twinsmom65

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope Santa was good to you all, and may 2014 bring you all Heath and happiness. Cheers Karen

OMG Snifter, what great pics. Never saw any in the wild as they don't live in WA. Now you are making me miss Australia. Cheers Karen

I loved Kings Park too. Great views of the Swan River. Great place to go for young and old alike.

Enjoy your time in NYC, it will be beautiful at Xmas. Perth will be very relaxing for you when you return. Cheers Karen

Hi Blooby, 10 months already, where did the time go. Thank you for a lovely post. Yep emigration lark is bloody hard. We have been back 3 years in December, and even after 3 years, that little word Australia still comes up from time to time. I too understand how people ping pong. It's amazing how the mind works it's little tricks on us. What seems like horrible at the time, doesn't seem to be too bad when we look back. It does get easier, but every once in a while, you will get a pang for Australia, after all it is a beautiful country. Just not right for everyone. Cheers Karen

Swan Valley is a lovey place to live Fiona !.... There are many days that I miss my house in The Vines. Seeing the 15 or so Roos on my property, sleeping in the sun on my patio. 5 minutes to the wineries and breweries. OMG, I am having a miss Perth day LOL. Cheers Karen

Good Luck Stevie, hope you make the move to WA. Cheers Karen

Yep Citronella works well, we used to put Citronella oil, in a couple of old lamps and light them. You can even keep a Citronella plant on your patio as well. Skin so Soft by Avon works well as a repellant. We now have the Off clip on fans that you attach to a belt, and they seem to work fine as well. We have the same problems in Canada with mozzies, and blackflies. I think the worst bites though are Deer/Horse fly bites, they take a chunk out you. Mozzies are nasty as they carry viruses as well. Haven't heard too much this year about West Nile Virus in Canada, although it is still July !. Best thing to do, is wear long pants and long sleeves. Also they don't like smoke too much either ! Cheers Karen

Too true Petals, also the fact that 650 people have died prematurely due to the heat wave. Too much heat can be just as bad as too cold. Cheers Karen

We are in Kitchener. Agree about traffic in Toronto, couldn't pay me enough to live there. You should check out our sister site http://www.britsabroad.com as there is a big section on Canada. Cheers Karen

Whereabouts in Ontario are you? I agree with construction shutting down in the winter months, my BIL is a dozer operator, and is usually off during the winter periods for around 3 to 4 months and collects unemployment. My OH is a sheet metal worker, and this summer has been the slowest ever. It is scheduled to pick up in September. $100 a week for groceries is not too bad at all. When I lived in Perth, Australia I was spending approx $450 every two weeks and then at least another $100 on the off weeks for a total of almost a $1000.00 a month. I believe that gas in Perth is up to $1.56 a litre or more. Its all horses for courses as the pay is higher in Australia. Is there a reason that you left Australia? Cheers Karen

Hello, sorry just saw this thread, I am 12 hours behind Perth. I have lived in both countries. Originally from the UK, moved to Canada in 1981, and then spent 2 years in Perth in 2008. I live in Ontario, but know people who live in Calgary. Calgary is a lovely city, near the Rockies. Alberta's economy is the best in Canada, due to the oil industry almost like Perth. Cost of living is more expensive in Alberta, but wages are higher. Personally, I could live in both countries, but do hear your concerns about cost of living. For example I went shopping yesterday, spent $170 , for that I got 12 steaks, 2 boxes of chicken wings, chicken burgers, cat food, dog food, fresh fruit and vegetables Eggs, water etc. In Perth that probably would have cost me over $300.00. My girls love Canada, they enjoy 4 seasons, Xmas in the cold, Halloween. Canadians on the whole are nice people, very polite, not over the top like Americans. We have national pride, but it is not in your face. Construction does slow down in the winter, I can't speak for Alberta, but I know it does slow down here in Ontario, as my OH is in construction. I will post some links for housing, and grocery stores for you. One thing you will notice a difference, is that in Canada we have a lot more choice for shopping, plus close to the US for cheap shopping weekends. Cheers Karen

