Hello all,

Many thanks firstly to all the emails and so on - especially the Pie, I think I've kept you on the net the whole day probably, really didn't mean to it's just robbing time from your children I know. Sorry. I'm all agog to hear about the Jennifer/checkups/new stuff (didn't really understand the details but get the jist) and also about Nea's playdate - who's the new friend? It's always difficult with the second one, if they don't get hand-me-down clothes they'll certainly end up with hand-me-down companions for quite a while, it seems to be almost inevitable... a good thing and a bad thing at the same time, I guess. More difficult probably when they're different sexes, too.

Our own ho-hum item today is definitely the rental house. GOSH you wouldn't believe the competition for a hot little place in Merewether Heights is, with no air conditioning and only three bedrooms. As mentioned previously, we phoned in as soon as the place was advertised (as in, about 5 minutes after it came on the market), and took the first viewing they gave us. We were there with about four other interested parties, all waiting outside the property while the agent did the obligatory fiddle fumble and curse with the keys and perform a sweaty 10 minutes of something out of the way while we waited on the porch. Why it's so hard to come equipped with the right keys I will never know. Ten more minutes later and I had already said Yes we want it to the agent, but not before one other woman had already done so and another couple had actually handed in their application form completed and complete with supporting documentation (they'd downloaded it from the net and come prepared). Shit, thought we. Bearing in mind the viewing was only at 4pm, and the agent's office closed at 5 - we hared back home, picked up supporting documentation (we'd come armed with age-old recommendations from letters all the way back in Texas and the Ice house), drove down at some speed to the agent's office downtown, picked up and filled in an application form there and then, gave them the whole lot, and said we're Very serious about this property, please let us know if there's anything AT ALL we can do to expedite this application. In the meantime I'd left a telephone message on the Relocation specialist's number, saying please if you can help us we need to get into this house... She had mentioned that that's where her main business was, 'helping you in the rental market as the housing market is very tight at the moment - I can give your application that extra push it needs to get to the top of the pile....' didn't actually realise what she meant until we heard from other sources that agents regularly take bribes or what are called 'good will gestures' to promote one application over the other. Anyway, we submitted this and I looked them very firmly in the eye and reiterated that indeed we're Very serious about the property, and if there was ANYTHING at all that could be done to make sure we obtained it, nothing would be a barrier. We initially walked out at that point and then the Mr re-thought our current strategy and we accordingly went back and offered an extra 20 dollars a week on the rent -which they took on board and got us to put down in writing. I think probably we've pretty much done everything we can to get the place. NOW, one might think this was an absolute delectable palace from the struggle - but it certainly ain't. Three bed, no AC, not too huge, clean and tidy but you know, obviously built for rental, right on a very busy road, no garden to speak of, tiny kitchen, nothing special. However, it is clean and obviously well upkept, and most of all you can literally see the Merewether Heights playground from the upstairs windows. I mean, it couldn't be closer to the school unless it were actually in the grounds, pretty much. And we need to be in catchment if we want to get into that school. And there are almost NO other properties on for rent in the catchment area. Now there is one single one currently that I saw way down far away that would still qualify, but nothing even vaguely like the convenience, and I think pricier too. So in short, we don't really care, just hoping that they will come back and say yes. If not, of course it's not the end of the world but one can always do with a bit of convenience once in a while, this would be a good one to have.

So much for that. Other stuff that the Non is preoccupied with at the moment is swimming and jumping in in particular - she's mad keen on getting her head under water but can't quite bring herself to jump in in a manner that will cause this scenario. Especially as she often insists on holding a small float at the same time. So after about 30 jumps and climbs up, she starts demanding that I 'chuck me in so I go under water - but NOT FAST - SLOWLY!!!' and then gets into a terrible tizzy wanting to get chucked in but not quite daring to actually say yes. However, the whole process is very much enjoyed and although the actual swimming progress is slow and her feet are still very low in the water, there is definite progress. Even just the act of going to the beach at least once if not two times a day and running, jumping, swimming and splashing is definitely building up muscle and fluency, and she's much better at swimming than she was when we arrived. She'll now swim - oh a good 10 meters or more against a current, unaided, pretty quickly. With the appalling style of swimming she has, that must take a whole load of effort and once she streamlines a bit she'll be off like a rocket, I reckon.

Probably about it. Grant-writing ongoing with the Mr, same as before, more polishing and honing at the moment but I definitely get the impression that fingers crossed it should be doing OK. Oh, and many thanks for the cards that have been arriving ..... hope you realised what you were letting us in for when you sent a 'melody' (and I use that term loosely) card, W&W, but indeed, she absolutely loves it. It actually arrived yesterday, and today we got Daniel's card - thank you very much Daniel and family - if you're reading! Actually I was super-grateful for the email address with it - didn't have it so haven't been able to include you in any of the mailings so far (you've escaped up till now but now I have you1!) Anyway, lots of love to all, V xxxxx