looking up...

Things are finally looking up for the Stevenson family. After 9 weeks of unemployment, poverty and torrential rains things have turned a corner and started to improve! OK, I may have exaggerated slightly there, but it could have been that bad!!! We are saying goodbye to Lismore next Wednesday (I'm throwing a little party!) and going for a leisurely tour up the East coast. Finally a bit of sight seeing and travel. Isn't that what I booked in for in the first place? Noone mentioned budget constraints and mouldy living quarters and 24/7 company. Thank God I like these people or it would be hell!

Although things seem to change from moment to moment the latest plan is this...Wednesday we hit the frog and toad (road!) and head to Burpengary to pick up our new (and hopefully very LEGAL trailer). Still waiting to hear back about the legal proceedings relating to the last trailer, what a fiasco! Anyway then up to Maryborough, which is near Hervey Bay, for a few nights. Wanting to visit Fraser Island for at least one day of 4WDing, maybe two. Bundaberg is not far above that so maybe a night there. Chris used to have a mate living nearby at Burnett Heads so depending on whether or not we can catch up with him that may be extended a little longer. Rockhampton is probably the next stop, then Mackay the next day...WooHoo!!! At this point in time Chris needs to complete a UD driving course for a week in mid May, then a week off before starting work driving tractors etc, hauling out sugar cane. It's very exciting for both of us. Even more exciting is the fact that we may be getting a visitor from Colac in that last week of May...Aunty Lynne! The kids are over the moon and although Laura burst into tears when she heard about it from Lynne she told us later she was only crying because she was so happy. Yeah, sure! I feel so bad when Laura gets homesick but what can I do, except keep pestering the family to VISIT, VISIT, VISIT! Well the school work is slowing without me there to crack the whip so I'd better get back to it. Feeling much more positive now and thanks to all my wonderful friends who kept saying things would get better. I so didn't believe you at the time but lookey, you were right! Chow for now, x x x

LEST WE FORGET

It's Anzac Day today. The kids have been doing some reading and activities at "school" this week to give them some idea of what went on in the wars, drawing pictures and making lists of what Anzac Day means to them. No matter what we say they can never really understand what it was like, and I guess I wouldn't really want them to. Lets hope none of our children ever have to experieince something so frightening.

As it is still school holidays in NSW we also had a few fun days this week. The library put on some free activities so the kids got to see "Brian the magician" on Tuesday and yesterday they made book marks and had story time. After that we went to the shopping complex to see "Rover McWoof" who put on a little show. Will even won a little prize for his dancing! Must take after his mother.

News on the work front is good. Chris now has 2 jobs so we are in the process of sorting out the best opportunity for continuing our travel plans. At this stage we are moving on to Bundaberg in the next week or two. There is a job due to start in May hauling out sugar cane and before it starts Chris will need to complete a week long course which can only be done in Mackay. We will get settled in Bundy and then Chris will drive to Mackay for the week beginning 18th May. Puts a strain on the finances but what else can we do? I'm looking forward to the move I must say. The kids need some stimulation to keep them out of trouble and although the weather has improved here in Lismore I'm ready for a change.

Lighthouse at Byron Bay

Last weekend we went for a drive to Byron Bay. Went up to the lighthouse which involved a drive up a narrow, windy road close to the edge of the cliff that made me a little nervous, especially when we were sharing the road with lots of tourists! Chris showed us the roof top that is used for hangliders to take off. It was too windy, even for them which was a shame, I would have liked to show the kids. Couldn't go into the lighthouse but the view from the top of the cliff was amazing.

NEWS, NEWS AND MORE NEWS!

Lots of stuff has happened this last week. Deb had her birthday on April 9th and believe me, I really do love a birthday. No worries with getting older, I just love an excuse for a party! I got to do a little shopping, thanks to the wonderful family members who sent me some "spend it all on your self" cash. I also got to go out for tea with chris and the kids (a novel experience with financial constraints as they have been). I got some perfume which was just in time as I was down to my last squirt of good stuff, and chris bought me a gorgeous pair of earrings from the antique shop, very nice! All in all I was thoroughly spoilt and had a very special day.

The following day I got to celebrate some more...Chris and I had our 10th wedding anniversary. Imagine that, 10 years and we still like each other, that's amazing!

Then we need to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful niece and nephew, Nikita and Hughie who turned 3 on the 11th of April. Wish we could have been there to see them but I know they would have gotten extra kisses from Grandma or Aunty Lynne for us. Hope they got their present OK.

