windswept

+1 with Tracey's comment. We get calls regularly from real estate agents, asking us for references for our short term tenants - in fact even got a call late this morning - they must be dedicated to be working on a public holiday!

What an awful thing to happen!! :wideeyed: Poor people!

Hi everybody, just saw this and thought it would be worthwhile posting:- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-31/house-hunters-warned-of-online-rental-fraud/4448074 Hope you're all preparing for a safe and happy New Year's Eve! Jen

Meow! My name is Fuzzy and I'm also an Australian cat. I'm an outdoors cat and I spend most of the hot days we're currently having curled up on the shaded pavers out the back, or alternatively under the barbeque (it has a nice big black cover, which makes it cool). My person is careful to leave lots of fresh water available, also in the shade, out for me. However I prefer drinking out of the birdbath - I like the flavour - bird cordial! There's lots of different dry and wet foods here but personally I prefer the Purina Supercoat brand (salmon and tuna flavour). If I look cute enough, it's hot weather and my person feels like spoiling me, I sometimes get some human tuna (stored in water) for a treat. My person thinks this is a good way to manage any possible dehydration but to be honest I just like it because it's tuna As I moonlight between a couple of different people (long story, but when I don't get enough attention/food/whatever from one, I just hop the fence!) I haven't been taken to the vet by this person, but she says she's had vets with other four legged family members and they've all been lovely and very thorough. Generally the standard of vets seems to be high in the Perth metro area.

I think that telling everyone together isn't necessarily a bad thing.... but with my family, I think I would have waited until halfway through the meal. Just because by then most would have had a beer or wine and might therefore be a bit more in the Christmas spirit. Then again, half my family are confirmed alcoholics... :eek: Decisions, decisions!!

Part of the problem with roaches is that they eat just about anything. However, leaving any food scraps (including tiny crumbs) or uncovered food around is asking for trouble. You will be seeing more of them as they do come out in the warmer weather. I don't think we see any over winter at our place, but once the warmer weather starts they seem to 'appear' out of nowhere. We are lucky and don't get too many in the house, but I haven't passed a single summer of my life without a cockroach encounter inside. You know when you have a major problem - you'll see six or eight in a small kitchen at night when you turn the light on, all scuttling away from the light. We had this a few years ago at one of our properties (YUCK!). Basically you need to absolutely scour every single surface, including under the fridge, the rangehood and its filters, all pantry and cupboard shelves need to have everything removed and wiped out (including on top of the cupboards, if you have wall mounted cupboards), the toaster tray needs to be cleaned and the toaster turned upside down and shaken outside. This will mean that the house is clean (and it needs to be clean EVERYWHERE, not just what you can see - a spilt softdrink left to dry under the fridge is enough to keep generations of roaches happy and well fed), which means it's less of an incentive for them to hang around. If after a few weeks of keeping the place spotless, you still see a few roaches around, the best thing to do is organise a weekend at a friend or relative's house and get the kitchen sprayed. I loathe roaches and even though I know they're a part of life (at least here in WA) I still try to fight the good fight and make our place as inhospitable as possible for them. I can handle them outside the house, just not inside. Yuck!!

Hi Bumblebeem, we have a two bedroom fully furnished property in Osborne Park, available from 10 Feb - if you're interested just PM me for details. Nearest hospital is Sir Charles Gairdner in Nedlands, maybe a ten minute drive away. Regards Jen

I tend to be the same, always stuff running through my mind. Best thing ever is any form of highly aerobic exercise, ideally something where you are exercising at a level where you can't comfortably carry on a conversation. At the moment I am going through an extended love affair with zumba, for example. In the past I've done taebo, high impact aerobics, boxercise, and any of the higher impact Les Mills classes (Bodypump etc). I find that it really clears my mind and helps relax me, I feel fantastic for the rest of the day.

Wow Linda, your rental experience seems to just go from bad to worse!! The only thing I can say is that not all landlords/property managers are awful, I promise! Fingers crossed that things settle down for you and the family soon! Jen

Just some points to keep in mind: 1. The beach at Esperance is lovely, but it's waaay too cold to spend much time there for most of the year. 2. Geraldton has beaches too which are beautiful 3. Geraldton is being mooted as one of WA's regional centres, with good economic prospects etc. 4. Geraldton is also much closer to Perth than Esperance - around a four hour drive, as opposed to 7-8 hours. Hope this helps.