You've heard of the Yellow Pages - welcome to the Darcie Pages!

It’s been another busy couple of weeks for us all. We’re still working hard at meeting new people and socialising whenever we get the opportunity. There is a BBQ at the golf club every Friday and you buy meat packs from behind the bar, cook your own food and there are two guys on guitars singing and playing. Good fun and there’s a real mix of people that go. We’ve done that for the last two Fridays.

The birthday Fairy at Perth Zoo

So, our little cherub reached the giddy heights of 5 this week. The HRT patches I wrapped for her weren't a hit, but I'm telling you, the way she talks and acts, she'll be in her menopause before I will!

Friday (her actual birthday) was a bitter-sweet day for her as the day before, we had a telephone call from Secret Harbour Primary school to say that a place had become available and did we still want it for Darcie? Well, yes.... fantastic. That means that they can walk or ride their bicycles together and takes alot of pressure off of getting to two schools in the morning..... only for the last two days, Darcie has REALLY bonded with another little girl in her class. I told her the news about changing schools and she jumped for joy "I'll be able to go to the same school as Sam! I'll be able to see him in the playground - and all his friends!" Then her little face clouded over and she got really upset because she wouldn't be able to play with her new friend anymore. How bad did I feel? That's right Darcie, you just put yourself out there, make an effort to get new friends, and I will rip you away from them all again :-( I know it's better to happen now, rather than in a later term, but I really felt bad.

Anyhow, her teacher was really nice and packaged up her work for her to take home. She's done some lovely artwork, it's beautiful! She went to school armed with two cakes, two packs of bubbles to share with everyone and a industrial size package of party poppers. She came home similing!

For her birthday, she got a fish tank, so after school, we took her to the pet shop to pick some fish. It took her ages - she kept choosing the stupid plastic ornaments, rather than the live ones, but we coaxed her and got there in the end! Paul had a scrouge moment when he accused us of buying all the fish in the Indian Ocean (we bought 4!!), but I think she is pleased with her purchases. She's even got a Siamese Fighting Fish in a cold water tank - it's a bully and chases all the other fish.

Darcie and her "Nemo" buddies.

On Saturday, we went to Perth Zoo for her birthday treat. It's lovely there. We went for Adam's birthday last year and everyone agreed they wanted to go back again. They've still got a HUGE crocodile there (350kg / 50 years old's worth!) and the BIGGEST python you've ever seen in your life! The keepers did a talk on snakes and Sam stroked one again - yyuuuccchhh!!

The zoo was fairly uneventful (you know, the usual fun was had watching the animals wee, and the monkeys sticking their fingers up their noses!), until Sam asked in a really loud voice on the African Savanna section, "Mum, Dad, how DO giraffe's have sex?" Urmm..... Errm.......... 'Oh look - over there Sam, it's a Rhino... (quick run!). Where does he get these things from? How does he even know what sex is? Too many worrying questions! Moving on..... Adam loved the penguins and is actually fluent in 'Wark', the penguin language! He stood for at least ten minutes, answering them whenever they called. I must check his toes for webbing later - he can bl**dy talk penguin, but he still can't say 'Sam'!

Darcie waits for the film to start in King's Park:

After the zoo, we went to King's Park to watch Chicken Little at the Moonlight Cinema. I think the people have got even more ostentatious than last year (if that's possible? Australians don't travel light and their picnics could cater for several hundred, rather than the four family members in their party!). The family sitting in front of us, for example, had freshly prepared sushi (with a container of soy sauce, for heaven's sake! - or should that be 'for heaven's saki'?). It does get a bit nippy, but there is something magical about watching a film with several hundred strangers under the stars. They bring bean bag beds, duvets, sleeping bags - you name it - they lug it over car park and dog turd. Mr Cheese LOVED it and as soon as the film started, sat glued to my lap - laughing and clapping at the funny bits.

Sunday we went to the kite festival in Secret Harbour (which was a bit naff!) and afterwards, Darcie had her horse riding lesson. She absolutely loved it. As soon as she arrived, she brushed the pony, they saddled her up together and Darcie was off, on her own! She was steering the pony on her own - I don't even know how to start a horse, (wouldn't have a clue where to insert the key!), she did some trotting, steered in and out of cones and even tackled a little jump. She was fab!

Harvey Smith, eat your heart out!

So, fun over, she's got another new uniform now (I'm not too unhappy - I sold the old one to another parent for $70! :-) I just feel for her having 'another' first day tomorrow. She's such a little star though, I'm sure she'll be fine. I went to the P&C (parents and citizens - like the school association) meeting on Wednesday night and commented on how I had to drive my daughter to a neighbouring school (bah humbug!). I was sitting opposite the Prinicpal, but he didn't comment, but low and behold - the VERY next day, I got the telephone call offering Darcie the place! Coincidence? Probably; but thanks anyway!

Uniform number 2 - do we like this one more? Shall we stick with it?

She had her first dance class this week, too and loved that as well. The first week, I was supposed to take her, but got lost and couldn't find the stupid place. I was really worried that she'd be upset as she was really looking forward to it. I braced myself, turned to her and apologised and asked if she was OK. Her little shoulders were shaking in the back of the car and I feared the worst...... "oh Mum," she laughed, "you're SUCH a plonker!"

Finally, some good news about the house. Mr and Mrs Indecisive have signed up with a builder! Hoorraahh!! We are building a two storey house with Perceptions. It will take approx. eight weeks to get all the plans drawn up and six months for the builders to actually start work on site (has to go through shire planning etc), and completion should be Darcie's birthday......... 2008! Bugger! Never mind - good things come to he who waits. It's fab (we like it). It has a self-contained office for us, so when we do take on staff (for the visa requirements) they will be able to come and go if we are away, but only get into the office and the toilet. It has a home theatre, huge alfresco area and the kids bedrooms upstairs with an activity/fifth bedroom.

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It's really daunting as we get to choose the colour of the render, roof tiles and window frames. I think I'll just let Paul choose - perhaps I've inherited Dad's taste and have a mad moment and order it tangerine colour. I think I should do that anyway - in Dad's honour. What do you reckon?