Anthony Malloy

The cleaning check list for moving out of here arrived in the mail today along with all the details of what has to be to done r.e keys and the like.

Apparently the floors have to be ‘moped thoroughly’ so if you’re feeling a little down on April 1st feel free to come on over and share your pain with our floor. Hmm, or perhaps they actually want us to drive mini motorbikes all through the house too.

So, depressed or stylish – we can use your help either way.

If so, and you have a microphone connected to your computer, click on the button below and leave me a voice mail.

For those confused about the ‘Luck Of The Irish‘ post be confused no longer, here’s what’s going on.

First a little history. After our annual inspection last year we received a phone call from our agent asking if we’d be interested in buying the house ‘should the owners think of selling’. Of course he said there was nothing to worry about and it was just a question for later reference but it made us a little uneasy. Last week an appraiser came to look over the house, ‘probably for insurance’, which is a laugh when you consider a block and half with a humpy on it just up the street sold for half a million dollars. With alarm bells ringing we thought we’d test the waters and ask for another 12 month lease under the pretence of wanting to change Rae’s surname. No response.

We’d already been investigating options to buy or build our own house but our deposit at the moment (or more to the point, lack of it) would have meant we would be stretched to the limit financially and any rise in interest rates would have had us in trouble. It could be done, but better not to so we’ve had no choice but to head back in the rental shark pool one more time.

We went to an open house last Wednesday at a place that was livable and suited us. There were so many people looking through we only gave it a quick glance thinking our odds were slim at best but we took an application from the lovely Stephanie and faxed it in that night and left it at that. Friday the kids and I went to visit Rae at work for lunch. We were standing there when her phone rang. Rae scribbled something on some paper and handed it to me. “We got the house”.

So gentle readers, on April 1 we are on the move. The new house isn’t as attractive as this one but it has its pluses. There’s a double lock up garage and a car port, an undercover area outside where we can have our bbq permanently set up, a cubby for the kids, storage space, a great kitchen (with dishwasher!), it’s cable internet ready, has evaporative air conditioning, the kids will have a room each, the land lord is great (he wanted to meet the successful applicants before signing off) and we’ll finally be able to have our surround sound set up properly – and all for over a $100 less per month than we are paying now, which will go straight to the house deposit. Of course we have to go through the horror of packing this house up and all the hassles associated with moving but that will soon pass.

Perhaps the best thing though is this new house is, literally, at the other end of our street. Yes, we’re moving two house blocks up the road. Just far enough so we can’t lug the couch between the two, but not far enough to have to worry about movers. We’ll also be closer to our favourite cafe so we may have to put aside a little of the savings for more coffees. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind and a quicker path to our own house.

Jen tagged me, and Daniel sent out a general invite so I thought I’d better do the seven songs meme. Here’s seven songs I’m listening to at the moment and a lyric from them that I like.

Us – Regine Spektor
Heard this on 6 Music (a BBC radio station seemingly built especially for me) and absolutely loved it – Tori Amos meets Ani DiFranco with a smile. Great music to cheesy lyrics on this track.

They made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust

Life On Mars – David Bowie
I’d never heard this song until we watched Life On Mars – please, oh please, download that show and watch it if you haven’t already and then you’ll know why this song hasn’t left my head in months.

Take a look at the law man
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man!

There She Goes, My Beautiful World – Nick Cave
Nick Cave kicks arse. This and Nature Boy, both from the same album, are two of his best tracks. It amazes me how he just keeps on getting better when most performers drop off the longer their career lasts.

I look at you and you look at me and deep in our hearts know it
That you weren’t much of a muse, but then I weren’t much of a poet

The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkel
I heard a documentary series on 6 Music about Simon and Garfunkel. They told the story of how they recorded the percussion on this track in a lift well of an abonded building to get the great effect. At one stage a police man came to investigate the banging, he opened the door to the well, saw a drummer sitting there thumping his kit and slowly backed away never to be seen again.

In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him

Such Great Heights – The Postal Service
Another band I heard on 6 Music and fell in love with.

I tried my best to leave this all on your
Machine but the persistent beat it sounded
Thin upon listening
And that frankly will not fly. You will hear
The shrillest highs and lowest lows with
The windows down when this is guiding you home

Sit Down – James
An incredibly catchy song from a fantastic band. Try and track down the 9 minute version recorded live at Glastonbury – it’s a ripper. The lyrics I’ve chosen are some of my all time favourite lyrics.

If I hadn’t seen such riches
I could live with being poor

Just Like The Rain – Richard Hawley
6 Music strikes again. I liked the song so much I downloaded the album.

But you’re still in my mind
You’re still in my mind
And here’s where the sound
Of my tears hits the ground
Just like the rain

It must be the luck of the Irish flowing to me on this St Patrick’s day because I added another Malloy to the clan two weeks ago. It seems a potentially difficult situation may have resolved itself, more to come…

Me on our honeymoom. Taken at our favourite eating place, the Up Front Club in Maleny. We loved it so much we checked out early on our final day to drive there for breakfast before catching the plane home.

I’ve always believed in, although not often had the opportunity of, having the courage to follow through on your own convictions. Even though others around may disagree and show by their actions that they hold a contrary position to yours it is important to stand up for what you know is right.

And that’s why, even though I was the only one in the street who did it, my green recycling waste was collected this morning and all of the yellow recycling bins I saw when I put the bins out yesterday are still standing, full, on the nature strip.

I just assume that most people who read my blog also read Rae’s, but in case there is somewhere out there who doesn’t you can see some photos of our wedding on Flickr.

No, not Albert or #3 – these steps are house related.

After the phone call from the agent the other day we decided to get pro-active. We looked at a rental property that afternoon, which was depressing, and then checked our deposit amount. While tiny it is enough to show we can save and it means we don’t have to borrow 100% of the amount we are after. Ideally it would be a larger amount before we had to start but we don’t live in an ideal world.

We ventured out to the land of display homes and four hours later we made it back alive. It appears all is not lost. We ran some figures with one builder and while pushing our upper limits (at a relatively generous interest rate) we could afford to purchase a block and then build on it. Sure it’s a long way from where we want to live and we would have to look at a smaller house to make sure we could absorb the interest hikes coming over the hill but at least now we know. The key for us is to get a larger deposit together; just knocking ten to fifteen grand off what we borrow would make our situation a whole lot better. It’s not that much if you say it quickly.

I was struck though about how tough salesmen have it. I don’t believe one word that comes out of their mouths, not one, and surely these days every person sees straight through the ‘free’ inclusions and super deals ‘just for you’. Poor Robert at Burbank Homes today seemed to think we were going to go buy a block when we left him and then come right back to sign on the dotted line. At least he talked to us though. The people at Devine simply glanced up from their keyboards for two seconds before going back to playing Mine Sweeper, a more disinterested pair you couldn’t wish to find. We walked through their office three times and not once did they address us or ask if we needed assistance. The guy at Metricon was a little better, he at least offered some information. The woman at Porter Davis Homes was good – she was the only one who asked if we had any questions after viewing the properties and the only one who smiled as we left.

We’ve still a lot of work and research to do before making a decision but at least we’ve started and are beginning to learn the questions that we have to ask. Poor Phee and Albert will have many a Sunday ruined by traipsing around after mum and dad before we are in a position to sign our life away.

Everybody with a computer who doesn’t live in the UK start downloading Life On Mars now.

We’ve just watched the final episode and it is superb. Fantastic television of the highest standard. Make sure you download all the episodes before you start watching ’cause I can guarantee you won’t be able to watch only one at a time.

Stop reading, go, download now.