Our life down under...

Surrey Life

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Welcome to Haslemere! Home of wellie boots, North face jackets, scrumptious cakes, country walks, AGA's and the sweetest little sweetie shop in the whole of England, quite possibly the world.

Having stopped for a coffee during our 'where to next?' mission, we promptly decided that the great 'Mere was to be our new destination of choice. A little impulsive some might say, but having dug a little deeper we realised that it had quite a few attractive attributes - great schools, lots of green places, cute oldy worldy houses and friendly people that smile a lot.

It's fair to say that Surrey is quite the beauty spot. Since moving in a few weeks ago we've spent many a minute admiring the countryside and all of its tremendous greenery. Our garden alone has installed a love of nature in the kids who have their own view of the back yard and can quite often be found at 6am, gazing outside, pens at the ready, to tick off any birds that flock on to our bird feeder. A mere glimpse of a magpie can send my 7 year old into the same excitable state he expresses on championing an Xbox game or getting a goal past dad. Since we're usually banning xbox usage (due to the odd spat of bad behaviour) or using it as a tool in our parenting armour, this, I consider as positive progress.

One big adjustment of course has been the weather. I'd forgotten just how changeable it is here with sun one minute and gloom and rain the next. Having rocked up to school recently in autumnal attire, a quick burst of sunshine had us peeling of the layers en route to the school gates before the heavens opened up and we were promptly rained on - all in the space of ten minutes.

Umbrella's are now safely stored in the car, bags, behind doors and in cupboards in our effort to be as weather-ready as possible. In fact the umbrella has become a bit of a must have accessory these days, along with Hunter wellies and cagoules. Am thinking it's probably time to trade the Veolia/IKEA numbers in for something polka dot or vaguely trend-worthy. There's nothing more soul destroying that being housed under a gigantic advertisement...

One thing that still amazes me is the quiet determination of the Brits to get outside when it's pouring with rain. According to the Met office, June was the wettest since records again. Yet you'll still see people picnicking under brollies in sodden fields, soaked-to-the-bone kids relaying with competitive vigour and little old ladies sporting plastic headscarves on the walk to collect their weekly pension. Nutters.

Thankfully the arrival of the Olympics brought the arrival of summer and those marvellous athletes have been able to showcase their prowess on dry ground.

The Olympic fever has been addictive and we have been glued to our screens since day 1. Sadly we missed out on tickets but will be taking an early punt at getting our mitts on some paralympic events. Only a few weeks to go!! Let's just hope it doesn't rain...

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Au revoir Australia….

When you make the decision to move to the other side of the world, the last thing you think about is the possibility of returning home again, yet here we are – approximately a year and a half later – back in the UK where we started….

It feels a little disconcerting to type it out. It’s been something we have discussed on and off for the past few months and whilst I never thought it would really come to this, here we are living out of suitcases again, pondering over schools, houses, jobs, our worldly possessions gradually winging their way back to where we started.

According to figures from Australia’s Immigration Department, around 30% of poms that make the big bold move down under end up returning to UK shores within 5 years. Why this happens is most likely down to a number of reasons. The sky high cost of living perhaps, the bad TV or cups of tea, or maybe – once the novelty of the pristine beaches, blue sky and sunshine wore off, they simply found life was still tainted with the usual moans and groans – just with less friends and family to moan and groan to.

It’s a funny thing, moving countries. There are so many considerations to ponder over, so many decisions to make and ultimately, all you really want to do is settle in as quickly as possible and make the transition as pain-free and seamless for everyone.

Making friends, starting jobs, finding your way around, getting the kids settled and happy takes time, effort, money and patience. Add to that a ton of emotions, thoughts and feelings and it is by no means an easy thing to do in life. But I’m happy to report that we did it – we upped sticks and moved countries, we experienced life on the other side of the world. We swam in the Indian Ocean, saw dolphins, tasted some of the best wines on the planet, watched our kids grow and gain confidence and above all, spent some unforgettable time with our beloved family and friends – something that will always remain special to us wherever we reside in this world.

