Title: One year on...
Description: ...VERY long post warning!!
Heathertoes - May 25, 2007 01:54 PM (GMT)
So here we are then – grab yourself a big cuppa, packet of Rich Tea (UK), Timtams (Oz)……..
The wait for the visa passes so incredibly slowly, but once it’s granted the time goes so incredibly quick and it doesn’t stop once you land either.
To have to sell up the house, cars and draw so many things to a conclusion only to have to reinstate them all a few weeks later is a very daunting task. We had no friends/family or job waiting for us on this side. When we look back as to how much we achieved in those first couple of weeks we are astounded. It’s just go, go, go. Sometimes it can be the chicken and egg scenario. We had no proper address, only Brighton Caravan Park – that raised a few eyebrows when filling in forms! But it was enough to get us the things that we needed. Its extremely hard not knowing instinctively where to go/start as every company name is new and there are no familiar names to reassure you.
We had done a recci the previous year and so were a little more prepared than many. It certainly helped us enormously, especially as we had an idea of where we wanted to settle. We were aware that there were many, many other lovely areas but felt that you could look around for months before deciding. For us the Flagstaff Hill/ Coro Valley/ Blackwood area ticked many boxes.
School - With one child of school age we knew that we didn’t want to move in somewhere only to move on again a short time later. It was a daunting task to decide on a school and area. But what to do first? We chatted to total strangers, asked questions of anyone who seemed willing to talk to us. One day we even stopped a couple of people coming out of the school with their kids and asked for their opinions. It seems that we have made a good choice!
As for the schooling, they don’t seem to push them as hard as they did in our son’s school back in the UK. Sometimes I think this is good/bad. We certainly don’t have the tears over homework like we did, nor is the whole weekend dominated by it. They do get homework, but somehow our son seems motivated at school and finishes it at school.
Our youngest started at one of the local Kindergartens, which really is more like a playgroup – focus is not on numeracy and literacy but on learning through the world around them. At 4 our youngest was well aware of the dangerous UV rays and saving water. Recently she has progressed to the same school as her brother and has made the transition extremely well, as do all her counterparts.
Buying a house – How many open houses did we visit? Loads! How many did we just drive past? Even more!! We just drove around and around and around. You won’t always spot a likely looking house in the papers, but drive by it and it may well grab your attention. Infact the house we are in we found by driving around this estate one day. When you finally do find the house for you they certainly have is sussed here. No wondering and waiting for weeks on end to exchange contracts. We kept saying to people that we were ‘hopefully getting a house in Flagstaff’ to which they would state that if we have signed the contracts then we have a house. Just didn’t seem quite real to see a house one week and it literally be yours by the end of the next.
One thing that did reassure us was that when speaking to people they were all very positive about the suburb we had chosen.
Work – we realise that we have been extremely fortunate and Duncan found a job relatively quickly. A couple of interviews and he had 2 job offers. It’s not always the case. But you do need to chase these people up! Even when he had been given the job he was still waiting for the formal contract the day before he was due to start! Just in case you were wondering – he’s a Project Manager for a construction company.
Medicare – As we are on the SIR visa we only get reciprocal Medicare, I explain it that we are treated the same as if we were backpackers. So far we have had one trip to the Domain at Marion for OH to get his forehead stitched and two or three trips to A&E at Flinders Hospital – and not been charged for any of it.
Unfortunately our son has needed a fair amount of dental work, which recently included a trip to Blackwood hospital to remove 8 baby teeth. That cost! We had to pay for the dentist’s time, pay for each extraction, hospital time/bed and anaesthetist. The only thing we could make any claim for was the anaesthetist – and that wasn’t for all of it!
They are very good at dental care – from what we have seen. Our dentist is from the UK and she said that she could not rest on her laurels when she started work here. We feel that if we were still in the UK we would be unaware of Glen’s teeth problem (he has 5 adult teeth missing)
Social – we don’t stop! It got so beautifully busy over the summer that we had to start restricting ourselves to one social thing per weekend; otherwise we wouldn’t have stopped at all. Most of our friends are from the UK, its not intentional, it just happens that way.
We have been to lots of different events, some we will repeat this year – some we won’t. There are also many things that we didn’t manage to see and so will be looking forward to them in 2007. So many things we have been to have been free/cheap.
When we were here for our recci we did a fair amount of exploring, KI, Barossa etc but there is so much here. We had a trip to the Flinders in January (Aussies thought we were mad!) The children loved being in the middle of nowhere and are asking to return again later this year.
Weather - We coped with the heat quite well I think. As it was our first summer we were determined not to fall over as soon as it hit 35 deg, just kept repeating...mmm its warm today! Until finally the Aussies were saying it was hot! Our house has air conditioning, which we kept forgetting to use! Sometimes it struggled, but then you opened the front door and reminded yourself just how hot it was outside! It is just like opening the oven door - just pure dry heat, not the oppressive sticky heat of the UK summers.
Plenty of glorious blue skies and breath taking sunsets are a regular occurance.
And we are all dancing with joy for the long awaited rain. Though the drought and water restrictions are still very much with us. Driving around at the moment its hard to believe you are in South Australia with so much green grass everywhere.
Spiders/snakes and other things – not seen any snakes, but are aware of the likely places to find them, so just avoid those places and make the children very aware. Spiders are around and treated with due caution until identified. Kids have been very good and don’t freak out. Mind you we’ve only seen relatively small huntsmen, might be different if we meet a big daddy one!
Touch wood, the ants have stayed outside. Never realised they came in so many sizes. Can be a pain in the butt….or foot usually, if out in the garden. Flies are annoying at BBQ time - but at least they don’t sting you.
Mozzies are the biggest annoyance of all – and we have found that we don’t sit out in the evenings as much as we thought we would – not without covering ourselves in some foul smelling gunk first!
Nicer wildlife – We haven’t had a koala in our garden, but 2 of our neighbours have, a friend has a regular visitor in hers and quite often there is one at the Kindy and the school. Even the Aussies seem totally struck by them – it’s not just us newbie’s going goo goo over them!
We have had two blue tongued lizards living in our garden, although I only know of one of their whereabouts now. I hear the bush rustling every time I go out the back door. Little skinks scuttle away quite regularly as well.
Birds are amazing. Beautiful rosellas, lorikeets, minor birds, magpies, galahs, sulphur crested cockatoos, wattlebirds, honeyeaters and of course kookaburras are some of our local birds. Thankfully we hear the kookaburras and cockatoos in the distance.
Shopping – takes a little getting used to. There are a few familiar brands like Heinz, but mostly we didn’t recognise them. Don’t really miss anything – not until it’s mentioned on here and then I do! Sometimes just silly things like calling a pepper ‘capsicum’ take a little while to become part of your vocab. Our son has taken more Aussie words on board than we have! Its YO – gurt here, lollies are sweets, pants are trousers and thongs are flip flops.
We use our local butcher a lot, never did that in the UK. There are not shelf upon shelf of prepared meals in the chiller cabinet, yet there is half an aisle taken up with instant noodle type meals. Bizarre. Do find that the veg doesn’t seem to last as long in the fridge – perhaps it’s not quite as stuffed with preservatives as the UK veg?
Do miss the Argos catalogue for reference purposes and all the toy and Christmas catalogues – they just don’t have them here. But don’t worry, each week your post box (which is at the end of your drive!) will get stuffed with catalogues. Every major food retailer/department store will issue almost a weekly update as to their special offers.
Post – it’s delivered by these little yellow demons on mopeds that zoom around the pavements (if you have any!) And you don’t get post on a Saturday either. Things are jammed into your little post box and if it doesn’t quite fit – tough, they leave it hanging out – rain or shine! Watch out for spiders when emptying your box – it’s a fav place.
Aussies – friendly bunch. Very welcoming and they are in awe of what we are all doing in coming over here with no job/home/family/friends. They are also unaware of all the visas and how hard some of us find it to actually get the visa in the first place. Haven’t had one Aussie begrudge us being here. Dunc does get teased at work – you know – warm beer/cricket/weather the usual. But they say that is a sign of them accepting you. They also take the mick out of the different terminology – it’s not a lorry, it’s a truck, they don’t have decorators, they are painters, no ironmongery – its door furniture. I’m sure every trade must be the same.
They are laid back. For example, we have had a couple of quotes for work to be carried out to our house – since receiving the quotes, not one single company has chased us.
Settled? Yes – as far as you can be after a year of such change. The kids still talk about the UK and their friends, even our youngest. That can be really tough to deal with. We find its usually when they are tired that it kicks in but thankfully its just a quick hiccup and things return to normal quickly. Its sometimes hard for them to comprehend all the reasons for moving here, a trip to the beach can work wonders!
So there you have some of our experiences for the first year - I could ramble on and on.....and I often do! If there is anything in particular any of you in the UK want more details on then ask away!
Here's to our next 12 months - which I am sure will be just as full of amazing experiences as our first.
Heather x
Toon Williams - May 25, 2007 02:04 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Heathertoes @ May 26 2007, 12:24 AM) |
So here we are then – grab yourself a big cuppa, packet of Rich Tea (UK), Timtams (Oz)……..
The wait for the visa passes so incredibly slowly, but once it’s granted the time goes so incredibly quick and it doesn’t stop once you land either.
To have to sell up the house, cars and draw so many things to a conclusion only to have to reinstate them all a few weeks later is a very daunting task. We had no friends/family or job waiting for us on this side. When we look back as to how much we achieved in those first couple of weeks we are astounded. It’s just go, go, go. Sometimes it can be the chicken and egg scenario. We had no proper address, only Brighton Caravan Park – that raised a few eyebrows when filling in forms! But it was enough to get us the things that we needed. Its extremely hard not knowing instinctively where to go/start as every company name is new and there are no familiar names to reassure you.
We had done a recci the previous year and so were a little more prepared than many. It certainly helped us enormously, especially as we had an idea of where we wanted to settle. We were aware that there were many, many other lovely areas but felt that you could look around for months before deciding. For us the Flagstaff Hill/ Coro Valley/ Blackwood area ticked many boxes.
School - With one child of school age we knew that we didn’t want to move in somewhere only to move on again a short time later. It was a daunting task to decide on a school and area. But what to do first? We chatted to total strangers, asked questions of anyone who seemed willing to talk to us. One day we even stopped a couple of people coming out of the school with their kids and asked for their opinions. It seems that we have made a good choice!
As for the schooling, they don’t seem to push them as hard as they did in our son’s school back in the UK. Sometimes I think this is good/bad. We certainly don’t have the tears over homework like we did, nor is the whole weekend dominated by it. They do get homework, but somehow our son seems motivated at school and finishes it at school.
Our youngest started at one of the local Kindergartens, which really is more like a playgroup – focus is not on numeracy and literacy but on learning through the world around them. At 4 our youngest was well aware of the dangerous UV rays and saving water. Recently she has progressed to the same school as her brother and has made the transition extremely well, as do all her counterparts.
Buying a house – How many open houses did we visit? Loads! How many did we just drive past? Even more!! We just drove around and around and around. You won’t always spot a likely looking house in the papers, but drive by it and it may well grab your attention. Infact the house we are in we found by driving around this estate one day. When you finally do find the house for you they certainly have is sussed here. No wondering and waiting for weeks on end to exchange contracts. We kept saying to people that we were ‘hopefully getting a house in Flagstaff’ to which they would state that if we have signed the contracts then we have a house. Just didn’t seem quite real to see a house one week and it literally be yours by the end of the next.
One thing that did reassure us was that when speaking to people they were all very positive about the suburb we had chosen.
Work – we realise that we have been extremely fortunate and Duncan found a job relatively quickly. A couple of interviews and he had 2 job offers. It’s not always the case. But you do need to chase these people up! Even when he had been given the job he was still waiting for the formal contract the day before he was due to start! Just in case you were wondering – he’s a Project Manager for a construction company.
Medicare – As we are on the SIR visa we only get reciprocal Medicare, I explain it that we are treated the same as if we were backpackers. So far we have had one trip to the Domain at Marion for OH to get his forehead stitched and two or three trips to A&E at Flinders Hospital – and not been charged for any of it.
Unfortunately our son has needed a fair amount of dental work, which recently included a trip to Blackwood hospital to remove 8 baby teeth. That cost! We had to pay for the dentist’s time, pay for each extraction, hospital time/bed and anaesthetist. The only thing we could make any claim for was the anaesthetist – and that wasn’t for all of it!
They are very good at dental care – from what we have seen. Our dentist is from the UK and she said that she could not rest on her laurels when she started work here. We feel that if we were still in the UK we would be unaware of Glen’s teeth problem (he has 5 adult teeth missing)
Social – we don’t stop! It got so beautifully busy over the summer that we had to start restricting ourselves to one social thing per weekend; otherwise we wouldn’t have stopped at all. Most of our friends are from the UK, its not intentional, it just happens that way.
We have been to lots of different events, some we will repeat this year – some we won’t. There are also many things that we didn’t manage to see and so will be looking forward to them in 2007. So many things we have been to have been free/cheap.
When we were here for our recci we did a fair amount of exploring, KI, Barossa etc but there is so much here. We had a trip to the Flinders in January (Aussies thought we were mad!) The children loved being in the middle of nowhere and are asking to return again later this year.
Weather - We coped with the heat quite well I think. As it was our first summer we were determined not to fall over as soon as it hit 35 deg, just kept repeating...mmm its warm today! Until finally the Aussies were saying it was hot! Our house has air conditioning, which we kept forgetting to use! Sometimes it struggled, but then you opened the front door and reminded yourself just how hot it was outside! It is just like opening the oven door - just pure dry heat, not the oppressive sticky heat of the UK summers.
Plenty of glorious blue skies and breath taking sunsets are a regular occurance.
And we are all dancing with joy for the long awaited rain. Though the drought and water restrictions are still very much with us. Driving around at the moment its hard to believe you are in South Australia with so much green grass everywhere.
Spiders/snakes and other things – not seen any snakes, but are aware of the likely places to find them, so just avoid those places and make the children very aware. Spiders are around and treated with due caution until identified. Kids have been very good and don’t freak out. Mind you we’ve only seen relatively small huntsmen, might be different if we meet a big daddy one!
Touch wood, the ants have stayed outside. Never realised they came in so many sizes. Can be a pain in the butt….or foot usually, if out in the garden. Flies are annoying at BBQ time - but at least they don’t sting you.
Mozzies are the biggest annoyance of all – and we have found that we don’t sit out in the evenings as much as we thought we would – not without covering ourselves in some foul smelling gunk first!
Nicer wildlife – We haven’t had a koala in our garden, but 2 of our neighbours have, a friend has a regular visitor in hers and quite often there is one at the Kindy and the school. Even the Aussies seem totally struck by them – it’s not just us newbie’s going goo goo over them!
We have had two blue tongued lizards living in our garden, although I only know of one of their whereabouts now. I hear the bush rustling every time I go out the back door. Little skinks scuttle away quite regularly as well.
Birds are amazing. Beautiful rosellas, lorikeets, minor birds, magpies, galahs, sulphur crested cockatoos, wattlebirds, honeyeaters and of course kookaburras are some of our local birds. Thankfully we hear the kookaburras and cockatoos in the distance.
Shopping – takes a little getting used to. There are a few familiar brands like Heinz, but mostly we didn’t recognise them. Don’t really miss anything – not until it’s mentioned on here and then I do! Sometimes just silly things like calling a pepper ‘capsicum’ take a little while to become part of your vocab. Our son has taken more Aussie words on board than we have! Its YO – gurt here, lollies are sweets, pants are trousers and thongs are flip flops.
We use our local butcher a lot, never did that in the UK. There are not shelf upon shelf of prepared meals in the chiller cabinet, yet there is half an aisle taken up with instant noodle type meals. Bizarre. Do find that the veg doesn’t seem to last as long in the fridge – perhaps it’s not quite as stuffed with preservatives as the UK veg?
Do miss the Argos catalogue for reference purposes and all the toy and Christmas catalogues – they just don’t have them here. But don’t worry, each week your post box (which is at the end of your drive!) will get stuffed with catalogues. Every major food retailer/department store will issue almost a weekly update as to their special offers.
Post – it’s delivered by these little yellow demons on mopeds that zoom around the pavements (if you have any!) And you don’t get post on a Saturday either. Things are jammed into your little post box and if it doesn’t quite fit – tough, they leave it hanging out – rain or shine! Watch out for spiders when emptying your box – it’s a fav place.
Aussies – friendly bunch. Very welcoming and they are in awe of what we are all doing in coming over here with no job/home/family/friends. They are also unaware of all the visas and how hard some of us find it to actually get the visa in the first place. Haven’t had one Aussie begrudge us being here. Dunc does get teased at work – you know – warm beer/cricket/weather the usual. But they say that is a sign of them accepting you. They also take the mick out of the different terminology – it’s not a lorry, it’s a truck, they don’t have decorators, they are painters, no ironmongery – its door furniture. I’m sure every trade must be the same.
They are laid back. For example, we have had a couple of quotes for work to be carried out to our house – since receiving the quotes, not one single company has chased us.
Settled? Yes – as far as you can be after a year of such change. The kids still talk about the UK and their friends, even our youngest. That can be really tough to deal with. We find its usually when they are tired that it kicks in but thankfully its just a quick hiccup and things return to normal quickly. Its sometimes hard for them to comprehend all the reasons for moving here, a trip to the beach can work wonders!
So there you have some of our experiences for the first year - I could ramble on and on.....and I often do! If there is anything in particular any of you in the UK want more details on then ask away!
Here's to our next 12 months - which I am sure will be just as full of amazing experiences as our first.
Heather x |
Good Post Heather and glad your first year has been relatively straight forward!!
We are only 4 months in, but the time has flown past so quick, sure it wont be long until we will be doing the Been here a Year Post!!
I agree with everything you say really, regarding schools and shopping and yes I really miss Argos and also Next oh and Marks and Sparks Bacon!!!???
rfox - May 25, 2007 02:26 PM (GMT)
thanks for taking the time to post this - a great read :D
kaz101 - May 25, 2007 03:31 PM (GMT)
Thanks for that post Heather!
We're heading out to Mt Gambier in a few weeks and like you we don't have any family or friends there but we did a buy a house earlier in the year. While we were out there we did become friendly with the motel owners, the real estate agent ( I know but she's really nice!), and a president of an over 40's social club, so we'll have some people to talk to.
Can't wait to get out there now - just waiting for the house sale to go through!
Karen
RedLetterGirl - May 25, 2007 03:54 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather,
Thanks very much for your inspirational and yet practical post. Just What I needed. It helps so much to be reminded what were all doing this for!
Glad all is going well for you :D :yeehah: :D
Nicola.
likesshopping - May 25, 2007 04:07 PM (GMT)
Thanks Heather for taking the time to let us all know how you're all finding things.
Great post
thanks
sarahx
runcorn2adelaide - May 25, 2007 04:17 PM (GMT)
Great Post and really helpful for the hopefuls awaiting their big adventure :D
BLACKCAT - May 25, 2007 05:41 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather
Thanks for a great post, really enjoyed reading all about it. Sounds like you are all settled and enjoying it. We hope to be there ourselves by Oct this year - scary!!
Lea - May 25, 2007 06:04 PM (GMT)
Wow Heather!! :love29:
Great post thank you for sharing it with us. We are looking forward to moving over in October and hope our move will be as successful!
Take Care
Lea
hairbear - May 25, 2007 06:05 PM (GMT)
HI heather great post my husbands a site manager in the U.K and very reasuring for him that there are jobs out there it lifts my spirits to read such a good post! as sometimes reading negative posts makes you worry more i know it is not a bed of roses but it is great to see it from both sides (of the world!!) :dance: Hairbear
weez - May 25, 2007 06:07 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather,
FANTASTIC post! thanks for taking the time to write it , we live to hear these stories and can't wait till it's our time to do one. :D
weez :D
kangomik - May 25, 2007 06:29 PM (GMT)
Heather your a star, well written and covers many areas.
Thanks for taking the time out to post it. :yeehah:
Awesome.
Mik
Liz - May 25, 2007 06:29 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather,
An absolutely fantastic post, not just the content, but it was so easy to read, so much so that I printed it off so hubby could read (he's not in to computers!)
I will definitely be contacting you for more info, I'd better get it in before the BBQ season starts again :lol:
Liz x
mysnix - May 25, 2007 08:02 PM (GMT)
Heather,
Fantastic post!!!
Congratulations on your first year anniversary!
Catch you soon :chuckle:
Nikki
xx
minkyme29 - May 25, 2007 08:08 PM (GMT)
Heather
Thanks so much for your great post! I loved reading that one, really well put together and easy to follow as well as being incredibly informative...ooohh I'm all fired up now.
I hope you continue to settle and enjoy living in Adelaide and maybe we'll see you around if we decide to live near you.
