Not quite sure how we have been here for 2 months already! The last month in particular has gone super quick and even though things have ‘settled down’ slightly now, I feel like I still have a lot to update you on…
Despite it technically being Autumn now the weather is still being very kind to us so we have been doing all we can to make the most of the sunshine. It was a few weeks ago now that Tom and I joined Lana and Danielle at an awesome water park called Waterworld and enjoyed taking Halle and Lily (Danielle’s 6-month-old) for a swim. With Halle being pretty nervous and anxious in the water, spending most of the time climbing on top of me to get her feet out, we mainly watched her chase the birds around the outside of the pool but nevertheless, thoroughly enjoyed it.
The waterpark was close to Lana’s dad’s house where we later went for dinner that evening- our first roast dinner since we left home – safe to say we really enjoyed it! Reg’s house is pretty awesome too, up in the Adelaide hills where Lana grew up and where Andrew stayed for the first year he was living in Australia. A little like a museum in fact, with several antique cars and bikes in his garage, a living room full of hundreds of clocks and cool memorabilia from across the world. We couldn’t help be in awe of his collection.
We also have finally been able to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with birthday boy himself. I was trying to remember the last time I saw my brother for his birthday and we think it was when he was at uni so over 7 years ago now! So we wanted to make this one pretty E-P-I-C. (Sorry if we use the word ‘epic’ a lot in here, it seems everyone knows this as Andrew’s favourite word and is now clearly rubbing off on all of us – including Halle!) Although he had to work on his birthday we made the night of it by heading to a very quirky Middle Eastern restaurant on Hindley Street called Jerusalem- one we definitely want to take Matt and Sophie too when they arrive as they had the best vegetarian food I have ever tasted. It was a tiny place with a few questionable decorations and toilet facilities, but we were able to take in our own alcohol and eat a banquet of tasty foods so come away feeling very satisfied.
It also felt a little like Tom’s birthday too as he got the call he wanted about a job he had applied for a few days before which was not too far away from us in Woodville. It was a one month contract for an office furniture company, uploading hundreds of their products onto their website. Easy peasy for Tom and we had no doubt the job was in the bag! He went for an ‘interview’ or casual chat he liked to call it, and he started the very next day. Celebrations all round with a BBQ and few drinks. Full time, good hourly wage for the next month or so, he seems to be fitting in very nicely!
Back to the slightly more exciting stuff, a sporting update. Not only have we now invested in a basketball after being inspired by the Adelaide 36ers, Tom has since signed up to a half marathon at the end of April and also brought a skateboard! Apparently being in Oz it is more socially acceptable to be cruising around on a skateboard at 25 years old, but I’m yet to be convinced as I watch him practicing along the street outside. Let’s hope customs take it off him at border control before it makes it back to the UK!
We’ve also been along to watch Andrew’s first ever Aussie Rules game. Can’t deny it, I was so impressed. He’s been training since end of January and having never played it before then he made it into the Tea Tree Gully team and scored! There’s people on the team who have never scored in their whole footy career! Of course, it’s been making Tom want to give it a go, and I have even been having a kick around with them lately practicing my ‘kicks’ and ‘hand balls’.
After thinking we were actually quite good, we were soon brought back to reality when one of Andrew’s friends got us free tickets to see Adelaide Crows first league game at the Oval against the GWS (Great Western Sydney). They were amazing, smashing the league favourites 147-91. But it was the hottest of all days and as I was struggling to just stand there and watch, I have no idea how they managed to play in such heat.
Of course we aren’t forgetting about our soccer routes and we managed to watch Adelaide United vs. Brisbane a couple of weeks ago with more free tickets from Andrew and Lana’s awesome friends. The game was slightly tame compared the Aussie Rules match but after seeing Adelaide win 2-1 after the referee making a questionable decision to send the keeper off and award a penalty to them, it was rather amusing.
So that brings us to the last couple of weeks where Tom is enjoying working life again and I am living like the the lady of leisure. Obviously that means walking their dog, Mollie, and babysitting my beautiful little niece. Soon to be a beach bum like me, I have taken her on the train to the local beach a couple of times which she thoroughly enjoyed, chasing all the seagulls and building sandcastles, again not that interested in going for a swim. Biggest challenge to date was carrying her home with all our bags, in 30 degree heat, as she managed to fall asleep on the 5 minute train journey back! We both ended with a snooze that day
Worth mentioning that Tom braved his first Aussie hair cut last week. No disasters there thankfully but he did get offered another job by the hairdresser who was starting up his own smokemart shop and needs a shop assistant. So random. Not too sure on that one…
So finally a glimmer of hope appeared for me on the job front as I have now secured a small 9 day assignment working at a private school in Marion as a Sports Administration Coordinator. I had my handover day on Tuesday just gone which went really well. The lady I am covering is actually English too and flying back to the UK with her family who have never been before. I was also sitting next to a Netball legend here in Adelaide called Jane Woodlands who is T-Birds former head coach who took the team twice to championship glory. I think she’s actually taller than me and straight away said I looked like another Netball star, Tracy something, so pleased to say – we have officially bonded. As I’m not actually starting the job properly until the start of May, I have been in touch with a couple of other agencies and applied for some casual work in hospitality so we shall see how that plans out…
We had one of our favourite nights so far at Paul’s house on Saturday. He recently was given a spa which was the perfect timing for winter coming! We spent the night being wined and dined eating barbecued chicken and corn, drinking wine all from in the tub. We spotted our first sighting of a possum in the trees above us which couldn’t of made me feel more content at that moment. With the night ending with the the boys jamming on their guitars and having us in stitches comparing their best accent impressions, the night really couldn’t of been more perfect.
And the awesome life continues. Finally getting to spend a birthday with Lana this week we ordered pizza, visited the most incredible dessert restaurant called 50sixone and made her day with giving her a Garmin sports watch which she has always wanted. With my birthday creeping around next week we have more celebrations this weekend and I am super excited to put on a nice dress, drink lots of wine and dance the night away! I know Lana has a few surprises up her sleeve too…
Thanks for reading!
Gemma x