9th February 2010 (Tuesday)

Well looks like our little school dilemma is solved - at least theoretically/hypothetically. I dug a bit more and found that actually despite being a significantly smaller school, Merewether Heights in fact sends more pupils per year to selective high schools than Hamilton South - significantly more. So what with that and what with the much more attractive school grounds and surrounds, and house purchasing prospects on lots of fronts, I think we know which one we want. It's quite a relief actually, the thought of having to settle permanently in Hamilton South was depressing. Just so BORING. And expensive. HOWEVER, the snag (or two snags) are that we can't enrol for MH until we're locally resident, and the rental market for that area is almost non-existent. BUT, there's the one property which we are to see tomorrow at 4p.m., and frankly short of it's being located straight above a raw sewage processing plant I think we'll be taking it. We're pretty much under the assumption that we'll go there at 4, see the agent and say where do we sign. Now we're heard a few things about estate agents in NSW that give one pause for thought, but as far as this one goes (this house that is), we really ought to be top of the queue - we phoned to make an appointment the very morning it came on the market, and took the first appointment they offered. So fingers crossed. Once we get a lease signed, we can take that to the school and start the enrolment process.
Apart from that, we didn't do a great deal. Pretty hot day today, girls stayed in until 3 then spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach. Boy said that he'd got some comments back on his grant application draft from someone who is normally on the grant-awarding-body-thing-what-gives-money-to-people but as he's at the same university he can't sit on this one, and so can comment on the draft... and he mentioned some very minor alterations but in the main said it looked pretty good so that seems like a good thing. Two or three other people have looked at it and I think it's gathering some creditable stability in the process, so once again, fingers crossed. This new lab does after all need some cash to get started. It will of course be an eternally ongoing thing. What a lab head does, really, get the cash in and then spend it. At least that's what it seems like from this angle. Don't know if all lab heads would entirely agree, of course.
Not sure if there's anything else. Watch this space for news on rentals tomorrow - the school outcome depends on it! So, on tenterhooks, lots of love to all, V xxxx

p.s. Talking of galahs, (spelled with one l it seems, I'm pretty new to this too) was just looking them up on the net and early cricked my neck again laughing at the 'my story' bit in this posting (look about half-way down). Thought the amusement deserved to be shared. Lots of love to all again xxxx http://galah.galahs.com.au/content/php/introduction.php