Take care
Dette
angelicangela - May 25, 2007 09:12 PM (GMT)
Another BIG thank you for me Heather. I read it with ease & it felt very honest :)
A year, thats a milestone, so well done :dance:
Hoping to be out Aug / Sept 07 :clap: :clap:
Angela
Delboy - May 25, 2007 11:07 PM (GMT)
A great post Heather.
Written as though you were talking to someone face to face.
all the best for the next 12 months :sign03:
weasy - May 25, 2007 11:22 PM (GMT)
Super one year update Heather. Glad it's not just me who thinks the fruit and veg goes off quicker. I just buy it pretty much as we need it now rather than stocking up a bit. See you Thursday :D
Louise
kerry&jay - May 25, 2007 11:31 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather
Thanks very much for this fantastic post. And for taking the time out to write it.
It is a great read, we cannot wait to get to Oz.
Glad that your first year has been a success a here's to many more.
Best wishes
kerry&jay :dance:
irishdude - May 25, 2007 11:36 PM (GMT)
:love29: Brilliant Brilliant Briliant Post Heather.. just what the Doctor ordered :love29:
irishdude :cool shake:
Tyke - May 26, 2007 12:03 AM (GMT)
Fabby post Heather.
Of soo much use to those intending to move here. :clap: :clap:
moonlight - May 26, 2007 01:16 AM (GMT)
You are a star Heather! What a detailed post!
Just wanted to say its great to have you as a neighbour and a friend, your support over the last few weeks has been much appreciated :love29:
Here's to the next part of the adventure onwards and upwards to PR status :sign60:
Sunshine
ozzygumdrops - May 26, 2007 02:05 AM (GMT)
:P
Post – it’s delivered by these little yellow demons on mopeds that zoom around the pavements (if you have any!) And you don’t get post on a Saturday either. Things are jammed into your little post box and if it doesn’t quite fit – tough, they leave it hanging out – rain or shine!
That's my hubby you are talking about!!!!!!!!! Never heard him described as a little yellow demon before....... <_<
Good post tho', it will be our year soon. Goes quick doesn't it?
All the best for the next 12 mths....onwards and upwards!
:dance:
l.milling - May 26, 2007 05:12 AM (GMT)
Well done Heather, fantastic post. :love29: :love29: :love29:
Best of luck for the next year being as smooth as the first.
Lesley :D
janandrob - May 26, 2007 07:23 AM (GMT)
What an accurate, informative, well put together post. A pure minefield of insider information for Adelaidians to be :cool shake:
Jan :chuckle:
Heathertoes - May 26, 2007 10:17 AM (GMT)
Shucks guys - it was nothing. Glad to be of some use! Just realised how long a post it was.....should have told you to get a pot of tea ready. The fingers tend to get carried away on the keyboard ;) There is so much more that I could have added..... :D
Andy&Lindsey - May 26, 2007 10:51 AM (GMT)
Thankyou Heather
You have made my weekend reading that - I am sat here typing and smiling
Congratulations on your anniversary - Its paper for number one isn't it ? :D
Keep posting and keep enjoying
Lindsey
Chris - May 26, 2007 11:28 AM (GMT)
Well what can I say that others already haven't? :loopy:
Your post was just FANTASTIC!! :sign61:
I feel like I've already visited now! Thank you. :love29: :love29:
It truly is the best post I've read! :clap: :clap:
It was far better than any Ozzy guide I could have ever bought! (possibly a new opening for you!)
BRILLIANT Heather, hope the next 12 months is even grater!! :bouncy:
Chris
jsk710 - May 26, 2007 04:22 PM (GMT)
Hi Heather
Truly Amazing post mate, and so honest, A good read for the people waiting to come over.... :D
Best of luck for year No 2........... :mr man: :sign08:
Keith............ :yeehah: :yeehah:
shazrazmataz - May 26, 2007 11:36 PM (GMT)
Wow Heather I can believe it's twelve months since you left the Uk, I remember it just like it was yesterday.
Just like to thank you on writing such a fab post, full of detail which I'm sure the folks back in the Uk will just love. Best of luck for the next year I hope it'll be as smooth as your first one :D xx
AreWeThereYet? - May 29, 2007 03:52 AM (GMT)
Great post Heather. I don't visit Ad Brits much these days but had been looking out for your year post.
A very interesting read and yes we celebrated our 1st year anniversary on 26th May. Time does definitely fly by. Here's to the next year and may it be even better than the first.
Deb x :D