June!

Hello hello.  Another update from down under is due and so here I am to update you on our June news!  To be honest, not much is happening here.  As you are probably aware from previous blogs, Australians love to hibernate during winter and, as the weather has been on the miserably blustery rainy side, we have been having a rather quiet June as no-one seems to want to come out to play!  The darkness draws in at 5pm and everyone disappears.  Bring on Italy, only 15 more days at work to survive!

The good news - our new physiotherapist from the UK has arrived! Hurrah.  Her name is Corinna and is around our age.  Her husband is James and he is looking for work as a golf professional at the moment.  They both seem lovely and we have welcomed them into our little social network.  They were not as lucky as us to move straight into accommodation when they arrived and so have been living with the boss for the past 5 days.  James has been given a part time job by Helen's husband Brad who runs an artificial insemination business with bulls.  Think James is keen to find a golfing job pronto!!  They have just moved into a furnished property but will have to find a more permanent house in 3 months time once the owners return from holiday.  It's not easy to find a furnished unit here and we are beginning to realise how lucky we were to get one at a discounted 'mates rates' price! Phew.

Bob is well and still enjoying his managerial job at the council.  He is practising his golf lots and is almost down to a handicap of 2.  He has the day off tomorrow and is planning on watching the US Open in the morning with James then playing golf with James in the afternoon.  As you can tell, he is pleased to have a golfing buddy in town.  He is in the penant golf team and their matches are played in August and September.  Haven't seen too many trophies of late but he's won the odd pro pin here and there.

We introduced Corinna and James to the golf raffle on Friday night.  We haven't won for a while now and, in our group of 10, we didn't get one prize! It would appear that our luck has well and truly run out.  Ah well, we don't want to get greedy!

As for other sports, the Dusties A grade team is going well.  Round 10 was yesterday and we played Garfield.  We won 96-16! A personal best.  So far we have won 9 matches and lost 1 against last year's premiership winners.  I am getting quite excited about being the coach and would not be disappointed to remain on the sideline for the rest of the season to see if I can coach this team to victory!!!! We are currently sitting 4th on the ladder and we have a few big matches coming up so watch this space. Realistically we are aiming for 3rd position but if we could scrape our way into the Grand Final we would be very very excited!!

The ankle is improving and I am now able to run in straight lines.  I ran up 960 stairs at a personal training session last week so that's got to be a good thing! The ankle held up well, not so sure about the quads.  Ouch!  So I'm hoping to make a return in the next 1-2 weeks, if only for a quarter or half of a match. 

Bob's badminton is going well.  His knee seems to be behaving itself but he is feeling his age and is frustrated that he can no longer play like a 16 year old!! For some reason, he is finding himself to be a little bit slower moving round the court.....hmmm.....we are getting old!! Never mind, it'll soon be lawn bowls season, just a few more months yet.....

Next week we have the Dusties footie and netball club masked ball! Now, you would not be silly to think that this may involve dinner suits and ball gowns.  However, we are in Warragul so the boys will be going in their 'smart t-shirts' and a clean pair of jeans.  Avec mask.  This should be quite a spectacle.  Will update you on how it goes in the next blog!!

3 weeks until Italy.  The wedding plans seem to be going well from what we hear.  The bride will be showing off her Jimmy Choos in true Italian stylee and I'm sure she will look stunning in her wedding dress.  Looking forward to catching up with Helen, Steven and bump too. 

Hope you are all well back home, take care, lots of love, The Barrs xxx