Where We Live

Well, believe it or not we have now been here 6 months, time really does seem to go so quickly. It’s been a roller coaster from the day we arrived, 3 weeks at Scarborough Beach, Our Wendie’s little wobble about home, 2 weeks on the road touring the south west and the goldfields in our Winnebago, (that has been the one of the highlights so far), buying a car, all the traumas of finding a house to live in, getting the kids schools sorted

Front view of Pete's school

Niamh's school

, the little gem we found that is The Vines Resort,

Practice Area at The Vines

Spend a nice few hours here every week. Lovely!!!

all the folks we can now call our new friends, the house we have bought in Aveley,

Looking down Pirianda Way, our house on the corner on the right

Looking towards our nearest park, just beyond the red car

Looking opposite way, house is on my right elbow.

all the shopping for the furniture and décor, (You can imagine how Our Wend loved that bit!), the new sparkling pool,

You've heard of The Committments, well these are The Lunatics

my new golf club, our first weekend away at a place called Moore River

Champion Fisherwoman

and the final piece of the jigsaw is the fish and chip shop we are in the process of buying (just waiting for confirmation that they will assign the lease to us, no guarantees yet though). Yep, just call me Pete the Greek peoples!!
We can all honestly say that where we are living really suits us at the moment and ticks all the boxes (with the exception of not being right on the beach, although it’s only half an hour away) so we are battening down the hatches and gonna settle in and work towards our permanent residency, which will take 2/3 years.
We now live in Aveley which is a suburb in the wine growing region known as The Swan Valley, about 40 minutes northeast of Perth CBD, its sits alongside Ellenbrook, which is tipped for big things, and just 5/10 minutes away is The Vines, very up market, most homes are on 1 acre blocks and in the $1m bracket.
Ellenbrook has an enormous shopping area, which has just been extended and there is talk of a phase 3. This is the main shopping centre it is only 2 minutes in the car.

The Shops at Ellenbrook

Yep Woollies is alive and trading over here.

And BIG W

The area also has 3 ovals (Coolamon, Ellenbrook and Charlottes Vineyard)  all within 5 minutes of the house), these are basically very large open spaces which have Aussie rules football pitches, cricket nets, basketball courts, tennis courts, skate parks and running tracks, kids play areas, all accessible any time to any one and completely free,

Coolamon Oval, tennis, basketball and skate park are to the right of the Clubhouse

Rear view of Peters school on top of the hill. Dogs secure running area is on the right, you can just see the fence.

Charlottes Vineyard Oval

a bowling club with a 8 greens (costs $15 per annum membership, has a bar and coffee shop), loads of open spaces with lakes,

This is Woodlake, its situated right by Niamhs school.
Directly over the top of the ducks head is the amphitheatre, which they use for outdoor plays and movie shows. They used it recently for the ANZAC day celebrations.

Taken from the other side of the lake.

Another view of Woodlake.

running tracks, kiddies play areas (there are dozens of these, there are five within a 5 minute walk of where we live) a water park,

Ellenbrook town centre lake. The area with the sails over the top is a kids free water park

Another view of the water park, changing rooms on the left, free barbecues in foreground

swimming baths, mountain bike park, free library, snooker club, only one pub would you believe but it is huge,

Ellenbrook High Street, the pub is on the opposite side of the square, just to the right of the fountains. All of the building is the pub!!

3 high schools, 4 primary schools plus a new one being built at the moment, 4 kindergartens and two new churches being built at this time, plus a new smaller shopping area in Aveley itself. All the above, including all the houses would occupy an area about the size of Sutton Coldfield. There is really no reason to go further than a 5/10 minute drive for anything. Never see a traffic jam, driving is a pleasure again.
There is a massive emphasis on providing open, free access recreational space, these all have drinking water fountains, free gas barbecue’s, benches, structures or sails to keep you out of the sun.

These are some of our neighbours. They live in a scrub area just next to us. They are totally wild.
The next set of pictures, the lakes, are just beyond the fence that keeps these fellas in.

One of the many lakes/water features of the Aveley estate. All have lawned picnic areas.

This is a chill out area situated between the two lakes. The barbecues in the foreground are gas and free to use.

Same set of lakes from bridge between the two. The barbecues previously mentioned are situated just over the top of the jetty on the right.

Yet another lake, two minutes walk from the previous one. They are popular for boating and messing about with model boats.
The mulicoloured roof construction is another kiddies play area.

They even provide the poo bags free of charge for you to dispose of your dog’s mess!! You are not allowed to have your dog off the leash, so they provide large purpose built fenced areas that you can take your dog to and let them run around freely. These have a double gate system, so there is now way that your dog can accidentally get out.

