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What a waste of early rising.  You'd think if I'm going to get up this early I could at least be getting ready for work!  But I still haven't heard back from Coles.  I rang them on Tuesday to ask what happens now, and they said I wait for a phone call from them because my induction thingy has to be processed and forwarded to them or something.  So since today is Friday and I still haven't heard anything, I'm going to become a pest and ring them again.  Maybe there's a problem somewhere.  I can't fix it if I don't know.  But I did quit my other job and commit to a 6 month lease here on the strength of that job, so I need to make sure everything's ok. 

I've just been basically lazing around most of the time since I came in here.  It's just so relaxing, but I'm ready to get working again.  Yesterday, I brought up some of my poster books, and spent most of the day making new posters for the collection.  I really have to do something about selling them.  It's a bit of a waste having something like 2000 prepared posters (a couple of hundred laminated) and just holding on to them.  But how do I sell them?  I could try the markets but you're usually committed to a Sunday with them, and I want my Sunday mornings free.  Although they do have Saturday markets too.  I can't do anything about that until I find out about work.  For those of you who don't know me and my hobby, I have a huge collection of poems, one liners, words of wisdom, comfort and faith that I create into A4 size posters on fancy paper.  The idea is to sell them on my travels but I haven't done any selling yet.  I originally started them to give away, but I thought there might be a market somewhere for them.  I've actually seen them on sale at Tamborine in the Gold Coast Hinterland, and they were selling for something like $12 each!  I wouldn't be charging anything like that!  Maybe $5 for a laminated one and $3 unlaminated.  I've got probably 650 different ones, and at least two of each already done.  Many have 4 or 5 copies done.  Gee whiz, if I sold everything I had for $2 each, I'd still make $3500 to $4000. 

The jewellery, I'm not so sure about.  Everybody sells jewellery up here.  I'm wondering if I made a mistake with that.  I've got so much stuff with me, and it's heavy and takes up a lot of room, and again, I don't have a market for it.  The market is pretty much saturated here.  I like what I make, but I think it might have been a mistake to bring so much with me.  I might make up little packs and sell it all off.  Put enough in each pack to make up a necklace and earrings  or just sell off bags of beads and get rid of the lot.  I can always take it up again when I'm ready.  The beads are readily available anywhere. Sorry - just thinking with my fingers here as I go along!  Suggestions are very welcome.

To all my friends and family that I 'think' I'm sending notifications to about my blog being up, I'm not sure if the messages are coming to you or not.  if they are, can you please just put a quick comment on here so I know?  Jill told me she'd not had a notification for a few weeks, but I thought I had the settings set up to send a notification automatically. 

I'll keep in touch.  You too, ok?

Here I am, in my new apartment.  I moved in yesterday, and I love it.  It's a bit of a hassle deciding what to have in the apartment and what to leave in the motorhome, but trial and error will sort that out.  It's good, because I am allowed to use a parking spot for both my motorhome and my trailer.  Wasn't sure what I was going to do about that if there was a problem, although I guess not everybody has a car anyway, so there should always be a spot available.

I've been a bit naughty.  As a mother, I was always so very rigid with my boys about wearing a bicycle helmet at all times.  I rode up to the IGA store yesterday, and somehow, managed to forget to put my helmet back on when I left!  I actually left it sitting on a trolley in the trolley bay, but didn't remember that.  All I knew was that when I was about to leave to go to church this morning, no helmet!  So I went a bit radical and rode without it!  During the service (Yes, I was listening) I remembered putting the helmet on the rack of trolleys while I juggled the grocery bag onto the back of the bike so went up there after church.  They hadn't seen it, and it had not been handed in.  By this time, I was 99% certain that's where I'd lost it, so figured someone's picked it up and decided to keep it!  I went back to my bike, and happened to look down into the trolley bay, and there it was, sitting on the ground underneath all the trolleys!  One of the trolley boys very kindly helped me to retrieve it.  (I'm glad I didn't have to buy a new one.  Can you even begin to imagine what they might charge for a bicycle helmet in Port Douglas?????)