We have met tons of expats during our time here who are ultimate Perthites – true Aussie ambassadors who relish in the outdoorsy lifestyle, sunshine and strong economy (something which is particularly robust in Perth, thanks to the booming mining industry). Any discussion of returning to their native land is usually met with a slight curl of the lip and a long practiced response adhering to the shit weather, low wages and miserable people.

I guess what it really comes down to is personal preference and what works for you. After all, what is one person’s bugbear is another’s idea of heaven.

I believe that the real challenge is listening to your feelings, understanding them and doing what is right for your family – whether that is living on the other side of the world, going back to where you started or taking on that new job somewhere completely outside your comfort zone. That, in my opinion is what makes life colourful, vibrant and memorable for all. There’s no point in working at something if your gut is telling you otherwise.

Whilst I think we managed to achieve a good life for ourselves in Perth, there has always been this lingering element of doubt, something fundamental and soulful missing that ultimately needed to be addressed.

Since starting this blog, I’ve received several emails from people thinking of making the move to Perth and my response is usually along the lines of - try it! If you don’t, you’ll never know. It’s really only first-hand experience that can define that inevitable yay or nay. So gather all the advice and information you can get your mitts on and go into it with an open mind and a can-do attitude.

If there's one word of advice I could give it would be to think positively and say yes to everything. On arrival in Perth in December 2010, we officially declared 2011 our 'yes' year. Of course, this meant attendance at everything - the school's progressive dinner, after dinner drinks, zumba classes, jet ski-ing and surfing to name a few examples. Life was inevitably busy, but it helped us all adapt quickly - especially the kids who relished in this new level of social interaction.

It goes without saying that Perth has some amazing attributes. The open spaces, beautiful beaches, great people, food, wine and relaxed vibe is pretty infectious and really can do great things for the soul. Then of course there is the weather. Never before have I experienced so much blue sky and I’m not talking about your average summer sky. These skies are a piercingly deep and dusky type of blue – a blue that begs you to come outside, a blue that seemingly goes on forever. Oh how I shall miss those skies!

Skies aside, there are certain things that you miss...

For us it was European Culture; beautiful buildings; great museums; amazing sights, sounds and experiences (the type that in-bed themselves in the memory and shape who you are); architecture that has the ability to stir something deep in the soul; the opportunity to hop on a train or plane and be in another country within a couple of hours; driving to the French alps for a weekend of ski-ing; feeling like your part of the world rather than just an onlooker peering in from afar; English rose gardens; (Bex – I have to attribute this one to you!) rolling hills; (you again!) lush countryside; wellie boots! Just a few of the many merits of residing in Europe.

Probably a more serious consideration for anyone with kids is schools. Whilst the private sector of schooling in Perth is outstanding, the state school system is slow and tedious and, in our experience, doesn’t cater well for kids hitting different levels of academic achievement. It’s very much a ‘one size fits all’ approach and any attempt to challenge that often falls on deaf ears.

Arguably, this is just one perspective and no doubt there are kids out there in state education thriving. Nevertheless I would warn anyone bringing young children from other countries to check the curriculum and fight for them to go up a year or two if necessary. Believe me, it’ll be worth it.

I’m writing this a day after landing back in the UK and feel emotional and apprehensive, but quietly positive about what the future holds. We struggled to say goodbye to everyone over the past few days – the family who mean so much to us, our beautiful niece and nephew, the Perth posse, the family Cope, the gorgeous girls I’ve met at work who have become life-long friends to me, Shelly the dog, and so the list goes on….

The great Barry Humphries once famously quoted: ‘To live in Australia permanently is rather like going to a party and dancing all night with one’s mother’. In essence, it’s fun, beautiful and memorable, but there is I suppose, a point where you’d like to go and dance with everyone else.

Dancing aside, I truly hope the kids decide to travel and settle in Australia when they get older. It has something special that is unique and beautiful and I want them to understand and appreciate that again as young adults (and if it means we can retire near Cottesloe beach I’ll be happy).

Whatever happens in the future, I know that there will always be a little piece of Perth in our hearts.

Thanks to everyone who has followed our Aussie adventure J xx

The rise of East Perth

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:47:00 +0000

East Perth is a bit of a must visit these days. Trimmed with posh abodes , lovely river side walks, great schools and a helping of gorgeous little eateries, it’s easy to see why so many people flock here of a weekend to enjoy the laid back lifestyle.