This is our nearest park, its a 2 minute walk. Our house is just over the top of the gazebo. The track I am standing on is a running track, with workout stations positioned around it at intervals.

This is the kiddies play area. You can just make it out on the previous picture on the right hand side. Thats Niamh Peter Jodie and Sean in view.

Peter and his pal had an incident recently at the local skate park. We had dropped him and Joel off with a view to picking them up later, but no sooner had we left them that Peter had called to say that Joel had been hit by this aboriginal kid.
Well, about a week before hand I took Peter to the same skate park and witnessed this same kid, who is about 11/12, round on some bigger boys, they would have been about 15/16, and nick $20 off them. He then skedaddled on his bike which prompted these lads to let him know he was going be in trouble if he did not come straight back with the dosh. He made it pretty clear he had no intention of coming back or giving the dosh back, the language he came out with was just incredible for a kid of his age, for that matter a kid of any age! He also told them that if they even tried to get the money, he would bring his Dad and his brothers down to sort them all out. The bigger lads at that pretty much told him he could keep the money it’s was ok, they were only joking!!
I know he is only a kid, but he is probably thee most disgusting specimen that I have ever seen in my whole life, (he epitomises what people have told me about aboriginals), his future isn’t looking too Rosey.

Took a bit of getting but managed to snap him going to school with his Mom. Pretty ain't he?!!!

Anyway, Our Wend went back there, poor Joel, who is no small kid, was completely distraught; I was quite surprised he had not defended himself. So Our Wend, good as gold, gave the abbo the full ‘Northfield Roar’, right up close and personal. She then called the Police. As you might expect, he and his family are well known, he denied doing anything, but the Police made it very clear that he was in serious trouble if there is a report again. His Mother also couldn’t believe her little boy would do anything like that!! It then came out that he goes to the same school as Ella and Marley and he is a nightmare there, totally uncontrollable. We passed him in the car the other day, PJ begged me to run him over, gotta say I was tempted!!
What the little s**t did not know is that Joel’s Dad, Serg, is a ‘rigger’ (a steel frame building erector), sizeable and looks really useful and not to be messed with, his brother Aiden, 14, is a very fit looking lad, hairier than anyone I know looks about 16 , and also looks a mean as hell. They were going to pay the skate park a visit and Aiden is going to put the fear of God up this little lad and Serg is going along in case he wants to bring his brothers and or his Dad down. Serg was not too complimentary about our aboriginal friends I can tell you. Elvira, Serg’s missus said would Aiden really hit him, Serg said, ‘Yeah, if I tell him to!’
What was I doing whilst all this was going on I hear you ask, on the golf course where else, thank goodness!!!!
Other than our abbo, all the kids are so polite and friendly, they just have the best time and spend hours in the skate park.
Main benefits of being in Aveley are that the kid’s schools are so close by, we cycle every morning, but they are so close you could even walk. The kids are also so close to all their school pals, they have regular sleepovers at their house or they come to ours, they are all so nearby. It’s such a difference not having to take them in the car and pick them up afterwards, a real treat. They are on the verge of coming and going on their own soon, it’s very safe here, although the locals don’t think so, it is really.
We had a first weekend away recently, seems funny being in this sort of climate and going away for a break!

Tammy & Jackie, lazy Gits!!

See any fish yet?

We went just north of here, with Daren, Jackie, Scott & Tammy, their two kids Alex & Brook, to a place called Moore River, about an hour’s drive, aptly named as it’s the point where the Moore River meets the sea. We rented a beautiful home and went beach fishing Saturday and river fishing Sunday. None of us caught anything Saturday, (did get through a large quantity of beer though), but on Sunday, Daren caught 4, Brook, Scottie and Alex caught 2 each, Niamh caught 3, she can now cast herself and reels ‘em in on her own, the big girls didn’t fish and caught the same amount as the Peter’s, precisely nowt!!!

All aboard

It needed 3 to get me in and 5 to get me out!!!!! Didn't realise I still had a black bit on the back of me 'ed.

Scottie & Niamh. Beat that. No we didn't buy it in the bag, you use the bag to get a firm hold on the fish. Novices!!!!!

Not another one Noo Ni?

Dazza at work

The scenery was terrific, there were buzzards flying overhead, and stingrays swimming literally 2mtrs from the shore, pelicans the size of sheep,

He was big!!

parrots, just amazing. I should have bashed the stingray it on the head when I had the chance, ‘cus I was never going to catch a fish any other way!!!!
We have had one or two encounters with these

AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGg

But we have also seen one or two of these

aaaaahhhhhhh

aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh

The Skerritts in Oz

Ya Gotta Have Friends!!

Thought we would introduce you to a few of the friends we have made and people we have met since we got here.

John Pritchett

JP as he is known, is a Brummie, and has been here in Oz for over 35 years, and boy has he done well for himself. A really great friend of John Rose. JP and his wife Barbara have been really good to us since we arrived, and JP in particular to me. JP has taken me for golf at Lake Karrinyup, the premier golf club in Perth, I have also enjoyed a couple of very enlightening lunches too, and look forward to many more.

I have met one or two folk in my life who purport to speak their mind, but JP is one of finest exponents of it and REALLY does speak his mind, no holding back.  
Favourite saying 'sensational'.

He needs to sort that genitalia irritation problem though, he spoilt the picture!!!

Barbara Pritchett

Great cook, I understand she was a very competent tennis player in her day, also plays a bit of golf.

Scottie & Alex

As the name implies, yes he is a ‘Jock’, been here about 15 years, very gregarious character, larger than life, extremely generous guy, very reliable, carpenter by trade, has his own business and works on the tools, He has a joiners shop based in Wangara. Has a very successful business, works and plays hard. Prodigious drinker, particularly a drop of the red, great singer, (ring any bells Roachy, watch out, you have competition), his rendition of 'Mustang Sally' would take some beating. He has inflicted many a bad head on me since I arrived here. God bless ya! Favourite saying 'I wonder what the poor people are doing today'.
Thats Alex his lad, proper lad, not bad at the Aussie rules either. Niamh reckons he fancies her!

Tammy (Scotties Missus)
Married to Scottie 13 years (wedding anniversary same day as Our Wend’s birthday). Great fun, knows how to enjoy herself, and keep Scottie in check (which is good news sometimes), loves to play netball, and pretty good at it, recently winning a local tournament. Works at the post office in Whitfords Shopping Centre.

Nice Balinese decoration don't you think?

Brook (Scottie & Tammy’s daughter)

Good as gold, has really hit it off with Niamh. 

Like her Mom or what

Noel Rigby

Massive Bolton Wanderers fan, (what a shame they lost 5-0 in the FA cup semi!!!!!) other than that he is a good guy!! He has been here for the last three months trying to get gainful employment with an oil Company, so he can come back asap, and have all his moving and living expenses paid for. Yeah, he is an astute bugger too. Great with the kids, keeps them entertained with all sorts of little games and word ditties. He will be missed whilst he is away, not least, ‘cus we will now have to look after our own kids, while we are at the pool having a drink.

There is an ugly rumour flying about that he is back on the 6th May

Peter, Julie & Cracker 

We bought our house from them, Peter is an electrician would you believe, and Julie is a serial house builder /interior designer. I think this house we are living in is the 5th one they have built.

Peter is my very own personal hire shop, as I don't have any tools here at all, fortunately he only lives around the corner, so I have access to more tools than B&Q or Bunnings, which is what they have here.

Julie really is a serious interior designer. He recent acquisition is a pair of giraffe chairs, not a clue, have not seen them. She has also had Peter painting some walls in their new house BLACK!!

As for Cracker, what a brill dog. He is just getting right after having chemo for a tumour on his nose, but you wouldn't know anything had been wrong with him, he has so much energy. I have also seen him reduce a golf ball to tatters in about 1 minute flat.

Sit still Cracker



'Where's that ball gone?'



Bob Crielly & Mary Crielly

Big buddy of Noel, also works in the oil industry, has been here in Perth for a few years now. Should be moving into his new house on The Vines in a few weeks, got a great pitch overlooking the golf course. Another Scot, there are flippin’ hundreds of ‘em at The Vines.

He and Noel are well known for winning every pub quiz they have had at The Vines. Now that Noel has gone, let’s see how successful Bob is!!!!!!!

Mary works at the local women’s prison would you believe, some sort of teacher there I think.

We went with her and Bob to see Michael Buble, it would be ungentlemanly of me to divulge what happened that evening. Mary, you owe me one!!!!



At the Buble concert



Louise Crielly (Bob & Mary’s daughter)

Our one and only baby sitter, and the kids love her, especially Niamh. Bit of a drummer.

Little Keithy and his wife Sue

Cabinet maker and all round good egg. Yorkshire man born and bred, been here in Oz, 20 plus years, worked around the country a fair bit. Loves his golf, is also the proud owner of two Love Birds, yep,  real ones, talks about it all the time.

Favourite saying, ask him anything ‘all good’
Recently had the good fortune to play golf with him, what a gent, competent at it too.


I'm watching you Keithy!!

 Susie is also a Yorkshire lass, I think, definitely the boss in their family, sorry Keithy!

Thailand Keith

As the name would imply, he likes visiting Thailand, for the cultural experiences that it provides!!!! He is there at the moment I think, hope he is ok, he only recently had his hernias done!!!!! Will probably need 'em doing again when he gets back!!!

Absolutely golf mad, loves to swim everyday too, lives in a fab drum overlooking the 18^th fairway on The Ellenbrook course at The Vines.

Rod Stewart looky likey.

Thats his 'I'm off to Thailand ' smile. Its very similiar to "I've had three pints' smile!!

Scottie

Another bloody Scotsman, works behind the bar, and until recently was our next door neighbour. He only arrived here a few weeks before us and has settled in brilliantly. He must, as part of his visa requirement, work in some farming environment for three months (don’t ask, I don’t know), which he will start in a couple of weeks’ time. Hope he comes back afterwards, he is always good fun and looks after us.

When he and the other Scottie start having a conversation, I swear they are talking Swahili, well they might aswell be.

No photo available, he's buggered off up north before I could snap him.

Alan

Our hairdresser, and ANOTHER bloody Scotsman.

Alan is gay, mind you he has been kissing Our Wend so often lately I think he might be contemplating going straight. What’s the opposite to ‘coming out’, is it ‘going in’? he needs to be careful ‘cus that’s how is trouble started in the first place.

Seriously, he is one of the nicest chaps you could possibly wish to meet, a truly good person.

And hey Richard (Shampoo), he can cut my hair in 10 minutes flat, you used to take 45!!!! Mind you he does charge me, ah well ya can’t have it all can ya?





Nice tat!!

Lisa, David & Issac

David is 16 and a really nice lad.  He works at  The Vines part time and on Saturdays helps Alan, our hairdresser at his shop.  David is one of the nicest young lads I have met, very sensitive and sweet and always smiling (Our Wend wrote this)

Issac, really nice courteous young man, manners are impeccable, always comes and says hello, fine handshake for such a young lad.
Lisa used to be part of the management at The Vines until she got head hunted by a pub that opened in Ellenbrook. By all accounts The Vines has suffered since she moved on.





Issac second from left, David third from the right. That's there Mom Lisa .

Brendan, Aisling, Jodie & Sean

We met Aisling on the first day of term at Niamh’s school.  She’s from Ireland, a little town called Cork, and she is a right laugh, everything is “fecking this fecking that”  She has two children Sean, (he’s in Niamh’s class and fancy's the pants off her, so Niamh says!! Little Niamh has a few admirers, so Niamh says!!) and Jodie, (good God she is loud), who is in year 6 – really nice kids and they get on great with our two.

Hubby Brendan, also known as Ben (no I haven't missed the r) & John, John is actually his first name!!! Not a clue, don't ask, but only in Ireland eh? Likes a drop or two, typically Irish, brill sense of humour, his one liners and delivery of them is just brilliant, smashing bloke.

Serg, Elvira, Aiden (yellow shirt), Joel and Zorro

Elvira is Mum to Joel and wife to Serg.  She lovely and has made us very welcome since we got here.  She owns her own very up market Beauty Salon, where Our Wend has already given it the once over and had a massage -  very nice!!!!
Serg is in construction, steel erection I think, he has just finished a fab house which sits right behind the practice field tee, brilliant spot. Loves his golf, looks like he may have done a bit of Aussie rules in his day.
Aiden very quite boy, doesn't say much really, not to me anyway, likes his Aussie rules, he is going be a killer with the girlie's in the next couple of years!
Joel is really good friends with Peter, they have played a lot together since we got here, lots of sleep overs etc, they are real good together.
What can you say about Zorro eh? Boss of their house.

Raani, Marley & Ella

Rani was our next door neighbour when we moved to Watervista Close.  She has two children, Ella and Marley – really great kids.  Rani is a super girl, she’s separated from the kids Dad, although he lives round the corner and they see him all the time.  Rani works full time in a pub in Midland, (she needs a bloody medal to work in Midland I can tell you – it’s FULL of nutters)!!!  We spent  Australia day with Rani and the kids and had a fabulous day. Her kids and ours spend a lot of time together – lovely family.

Jock

I know, we could have moved to Glasgow, it would have been cheaper and there are probably less Scots there!.

Jock (or Ian which is his real name) has the most dubious honour of being the first friend that we made here at The Vines. Top guy, real character, he has an estate agents, a winery called Jumbuck Hill (a very nice drop it produces aswell), and goodness knows what else, but I am sure he has plenty of other ‘balls’ in the air.
His past jobs include, working in a circus, think it was Billy Smarts, he has owned a pub, travel agents, property developer, landlord, the list is endless.