Back to the apartment!  As mentioned in a previous post, it's a studio apartment, which means it's sort of an upmarket motel room.  VERY upmarket!  Huge bed, lovely bathroom.  Huge balcony, with a spa! Yes, I've used that already!  Overlooking a series of lagoons.  Laundry in the complex.  I'm gradually bringing up some of my cooking gear from the van.  I reckon I'll be ok, with a toaster (use on the balcony - super sensitive smoke alarms), an electric fry pan and my turbo cooker.  I got a pantry storage unit thing from BCF for only $55, and I'm going to get another one for my clothes.  They're great!  Got to bring up my blue butterfly coffee mug from the van though.  My coffee just doesn't taste right in the wrong cup!  There's a young couple next door who appear very quiet.  I haven't actually introduced myself to them properly and will do so first opportunity.  Just spoke to the fellow briefly as I was coming in the first time.

I'm completed my Coles Induction online, and will call the store tomorrow morning to see what I do next.  Haven't had an email back from them so I'm not sure of the process.  I'm very impressed with their policies.  They seem to be on the ball about doing the right thing by their staff, and it's great to see.  I'm looking forward to starting work with them. 

It's a  bit overcast today but people are still swimming in the pools downstairs.  I actually had to wake up during the night and put on the ceiling fan because it was quite hot.  (I'm sorry all you people down south still shivering, but I don't even get to put on a cardigan here!)

I'll write more when I've started the job and see if Coles lives up to expectations.......and if I live up to theirs as well.

A whole lot of you are going to get email notifications of my blogs now as I just added a whole heap of contacts to my settings.  Hope you don't mind.

I did a whole new post a couple of days ago, and then the darn screen froze, and I lost the lot.  Couldn't get back on line either.  And it was the last day of my monthly plan and I planned to do a bit of surfing because I still had 50mg left.  And I lost it!  I reckon Big Pond should give that extra time to me this month, since they wouldn't let me online to use it.  What do you think?

Got some changes happening.  My hours at the supermarket got seriously cut and I wasn't too happy.  I got a call from Coles to ask if I was still interested in working for them so said yes.  Went up for an interview and got a job!  I've just got to wait for them to email or text me a code to go online to accept the job and I'm in.  I'll be working in the Deli section, I believe from about early afternoon till about 8pm.  That will be good.  It will include weekends of course, and they did ask if that was a problem.  I said it was fine, but I would like to be sure I can go to church on a Sunday morning if possible, and they said they would always try to accommodate such a request.  So I'm pretty happy about that.  I was a bit worried about giving notice at the other place, because I'm not very good at saying I'm leaving.  I'm always worried they'll get cranky with me.  Part of the old inferiority thing coming back at times I guess.  Ann was fine though, when I rang her.  She said she'd been planning to offer me 4 night shifts a week, which would include penalty rates for Sunday, but I told her I had committed to this job now.  Besides, I actually don't think she pays the correct rate, and I wasn't real happy with the working conditions anyway.

Steven found himself a fantastic little studio apartment.  Little!!  It's really BIG!  In fact, I like it so much, I'm getting one too!  It's $185 a week, and I'm paying over $200 here, just for a powered site.  This apartment is in a resort development with pools and fancy reception area.  Even a spa on the balcony.  There are no kitchen facilities as such, but there's a large balcony (even with the spa there) which is plenty big enough to put a barbecue on.  And it's fine to have a microwave oven and toaster and stuff, so we'll do all right.  (Then my motorhome will become my car, so I won't need to buy one.  Steven needs to learn to drive it so he can use it to get the boys on weekends.  His ute only has one passenger seat.)  I'm moving into my unit on Saturday.  I'm rather looking forward to it.

So, new job and new home.  I'm working out the details for the cruise with Aunty Joan in February.  Looks like we might do one that goes on 20 February.  I told them at my interview that it was planned, and they said that's fine, because February is a slow time anyway.  The lease for the apartment runs out at that time too, so I will take stock of my situation then, and either leave and go down to Hervey Bay then, and find another job after the cruise there, or come back here and stay with the one I've got.  As long as I've got a decent job and can save money, I'm happy to stay put for an extended period.  And if I have to be somewhere in the hottest part of the year, living in an air conditioned apartment with spa and numerous lagoon pools, and working in the Deli of a supermarkent seems to be a reasonably good way to do it.  And as the year wears on, they don't know how to do winter here in FNQ, so no cold weather to worry about.

