the property manager hadn't arrived, gave her a call.  After she'd reminded him the appointment was for 2 pm he thought he'd see if he could have a look anyway.  It didn't bother me, although I was glad I had cleaned the bathroom and toilet.  They wanted to do things like measure where the fridge went and also see if their lounge would fit against the well, etc.  

They were a pleasant young couple, originally from Bosnia, and I don't think his wife spoke much English.  They had their baby with them, a cute little boy aged about 5 or 6 months, who smiled and smiled.  What is it about a baby's smile that melts one's heart and makes the knees go weak??  Anyway, they are moving up from Canberra and currently staying with his parents.  So, I really want to find somewhere so the poor things can have their own home!  It's not easy though, no one is willing to have tenants with pets.  Oh well, I found this place...I'll eventually find something.

It's as well, though, the new owner didn't arrive half an hour earlier or that I didn't sleep in a little later because they'd have caught me in the shower!

* * * * * * * *

I had lunch with a friend the other day and while having our coffee, she put some thin squares of chocolate out for us to nibble on.  It was Lindt's dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt and oh, the delicious after taste!  I was hooked and had to buy some for myself.  I love Lindt chocolate and so far, this is the best one they've put out yet.  Dark chocolate is my favourite as it's not as sweet as milk chocolate and with the touch of sea salt, the flavour is really intensified.  Very moreish, however, I can't eat more than two squares as it's also quite rich though without being sickly.

* * * * * * * *

I have no book to review today.  The book I'm currently reading is a thriller by Jo Nesbo, an author I've heard of but not read before.  He's Norwegian and his protagonist in the series is Detective Harry Hole.  I like the Scandinavian writers and have done ever since I read the Steig Larsson books, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and the two that followed.  In fact, I was terribly sad he'd died because they are such wonderful books and so addictive that three are not enough!  I had heard his wife was writing a fourth but there is some legal problem, with Larsson's family putting the kibosh on it for some reason.

* * * * * * * *

Well, it's officially winter and we're still wearing summer clothes.  I love it!  Unfortunately, according to the weather forecast on tv tonight, we only have one more day of warm temperatures before it's supposed to become more chilly over the weekend with rain.  Hmmm...maybe I'll have to eventually put winter woollies on.  Damn!!

* * * * * * * *

Okay, that's your lot for this post.  We're heading for the Queen's Birthday long weekend...whether I get in a walk to the beach or not remains to be seen.  Enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend.