Johndoe

Seems like you've got a few "domestics" going on there mate. You've been here 30 yrs and you're missing your mates? What mates after 30 yrs? Mid life crisis? Don't have to work but haven't yet found something to fill that work gap? Your mates have a harder life than you and yet (your words) "they have a ball"...............what? down the "all pervasive" (or so it seems) culture that Brits can't let go of? Splashing your cash on drinks and company that could be had much cheaper at home without the clanging of the pokies, juke box, and other distractions................but hey?...................something about Brits think pub life is wonderful................but for myself, as an ex pub landlord.............I'm happy to entertain at home..............I'm assuming that "pub life" is what you mean when you say, "they have a ball"? or do they go ballroom dancing, play footie every weekend, surf, hang glide or whatever? Isn't it just that your lacking something in your life ATM so you see other's life more attractive? You've been here 30 yrs..............do you really think that you can just bale out from a life that seems to have suited you and your kids for so long and not expect (serious) repercussions/disappointments? Have you no mates here after 30 yrs? Are you going to bale on them? Where are you located?

South Bank Wheel by Kevin Dickinson, on Flickr Eagle St Pier (5) by Kevin Dickinson, on Flickr CBD From South Bank by Kevin Dickinson, on Flickr

I've heard that said by so many poms (here) in so many fields of expertise. In nursing for example, in my experience, the ones i know that can truly nurse in a caring and highly professional manner, speak highly of nursing standards and practice here. Those that don't are invariably those who shirk,"get up folks' noses" and struggle to make friends. Likely they would whinge whatever country they were in. My experience of Child Safety is that it has come on leaps and bounds both in personnel and practice/legislation since I was fostering and that carers are now treated as equals and their opinions held in high regards by staff who genuinely do care but nevertheless, are still under heavy workload/pressure.

If you consider this statement to have some relevance as to contribute to what you don't like about Australia then what exactly does it say? Because I'm at a loss as to what you are inferring? Do Canadians know how to say it in Inuit? Do US citizens know how to say it in Cherokee? Does that say a lot about the USA and Canada and precisely what is that "lot"?

First thing I thought of doing after my marriage break up after 31 yrs was to head "home" I have 3 sons in the UK and 2 here but the two here know only Oz as they were rugrats when I brought them over. It took me nearly two years to realise that the yearning was not particularly for "home" as I have a good home here, (which I didn't realise, or chose to ignore at the time) but was simply a yearning to go back to "before the marriage" an attempt to "wipe it out" IYKWIM and to seek comfort from the surroundings and family that my ex had taken me away from (it was she who wanted to come to Oz). My head was all over the place, as yours must be. As Simmo says, you need to get mentally well before making decisions whilst depressed and as B1K3R says, things can change...........you never know what's around the corner........... but you need to be well to turn that corner. You seem to have career prospects here but will you have those same prospects returning to the UK? The move will put added strain on your mental health if you are likely to encounter difficulty. Get yourself well, seek counselling, and when you feel well enough, go with your gut. One thing I will add is that seeing your son being fathered by another man will likely devastate you if you are not mentally well so it is imperative that you get well in order to be prepared for that Good luck

With regards to the humidity. Feb and March are the worst but all the other months are comfortable. These are the only months that I use the aircon as I can stand the heat but humidity pees me off. That said, it's only about 6 weeks of it. Edit to add: June to Aug can be a bit of a pain if you have eczema or other dry skin complaints so keep moisturiser handy. I always get "scurf" in my scalp and eyebrows these months but never get it any other time Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Annual Relative Humidity (%) 65 62 64 64 66 65 67 72 73 70 68 66 66.8 Average Dew Point Temperature °C ( °F) 8.5 (47.3) 8.7 (47.6) 11.4 (52.5) 13.6 (56.5) 16 (60.8) 17.3 (63.1) 18.5 (65.4) 19.6 (67.2) 18.7 (65.7) 16 (60.8) 12.7 (54.9) 9.8 (49.6) 14.2 (57.6) Interpretation A bit dry A bit dry Very comfort- able Comfort- able Ok Ok Humid Humid Humid Comfort- able Comfort- able A bit dry Comfort- able

Click on my suburb below. Moved 4 times but always within this suburb as I've lived here 22 yrs and love it. Others may come up with info about theirs As others have said, don't be fooled by what others who have never lived here say about the climate. Winter days are nice and warm but the winter nights/early mornings/evenings can some times be cuttingly cold so hang onto those coats and jumpers. Also, if you're into the outdoors and go camping or just a weekend away in a lodge somewhere in winter, temperatures inland can be as much as -10d less than the coast and if you're camping or lodging atop one of the mountains in winter, as I often do, you can add another -3d less to that

Fix found. A long standing problem with firefox and some video drivers apparently. If it happens, go to "tools" "options" "advanced" and uncheck "hardware acceleration where available"

