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    Cor Blimey, It's been a Scorcher!

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    Cor Blimey, Governor, it's been a hot one. Today has been the hottest day in Perth, so far this year and considering 2023 has only just started, I bet there are a few more days like this to come. The temperature in Midland reached a top of 43 degrees earlier today; well, that's what it registered on my Fitbit anyway, but luckily I was working in a lovely air-conditioned shop. I'm really not used to these extreme temperatures, coming from the UK, but having lived in Spain I am more used to the heat than most. Surprisingly, however, there is very little humidity here, so you don't really sweat in the same way you would during a humid UK summer.

    Today is also the end of the second week in my new job, and I am looking forward to a few days well-earned rest. The last couple of weeks have been particularly stressful because of everything that has been going on. The house sale is progressing well, after Darrell and I had the mortgage confirmed by Commonwealth bank, and we are looking to move very soon; everything is just so fast here. When the Home loan was confirmed, we were given a fifteen-day settlement date, and we should be in our new villa by the middle of February. Thankfully for us, there will be no stamp duty to pay. Under normal circumstances, we would have been liable for a bill of $8000, but because we are first time buyers here, Western Australia has waved that fee.

    On Monday we have a surveyor checking the house, and always up for a bargain, I am shopping around for the cheapest settlement solicitor in Perth. So far I have been quoted $1000 less than the original price I was given. Darrell is worrying about letting the other firm down, but I am of the opinion, why should we pay more for the same service? Yes I may be tight, but in all honesty, I have to be. Saving the cents is important for me now, especially with mortgage repayments of $1300 a month.

    We decided to take out a variable rate mortgage, in order to pay it off as quickly as possible. We want to repay it within ten years, which is doable, as long as interest rates start to stabilise. Furthermore, we are both lucky to be earning a very good wage, so can afford to double our repayments each month and pay it back in record time. Of course, only time will tell if that actually happens or not. I am confident, that as long as we continue on the same path we are on now, we won't have too much to worry about.

    The paperwork trail this week has been astronomical, we just haven't stopped filling in forms. However, most of this has been done remotely and with the help of our amazing mortgage broker at the bank, we have managed to get this done and dusted relatively quickly. Yes, I am stressed and sleeping less, but I am also working and able to concentrate my efforts elsewhere, thus avoiding worrying about moving, every day.

    When all is said and done, we have achieved our goals in superfast time. Not only do we both have well paid jobs, but we are also buying a house, new car and looking forward to the rest of our life together. It really has been a long road getting here, but I can finally say, without a shadow of a doubt, we made the right decision. Putting the past behind us is our overriding priority now. Those who have played an important role in our future are welcome with open arms, as for the rest, well, they are just a warning to do better in future. This isn't the first new start we have had, but it is the most successful to date; for that reason it is important to stay focused, and remain positive as this new year progresses. This is the life we have both craved for so long, the success we have dreamed of, and the break we both need; finally contentment it's only a heartbeat away!
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    New Year, New Home!

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    This month is turning out to be busy, beyond busy to be more accurate. Not only did I start a new job last week, but Darrell and I have finally found a home; everything seems to be coming together at once. As stressed as I am, I understand just how important it is for me to relax. I came to Australia for a change in pace, not to inadvertently increase my blood pressure (which is perfectly fine at the moment) and have absolutely no time to myself. Nevertheless, I have to accept just how fast the pieces are falling into place and, for once, embrace the possibilities that are coming in thick and fast. To think I used to hate this place and never saw Western Australia as a land of opportunity nor a long term solution to our ambitions and aspirations, when actually, currently, it is!

    The house is a three-bedroom villa in a small community of six dwellings, just off Morrison Road in Perth. Interestingly, it was built the same year Darrell and I got together, in 1995 and is a typical Australian home. It has a large kitchen and family room, a laundry and separate toilet and a formal lounge at the front of the property. The house is also air-conditioned throughout and is in relatively good decorative order.

    There is a very small courtyard garden at the side of the property, which, although small, suits us perfectly; neither of us want the responsibility of a garden. We don't have the time or desire to be outside gardening, especially in the Australian climate.

    Having said that, there is work to do outside; the boundary fence is coming down, and it will need to be replaced or fixed. I also want to repave the outside areas and shade part of the outlook at the back, so we don't have to look directly onto the highway at the rear of the house. Some people would be put off by the proximity to a major road, but for us, city dwellers at heart, it is perfectly fine. We will be a five-minute walk to Midland Gate shopping Centre and a twenty-minute walk to my place of work. The set-up works for us, but it wouldn't be to everyones taste. I like being close to local amenities and although there are aesthetics to sort out, I am happy to get to grips with that in time. After all, if you had seen some of the places I have lived in the past, you'd understand why!

