It's never too early to be one of the ladies who lunch!

I'm going to change the name of my blog to "It's a hard life but someone has to do it". I feel like I'm saying that phrase on an hour by hour basis. I'm giving myself the major shits.

This was our Saturday morning: A half hour walk to Telstra Stadium (along the way we talked and watched lizards scuttle through the undergrowth); the kids played on the fantastic, post-modern playground near the Overflow; a walk back towards home which included going through the beautiful new Brickpit Walk and then through Wentworth Common (see pics below).

Here are some pics from our walk up the Bay Marker Hill in our first week:

It's a hard life...

Alarmingly I don't seem to be smarter than a 5th grader.

Oz Idol has started and I have a few early favourites.

Matt - he has the package - good looks (for a 16 year old boy) and a great voice. He reminds me of last year's Dean Geyer but so much better. I feel very old and maternal when I say he seems like a gorgeous boy.

Tarisai - she is the tiny girl with the huge voice from Zimbabwe. While I'm no big fan of the Whitney Houston school of singing there is no arguing about this girl's beautiful voice. She'll be in the top two. I'll almost put my house on it.

A few others look good - Daniel, Brianna (possibly annoying after a while), Lana, Ben and Jacob (though he reminds me eerily of my sister's ex - and that's someone I don't want to be reminded of).

Overall, the usual fun bit of nonsense to occupy us on Sunday nights for the next few months.

Gee, we survived APEC. What a surprise. Our human rights didn't cease because we couldn't access the Opera House or because we weren't "invited" to the fireworks display.

What will the eternal whingers find to moan about now?

All those wasted Stop Bush t-shirts. Possibly they can be recycled. Any suggestions? I have a few but this is a G rated program.

One of the extra benefits of our recent move is that we are now very cosy neighbours with the high security Silverwater Jail. I spend a lot of my time wondering what it is like in there. Do their wives really bring them cakes with files baked into them? Do they really not bother picking up the soap should they drop it in the shower? Is there really a cell in there occupied by a big bald guy called Bubba? These are the sorts of thoughts which keep me awake at night.

In addition almost every morning as I start-stop along my short but slow trip along Homebush Bay Drive I am joined in the traffic by one of those Correctional Services vans which is undoubtedly moving prisoners to court. I can't see in but I wonder if they can see out. Possibly I have seen Con Air too many times but I do spend a great deal of time scanning the surrounding cars. Is one or more of these innocent looking commuters potential accomplices, awaiting their moment to stop the traffic and orchestrate a daring peak hour break out? What heroic action on my part will save the day? What pithy quip with I produce for the news crews as I casually get back in the car to drive the kids to school?

I know what you're thinking... but really, the yellow pills do seem to be helping.

It's hard to know where to start. Of course the move has been the BIG THING during the past few weeks. It's hard to believe we've been in our new place for two weeks now.

The move itself was hard bloody work, no two ways about it. However having a big strong husband helps and Big J did a huge job. The week before last was exhausting but last week was great. We are a good team at getting things done and we went from disaster area to functional to homey within a few short days.

I find it difficult to express my feelings about our new home without gushing like an idiot. While I had some reservations and anxieties (no, really!) about the reality of apartment living I also had a lot of hope. Happily I can report that [so far] my hopes have been realised and my fears have not.

Apart from the apartment itself being gorgeous, spacious and very comfortable for us, we are surrounded by lifestyle choices which are almost too good to be true (see what I mean about the gushing).

As an example, yesterday after work we all walked across the road and through a gate which leads to a beautiful walking path, up and around a small hill (the Bay Marker) from the top of which you can see all of the surrounding area. Behind this hill they are building what can only be described as a kids' paradise playground. The walk itself was wonderful, peaceful and scenic, exactly what we need to get the blood pumping after a day behind the desk at the office. Then we crossed the road and had a look at the shipwrecks which line the shore just metres from our home. It was a lovely way to end the day and spend some connecting time with the kids (something which has been sadly lacking during the past few months of chaos and stress).

I could go on but I'm sure you have more important things to do. Suffice to say we are spoilt for choice when it comes to fun family activities. Jason has even bought a bike with a baby seat as there are around 45 kms of bike tracks around us. For further reference, you won't see me cycling any time soon... or ever. Refer to biking incident on Rottnest Island. I am content to walk, kick the ball with the kids or just swim in our pool. It's a hard life but someone has to do it.