A Melbourne re-invention

Since Fiji, we've done it all... an adventure in it's own right.

We jumped on the plane at Nadi and were told it was making a fuel stop in Brisbane, making our flight come in two hours after the scheduled time. In normal days, that would be OK. But we had no home to go to and turning up on someone's doorstep at 2am wouldn't really be appreciated, and I really couldn't justify booking a hotel for a 6 hour stay. So the boys and I camped in the car by a park (which had toilet facilities!) with a few blankets and our luggage surrounding us. We woke up at 7am, and decided to find a laundromat to get our holiday washing done. There was one in a neighbouring suburb, and before it was 8.30am, all our washing was washed, dried and nicely folded ready for its new home.

We then took my little one to the doctor, as he developed a light rash in Fiji (I think it was the sunscreen), went to the mall to get a few groceries and grab some breakfast and then headed down to my parents place for our second homeless night. A much more pleasant experience than previous ones.

On the Monday, we moved into our new abode. A converted fire station that's home to 5 apartments not too far away from our original home. There's heaps of space inside, and plenty of communal space outside, which just so happens to be the perfect place to meet the neighbours. I have a single mum with three teenage daughters - perfect for babysitting, and a couple next-door with 'his' step-brother who just happens to play in the local football team... and who just happened to invite the whole football team over for a party on Sunday night for pizza and beer. I get a knock on the door, asking if we want to join them, and we did. I bought my boys new scooters, and the 'big' boys decided to take them for a 'trial run' down to the shops and back, telling my boys that they will be 2 minutes, and they'd return an hour later with chocolates as a 'thank you.' They have an electric-heated spa out the back, and we've been invited to join in, whenever they have it going. So it really is great knowing that we've been made so welcome. Not sure who the people are upstairs yet - I believe a small family with boys my boys' ages, but have yet to see them.

So here we are, stuck in Melbourne but with a good vibe around us. Our weekend was full of activity - helping the morning-sick ridden 'director of food duties' at the canteen at the local hockey club while my youngest played his game, a birthday party for my boys (as their birthdays are 6 weeks apart, and I'd rather get the family together once in 6 weeks, right in the middle ;) ), a lunch at the pub with some high-school friends, followed by an invite to an indoor adventure playground, and then the impromptu evening with my neighbours. Who knows what's in store for this weekend?