I’m told that, years ago, East Perth was at the bottom of the pile in terms of desirable living. Tainted with its industrial past – it was home to gas works, a power station, engine sheds and a railway yard – Perthites snubbed its grayness in exchange for more happening areas like Cottesloe, Mount Lawley, Highgate and Fremantle.

This reputation held strong as the builders moved in and renovated the old buildings in to modern residential units, though I imagine those who disregarded it during the redevelopment phase must be kicking themselves with regret now (whilst the savvy investors who took a punt laugh smugly into their Dom Perignon’s).

The target of a multi-million dollar urban renewal project, East Perth is considered prime real estate territory these days. Homes have apparently tripled in the last decade and residents put on an interesting display of wealth - rocking up on their boats at Claisebrook Cove for morning tea, riding the Swan on jet skis, strolling around the renovated park lands with little dogs sporting the latest hair accessory…there’s undoubtedly plenty of $$$$ in this part of town.

The selling point for us is the river walks, great bike trails, the views from the hill at Claisebrook and coffee at The Partisan. If money were no object, I imagine we’d sail across to Burswood for lunch at Nobu, frequent the beautiful Restaurant Amuse (the best degustation menu in town – so I’m told) and enjoy Horse racing and gala days at Gloucester Park….

Those with an appreciation of dilapidated buildings will enjy the old Western Power building – a knackered old shack of a tower that to me is something quite beautiful. Tall, disheveled and slightly askew, there must be thousands of great stories held within those wonky four walls, though it sits on prime real estate land which can mean only one thing – it is doomed for demolition in exchange for yet another run of executive homes with names like ‘The Sebel Residence’ or ‘Claisebrook Towers’.

Hopefully the East Perth Development Authority will stand firm on this one and recommend an art house cinema, library or gallery. Only time will tell…

Happy Easter one and all :)

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 11:49:00 +0000

Time to celebrate...

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:53:00 +0000

Bay turned 5 on Friday - 5! I still struggle to believe 5 years have gone past since she came screeching into the world at Barnet Hospital. If there's one thing I've learnt from her gorgeous, but rapid years gone by, it's to stop and ponder on the little things from time to time - those smiles, the little quirky habits, the jokes, the tears - all those things that make them into the great little people they are today. Life goes way too quick....

To celebrate her new digit, we held a party at Hyde Park with 20 little princesses, a pinata, pass the parcel, musical statues and fairy bread of course. For international readers, fairy bread is quite simply white bread smothered in margarine with hundreds and thousands speckled on top. Sounds pretty gross hey? Well, for the record it is, but for some reason unbeknown to the grown ups, the kids absolutely love it and usually end up snuffling it up like there's some sort of sugar famine.

We enjoyed a bit of hand made love in prep for her big day - heart shaped lollies, keepsake cards and fairy cakes were fun to make, whilst the main attraction - the cake - was promptly guzzled up by kids and parents alike.

The lady came away with some beautiful gifts which she will treasure forever - gorgeous hard backed books, hand made bag and purse, hair accessories and enough arts and crafts to keep her busy for the rest of the year. Don't you just love parties?!!!

Fitness or fatness...you decide

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:56:00 +0000

One thing I love about Oz is people’s commitment to fitness. It might be the hot weather that does it - the scorching hot sun that necessitates the need to be in your smalls for at least 4-5 months of the year. But it’s also something to do with that quintessentially Australian ‘can-do’ attitude, a conquer all approach to life that makes Aussies a force to be reckoned with.

Fitness hounds are most often witnessed first thing in the morning when they can be seen clad in Lycra, stretching/running and panting furiously with their trainers in Perth's parks. There are local meditation classes EVERY morning in Hyde Park, Zumba classes are packed to the brim, cycling to work is considered de rigueur (especially if you have a woven basket on the front) and tai chi is the relaxation method of choice.

The thing that truly impresses however is the commitment to working out in furious heat. Whilst most of us are cowering away in the confines of our comfortable air conditioned cars and houses, there is a large bunch of Perthites parading their beautiful bods along beach fronts, cafe strips and inner city shopping centres. Now THAT'S impressive.

On the flip side, WA certainly isn’t exempt from the obesity epidemic that’s sweeping the rest of the world. There are fast food restaurants a-plenty selling deep fried everything to hordes of hungry customers – especially on Friday nights it seems when cars can be seen queuing outside the Hungry Jacks/Chicken Treat/KFC/Macca's drive thru's for yet another family burger fest.

Whilst us Greens have a fairly positive approach to fitness, I can’t say we’ve been swayed either way really. Not being a lover of sweat, I’ve chosen not to join the masses of cyclers, runners, walkers etc who brave the fierce heat to preserve their svelte looking bods. Instead, I use the Xbox Kinect and the Your Shape workout – an interactive fitness method that gets the heart rate up and targets all those important bits – bum, thighs, tum – that I, and most other women on the planet hate. The beauty of it is I get to position myself under the aircon which means less sweat, no onlookers and a cooler, more comfortable workout.

To contradict everything I’ve just said, I do plan to visit the Bikram Yoga centre around the corner at some point this month. Getting in to numerous tricky poses in 38 degree heat doesn’t exactly fill me with joy but I can see the merits in practicing in a professional environment with yoga-know-hows – the Bikram fanatics who can vouch for its life changing benefits (and help me perfect that tree pose...)

Bring on the sweat fest.

Sculpture by the sea

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 14:47:00 +0000

There's something a little bit lovely about sculptures of varying sorts scattered on a beach, especially with blue sky and crashing turquoise waves supplying the backdrop.

This arvo we made our second trip to Sculpture by the Sea - a dynamic and innovative array of visual artistry at Cottesloe beach. The idea, brought to fruition by David Handley - was inspired by a sculpture park in Pragues' Northern Bohemia and encourages kids, adults, grannies, dogs etc to get amongst the structures, talk about their meaning and vote for favourites.

It's rare to see such a large group of people enjoying open art like this in Perth - in fact it's rare to see a large volume of people anywhere really, but there they were in mass numbers photographing, voting, swimming, exploring and discussing these exciting creations.

Bay loved the colourful contraptions on the beach and enjoyed picking out her faves. Fin, on the other hand was too busy complaining about the post-swim sand in his trollies to have much of an opinion. Hey-ho...it's on until 19 March so perhaps he'll be a little more inspired next time.

Visit the Sculpture by the Sea website

The Magic of the Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:48:00 +0000

With the afternoon free today Mr G and I took Master F to the movies to see Hugo - a splendid example of film-making that's set in late 1930's Paris.

Armed with 3D glasses, we settled into our seats for a two hour session of visual delights encompassing glorious views of Paris, stunning scenery, old fashioned machinery and a beautiful set of characters that charmed the socks off the three of us. Moreover, it exemplified the passion that can come through a film when the people behind it are truly dedicated to creating something unique and special.

Everything - from the heart shaped key that Isabelle carries as a pendant and the automaton that Hugo is trying to fix; to the splash of character sketches that glide through the air when the children unearth a hidden box - is created with one big dose of love that's often missing from modern day movies.

This is first and foremost a movie about making movies and doing them with such creative charm that they lie embedded in the memory for decades to come. It's also brimming with tons of great British talent - Emily Mortimer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Christopher Lee and a great American actress - Chloe Grace Moretz whose British accent well and truly kicked ass...

I wasn't quite sure how the master of film-makers planned to work the 3D format into his plan, but un-surprisingly it was nothing short of perfect - adding drama, intensity and surprise in equal measures. As with any 3D movie, I often wonder how they transcribe when they end up on the shelves in Blockbuster and are taken home to be viewed on normal TV's, but can now see that with a great story line, thoughtful and surprising character development and a great big dose of charm (which Hugo has in equal measures) the small screen version will be equally as delightful.

So to summarise, us Greens give Hugo a great big fat 10/10. This movie is a prime example of true cinematic brilliance. But with Scorcese at the helm, it couldn't be anything other than perfect really could it?

Satur-cake-day

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:36:00 +0000

My daughter, cake obsessed fraggle that she be has officially declared post-ballet Saturday morning's as goodies time. Now I wouldn't mind this so much were it not for the astronomical, quite frankly ridiculous prices of cakes and coffee in Perth.

Yes we live in the inner city burbs where you can expect the going prices for your beverage of choice and a slice of something fancy to be a little above average, but $25 for 1 x green tea, 1 x coffee, 1 x babycinno and three teeny tiny macaroons? Seriously? That's one hell of a mark up.

Sadly, the lazy baker in me would prefer to pay this than muster up some homemade delights of my own (which would most probably be inedible anyway) so I should probably zip it and suck it up. Alternatively I should head more often to Dolcetto - a reasonably priced cafe, sporting THE most amazing cakes known to man. Angela - we'll be in for a visit soon!

http://www.dolcetto.net.au/

Fabulous Feist

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Dan and I donned our finest festie gear again last week and headed to the Perth Museum for the Laneway Festival - a veritable treat of talented artists belting out some great songs on a sunny saturday arvo. Despite feeling old and not quite trendy enough (grrrrrr), we had THE best time - including a performance by Feist that will go down in history as my best live music experience yet.
Laura Marling is such a sweet, delicate little flower but man alive that girl can sing! Her voice is so pure and natural and I loved the way she looked up to the sky when working those vocals. Can't wait to get the album now...yet another great British artist doing something brilliant.

The finest point of the day was of course listening to Leslie belt out her tunes. They started out with The Bad in Each Other which made me a little bit giddy, followed by some new tracks from the new album Metals and some classic old tunes. She is officially the coolest rock chick on the planet. Am seriously considering learning guitar (hello Glenny!) so I can get that riff going...
Check the live version out on Jools: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnj8_aDBJT8

I'm back....

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:39:00 +0000

Well that was one long big break....after returning to the wonderful (albeit slightly stressful) world of work, blogging sadly took a backseat. So the new plan is to write once a week with a mixture of musings from Green family life, Perth experiences (the good and the bad) and hopefully the odd self-made photograph too. And by that I mean pics that have been technically considered with the Nikon beast and aren't simply a quick spin of the instgram wheel.

Those damned iphones make things so easy...

Things I'm looking forward to this week: getting back to work tomorrow after a week-long chest infection, dinner with the Green team on Friday night, a few sneaky macaroons after ballet on Saturday morning, more of mum's homemade lemon cake, oh and the Laneway Festie! I finally get to see my heroine Leslie Feist. 1,2,3,4....here we come :)

Au Revoir dad :(

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:10:00 +0000

Yesterday we said goodbye to Dad at the airport. The same terminal that we'd waited excitedly at two weeks ago was now shadowed by a big grey cloud as we waved goodbye for another 7 months. Fin was distraught which left most of us in tears, one of the first emotional goodbyes of many no doubt.

In our attempt to restore normality and inject some sunshine back into our day we headed to the city for the Japan Festival where the kids had their faces painted and tried their hand at origami. Then us girls made our way to the shops for a bit of retail therapy. The beauty of having such little choice in Perth is knowing the shops that you do like will have something that fits/looks good, meaning trips to the mall are quick, easy and bearable for shopaphobic husbands. A quick whip around to Sportsgirl, Portmans and Witchery and I'd bagged a pair of black skinnies, a bag, top and undies....all in 45 mins. A personal record...

Glad you arrived home safely dad. Thanks for a lovely couple of weeks. We love and miss you and are counting the days till Christmas!

xxxxxxxx

Goodbye dinner at Swan Brewery...yum

Rotto

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Our second trip to Rotto was every bit as good as the first. The boat ride across was a little bouncy but didn't produce the kind of vomit-inducing feelings I experienced on the last trip home. Mum and dad had a great time and everyone had a bash at snorkelling, enjoyed a pie or two and a few beers by the water.

The only fiasco was the bike hire. Jumpy gears, weak pedals and a couple of heavy kids in a trailer do not bode well for good temperaments, especially in 30 degree heat, as we soon discovered when trying to reach Parker Point in the afternoon. In the end we decided to shun our ambitious plan and settled for a little swim in a glorious spot south of the island.

Next stop Margaret River.

Sunshine happy people

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:40:00 +0000

This morning was spent at Kings Park with Kees, Emma, Charlie Pancake and their lovely friends. Once we'd managed to barge our way onto the communal BBQ's, Dan cooked up a mid morning feast and we lazed around on the shady green eating and drinking...our favourite past-time of late :)

Entertainment came in the form of Kees being attacked by the kids and a nearby wedding ceremony which was sadly tainted by the roar of the local bus and the dodgy bridesmaids dresses (which could have only been selected whilst the bride was under the influence). The kids spent most of it running, shouting and having fun which was lovely to see. They are so free and easy here, a major plus point in the campaign to stay.

This arvo we headed to Bluewater in Applecross - one of the many millionaire's lairs in Perth and packed to the brim with huge mansions overlooking the water. Kiddie entertainment came in the form of a huge pirate ship transformed into a play area that provided the perfect base for games of tag, hide n seek and stuck in the mud. The kids were smitten. We all were. Another great find for the family Green to re-visit again methinks.

I have a very important decision to make this week but tomorrow we're off to Rottnest so I shall put all life-changing thoughts on hold until Monday. There's pies to be eaten and snorkelling to be had! Roll on Sunday...

Bay & Mimm hang out

Jumping on Kees...again

injury number 1.

making grass heads

Heath Ledger memorial

Head chef ;)

The arrival of Mr and Mrs T.

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:16:00 +0000

What a weekend...

The fun kicked off on Friday when Kees, Emma and Chris came over for a BBQ extravaganza. Dan knocked up a great spread and we sat in the garden till the early hours drinking bubbles and beer. It was so nice to see our dear friends, we've missed them greatly and are glad to have them back in our lives for the next month or so.

Saturday was spent cleaning, swimming and shopping (whilst nursing a rather inconvenient hangover which wasn't quite the plan, but inevitable really...) before mum and dad's early arvo arrival today. The 5'oclock hair of the dog with Lynda and John helped ease our pain, but an early night was still required to help banish those heavy heads.

I have to say it was a strange experience standing in front of the arrival doors at Perth International. We have always been the ones coming through those doors following a rather tiresome flight, so to be waiting there with baited breath for my darling parents to arrive was a poignant moment in this big life changing move. Needless to say the customs officials were hot on the job today and they were through just 20 minutes after landing. It was lovely to have a big hug and welcome them into our lives again. We dropped the cases off and headed to Cottesloe for a late arvo swim and some fish n chips at sunset. Rob (Dad's friend) was straight in the water with the snorkelling gear, Dan, mum, Fin and I tackled the waves (and attempted a surf - albeit unsuccessfully) whilst dad sat on the beach with Meggie Monster listening to her stories about nursery, Ollie's latest adventures and her new imaginary horse, Boobies...

So I sign off tonight with a happy heart. It's going to be a great couple of weeks :)

Cottesloe sunset

The arrival of nanny and grandad :)

Us with Charlie Pancake...hello Danny love!!!!!

It's been a while...

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:46:00 +0000

What a week! Blogging intentions have been sadly over-shadowed by lots of busy activities, along with the big house move which always takes longer than anticipated. Thankfully it went well and we are now the proud occupiers of 76 Forrest Street - a gorgeous little house near Hyde Park and North Perth that has an office and a little sun room that we've made into a snug for movies, Xbox sessions and chit chats over a coffee or vino. There's also aircon (sigh...), a lemon tree, olive tree and enough grapes to feed a small army.

We feel calmer here, the house has a nice atmosphere and makes a great base for getting to the city, beach or shops. There's even a little deli at the end of the road which does a mean brekkie - great for those mornings when weetabix and a green tea simply don't cut it. More to the point, we have lots of space for mum and dad's pending arrival this sunday so we can all live together in harmony without stepping on toes, witnessing midnight rushes to the loo and so on and so forth.

It's a happy place.

The snug - great for perfecting those MJ moves

Kids catwalk...

Life in boxes...

Ahhhhhhh.....a roll top

On the move

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:04:00 +0000

Well here we are again, packing up boxes and preparing for yet another move - this time to a house on Forrest Street near Hyde Park. We like the house, we like the area. The only downside is that it's another short lease (4 months) which means we'll be on our merry (or not so merry) way again come August. I simply got sick of looking/thinking/dreaming about houses so at least this will give us a bit of a break and equip us the space we need for the arrival of lovely parents in a week's time.

Alas, the little house is stuffed with boxes at the moment which we need to fill, remove and unpack within 24 hours. To add to this rather mammoth task, I also have two poorly kids on my hands who spent the majority of the night vomiting. Currently trying the dry toast and water theory in hope it will quickly restore good health so I can ship them off to Nana Meg's and get stuck in.

Wish me luck...

Progressive dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:57:00 +0000

Saturday eve involved a trip to school for the annual (and much anticipated) progressive dinner. In a nutshell, you are put together with a group of 28 other parents and given a team colour, then you stroll, by torchlight around the streets to your designated house for starter, then onto another house for dinner and so on and so forth. Since our space is limited we decided not to host and donated a dish to the cause instead (borsch) which thankfully we didn't have to eat ourselves.

We got to know our blue team members over pea and bacon soup and a plethora of pretty yummy curries, pies and rice dishes, before heading over to Storthes street for desert extravaganza. We were quite possibly the only non-loaded couple at the event but that didn't stop us keeping up appearances. I personally think we did a grand job of blending in, though the conversation (mostly swimming pools, luxury holidays and all of the latest reno's) did become a tad tiresome towards the end. This selfie was taken in posh toilette at house number two and pretty much reflects my mood at that point in the eve. Rescue came in the form of a delicious sparkling NZ rose which went down a treat, providing just the right amount of intoxication for the rest of the eve.

Sunday morn we were up at the crack of dawn for a charity breakfast at Swan Yacht Club in aid of the Yvonne Baker Foundation. The event involved a live and silent auction, raffle and a guest appearance by the local monk who told some interesting stories. D and I were delighted with our three raffle wins (round of golf, family rollerskating pass, free swimming) though the parking fine we received on exit kind of balanced it all out. Bloody parking inspectors....don't you just loathe them?

On the house front we will know today if the house we have applied for is ours. I was given the evil stare by a couple who left the agency as I came in but we have upped the game by offering a little extra in rent per month. Who will win is anyone's guess but I am secretly hoping the agent liked me (I gave her advice about her son - surely that counts for something?) and will hand the keys over this week, if only so I can stop thinking about damned houses for a while....

Fingers, toes and everything firmly crossed!

Sculptures by the sea

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:57:00 +0000

We spent one gorgeous afternoon at Cottesloe yesterday to explore a series of sculptures. There was a big red gollom-esque plastic man, sticks (like the game), floating balloons, dotty solar powered wind turbine and stacks of other amazing - if a little mind-boggling - creations.

The kids all had a swim, we sat in the warm sun and had an early fish and chips tea from the Cottesloe Kiosk (yummy food but more staff needed for speeeeeed). Fin also mastered the waves with his make-shift surfboard and was shooting from sea to shore with excitable vigour. Next step is to buy an actual surf board but with autumn looming I fear we may need to buy a set of wetsuits too. Feeling the cold is simply not done in this part of the world - even in winter!

Tea haven

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 02:02:00 +0000

I love tea, I love teapots, I love babushka dolls and colourful things...so imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a shop that had all four last Thursday. Said shop goes by the name of T2 and despite it's location (middle of soul-less shopping centre) it had a great atmosphere, was packed to the brim with like-minded tea lovers with the most amazing array of porcelain I've ever seen.

Much to my delight, I also got to sample several flavoursome teas from around the world (the rooibos and honeybush tisanes a definite fave) and get a few colourful snaps in the process. Am looking forward to a return visit soon but will make a note to leave kids with friends. Sky high stacked teapots and active children do not make a good mix....

Check out the full range online.

The monthly dinner...Green style

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:40:00 +0000

Last night was the fourth of our much-looked forward to monthly dinners and this time it was our turn to whizz up some culinary delights for our little group of friends. Dan , masterchef that he be took control of the kitchen and produced some scrumptious food - Borsch for starter (thank you Lena!), Beef stroganoff for main and a quick pavlova for desert.