    With the offer accepted, now comes the hard bit. We have arrived in Australia without a stick of furniture, so that is now on a priority list. For now, we will get what we desperately require, and the rest can wait. What it does mean, however, is we will have to put a lower deposit down on the villa, so we have some spare cash to buy what we need. Luckily furniture and electrical goods are a lot cheaper here, so I have worked out we will have to pay out $13,000 initially, which is achievable in the short term, especially with us both working. We also need to buy a car, especially now I want to start my driving lessons again, and I personally want a contingency left for maintenance and any eventualities that may occur.

    I have also discussed getting a mortgage where I can repay far more than I have to. I want to pay it off in record time. The only way I can do this, is by getting a variable rate home loan, which is a bit scary at the moment, with interest rates continuing to rise in Australia. It is either that or have a fixed rate mortgage, which restricts payments; that isn't something I am contemplating, but will discuss the possibilities with Rob, our wonderful Mortgage Broker at The Commonwealth Bank, over the next few weeks.

    All being well, we should be in the house within a maximum of eight weeks; in fact, it could be a lot sooner than that. The current owner, who is in Queensland, has already said we can move in before completion, once the Mortgage has gone through. The whole process here is far more relaxed and laid back, which is actually a bonus for me, especially having started a new job at the same time. The easier this period is, the better.

    So Darrell and I have reached yet another milestone in record time, and we are both delighted. On the surface at least, for now, Australia seems to have been the best move we have made. Of course part of me thinks we should have done it years ago, but the other half remembers the memories we made in between, principally in Spain. We can always look back in hindsight and imagine, 'what if?' The important thing today, however, is to move forward with our life and try to build a future, once again, from scratch; luckily that doesn't phase me one bit. Neither of us are young any more, but age aside, this is just another steppingstone on our journey together. Australia will be our home for now, where we hope to make even more happy memories to share with all of you.

    A little bit of retail therapy to stay positive this afternoon, as we wait for the final stage of the mortgage. As long as the house is OK, and the bank think it's worth the money, then we are good to go. In the meantime, I've got shopping to do!... Thank God for Kmart; I'll always be a pikey at heart.
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    New Year, New Job!

    On the 10th January, I started my new job at a well known Australian soft furnishing company. This wasn't a position I planned for, it was something I fell into, after an informal chat with a retail agency who found me the position. The job itself is extremely well paid, compared to British standards, well above the average wage here in Australia. It is also a Management position, something I haven't done for many years, but I am relishing the challenge and new opportunity to do something I enjoy.

    I have been training for a week now, and it seems to be going well, very similar to previous retail management positions I have held in the UK. Of course the first few days are particularly mind-boggling, as you take in a vast amount of information, but I am sure in time, everything will just fall into place. At the moment I am just bedding myself in and learning my new role; next week I will be in my own shop, running it for real.

    If I am honest, it is daunting looking at the sheer volume of work I will have to undertake, but I have to keep telling myself this is my first week. Dealing with one thing at a time is important in Management, so you don't overburden yourself with too many tasks at once. Planning one's day effectively, is the best way to achieve results, and it will take me a while to understand the procedures and policies I will have to follow. I have to keep reminding myself that, I haven't just accepted a new appointment, but I am also working in a new country, whose culture and working practices are very different to the UK.

    I am working with some truly amazing individuals, who have been coaching me in all aspects of the business and training me to become a successful Manager. Furthermore, I feel honoured to have been given a chance to not only build a new career, but also the opportunity to run a business in a way that allows me to put my individual stamp on its future. This is not a small store, this is a large shop, in a busy part of Midland; yes it is scary, but I am also relishing this new adventure.

    As I continue to integrate into Australian life, I am lucky to have been given chances, I wouldn't otherwise have had in the UK. At 51 years of age, I do consider myself fortunate to be able to retrain and continue my working life abroad; not many people have the ability to do that, especially at my age. So far, things are going remarkably well, but I am just waiting for the first thing to go wrong. Yes, you may call me a pessimist, but my life is littered with difficulties and hardships, ever since I can remember. That kind of makes you feel negative at times. Maybe that feeling is brought about by my time in Britain, or maybe it is just part of my psyche. For now, I am doing my best to steer around feelings of frustration and fear and remain upbeat and positive.

    I don't see myself as a failure, far from it, but I have suffered more misfortune than most. To have been given this new blank page, to rewrite history, is the best thing that could have happened for my sense of purpose and wellbeing. I haven't been this happy in a long time; as the days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months, I hope to build on what I have achieved so far, and create a new life in Australia. With a new sense of purpose and direction, determined to succeed, I hope to forge an unchartered career down under, well away from one of the most difficult periods in my life.
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