We both feel like we have put a full day in today already and it is only 1:30 pm!!! Time for a nap!!! We got up early—we were able to talk to Dad and then I called my sister and chatted for a little bit- Mother was there so I could talk to her too for a few minutes before we headed out. Of course I called right at dinner time (sorry) but I was on a time crunch and it was kind of then or never. And of course I messed up the Skype thing and muted it…dumb!!! But we managed to talk a little bit and it makes it better if you feel like you can talk to the folks back home!

We left for Saunders Beach and met the realtor, Angela, at the house I had found online. It is right on the beach, beautiful views, fairly decent kitchen and bathrooms and it will be good for us to have a place we can relax in and not be right on top of other houses. The houses are fairly close but with all the foilage you don’t see the neighbors I don’t think. We shall see. We had pretty much decided no city life and this will be a great place to be outside most of the time enjoying the beach and the views. Sounds like the owner wants to sell but the market is bad so he is renting to recoup some money so it might be an option down the road to buy if we like it and want to buy. We shall see! It needs some cleaning, of course, and it is definitley more of a beach retreat but what it lacks in character it makes up for in the views!!! I think the process is kind of a lengthy one to get the application put in and all that so I am going to go to the office tomorrow and pick up the application so we can get working on it. It is partially furnished which works for us right now and we can buy and add to and work something out with the owner—sounds like he is a pretty agreeable guy so hopefully that will hold true. Down side–no AC so we will have to talk to him about that possibility–there is a window unit in the back bedroom and ceiling fans throughout but i have a feeling in the summer months it might be pretty hot. So we will see what can be worked out. It is hard to tell how much breeze you will get without having lived there. But I feel good about it—-I can spruce it up and make it home and there was a lot more storage there than in other places so that is good!

We left and went to the mall to try to get someone to look at why my phone wouldn’t let me get on the internet on my laptop and found a very helpful young IT geek at one of the phone stores who told us what we were not doing right and then it was very simple so I can use my phone as a modem and get on line without having to have another internet service. Chris did all the research on this and got it all figured out so I trust him. And at least now we both have cell phones so we can call each other!!

We found the Big W which is kind of like a Walmart or Kmart and I think for housewares I can get all the basic starter stuff there without much problem. They use the whole duvet system here—the quilt covers that you stuff your comforter into –so I am checking out all of those!!! And they have Correlle and Pyrex though the Pyrex is really expensive compared to the US because it is coming from the US. A lasagna pan was about $25 AU. So I am just going to have to figure out what we need and add it bit by bit—-thank goodness Chris negotiated a nice amount of money to be used for household items but it will go pretty fast by the time we buy furniture and white goods. And we will be getting a few items for the company house—just probably a bed, table and chairs for the veranda and a small fridge and microwave and maybe a couch….not sure. We haven’t gotten it all planned out quite yet.

Just got an email from Aaron and he is in Melbourne. He said his apt was crappy so i am not sure what that means. He said some of the students got into really nice housing and his is awful so he is going to talk to “the people” and see what the deal is. Hopefully they can figure something out. he is already feeling the pinch of the internet usage restrictions……said he can’t Skype because it will take too much. I think it is going to KILL him!!!

Well I need to get something to eat so i will close and post a few pictures of the house we looked at today. We may try to go to church tonight—they have a service at 6 we may try to see if we can make it to that if we aren’t too tired!!!! It has been a long weekend!