We did it! We got the keys for the new house on 1st December, and then began the arduous task of removing the carpets and linoleum. It took as 2 and a half days, and the kitchen has also been ripped out. Now we are planning for the new kitchen to be installed. Here are a few of the 'DIY' pics:

goodbye carpet

the linoleum starts to go...

so long kitchen

ready for the tiles :)

who said this was fun?

We hope to post more pics as the kitchen progresses. We move in soon.

Bye for now

We finally decided to buy a house here in Adelaide and settle down. We spent a few weeks looking at different houses, and made offers on 3 different houses. The first 2 were declined, and the 3rd was accepted. We had a building inspector to investigate and all is well - it just requires a little TLC. We thought that we would post a few pics so that everyone can see what it looks like. It's a 2 bedroom house with lounge, dining room/kitchen, laundry, bathroom, toilet and single garage. Ideal for us, and we are able to simplify things. It also means less maintenance/cleaning! We are both really happy that things are going well. We miss our family and friends, and often think about you all.

Here are the pictures of the house:

This is the view from the front

This is a view of the back garden

This is taken under the pergola as you go out the back door - the shed will go in the back corner

Here is a view of the lounge

This is the bathroom

This is the kitchen - a little dated so we are going to remodel it a bit

We have a settlement date of the 1st December, and will be moving in during the 3rd week of December. We will keep you updated on progress... bye for now

We went to Brisbane in August for the Auslan Convention which was really great. We also managed to catch-up with family - Gary, Linda, Callie, and the kids. We could not believe  how big they have got:

Here is one of (left to right) Leonie, Wayne, Gary and Linda:

We did manage to go to the Gold Coast on one of the days, and managed to take a few pics while we were there:

Things are going well in Adelaide, and winter is almost over. We've had a lovely couple of days, and soon the sun will be out permanently! We miss all our friends and family, and hope that we can see you all soon.

We recently went to Phuket (Wayne had to go for a work conference) and arrived on the 14th July. We flew from Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur where we stayed overnight. We then flew to Phuket, and enjoyed a lovely week at the Indigo Pearl Hotel, located on the NW part of the island, on Nai Yang Beach.

We hired a car that afternoon, and drove around the entire Island, stopping to take photos. We saw lots of scooters, and most people didn't wear a helmet! The most we saw on one scooter that day was four - the WHOLE family! We stopped at Patong Beach, a popular tourist spot for supper.

On Tuesday, we went to Phi Phi Island by Speedboat. It was fantastic, and Leonie managed to cut herself on the sharp rocks, so couldn't enjoy the snorkelling. The whole day was spent jetting around to different areas, and that night, we went to a meeting at the Kingdom Hall in Phuket Town.

On Wednesday, we both enjoyed a massage for 90 minutes. So relaxing! That night, we sailed on a traditional Chinese Junk, and watched the sun go down.

It rained most mornings and this was so refreshing, as the temperature was mid to high 30's most of the time, with high humidity.

On Saturday, we took a tour of the Island, and saw 5 people on one scooter. There are many lovely sights to see in Phuket, and the people are really humble. The traditional Wai took a while to get used to, and we did have a laugh at some of the superstitions. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and Wayne also enjoyed the work part.

Next stop Brisbane for the deaf convention in mid August. There we hope to catch up with Gary and Linda as well as seeing a few sights (time permitting). We miss everyone, and hope that everyone is keeping well. Here are a few pics from around Phuket...

Hello everyone, we are glad that temperatures have dropped below 30 degrees! We just experienced 15 days over 35 degrees, including one day reaching 41.5 degrees

We went to Gorge Wildlife park yesterday where Leonie hugged a Koala. We also managed to feed the kangaroos, see a couple alligators, pelicans and monkeys. It's been tough in the ministry with the heat, but we both are on course to make the hours.

We had a good response with the memorial invitations, and enjoyed the discourse as always.

Here are a few pics from the wildlife park:

Leonie surprised me today and took me to the beach when I got back from work. Here are some pictures of the sunset...

Having some fun:

Some people never grow up, do they?