Author: awmalloyadmin

I had to call the local council today to inquire about our garbage and recycle bins.

“Sure, come in and pay the $150 and we’ll get them to you in a few days.”

$150 for bins? What exactly are our rates for? This whole not renting thing is proving to be very costly.

Friday was a busy day. Rae spent all day at the house (more of which later) and I was at home with the kids and then working. 4:00 came and enough was enough, I packed the kids up and we went out to visit mum at the house. Rae drove the kids home, I finished up and headed on h0me. Half way there Rae called me to go and pick something up but as I was almost home and needed to look up the address I kept on going.

I’m so glad I did.

I pulled in to the drive and Rae was standing there.

“I’ll go.” she said.

“No, I just have to grab the address and I’ll head on out.”

“Oh for pete’s sake, I’ll go – just grab the parcel on the front step that’s been left for you.”

Huh? Parcel? Front step? She jumped in the car while I looked. Indeed there was a parcel on the front step. Freshly delivered. For me.

I unwrapped it and as I did I realised I had won.

Google recently held a competition for the best Google My Map in Australia so I submitted a map I had created a while ago. It documents old signs that still exist around Melbourne and is linked to a web site, www.ourfadingpast.com, that is still under development. You can see my map of old signs around Melbourne on Google Maps.

Any way, the very good people at Google Australia seemed to like it and awarded me the Best Overall My Maps Award. They sent me a great Perspex award in the shape of one of their map markers. And a MacBook. To say I was overcome is an understatement.

The first person I emailed was Andrew from the High Riser blog. Andrew has contributed a huge number of photos to the map, even suffering personal injury in an attempt to get the perfect shot. He’s also brought in others through Walking Melbourne and the map would be a lot smaller and of lesser value without all he has done. Thank you Andrew.

I’m over the moon with the win, and the prizes, but most of all I’m happy that I’ve created and helped to build something that other people like and value.

After two days of sitting in our bedroom playing on the computer while others worked, we have floor.

It’s Gravy Day.

I know I’m a geek and that Rae has latent geek tendencies but when your 3 year old son points out the the font on his ‘Santa Rocks’ t-shirt is the same as that used on Dumbo you really do get a whole new appreciation for the power of genetics.

Friday was the first day of home ownership and it was a busy day. Rae was out at the house at 7:30 for the first of the tradies. Over the course of the day the plumbers connected the hot water and stove top, the sparkies connected the oven and the, um, lockies fitted deadlocks. Tim dropped by to give a quote on curtains too so it was a full day for her.

But not quite as full as it could have been. The guy who had been subcontracted by our floorer to install the laminate floor just didn’t turn up. He also wasn’t answering phone calls. The floor people weren’t that great, they didn’t return any of my phone calls and I was on my way to stage a sit in when Rae finally got the message, around 1:00pm, that he wasn’t coming.

Thankfully they could arrange a replacement and I’m sitting here on Saturday while Sean (or it may be Shaun) and his cousin Peter are listening to Gold 104 while they lay our floor. Poor Sean, so far this morning the pallet of laminate has broken his van’s door, he’s sliced his thumb open and been stuck with the most difficult sort of laminate to lay (I have no idea either). All this for doing a favour for our supplier. The floor that’s down looks fantastic though.

I can’t describe how happy I feel right now.

We, my lovely wife and I, own our own home. 14 months ago we bought a block of land in an empty street. Now it’s home to us and many others. We picked up the keys at 2:00 this afternoon. We went straight to the house and the two of us wandered around drinking champagne and eating white chocolate to celebrate. We’ll take the kids tomorrow but just for that moment it was wonderful to have the two of us. In our own home. Ours!

 

Seriously, what’s the point in having a web site and phone number if you’re not answering the phone or replying to emails?

I’ve tried three separate locksmiths this morning; none have responded to an email and all went through to a message bank. After the third I gave up I went over to Service Central. If someone wants our money then they can call us.

Looks like we may be able to move on Saturday, December 27 now, that’s just two weeks to get this place packed up so it’s all hands on deck until then. If you want to burn off Christmas lunch and get ready for new years the plea for assistance still stands.

Looks like divorce is on the way, and it’s all Jen’s fault.

This afternoon Jen sent me a link to real time tracking of flights arriving and departing from Melbourne international airport. I haven’t left the computer screen since. I’ve suggested to my beloved that we could get a dedicated PC and a nice new 26” monitor just to have this going 24 hours a day and we could have a second monitor running in the bedroom too.

Boy, did the kids learn a few new words…