Alan, huge congratulations to you on getting the job. I am so pleased for both you and Max. So pleased things are finally falling into place for you. Please keep us updated. Cheers Karen

To be fair to the OP, the forecasts are just showing the temps. Just checked our Weather Network and for tomorrow they are calling for a high of 25 for London, UK Now that doesn't sound hot, but when you factor in the humidity it will feel like 30. For the UK that is hot. They are not prepared for heat, just like they are not prepared for heavy snow and cold. They are used to a more temperate climate. Personally, I like 30 degrees as long as there is no humidity. It has been very humid here in Canada this past week, and although the temp hasn't reached 30 all week, with almost 95% humidity, it has been feeling in the mid to high 30's, which is very uncomfortable. Cheers Karen

Well the new Govenor of The Bank of England started work today, and for the first time in over 300 years it is a non Brit at the helm. Mark Carney is a Canadian, who formally worked at the bank of Canada. http://news.sky.com/story/1110019/carney-starts-as-bank-of-england-governor Cheers Karen

Nice pics Kev, I can understand now why Kate loves it so much up there. Hope you are enjoying your trip. Cheers Karen

Hello, and welcome to PIO. Best of luck with your visa application. Perth is a lovely city, I lived there for 2 years. Cheers Karen

According to The Weather Network, currently it is sunny and 21 degrees feeling like 25 degrees. Not too shabby for after 6pm. It looks like it will cool down a bit next week for you guys. Cheers Karen ETA..that is for London, UK

I think it works both ways, whether moving to Australia or moving back home. There will always be people who will overthink their decision. It is a huge decision after all, especially if there are children involved. Migrating either way, can be a huge drain, not only financially but emotionally as well. Would you question people who are migrating to Australia if they overthought their decision, or only those that are thinking of moving back home??? Cheers Karen ETA - Sometimes, people don't have a chance to even over think a decision, it can be taken out of their hands. For example job loss.

Its actually more common place in Canada to have indoor kittys than outdoor kittys. In our neighbourhood, there is only one cat we see roaming around. My cats are no worse off for being indoor kittys, infact, 2 of my cats are Ragdoll cats, and in the breed description, it states that they should be kept indoors, because they are such a relaxed breed, that they could come to harm, if they are allowed to roam freely outside. I know the RSPCA in WA was all for having indoor cats, when I adopted two cats from them, and told them that they were being kept indoors, they were very pleased. Cheers Karen

All three of my cats are indoor kittys. I have never had an outdoor cat. Indoor cats, have been known to live longer than cats that are allowed to roam outside. They tend to be healthier too. My kittys are spoilt rotten, we have a huge 6 foot cat tree for them, and place it in front of the window at the front of the house. Sometimes we take them out onto the front lawn, but they are on a leash. Cheers Karen

I think it is only natural, to look back on only the good things when you make a move back to the UK (or wherever you came from). We have been back just over 2 1/2 years now. My OH still goes on about Australia, even myself, I think about it often. I too only remember the good parts, the weather (no snow !), more laid back lifestyle. Then I look back at some of my old posts on here, towards the end, when my OH was out of work in Perth, and then I remember why we came back. I remember how I cried every Christmas, how we didn't have a network of support so to speak. How my one daughter was miserable. We gave up a lot to move to Australia, and a lot to move back to Canada, but I for one do not regret my decisions. It was a wonderful experience. Do up a list of pros and cons for moving back, and really try to prioritize what is important to you (not just weather LOL). Best of luck with your decision. Cheers Karen

If I am not mistaken, I believe you live in Perth. You need to go the magistrates court. I have included a link for you. http://www.magistratescourt.wa.gov.au/C/civil_matters.aspx?uid=1226-6994-1097-9582 Cheers Karen

Phil and Vicki, so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.