Aaargh

Ok, so the steri-strips are off the head, I now have a stubbly (practically bald) patch on the back of my head with a large purple strip of glue straight across it. Great. I'm leaving Bowen on Monday, it's all a rush, so many things to do, so little time to do it! Getting the Other Half available to get things signed and authorised is no picnic I can tell you! I shall be glad when this is all over and the decision on my visa is safely (I use the word in hope, rather than certainty) in DICA's (no longer DIMIA, I think I preferred that acronym though) hands. Eek.

Injuries and animals

We've had an influx of animal invasions recently. The little green things have decided that they like our house, specifically the inside of it. The Other Half has a couple of times in the recent past got up in the middle of the night to find a frog sitting on the floor or, on one occasion, on the lightswitch for the bathroom. I had my brush with one this morning when I tried to take a shower. Cute isn't he? They've also decided that our kitchen window is a great place to sit and catch insects. A couple of minutes after I caught this fellow, another one joined him. At least this time they weren't inside... ...which is actully more than can be said for the little bugger in this picture. To be honest, I've never seen a stick insect in the wild so was quite excited. Once I got over the suprise I had when I moved the kettle from infront of it. We had lime ants decide that they also want to be inside the bathroom today (they're about 1cm long, green body and they bite. 'Nuff said) However, the invasions of the little green monsters is a doddle to deal with compared to the other thing that I've managed to do recently. I have had to add this nifty fashion accessory to my wardrobe in the last couple of days. Great isn't it. I'm not allowed to get my hair wet for a WEEK. Yup, no water, no washing, I'm going to be such a skank by the time next monday rolls around. I suppose it is my fault though, I mean, nobody forced me to stick my head in a spinning ceiling fan. All I can say is, if you ever get the opportunity to do so - DON'T. It bloody well hurts. I'm just hoping that the hair has grown back properly by the time I have to be a bridesmaid...

Absence

I have to apologise for the length of time between posts. The problem, you see, is one of money i.e. we don't have any. The plan was simple. I get a job just after Christmas, that way we'll have an income that will pay for food etc so we don't have to spend all our savings. Then, in early February at the latest, the Other Half will start working again and we will have 2 incomes (count them, 1, 2!) which will keep us in food and drink and pay bills and STILL have enough to save towards me coming home at the end of April for my best friend's wedding (hopefully, completely unlike the film, given that I'm not embarking on a stupid scheme to steal my friend's fiance). This is not exactly what happened. There are no jobs in town. Not one. I've looked. And looked. They just don't seem to be here during the off season when sensible people either live off their savings or go to a different state to work for a few months. The jobs that people do do like working at IGA or Woolworths were all taken up before I even stopped working in December. Then came the floods. We were unable for nearly a month, to reliably leave our house and get back to it so, no job. This also delayed the start of the farming season so no job for the Other Half either. Finally, he started getting a couple of days work a week and is generally up to 4/5 days a week, that is, when his boss isn't screwing him over or losing the pay, or just not paying at all etc. This money coming in is just about covering our rent and food. There is no spare. There are no savings left. We have bills coming in that we should just about be able to afford and the trip home is coming off my very overburdened credit card. Once home, I hope to work pretty much straight after the wedding and save pounds that will pay for my visa back while my Other Half works his arse off over here to pay for the bills and rent and a boat and other stuff. Once I return I'll be able to get a job working on a farm no trouble and we will be able to save hand over fist. Until then, trips into town are kept to a minimum to save on petrol, trips to the internet cafe are definitely kept to a minimum and the phone is trying to be not used. This is why I have been silent. This is why, for the next couple of months, I will continue to be pretty well silent. Sorry. I will return when I can.