The food went down a treat and a good time was had by all. The only person missing was De Burgh...but he's having a grand old time in Queensland, so that's ok...

My Mate Marmite

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:31:00 +0000

The mission is completed. Marmite exists in WA. And not at the ridiculously over-priced English shop, but IGA no less– one of the largest supermarkets in Oz. After scouring the shelves with several sets of beady eyes, we spotted it hidden in between the hordes of Vegemite, pro-mite and other questionable yeast extracts so loved in this part of the world.

Several rounds of toast later, I can confirm it’s the real deal, though the Marmite title has been scrapped in favour of the aptly named ‘Our Mate’ which I kind of prefer.

Fin naturally is delighted, though Bay is sticking with the Aussie contingency and continues to opt for ‘daddy’s favourite’. Breakfast times are now complete...

Monday Funday

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:01:00 +0000

Today was one of those days involving lots of ferrying around of children. First up was nursery, then ballet shop ( for ballet shoes and tights), library for storytime, playdate for lunch, ballet, then a big cool off sesh in Lucy and Charlie's pool. The littluns have decided this is their new second home so it's pretty taxing trying to peel them away when it's time to go. On the plus side their water confidence has taken an almighty jump and it means I get to sit around the pool with a glass of something cold and watch all the fun. Not much to grumble about really....

Le weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 13:02:00 +0000

Despite the soaring temperatures we had quite a bit of fun this weekend. Yesterday started with a trip to view a house on Learoyd Street which was at the top of our budget but needing at least $100k to make it habitable. I always find it interesting to see how other people choose to live and this place truly left me flabbergasted. There were nooks and crannies everywhere and despite their obvious taste in vintage crockery, clocks and interiors, the house was otherwise remarkably odd. One double bedroom even had two bikes mounted on the wall....perplexing to say the least.

In short, we've decided to put house hunting on hold for a while. It's stressful and time-consuming and adding more pressure than we need at this stage of our new life. I already feel like a weight has lifted off a bit and we can focus on other things like building our careers again and seeing what other delights Perth has to offer.

With all house-discussions firmly aside (for now) we jumped in the motor and headed to the State Library of WA to browse the finalists of the Press Photographer of the year awards. It was inspiring to see so many talented photographers housed under one roof and there were some seriously special and unforgettable moments caught on camera. From state hero Danny Green's anger at an early fight finish to the naked gunman who brought Perth to a standstill last year - it made for an interesting and entertaining visit. Much to us girls delight, we also discovered pre-school storytime on Wednesdays and book-making lessons on Monday arvos. That's us sorted for this week then.

Today was mostly spent on the beach but we managed a quick stop off at Planet where I finally got my hands on Spaces - a photography book featuring an inspiring collection of homes where creative types live, work and play. Who wants to live in a mansion when you can find tranquility on an Amsterdam houseboat or at the top of a Welsh windmill? I can't wait to get through this one...

Morning tea

noreply@blogger.com (Lara Green) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Yesterday morning I was invited for morning tea along with eight other school mums. Now I've got visions of the ideal pad for us Greens but it wasn't until strolling around the beautiful, quaint corridors of Monica's private little haven that I realised this was it, the bricks and mortar that dreams are truly made of. The veranda around the outside, the English style garden, the country kitchen, high ceilings, huge bedrooms...it's the kind of house you see on those amazing property shows when the pain-staking renovations and misery has passed.

The morning involved a multitude of home-baked culinary delights, flowers, delicious tea and lots of chit chat about our kids and school. Turns out Fin's making quite the impression amongst his peers and that he's gained a little prestige from being first up to win an honour certificate. We've even had a few offers of a swim after school which we're gladly accepting (anything to get out of our tropical hell hole). Another heatwave has hit so temperatures inside are at an all time high and the portable air con unit is starting to grumble with the extra work.

On the plus side, we handed our notice into the agent today which means just two weeks more of enveloping heat before we move our clan to cooler climes. The hunt now begins for a new humble abode - one with air con this time. Tres exciting.