There are new managers here at the caravan park.  They started less than a week before I got here so are still feeling their way.  But they brought around an invitation yesterday to a barbecue on Friday night that they're putting on for the residents/tourists of the park.  It's a great idea.  I was talking to Bronwyn about it later, and said that word gets around in the travelling community about those little extras like that, and if there's competition around, that's the way to get an edge.  She was interested in that, and said they might look at making it a regular thing.  They've never managed a caravan park before, so are just trying new things.  I've noticed things like a series of different mops in the bathrooms to see what people will use.  Even woven rag bathmats in the shower cubicles, but I don't think that's such a great idea.  I think it's a germ catcher.  I wouldn't use a community bathmat.  That's why we wear thongs in the shower - feet germs!

Still looking for a solution to my awning problem.  So if you know anything about motorhome awnings, your suggestions would be welcome.  (the lift handle broke.  It's a Coleman Faulkner awning and they've gone out of business so I can't get a new one.  Is it possible to adapt another one to the awning arm - say, a Fiamma lift handle?)

Okay, that's it for this post.  Keep talking to me because I love getting your comments.

Here I am again.  I've now been working for two weeks, and it's been pretty full on.  I've found that I rather like the early morning starts.  And I don't mind the night shifts.  I really hate the night shift followed by an early morning start!

My first week, I got the weekend off.  My second week I got the Thursday/Friday off.  I got a call from Penny on Thursday while I was down at Cairns, telling me that my Saturday shift had been changed to the night shift.  I came back to work on Saturday to find that for this week, I've been given Friday/Saturday off, which surprised me because I thought the only options were Thursday/Friday or Saturday/Sunday.  I was a bit miffed at first because I do like to go to church on Sunday and I wanted it off.  Then I noticed that I was down for a night on Sunday so that was OK.  Next thing I noticed was that I'm not working Monday or Tuesday, so I actually only get three days work this week!!  I thought I was working pretty well full time, and I want full time.  But looks like I'm not going to get it hey?  I got an email from Coles to say that they were considering me for their night fill team, so I might have to change jobs.  I don't want to be working in a place where I have no idea how much work I'm going to get or when.  I can live with erratic hours, but I need to know how much I'm going to be working.  I need full time or at least part time with regular hours so I can maybe pick up something else as well.  So I'll see what Coles has to offer.

Steven is looking at renting a studio flat here in Port Douglas, but the place is also renting a two bedroom apartment for only $40 a week more so we're looking at that.  I can move into it with him for as long as I'm here, and it will be a lot cheaper that the caravan park.  We're going to look into that today hopefully.  It's furnished so he doesn't have to worry about getting stuff for it.  He needs somewhere that he can take the boys to when/if he has them.

Talked to Aunty Joan the other day about our upcoming cruise and working out what we're looking at.  We're on the same page as far as what we want so all we have to do now is find the right cruise for us.  We both like the idea of going out to the Pacific this time.  We've both done the Queensland Coast thing so want something different this time.  We both want a twin share, not a four share, and we want a balcony.  Bring it on!  I like the idea of going from Sydney, because I want to go on the Pacific Dawn, rather than the Pacific Sun.  That one's had a bit of bad press hasn't it?  The Dawn operates out of Sydney and the Sun usually is out of Brisbane.

I've been having a lot of fun with my Adobe Photoshop lately because I've got a heap of new photos of Zed and Kodi to be creative with.  I'll put some on here when I've got some more done.

Please still keep Steven in your prayers.  He's having a lot of dramas with trying to see the boys.  Sarah blocks him all the time, and tells him he can't see them, and hides them from him so he's getting pretty stressed out about it.  She only let him see them for 45 minutes on Saturday for Kodi's third birthday, and Father's Day is coming up.  Any bets on whether he's going to be allowed to see them then?

By the way, if anyone knows where I can get a lift handle for my Coleman Faulkner awning, or if another one can be used in place of it, please let me know.  Mine perished and fell apart (the rear one).

Cheerio for now.  Talk to you again soon.

Oh my goodness!!!!  I'd forgotten what it was like to do physical work!!!  And the early starts!!!!  I hurt.  I'm tired.  All I want to do is lock myself into my motorhome and not move for several weeks!!!

Okay, you may have got the message that I started my job!  I was told it would be part time, but would go to full time.  Well, it was never part time!  My first two days I started at 3:30pm and worked through till 10:00.  It's actually more like 10:30 by the time everything is closed and tills counted etc.  The shop is open from 6:00 am till 10:00pm, and yes, we do have people coming in all those hours too.  The next three days, I worked from 6:00am till 3:00pm.  That means the alarm goes off at 5:00am - while it is still dark.  I have a cup of coffee and get ready, then jump on my bike and ride up to the shop to open up.  Still dark.  I mean stars still in the sky, pitch black, DARK!  I had to buy a new light for the bike.

