...that I haven't posted in abso-bloody-lutely forever. Been yonks, right? Can't tell you how sorry I am! You'll never guess everything we've done or been through in the last half year!
Where to start?
Well, we've not moved to Woop-Woop or the back of Bourke -- but we did move! FINALLY! You remember the place in Yalca that we thought might work out? It was grand, truly. I loved the place. We actually made an offer at one point. The kiddies were working themselves up to quite a state thinking that that would be our new station -- planning where their rooms would be, where to put the horses we'd talked about, all that.
We drove ALL the way out to Yalca; don't know what we were thinking. Must have had a few roos loose in the top paddock. Anyhow, Danny and I took turns driving, and with all the ankle-biters (and Mate!) in the back, it pretty much felt like we were guards driving the divvy van. Opal and Jazzie were bashing each other over the head with their sand shoes, while Pearl was trying to concentrate on her CD player.
"Oh, nooooo! Mum!" she whinged after about 45 clicks. "It's cactus!"
"What's cactus?"
"My CD player!"
"Maybe Daddy can fix it," I suggested, and Danny long-sufferingly reached a hand back for it. After a bit, he handed it back to her with a "Batteries, luv. Sorry; you'll just have to hack it."
"NOOOoooo...bloody stupid thing!"
"Oi!" Danny and I said at the same time. "Watch your mouth!"
"Sorry, but Mum! What am I going to do 'til we get there?"
"Do me a favour and try keeping your brother and sister busy," I begged.
Total silence -- at least from Pearl.
"Once a jolly swagman," began Danny, "camped by a billabong..."
Opal and Jazzie stopped trying to pull each others' socks off.
"Under the shade of a coolibah tree," he kept singing.
Their attention was completely focused on the front seat now.
"And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled..." I jumped in.
"Who come a-waw-sing Matiwda wif meeeeeee!"Opal and Jazzie howled together. Pearl clapped her hands over her ears and scrunched up her face.
"Waw-sing Matiwda, waw-sing Matiwda, who come a waw-sing Matiwda wif me," they kept on, and finally Pearl joined them in a vain effort to outsing them.
We had a screaming contest going full-force, but that was better than hearing squawking about CD players gone cactus and muffled yelps as sand shoes connected with little heads. Danny and I just grinned and sang along. Even Mate got in on the act with a few howls of his own.
So we finally got up to Yalca and located the place. Like I said, a beauty of a place. But when we rocked up, we noticed that the sign out in the front said, "SOLD."
Bit ahead of themselves, aren't they? I thought, exchanging a raised-eyebrow look with Danny.
The realtor boiled out of the house as we got out of the car. What a show pony. I don't know where he got his clothes, but I never saw a realtor dress like that in all my days. You'd think he was taking tea with the Queen.
Then he started talking. Crikey, a bloody Pom!
"Mr and Mrs Perry, I presume? So, so sorry for this inconvenience, dreadfully sorry. To think that you've come all this way and I have such dreadful, dreadful news for you --"
Danny held up a hand to stop the flow of words. "What 'dreadful news,' mate?
"The fact is -- the fact is, my dear Mr and Mrs Perry, that the house has been sold. So very sorry to report this to you, but it was completely out of my hands. Completely over my head, do you see."
Behind me Pearl muttered, "Completely out of your head, you mean."
I put my hand behind my back and snapped my fingers at her, but was hard put to keep from laughing.
"What do you mean, sold?" asked Danny, looking down at the realtor like a cat looks at a rat.
"I am very much afraid someone has just purchased the house. It happened just before you arrived, do you see. So very sorry about this."
"So we came all this way for nothing?" Danny asked, eyebrows lowering.
"Afraid so, sir. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you. Reimbursement for your petrol, perhaps?"
Danny, God bless him, just sighed, looked up to heaven, and shook his head. "No, ta. We'll just say we took a long scenic drive sarvo. No worries."
The realtor kept apologising over and over. Danny offered his hand, they shook, and we left.
"Bit shonky, that," I ventured as we got back in the car.
"Reckon," Danny agreed, but said no more about it. Wish I had half the patience that man has! Six hours and 435 clicks one-way, and the real estate agent sells the house out from under our noses. So it's six hours and 435 clicks back again. We stopped for lunch at the Macca's on Maude Street in Shepparton; by that time it was near on 3.15 and the kids were starved. Well, so were we.
We got back home around 9.30 because we stopped at Marma Gully Antiques in Murtoa. Bonzer little place, but Opal and Jazzie were cross as two frogs in a sock. They napped in the car for about an hour, but that wasn't enough, apparently. So we didn't stay too long at the antiques; besides, with the Yalca house out of the pic, we didn't really have any reason to look for bargains anyway...
...or so we thought! To make what is already too long a story much shorter, we soon were alerted to a lovely log cabin-ish place in Scarsdale -- actually, a friend of my sister's recommended the place, so we went to look at it. We were afraid that it was going to be another wasted trip, but as soon as we got there, we just absolutely fell in love, ALL of us!
And what a blessing that was, to have Danny AND Pearl AND Opal AND Jazzie all come up with different reasons for liking it. Usually one or the other of us will find fault with something one way or another. It's rare that we're all agreed.
This place has a little over 2 hectares of land, mostly treed but with some open pasture, which will be perfect for a horse or two. It's got beaut gum trees and hardwoods, and the most perfect riding/hiking/biking trails ever to be seen.
It has a double shed, complete with water and electric, which will be wonderful for the horse(s) and all Danny's accumulated machinery and junk. It's got three fairly good-size bedrooms and even a couple BIRs!! The greatroom has this amazing tall ceiling and wood panelling, and there's a wood-burning stove in there too! Not that we need too much heat, but on the cooler days in July and August, we need some warmth. And for the really hot days, we've got a full air-con system, wonder of wonders!
There's a little pond where we can snag some yabbies just for fun, and two dams on the property -- which pretty much explains why the house is located on Corio Dam Road. It will be heavenly to not have to worry so much about water. I can't even tell you.
There's a porch round part of the house, which is nice to keep all the joe blakes and the bugs away, and a little barbie area round back. And may I just say right now that I adore my kitchen stove? Well, I do! It's like they knew we were coming here and designed the stove just for me. It's raised up off the floor and set into the wall, kind of! It's smaller than our last one, but oh, the convenience. I'll post a piccie of it along with the other pics of the house in my next post. I figure all this text is enough for one post; the poor thing shouldn't be burdened with pics at the same time! So, next post. Believe me, I can't wait to show you.
It's been a long half-year, but a very productive one. We're settling in and very happy here. Strewth, it feels so good to have our own place and not be "tenants" anymore. Well, more to follow SOON!!!
Onya!
The first pic is my pretty Pearly-girl with a pretty mare they let her lead round and ride for a few ticks. Can't you see the love shining out of her eyes? She's convinced she wants a pony. Nothing but a pony'll do for this billylid. 
