Life's Little Excitements

Lindsey, Ian, Jim, Sam and I took Rupert for his first ever walk in the park yesterday morning.  He thought it was ever so exciting.  Everything is very exciting when you are a 3 month old puppy, but for Rupert Outside is the most exciting thing ever.  Even more exciting when the outside is in the park.  He did very well.  He didn't pull anyone over in his excitement.  He was a bit nervous of the other people and dogs we met who were also out walking in the park, but managed to get over his shyness and talk to them eventually. He did quite a bit of loose lead walking.  He didn't chase the Very Exciting Heron that he saw just over there.

Sam was quite well behaved too :-D

Both Sam and Rupert were quite tired when we got back from our walk

Sam having a little post-walk, pre-lunch nap

Rupert had a proper, full on afternoon sleep

When I was getting dressed yesterday morning, before we headed to the park (might attract attention if I went walking in the park in my polar bear pyjamas and fluffy dressing gown!!) I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched.  I looked out the window.  I KNEW I was being watched!

We have settled back into a routine of sorts.  I was rostered at work on the desk on Tuesday and Thursday and had intended to go in on Wednesday to do some scanning.  Then I was called in to do reception on Wednesday anyway.  I came back on the tram and train on Thursday afternoon.  This coming week I am once again rostered on Tuesday and Thursday but this week I am going to take the car down.  Lindsey won't be here this Thursday to pick me up from the station and I want to be back a little earlier than I can be if I use public transport  Alas, I was asked to start early, at 8:30 tomorrow only after Lindsey had already left for Melbourne.  I might have rethought my plans had Lindsey still been here!

We've had the painters in today in Mount Helen.  Sam was absolutely unimpressed to find two lads in fluorescent jackets outside his window at just before 7 this morning.  He was very unimpressed that they opened all the windows and doors and let the cold, cold air in.  He was incandescently indignant that Lindsey barricaded off the hallway so the dogs couldn't get down in to the lounge room.  It didn't matter if they wandered in and out of the kitchen door - that leads to a fenced off garden.  The lounge room door, however, leads to open space and freedom to roam and potentially get lost.  He has spent most of the day lying on our bed, willing us to put the bedroom heater on.  He's happy now.  The painters have gone.  The doors and windows are closed again.  Jim has lit the fire

Oh.  I almost forgot.  Jim's bridging visa has come into effect.  His visitor visa didn't actually expire for another week, but one of the conditions was that he could only stay for three months at a time.  We came back from New Zealand on April 28th. That condition was breached on July 29th so his visitor visa was no longer valid and his bridging visa came into effect.  This means that he can't now leave the country and re-enter.  But it also means that he can work if he is minded, get a medicare card, a Victorian driving licence, various other bits of bureaucratic usefulness - and live here lawfully until a decision is made on his partner visa.  Hooray!