JockinTas

Is it the same as being a sociopath? If so, I've known a few in my time and steer well clear.

Very good post Vinnie!! I wondered if you and your wife and little boy did go back as you hoped and so glad everything has worked out for you all. :smile:

The Aussie pension will kick in to bring the British pension into line.

For my son in Ireland we've made a donation to Doctors Without Borders. I hope a large percentage of that does go towards helping. Another charity we donate to is UNICEF.

Take a look at this bunbury. Summer in December, UK 1953. :smile: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/07/warm-hot-weather-winter

Tsk! I'm not wearing a cardi and it's not reached 17C yet. You mainlanders are big softies. :cool:

Anything over 30C is too hot for me Flag.

I get fed up if it rains for more than a couple of days at a time. Yesterday was a wet blustery day and today it's back to cloudless sky and a bit of a breeze. Very changeable but hey, that's Tassie. The mainland is heating up - very hot in Perth today I hear. Today we are expecting it to reach 17C. People in other parts of Australia probably would think that's cold but I find it very pleasant as I'm not a lover of the heat.

We've been having super weather recently but today we were back to winter. Lashing rain, strong wind and it managed to reach 17C. Nice starry night though so the rain and clouds have cleared.

I effectively left the UK when I was 20 and lived in different countries before coming to Australia when I was 30. Did live in the north of England/London with my Australian husband for a time and we were happy there but now this is my home. I also am happy here and I wouldn't go back to live permanently in the UK. I do understand that a lot of people have that urge to return but I just don't have it. Go or stay ................ wherever you will be happiest.

Still light enough here at 9 pm to go for a walk away from street lighting.

I know a lady here who was widowed 3 years ago. She and her husband emigrated to Tasmania many years ago from Italy. She has gone back to Italy for the past 3 years for 6 months of the year. Caught up with her yesterday as she had just arrived back in town. She had a lovely time of it - did a fair bit of travelling around too and of course revelled in speaking her mother tongue. All her sons, daughters and grandchildren are here so she would not go back to live permanently in Italy.

At least you gave Australia a try. It's not the easy country it once was with regard to work and getting a house etc. I'm glad you think you made the right choice in going back to your home country. You can happily settle down now and be near your parents and friends.

The whole scenario sounds quite strange to me. Most of all the mother who would let her children go like that.

You sound so happy! :smile: Stratford upon Avon - you should call in on PB's pub for a pint.

The quality isn't the best either.

M & S's food is indeed very good!

That's exactly how I dress for the Tassie winter. Layers do the trick. I was out and about every day no matter how awful the weather was. Used waterproof stuff a fair bit and it also keeps out the wind.

Och bunbury, you're making me feel quite nostalgic. :smile:

I wonder what constitutes as fun.

....... but it obviously suits a fair few folk. Perth gets a bad rep from a lot of people but do you really think it's all that bad? I just thought it was a lovely clean city and I'll always remember when we arrived back in Sydney and was shocked at the crowds and the hustle and bustle. I soon got used to it but I was never really a city lover and used to escape from the city whenever I got the chance. Bit like London - nice to visit but I wouldn't live there for quids.

What nasty experiences!! I've never been spat at or yelled at but down here we get young males driving powerful V8 utes like maniacs. Don't see much of them during the day - presumably they are at work but there is an area out of town where they drag race and sometimes they come into town afterwards to one of the pubs. Some of them can't resist doing donuts to the accompaniment of screeching tyres and the smell of burning rubber. Luckily the local cops are on to them and cars have been impounded.

I also enjoyed the few years I lived in Perth but at that time we had very young kids so we weren't looking for nightlife. The dry heat didn't bother me as much as the humidity in Sydney. I rather liked the winters there too as my OH built our house and ensured it was well insulated and we had a log heater. I have only visited Melbourne not lived there but I liked it. As you say, horses of courses. Now I live in a place that is very quiet and as far as I know not much nightlife but that's why we moved here. It wouldn't suit a lot of people but I revel in it.

Yes I think it is unreasonable. The oven should have been fixed as soon as you notified the agent.

The Beano and The Dandy - do they still exist? I loved those comics. Desperate Dan was one of my favourite characters.