Well that was Thursday, Friday and Saturday all taken care of...then woke up Sunday and you'll never believe it...Easter Bunny had been! We weren't sure that he would find us here in Lismore but the kids made a basket anyway just in case and Laura decorated the christmas tree with easter eggs to help him find us. Anyway it worked and come Sunday morning we were richer by 2 dozen chocolate eggs or so. Enough to make the kids hyper and the parents pull their hair out!!
Will and Laura with their Easter stash. Mmmmm!
Last night just for good measure we had a visit from another special friend...the Tooth Fairy. Laura finally wiggled a tooth out that has been hanging in there for more than 6 months. In fact the new tooth had taken up position in front of it and we thought it would never let go, but lo and behold with a bit of pushing from Laura it came out. Yippee!

What a week of celebration it has been. School holidays are on and "awful teachers" that we are, we gave the kids only the Easter long-weekend off. Because of the inclement weather we have been getting we decided to keep boredom at bay by continuing with school until we are able to do something useful with our free time. Sounded like a good idea to us! We did get to go 10 pin bowling, (Chris won both games - woo hoo!) which was fun.

Well I have already mentioned the less than perfect weather, suffice to say we had such a solid days rain the other day that Chris changed the batteries in the torch and got us ready for flood exacuation, just in case! We have been having lots of trouble with mould inside the bus and this morning I had to kill a whole nest of ants trying to make their home in a handbag in the bedroom cupboard. Not fun. Even worse are the mozzies, especially now we have holes in the flyscreen at the door! But then I guess if it was wonderful every day you would all want to be here with us, and much as we love you there just isn't room! So we will soldier on.

Chris got a job today. I really should have put that first shouldn't I? Only prob. is, it doesnt start for another month. So we will keep looking and if nothing else comes up in the mean time we will be off to St.George at the end of May. It's on a winery doing stuff with the vines. Maybe we'll get a special deal on some bottles...fingers crossed! Cheers for now, x x x

Slipping and sliding!!

One weekend when it was all overcast in Lismore we decided to brave the weather and go to the water park in Ballina. We had been promising Will since his birthday we would take him there and because of the weather we still hadn't been. I'm so glad we went, it was a little breezy up on the top of the tower but otherwise it was lovely. In fact after running up the stairs a few times it was quite warm! I will admit I'm not too fond of heights and it took me about 5 goes before I could look out over the edge of the rail at the top of the tower to see all the things Chris had been pointing out to me. It was a great view of the mouth of the Richmond river going out to sea and there were lots of boats and yachts.
Laura here in front of the slides at Ballina Water Park. The big yellow one was really fast and the climb to the top was exhausting, but the kids loved the slower green one best of all because they could come down at the same time.
Here they are coming down on the green one together.
GOING...GOING...
GONE!

Casino

Casino is a little town about a 1/2 hrs drive inland from Lismore. We headed off there last weekend for a look around and had lunch before coming home. Apparently there is a great park in Casino for motorhomes so I want to go back one day soon and check it out.

This is Chris and Will having a look at the river in Casino. It has lots of little fish swimming around in it (hence the boys' interest). We will come back one day to do a spot of fishing but so far we haven't gotten there. Laura is off in the background somewhere.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM (BETTY)

It's Bett's birthday today so a big happy birthday to you first of all. We hope you have a lovely day.

We have just gotten home from a 2 day trip to Surfers Paradise to catch up with the Milverton and Robertson families. It's only about a 2 hour trip from here to there and I must say it was just what the doctor ordered. I had been feeling a little sad and sorry for myself and most of all frustrated at not having a job yet, and the constantly wet weather has not helped my mood, so this was a real "pick me up"! We stayed at Treasure Island and although the wet weather followed us (and in fact got quite a lot heavier) the pool there was heated and we got in regardless. It was a novel thing to be in a lovely heated pool with the cold rain belting down on our heads and a cold bourbon in my hand...mmm paradise! We had planned on taking the kids to one of the theme parks but of course the rain put a stop to that so a trip to the movies was organised instead. They watched "Monsters V's Aliens" which they loved while Fiona and I did some window shopping.
Catching up with our very dear friends and just having a chat while the kids played together was wonderful. I was quite sad to leave this morning and even Laura said "Mum, I had tears in my eyes this morning when we left, but I wasn't crying, I was just sad". Poor darlin', she does miss her friends and family, probably more than any of us.

Much of my time lately has been spent wrangling with NSW government departments and I must say I have not found them at all helpful. I would go as far as to think that I would never want to live here in NSW because of the lack of help and the irritation I have been given. I have had to contact Centrelink, the Department of Education and The Nurses Board and I have been driven to distraction by each and every one of them. When I have had to follow up with the same departments in Victoria it has been a different story entirely, maybe Victorians are nicer, or maybe our laws/policies are just better and easier? Anyway I need to save my strength to do some more battling on Monday so I will leave off now. Chow.