He has been here well over 20 years, and I think he has moved house at least twice since we got here, don’t know how many times he has moved in 20 years, he probably doesn't either.

Jock is I guess 65 ish, he is a serial family man, having at least two that I know about. One is all grown up and gone, then there is the one he has with Trina, are you ready for this?

Sean 10, Brodie 8, Jamie 7, Michaela 1!!!!!!
Perhaps some other balls would have been better off left in the air!! Rumour has it that Trina wants another one. Wonder if Jock knows.
I have another example of just how small the world really is.
I was at Jocks on the 24th April, partaking in his hospitality. I took a telephone call on my mobile and whilst on it, overheard Jock relaying one of his many tales to Little Keithy. What caught my attention was he mentioned the name 'Derek Sim'.
"Did you say Derek Sim Jock? Because I know a Derek Sim"
"Yeah" says Jock, "he used to live in Sutton Coldfield, but now he is back in Monifieth"
"I don't believe this, does he play golf?"
"Yeah, is is a very low handicapper, he also used to have a greetings card company"
"I don't ******* believe this. How do you know him?" I asked.
"I went to school with him!"
Derek Sim is a past captain at Moor Hall Golf Club!
Jock then proceeds to tell me that he had lunch with Derek a couple of weeks back when he visited the UK.
Then he rings him and hands the phone to me, and Derek gets me straight away. He tells me that he had mentioned to Jock during lunch that a friend had gone to live in Perth with his family. Of course Jock would not have a clue what my surname was, so didn't put two and two together.
I'm still flabbergasted now, just unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.

No Michaela, they are fingers, your Mom has got what you want.

Trina (Wife of Jock)

Considerably younger than her Beau (yep and another Scot), I’d say circa 37/38.

Very quiet lady, mainly due to Michaela being almost permanently on the feed, if you know what I mean? Loves a drop or two of Corona, (Michaela will be addicted too me thinks), with the lemon in the top of course.

Keeps Jock in check too, and she may just be the brains behind the operation. Makes a mean pizza.

Where is Michaela!????

Sean, Brodie, Jamie, Michaela (Jock & Trina’s kids)
A picture paints a thousand words!



Michaela. Now where is Mom's right one when you need it?



Sean, Brodie and Jamie

Sean is a great all round sportsman, for his age, as for the girls, they are proper girlie and right cheeky little monkey's!

Darren (Dazza)

He is a Cockney, been here about 15 years, works for Telstra, the phone Company. He had Scottie living with him for a while as he and Tammy were having a break. Alcohol levels went through the roof in that time, but Scottie and Tammy got back together at Christmas, Darren has just about now recovered!!

He is a fine cook and loves his cars, boxing, scuba diving and golf.

Jackie (Dazza’s Girlfriend)

Great fun gal, she and Dazza have only just got together I think, knows how to enjoy herself. She has recently had her tits blown up, nice job too, but not seen the total result, I hasten to add, proper girly though.

Me and Our Wend took her recently to hit some golf balls on the range, but with exceptionally long nails and her new chest, (she said they were still a bit sore), hitting golf balls perhaps was not such a good idea, although she did get the hang of it towards the end.

I know the left one looks a bit on the large side, but they are both the same size honest. So she says!

David & Linda Hunt

Met David a couple of times in the UK before we got here, I was introduced to him by Bryan Garner.

One of life’s true gentlemen, he has been here about 5 years, perfect timing for him, sold his house and business in Leamington at the top of the market, arrived here when it was $3 to the pound. Built himself a magnificent home in Iluka, very near the beach, in the throws of building another one at the moment.

Have played a lot of golf with David since I got here, he has been playing about two years. We normally go to public courses, one is called Carramar, the other is called Hammersley.

David and Linda have become really good friends to us and helped us a lot since we arrived.

Linda has had a lot to contend with over the past two years, but recovering nicely. Has one of the most wicked laughs that I have ever heard, gives Our Wend a run for her money.

Has a heart of gold.

Midlanders!!
Peter and Niamh found these strange looking Aussies strolling around in the woods.

Colin & Jackie
Guess what, more flippin' Scots. Colin is crackers, Jackie is not quite so crackers.
Jackie is Mom to barman Scottie, and Colin is brother to Alan the hairdresser. Thats Colin in the earlier photo with Alan, he also has a nice tat. If you like that sort a thing!!




Loads a tats




The Girls


Micheal Bubblie (He said its spelt Buble, but who cares)
We went out one night and this bloke wouldn't stop singing while we were talking!!! Selfish Git.