My screen just went black again, froze, and I and had to shut down firefox. It only happens when I'm on PIO since the changeover and never on any other sites I visit. Anyone else had the problem?

iprimus 59.95 unlimited download incl line rental Woolworths. I got a galaxy 5 with unlimited local and national calls and $150 a month international for $52...............$30 dearer with an iphone if you're into apple products

Couldn't resist and I'm not a spelling/grammar Nazi but............. :-)

Hope you get some resolution chook (I miss the old hug smiley)

Quite frankly..............I think that Brit tradesman have too much of a high opinion of themselves and their abilities and consider most Aussie traidesman to be "tossers? I'm not a tradesman so can't judge on actual ability as both Brit and Aussie tradesman that I have dealt with have always performed reasonably. The only difference that I perceive is that Aussie tradesman on recognising something familiar such as a fishing rod in your garage or a fourby will talk about fishing or 4 wheel driving................a Pom invariably talks about (when he realises that you're a pom) the jobs that he's been on where he's had to "put right" jobs that crap Aussie tradesman have done. In the past, here are often complaints on this forum about Aussie tradesman not turning up to give quotes and Poms being more "professional" and turning up as expected. That could be construed in many ways.............have the Aussies got that much work that they don't need to/ haven't got the time to chase quotes? Do POM tradesman turn up because they are more professional or because they are short of work? That said, I've been given 3 recommendations from a Pom for a Pom Tradesman, and none of them turned up and yet I've never had an Aussie not turn up so I must be the exception as far as PIO past threads go. Whatever the above, I would always employ an Aussie because it's Aussie Tradesman who built the country, are more conversant with it's rules/regs and idiosyncracies and don't whinge as much..................except about Poms always whingeing

If you're not happy where you are, that will eventually reflect on your kids. Depending on their age, kids are resilient and will cope with a move irrespective of how they feel now. They will likely object initially, particularly if teens, but will/should settle down eventually unless they had some objection to Oz when you were last here You say that you're both not happy so that's the crux. You're not being selfish............you both want it (I assume). Your happiness comes first and the kid's happiness will follow

Seeing as it's a rare condition, have you thought about looking at what research is being done? I know someone who had a very rare condition (off the top of my head less than 100 sufferers in Oz) and they managed to get enrolled into a trial in the US with all costs covered.

Yes they do...or did? I haven't watched it in ages. Used to plss me off because it changed the news times. Switched to Al Jazera news because of it. Must admit though that the close ups were very good. They must have had their own motorcyclists unless the coverage was syndicated?

SBS has always covered it in full in past years

"Falling in love" ain't enough......you'll still have to jump through hoops

Not up to speed on the immigration aspect, although from memory of your past posts I think you would be coming over on a different ticket. All I can add is that IME there used to be a fair amount of positions advertised, and more often than not, sought from within, for interpreters/teachers within Centrelink dep'ts and Child Safety and also immigration (refugee programmes)

If it's only your (bad) experiences of sharing housing and not particularly an aversion to it per se, keep your eye on Gumtree and local FB pages as there are (in my area at least) plenty of shared housing with your own fully furnished room for less than $150 a week.................some even with ensuite. If I was flying solo, that's the way i would go until I got established

Safety aside there are other considerations. You say that you want to "go live with their father" Where is he living? Will he move to suit you? What job are you seeking? PM me if you want privacy

C'mon chook!!!!!!!! The Gold Coast is a big place and some parts are totally liveable with little crime. It gets it's rep from Surfers and Broadwater which are just a small part of the place

Swings and roundabouts of the Capitalist system.WTF do they mean by "small arts" and why does anyone think that sector is relevant when the average joe blow just wants to stay employed and couldn't give shit about artistict merit? The growth in farm, fishery and forestry workers is a good indicator that the state isn't totally reliant (moving from it's reliance) on mining. As for the sluggishness in retail showing a direct impact on jobs, anyone with the slightest grasp of economics would surmise that the reverse is true...............that the sluggishness in jobs shows a direct impact on retail....................but hey ho..............I ain't an economist so no doubt someone will come along to tell me that I'm an idiot.

Agreed, but as I have said in past threads, commitment, compassion, ideals, don't "get things done" in a capitalist world. You have only two choices.............pragmatism of thought to change what the capitalists are prepared to allow to change, and acceptance that without violence, other things can't be changed, or violent revolution..............recent events re the Arab Spring have shown that peaceful revolution achieves nothing other than allowing those that you oppose to "muster forces" to defeat you.......................so what is Corbyns (and the peoples choice)? Partial victory through protest/democracy/media facilitating a supposed electoral victory, whilst meanwhile, as history and Marx has pointed out, the capitalist have time to "muster" whilst those whom the revolutionaries are championing, risk inferno?

The left are very good at photo opportunities...................albeit crap at answering press questions once given that opprtunity