One Fine Day

Today's was a perfect day. Woke up to sunny blue skies with light sea breeze and a happy waggy raindrop downstairs greeting me. Since it was the first morning raindrop's home, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice hearty breakfast at the nearby beach cafe. 

Raindrop sensed that we were gonna take her out so she dutifully waited at the door. She expertly & automatically jumped into the back of our land rover, popped her head out through the half open window & waited for her morning adventure to begin.

The cafe was already quite packed with couples, families and dogs even though it was only 8ish. The breakfast like most breakfast you get in sydney was super yummy. I had a nicely done eggs benedict topped with baked ham, hollandaise sauce & rosti. 

With tummies warm and filled with food, we took a long walk along the coast. Raindrop was really relaxed and happy which is a huge change from her usually nervous-self when she's outside. She even wanted to make friends with the other dogs around, amazing! I was so impressed and  tempted to let her off leash so she could run in the open fields but was worried she might run across the road. Guess i'll do that when she's more discipline outdoors. 

Since we had such a wonderful start to the day, a fitting end would be to prepare an equally awesome dinner, so we got busy in the kitchen and outdid ourselves with a roast beef with mash potatoes, salad and accompanied by a glass of cabernet merlot from our favorite vineyard. 

Ahhhh....i'm now tucked in bed feeling very satisfied =)

(i took a couple of pics but too lazy to upload them now....)

going down the checklist

I wrote in my earlier post, 20 reasons why I wanted to move to sydney. I'm happy to report that quite a few of the checklist are being fulfilled and becoming our way of life here:

1) My herb garden

I'm never one with green fingers but I do like the IDEA of having plants even though they don't survive very long under my torment, erm I mean, care.

However, I couldn't resist starting up a herb garden in our courtyard. (with a herb plant, in the event it starts to die on me, I can quickly snip up the leaves and use it to cook....well at least the plant won't die in vain) So far I've gotten myself a pot of Rosemary, Basil & Lemon Thyme. The scent from just touching the leaves is heavenly. My heart still gives little flutters of joy whenever I snip a few fresh herbs in the midst of cooking, there's just something really earthly & wholesome about it. 

Here's a pic of my modest herb garden:

basil and rosemary (notice Raindrop, in the corner of photo, sniffing at my basil plant. she's been taking little nips at it without me knowing)

Lemon Thyme

2) The best things in life are free (almost)

On weekends, we derive much pleasure from doing simple things like packing a simple lunch and having it by the rocks facing the sea, walking along the nearby beach, having a beer at the local pub or just fiddling around the house.

a simple lunch of chicken-salad sandwich with steaming hot cappuccino

nearby beach

our regular beer garden. booze's cheap there but food sucks.

3) Going to the flea markets & festivals

There's always something going on in Sydney. In fact every weekend, there's a whole 20+ page section of the Herald Tribute called the "Weekend" devoted to all the wonderful leisure & entertainment stuff going on that weekend. Eg. We went to the Surry Hills festival which happens annually in support for fringe activist advocating Eco-values, Organic-living, and some rather hocus-pocus stuff like "No-more dollies (basically anti-cloning)". 

Just today, we went to another festival called "Bark in the Park", basically a fair devoted to the pooches. There were all kinds of funny looking dogs, some normal looking ones dressed up to look funny. Like this one here:

Angel & Devil 

Of course there were perfectly normal looking humans & dogs like me & raindrop:

Official beginning

After lumbering around for almost 3 weeks since we got here, our life officially started on the 9th April. Nothing "officiates" it more than making 2 major commitments: Signing the lease on a House and Buying a Car, both on the same day.

It was a funny experience and eye-opener going through the process for both.

First, the house. We actually wanted to get the keys on Fri but we didn't have

 a document they wanted. The agent promised that we can officially hand over on a Monday morning when we bring the document. Come Monday, with document on hand, we're all excited abt getting the keys. Several calls later, we found out that the silly woman was on medical leave and for 2 days! Maybe after closing our "sale", she partied too hard over the weekend n she decided to give herself 2 days off at the beach.

Oh well, we thought since we were in no big rush and since we ARE in oz, gotta do as the aussies do, just chill. ( Also cos, they're usually so nice that it's hard to get mad at them)

So on the 9th, the agent finally came back to work (with a tan), we finally got the keys to our new home. Here's a sneak preview:

 

view from our courtyard

As for the car, the transaction was too simple: Handover a wad of cash, sign form and viola! the car's ours. And since buying a car in cash is totally unheard off in S'pore, I couldn't resist snapping a shot of the stack of cash we used for the car:

Raindrop

As promised, here's what raindrop's been up to since she arrived in sydney:

See video HERE .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l50S6uFCHrc

Raindrop & me locked up

Raindrop's other locked up neighbours

Raindrop quarreling with her neighbour (already!)

As you can see from the video n photos, raindrop is surprisingly completely at ease with her new surroundings. Knowing her nervous nature, I really expected to see her huddled in the corner looking terrified but instead, she's there running around with tail wagging, excited and even man-ja. Incredible! 

And oh the pen you see in the photo is raindrop's home while she's at the quarantine station. It's like a small terrace "house" comprising of an indoor "bedroom" with a bed (yes literally a bed with blanket) and a outdoor courtyard with a automatic water cooler. She's even got a nanny who's assigned to take care of her. Very nice young lady who unfortunately had the privilege of learning that Raindrop bites (sometimes). 

I'm really relieved and happy to know that Raindrop's doing great. We're gonna visit her again on Friday. Can't wait!