Happy Mothers Day..... (just!)

The Walker and Ivey mums had a nice surprise through the post over the weekend after Beth and I were alerted to the fact that it was Mothers Day! We hope that we could be excused for nearly missing it as we have been so busy, but the fact that Australia have Mother's Day in May didn't help!

All turned out nicely in the end, lots of love to our Mums, hope you had a lovely day... you deserve it!

IKEA...

Just when you thought it was safe!!! .. we managed to find one of the very few IKEA stores in Australia (Living in Exeter and Plymouth certainly had its advantages!). We thought we might as well give it a go while we were in Sydney, we know that John (Beth's dad) will be upset that he missed out but I'm sure we could fit in another trip when he flies back out!!!!

Shopping from 5pm until 7pm (Yes on a Sunday... it does make sense, gotta be better than sitting at home watching Heartbeat repeats!) we managed to pick up the rest of the stuff for the living room. We now have everything we need to get by in terms of furniture, and we also have space to store all the baby supplies that we are starting to buy!

As I type this Beth is banging away in the living room trying to create a filing cabinet from the bits that IKEA may or may not have packed into the box! (Building furniture in your pyjamas is not recommended!)

Georgia Rose...

Sunday took us down to Sydney for the christening of Georgia Rose. Brett and Annette had kindly invited us along to share the occasion. It was a long day with a party for Olivia (Georgia's big sister!) before the christening followed by some lovely food, and Rugby League commentary on the radio after!

Picture Perfect...

Now that we are settling in to the new house we want to put up some reminders of you guys at home, we have a big photo frame with lots of little windows in it ready to be filled by you lovely people. So what we want you to do is to send us a digital image of yourself (you can even let your partner &/or children be in it if you like!!)

Send pictures to ...

ivey dot paul @ googlemail dot com

... and we'll print them out and pop them in the frame!

We do miss you all and hearing our little friend Hannah Evans say "Hello Beth and Paul" today made our day. Happy 2nd Birthday Hannah... have a lovely day today and we hope you enjoy your party this week!

Summat Fishy going on...

There was definitely something fishy going on today as we got to grips (literally!) with the fish tank! It was something we purchased from the previous owner of the house. He was obviously fully aware of how difficult it is to move and so was more than happy to sell it to us. We knew that Matt and Sharron were after one and so we got it for their house by way of a thank you for having us there for three months.

Starting at 9am we drained the water and caught the fish (I'm suprised that anglers don't use plastic buckets... I had some sucess!), Matt, Beth and I then spent the rest of the morning cleaning all the glass, gravel, rocks, stones, filters and pipes. It was then time for the big move although we did have to call in the reinforcements to help lift the now empty tank... it was heavy being over six feet in length! Safely in the car Matt, Joel (No not the little one... Matt's friend!) pushed the tank upstairs. In its new home it will look stunning and we hope that the Walkers @ Gardners Street get a lot of enjoyment from it.

We were finished at around 6pm... Matt then help us move some living room furniture and its almost sorted. IKEA on Sunday then some pictures for you... honest!

Almost there...

We've been getting reports that because we've not posted any pictures of the inside of the house we are hiding the horrors within! (lime green wall in post below!) .... this isn't the case it's just that at the moment we're still unpacking! The good news is that as you can see from the picture of our garage we are almost finished! (those who have known Ivey/Walker garages in Exeter will see that its taking on a familiar appearance!)

Now that the move is completed (Wasn't the same without Lloyd, persistant rain, three flights of stairs and a sprial staircase!!!!!) we are really settling in. We just need to remove a fishtank to rival the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and then we can start taking some pictures for you guys.

Mow Show... and Australian Shopping!

Having thought that I'd got a bargain in buying an electric Grass Cutter it soon became apparent that I was probably the only person in Australia not using a petrol one! I was quite happy with the 40metre extension lead but with second thoughts not that practical for cutting the grass on a 600+ metre corner plot.... so back to the DIY shop it went!

Petrol mowers aren't cheap and so we are waiting for some to come up on "special," apparently last time there was a big offer they were all gone in 30 minutes!.. Beth and I turned up a full four days later expecting to get one!

We've now changed tactics with some success. Here are our tips for getting a bargain.

1, Pick up leaflets tossed onto your lawn on the Tuesday/Wednesday (no letter box!)
2, Study leaflets... look for stuff you ACTUALLY need (Beth then files the leaflets in a folder!!!... this is for experienced bargain hunters only!)
3, Wait for Wednesday night... set alarm clock!
4, Thursday morning get to shops!
5, Buy items... (in this case entertainment unit for TV!)

6, Spend six hours in 40 degree heat in a garage trying to assemble the parts provided so that the finished product looks something like the picture on the box!

... Then there's nothing to do but wait for next weeks leaflets.

Don't let a lack of cash stop you shopping... oh no!... put them on "layby!" You pay a deposit and they look after the item until you can pay for it in full!

The only other thing to remember is never pay full price for anything, a useful phrase to use is "Strewth mate.... how much for cash?"

Anyway back to the grass... we borrowed Matt's mower and mowed the lawn! (Promise not to post any more pictures of routine household chores eg: Paul loads dishwasher, Beth's cleans bathroom etc!)

Little bit of politics...

Maybe this isn't the right place for politics but when it concerns us and our new lives in Australia I guess it's worth a mention.

The debate in Australia at the moment is simliar to that at home, namely the number of immigrants entering the country (legally/illegally) and how they conduct themselves when they get here!

Some reccent quotes from the Australian government include;

"People who do not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off."

"IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If you don't like "A Fair Go" or Australian values offend you, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others."

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,

'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here So accept the country YOU accepted."

... this seems a far cry from local councils in England banning St. George crosses on buildings during the World Cup etc so not to cause offence!

... as new immagrants ourselves this all seems fair comment! We've always wanted to come here and live the life, we don't want to change it or make our little bit of Australia little Britain!

If people are interested in jam making, village cricket, Summer Fetes and morris dancing then we'll share them but we're doing everything we can to be Australian citizens. :0)

Two's company... three's a Birthing Group!

The house saw its first guests last night. We bravely decided to try a new recipe (damn you Oliver!!!!!) and cooked for nine hungry mouths.... well six really as three are yet to truly arrive! We've missed people at home terribly and getting out and meeting people is hard while you both work from home... so it's been tough!

We joined birthing classes at the local Hospital and that has probably been the best thing we've done since we've been here. In true Australian style Matt & Kate and Brett and Kelly were friendly and welcoming. We're in the same boat as far as expecting babies so its been good to find out and share things together! Kelly should be first (far left!) Kate next (right!) followed by baby Ivey about four weeks later!

The support persons (not pictured) have more than being expectant fathers in common as we have also established that we have the same haircut!!!

It's a jungle out there...

We sat outside to eat our lunch today and looked around the garden. It's great to have our own little oasis outside our front door. We treated ourselves to some gardening gloves the other day (either that or I'm touching nothing!) and we got stuck into clearing the deadwood! Beth found a tree saw in the bargain bucket at the DIY store and foolishly gave it to me, it amazing how much damage a 40p tool can do! I started by chopping down a branch that came down with the classic, creaking and tree fall sound! Looking up at where the branches used to be I decided that it looked a little bare in one particular spot so I carried on, clearing a little further on either side. One hour later we had quite a pile of debris to clear!

Beth got stuck in to some weeding (remember the thirty minutes of something???) and then came in for a lie down!

Bumpwatch #6

So only three more Bumpwatches to go then and then its Bub Watch (sorry for the lack of imagination with the titles... can you come with anything better?)

Beth s filling out nicely and entering the uncomfortable not really sleeping that well phase that experienced parents are telling us is good prepration for when the baby comes along! All our friends from our parenting classes are starting to have their babies now and so we feel closer than ever!

This morning we had another hospital check up and everything still looks perfect so we're keeping fingers crossed that as baby settles into position everything will go well! Beth was like a pin cushion this morning with lots of needles putting things in and taking stuff out.

(just a little...) Down and Out

Got up at silly O'clock to listen to the match live on the internet. Not the result I was looking for although Argyle seem to have given a good account of themselves. The FA Cup run was starting to worry me as I promised to travel back to the UK to watch Argyle if they ever made it to the Premier League or an FA Cup Final (thinking it was unlikely!) ... the passport is back in the cupboard for a little while longer!

Anyway I'm not sure how happy Beth would have been if I had dissapeared back to England two weeks after the baby arrived! ;0)

Ollie has got the lads playing well so I'm not ruling out a return in the next couple of years!!!

... The blog colour has been changed to green to mark this years cup run!

On the outside...

We thought that we would put this little slide show together to show you what the outside of the house looks like. It's dificult to take inside pictures at the moment due to all the boxes we are sorting through, we promise to post something when we have sorted through the boxes. We hope you like the outside anyway?

(unpacking) Boxing Day...

On the Thursday we returned the truck and waited for our washing machine and fridge freezer to arrive... which they did. The washing machine is a top loader which is very much the go over here. It was plumbed in by yours truly and now stands proudly in the laundry room. The fridge freezer is massive by most English standards 520 litres, but not the biggest here... some have double doors, make crushed ice for you and one we saw even had a 16" television in it!!!!

After the fridge and the washing machine came the Pest Control man to treat the house and garden as we didn't know when this was last done. We have quite a big garden (yard!!!) here and we want everything to be safe for the baby, Liam, Joel and us! The man opened the hatch into the roof, but couldn't see anything (the roof is filled with pipes for the ducted air conditioning which enters in each room through a vent in the ceiling). He sprayed the ceiling space with dust............. it then rained three inch cockroaches through the vents for half an hour... at which point Beth decided to visit Sharron! He said that it was the second worse case he had seen!!! Cockroaches only come out at night but there were making a run for it due to the dust! Getting braver by the minute I managed to evict most of them. The Pest Control man then sprayed the entire outside of the house, garage and garden!

In the afternoon I managed to meet some of the neighbours who all seem really nice.

In the evening exhausted after two days of lifting and a game of football I had a shower and bumped into the biggest spider I have ever seen! Up on the wall in the Laundry the Huntsman didn't stand a chance against the power of the spray! Beth laughed because I used so much spray on it that it was completely white!... better safe than sorry!

The cockroach showers died off and they could be seen all over the garden... everything living or dead seemed to be on its back with its legs in the air!! Rich pickings for the magpies that live in our trees! (if you are wondering we saw three... so that's one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl!.. Beth now convinced!)

Beth is loving the house, I'm loving the house AND Bunnings Warehouse (imagine B&Q!).

The BIG move...

Well the time came and we went to pick up the van before picking up the keys to the house. The man who talked us through the truck didn't fill us with any confidence but it was cheap!... and despite rolling backwards down a hill in a line of traffic before braking and then engaging reverse (this vehicle is reversing ... beep beep!) it was all fairly straight forward. Beth had done lots of the hard work preparing to move the boxes to their new (and final!!!) home. Sharron and Joel helped load the van with almost everything we have here and it was off to the new house (we had to pick up the sofa by 5pm!). I unloaded all the boxes onto the decking including a double ma tress on my back like a turtles shell! Beth then got the call to get the keys from the Estate Agent (Real Estate.... here) and we were in and she was carried over the threshold. :0)

Matt, Liam and I then went to collect the sofa and the washing line while we had the van ... so at least we have somewhere to sit and to dry clothes! We also collected a sofa bed so that any visitors have a place to sleep!

Our first home together, we've spent so long renting that it was really nice to walk around our home making a list of all the little things that need doing.

I was a really tiring day for everyone... but everything went to plan.

House Move Eve...

So this is it.... we get the house on Wednesday afternoon. All the formalities are over, the deposit paid, the contracts signed and the final inspection of the house completed today!

We've spent today sorting through the boxes that have cluttered up Matt and Sharron's lovely house for sooooo long. I'm not sure how people emigrate with no connections this end (although they managed it!), it has been so nice to have such caring people to allow us to bombard them with constant questions, store all our stuff all over the inside (and outside) of their house and let us eat them out of house and home (we are eating for three!). Thanks to both of them for making our arrival and house buy as stress free as it gets.

This week we've also been scouring Ebay Australia for bargains, with some success! We bought an outside table and chairs for £82.80 and a washing line (a massive one of them whirly gig thingies!) for £4.20!

We'll be off line for a few days while we sort out the Internet connection and I recover from lifting all the boxes that Beth isn't allowed to lift! But we'll return with lots of house pictures, and a box by box account of the move. We'll also take lots of pictures of the house so that you can where we're at!!

See you soon....

Bloomin Blog...

We're having reports from a few people that say they are unable to see some of the video footage or even get on the blog itself! If you do have problems (you won't see this post so it's pointless!) do let us know so that we can do something about it! We wouldn't want you to miss out... particularly as things are just about to get exciting!!!

UPDATE...

The Bumpwatch live clip was removed but is now back! ... It seems as if there is a problem with Blogger rather with the computers having problems. I'll update later.... but if you know someone who hasn't been able to get on...

1. Tell them we're ok!
2. Tell us who they are!
3. Cross your fingers and hope that Blogger fix the bug!

UPDATE...

What's doing down under welcomes back some Telewest Broadband viewers who were having problems viewing the blog. Hopefully you can look forward to problem free updates. :0)

The New Address...

Just in case you were thinking about popping in for a cuppa sometime we thought we better give you our new address... then we thought better of putting it on here! Print out and keep pictures of the inside of our house alongside the address and details of when we're out of the house would have burglars from the world over booking flights!

So we'll send out emails... if we miss you we might have lost your address so you might wanna email me at...

ivey dot paul at googlemail dot com

.. I've typed it like this so that those "bots" that search the web for email addresses don't get mine and bombard me with spam emails about "performance enhancing medicines" or "services of an adult nature" that I could buy into! The Internet is a wonderful thing but has it's downsides!

One week of the Roller Coaster to go...

One week of the Roller Coaster to ride. It has been stressful lurching from highs, lows, the steady climbs and the stomach churning drops!

This time next week we should have the key to the house!

Yesterday we had the final bill from the solicitor which included all the costs, fees and deposits. We had the unexpected surprise of seeing the Council Rates and water usage added as these have been paid in advance and so the solicitors do some pro rata adjustments on what proportion of the quarter we need to pay for!

We have become highly skilled in the use of Excel spreadsheets and developed a detailed understanding of international banking to the point that Beth was on the phone telling Lloyds TSB how to do it!

Bumpwatch Live...

With the baby just under nine weeks away we thought that we better get some practice in at getting videos from the camera and on to the blog so that you guys don't miss out on anything! Well tonight was the night as I got the call that Bub's was up to its usual Womb Gymnastics! Time for a live Bumpwatch... It's only a short clip ... but just watch the top of Beth's tum (where it is best lit!) and you can see baby having a "wriggle!" It really is the most amazing thing...

Like most You Tube videos its best to let it play with stutters first and enjoy it when it runs smoothly the second time!



... hopefully its the first of many, and they should get better (note to self... turn light on!)If any muso's out there were wondering the music is by Sebastian Tellier the track La Ritournelle. :0)

Bye bye .... but not for long!

Jean and John's three month visit came to an end today as they jetted off back to the UK. Saying goodbye was made far easier by the fact that we shall see them again in six weeks! .. they are flying back again so that they can be here when bubs comes along. Things will certainly be different around 8 Gardner Street without them... they've both done so much for us and the boys!

We dropped them off at the train station ready for their train journey to Sydney Airport. I carried their cases on and nearly joined them as the train whistle blew and the doors started closing just as I jumped off!

Wishing them a safe journey and return trip!

New Years Resolutions... lack of progress update!

Remember them??? I think I've managed them all just not all at once and not all the time!

We're warming up for the Soccer (sorry Football!) season here, and so I've been getting some training in. For the last month I've been playing indoor football and we managed to get our first win last night, a 12 - 2 thrashing of the "Midas Touch" - who were lacking a first and second touch. The team I play in has an interesting name (not chosen by me!) ... FOY FC ... each letter stands for something and is far too rude to type here! Even I managed to sneak onto the scoresheet with a goal showing all the finease of a Paul Wotton penalty! (Paul Wotton is PAFC Captain Fantastic!)Beth came along to watch (and drive me there after the pints earlier in the afternoon!) She manged to capture me on camera a couple of times... I'd like to think I was moving to fast to be captured in the second picture! ;0) Most weeks the tin shed is like a blast furnace at 35 degrees plus.. I'm still aclimatising!

Managed to get pulled up by the ref three times (once for an overhead kick while laying on the ground ... don't ask!) ... so all in all a good game!

Looks like I might also get an outside game this season with a local team... It's with quite a few people we've met already and it's quite a social thing for all the WAGs (Wives And Girlfriends) to come along with the kids, so it should be good! I'll keep you posted!

Happy Anniversary Jean & John

Yesterday was Jean and John's Anniversary and so we went out for a lunch down at the Lake Yacht Club. The meal was fantastic, as was the scenery and the company. Beth is managing to eat less and less (not a lot of room left for stomach!) and so there always seem to be some leftovers going at the moment. There were lots of cards exchanged including the one pictured with Beth and I kissing on the back - lucky Jean and John!!!

The sun was shining, the drinks cool... we gave the swim a miss!!!! A fantastic day...

The New House

All being well ...and it should be as the contracts are now signed and exchanged! ... we'll be moving into our new house on the 7th of March. It's a great little home to start with and has the potential to grow with the family! It's a lovely corner plot with palm trees and landscaped gardens. Inside there are three bedrooms, dining room and living room as long as as everything else you would expect. It is/was in a quiet neighbourhood off the beaten track but central to everything that Newcastle has to offer. There are a couple of bits and pieces to do but other than that we can just move in, enjoy it and start painting the nursery pink .
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(only joking)... or blue, or maybe a mixture of yellow and green cos' we're still not sure! Then its a case of saving up for furniture etc, although we have been luck enough to have inherited a lot of house and baby stuff! Things are fairly tight on the money front as we had to put down 10% more deposit than we wanted! Still the shortage of cash will be worth it when we move in, sit back (on garden chairs!)and think about all the money that's not going on rent each month!

We've got big plans for the house and we've already planned the Phase 1 and Phase 2 extensions! ;0)

Jake Walker

I realised yesterday that I've forgotten to mention Jake! The Walker dog spends most of his time sleeping under the house, or sheltering from the sun/cricket balls. Emerging at night for his food or with his own ball only to run off when you try to play with him.

He was treated to a brush and wash last night before dissapearing back under the house to roll in the mud! He is a dog of few words but he did ask me to say that he is pleased that we have bought a house and he is looking forward to having a run around our garden when he comes to stay!

Live Sites.... Latino Nites!

Last night was the first of the Live Sites events. Over the next couple of months the council put on loads of different free events. Last night was the start of Latino Nights where you can go along and have a dance lesson before watching the band. This will be on for about a month before being replaced with something else... comedy, street theatre, open air cinema etc These events usually bring the whole family out with their cool boxes, picnics and folding chairs. Beth and I did manage to dance a little although a little something kept coming between us! .... That's the baby Ivey and not Liam pictured! :0)

Bump Watch #5

Having received a complaint about the number of Cricket related posts over the last couple of weeks (sorry Paula!) I have been told to get back onto all things Beth and report on progress... so here it is Bumpwatch #5.

The parenting classes are going well and we have made some friends who invited us around to watch some birthing videos!! ... most weeks have been amazing although last week should have been called "Week Four: Everything that could posibly go wrong between now and the 27th April!!!" We went to see where baby will arrive (that's the room ... not anything else!), the birthing centre. You can have the option of a bath birth if you wish, the staff think there think that birth should be a natural process! Apparently the support person (that's me!) can get in the bath too! I asked if I could get in .... natural .... and she said no as it would be a distraction! I replied that it would only be "a small distraction!!"

Oh it's such a perfect day....

After a Summer of being taunted with chants of "Five-Nil", TV adverts from Ford encouraging kids to "Tonk a Pom!" (a pom being a small ball with the face of a typical Englishman on it ie: Monicle and cravat!) and the Commonwealth Bank taking the mickey outta English back yards ("Let's take a look at the typical English backyard" ... shows scene of dirty grey concrete yard ..."poor blokes don't stand a chance!" We eventually regained some pride last night.

Matt, John and myself went down with our 2nd One Day Final tickets (Christmas presents) to Sydney. We got there in plenty of time for the start and took up our seats in an uncovered stand. It was probably the hottest I've been since I've been here... although Sun Block and hats kept the sun off! We were surrounded by Aussies as you expect but they all seemed to enjoy the banter! I've a very sore throat today after all the hearty appeals and constant chirping! The beer was flowing all around but we stayed off it just to keep filled up with other fluids! The Esky was filled nicely and that kept us going all day!

England batted fairly well but were about 20 runs short of a good total come the end. To see Glenn McGrath's smiling face was a delight (!!!) as he took a wicket with his final ball! Australia's innings was disrupted by regular showers and certainly didn't help their cause (shame!!!) and that mixed in with excellent fielding and bowling put England into a strong position. The friends we had made earlier in the day always made sure our seats had been towelled down before we returned from the back of the stand after rain, it was a lovely gesture that we have come to expect from the Aussies!

The Police moved in quickly to remove anyone starting Mexican Waves (a few did break out!)or falling off chairs while trying to start renditions of Waltzing Matilda (seriously!), but turned a blind eye to inflatable rubber ring (full size) and cactus throwing!

As the rain continued, England took wickets and the run rate required increased the result was inevitable... We hung around as the trophy was presented to the England team in their dressing room before celebrating in the rain with the barmy army!

Still a very disspointing Summer of cricket, but with a brighter end and a fantastic day out!... we arrived back in Newcastle at 1:30am!

oh yesssssssssssss!

Our trip to Sydney for the second one day final is set up nicely! :0)

Bring it on Aussies!

Durham's Paul Collingwood hit 106 and his county team-mate Liam Plunkett took three wickets as England beat New Zealand by 14 runs to reach the final.

... bring on the Aussies in the final! Look out for me on Sunday morning UK time... in my Argyle shirt, England flag in one hand beer in the other! :0)

Apple launch the Spog-pod.

Available soon from all good electrical retailers and some bad ones too is the Sprog-pod which allows your baby to hear the music (term used loosely!)of Robbie William's prior to their birth.

... he/she seemed to be enjoying it!

Paul the Possom whisperer....

Managed to coax this little fella out of a tree with an apple. Apparently its a Bushy Tailed Possom. As usual I went off to find out a little more...

Brush tail possums are small mammals that live in trees. They get their name from their brush like tail. The brush tail possum is the largest and most common possum in Australia. Like many Australian mammals the common brush tail possums are marsupials.

The common brush tail possum is about the size of a cat. Male possums are bigger than female possums. The average brush tail possum has a pink nose and pointed face. Their tail is brushy on top and flat on the bottom. It uses its strong tail to help climb trees.

Brush tail possums eat different kinds of leaves, they also eat fruit (including apples!!!) that we grow which can be a nuisance. Common brush tail possums are mainly herbivores but sometimes they eat insects, grubs, moths, birds eggs and baby bids. They spend 4 hours eating at night.

The Brush tail possum lives in a hollow branch of a tree trunk. They sleep in the day and come out at night (LOVL...I thought they were Nocturnal Les!!!!!!.) They are located in most outskirts of Australia. They prefer open forests and woodlands but also they live in thick forests in wet areas. Many brush tail possums live in cities too.

The Common Brush tail possum is hunted by many predators such as owls, Tasmanian devils, Dingoes, Foxes, Cats, Feral dogs and Large Pythons.

... oh how I love Australian wildlife! Lesson over your are dismissed...

Bump Watch #4

Here you go bumpwatch fans week 28 and Beth still going great with ONLY 12 weeks to go as Beth keeps uttering constantly.... it's sinking in! The Antenatal classes on Monday evenings are going well, if a little intense. You feel like every word is vital, like you'll need to know what to do and when for every eventuality!

We had an appointment at the Hospital this week which was our first!... Beth had a good check up and another painful injection of antibodies for her blood type. She is sleeping like a log... twelve hours at night with a couple more snatched through the day!

Every dog has its day!!

This evening England proved that every dog has its day! (... No matter how pathetic, flea ridden and verbally abused it may be!) Another win next Tuesday against New Zealand will see three more of the Barmy Army in Sydney for the finals in a couple of weeks!... I can at last leave the house with a tiny amount of pride intact!