I have remembered now that it is probably at least 35 years since I had a job in which I had to be on my feet ALL DAY!  I'm trying to be positive, and tell myself that actually, what is happening here, is that I'm getting a full gym workout for 9 hours every day, and getting paid for it.  One must always look at the positives in life.  I'm determined to stick it out though, because I was having a bit of a whinge that people thought I couldn't do anything but office work, and I wanted to prove them wrong.  So if I quit for a more time friendly, feet friendly job, I'm just proving them right, aren't I? 

Last Sunday I came a big cropper on my bike.  I was riding to church, and got off the path when another rider came towards me.  When I went back onto the path, the wheel caught in the side and because it's an electric bike, it's rather heavy, and I couldn't hold on to it.  I fell quite heavily on the path (right on my left boob)  I now have a rainbow coloured body.  I have livid bruises all over said boob, plus large bruises on my tummy, and a multi coloured one on the front of my left thigh.  When I went to ride my bike home from work the first night, I discovered that the fall also fatally injured my bike light, so had to go and buy a new one the next day.  Because I have to either ride to work, or ride home again, in the dark. 

Steven's still having hassles trying to see the boys.  I promised not to b***h any more here, so won't.  But please keep him in mind, and if you pray, say a word for him too won't you?

I'm off to bed for a decent night's sleep before that rotten phone alarm goes off.  Goodnight all.

Hey, I was getting worried.  I don't want to spend all my money and have nothing left when I need it.  I've been here for two weeks and have put job applications and CVs everywhere.  Nothin!  So yesterday, I went up to the main street and just wandered down the street and went into any likely looking place I saw.  The very last place was the FoodWorks store.  I went in and asked if they had anything, and they gave me an application which I filled out on the spot.  While I was filling it out, my phone rang and it was IGA, asking me to come in for an 'induction'.  I'm not sure if that meant I had a job with them, or was more like an interview.  I finished filling out the form for Foodworks, and then Steven rang me with a contact number for someone who wanted someone to do some cleaning.

I headed back home to get ready to go up to IGA, but the boss from Foodworks rang before I got back to the caravan park.  I missed the call, but she called back and asked if I could meet with her.  I told her I had an interview to go to, but decided to put that one off and go see her.  She offered me a job - part time to start but to go to full time. I start Monday. Well, I'm pretty happy!  I rang IGA back and cancelled the induction and told them I'd just been offered a job.  This one is better than the option at IGA because it's so much closer.  5 minutes on the bike, as opposed to 20 minutes on the main road, probably late at night.  It's a far better option.

This morning, I got a visit from the lady who oversees the caravan park here, and she also offered me a job.  I told her I'd just got one.  She is looking for someone to relieve Bronwyn and Vic in the office sometimes, so I told her that if my shifts allowed it, I wouldn't mind learning some new skills anyway, so we'll see what happens there.

Rhonda told me this would happen, but I didn't believe her!  Sorry Rhonda, I won't doubt you again.

So be happy for me.  I love it here, and might even stay a very long time.  Who says I have to stay only a few months at a place?  I've met people who got a job in their travels and were still there 18 months later!  There's certainly no rush to head off elsewhere.

 Now I can sleep again.

I've always maintained I don't have an artistic bone in my body.  But I do love making beautiful pictures of my grandchildren.  I made this one for Steven from a whole collection of photos he had of the boys.  Hope you like it.

I'm wondering if this might be something I might be able to do for cash.  Tell me what you think.  Is there a market out there?

Well, I've put letters and CVs all over the place.  I'm going to put out a few more tomorrow.  I've placed applications iwth IGA and Coles.  Also Sheraton, Rydges, Rendzvous and a couple of motels.  I've also been told to try OzCare because they're looking for staff.  They're a fair way out though, and it would take me a good half hour of riding to get there I think.  I guess that's got to be good for me, but if we get a rainy day it makes it a bit hard. 

Had a few problems (again) with the motorhome.  First I couldn't move the adjustment wheel on the awning arm, because Steven turned it off really tight.  That's sorted.  But the lever that lifts the arm  was broken too.  That was just going to break anyway, and just decided to choose this time to break.  The caravan repair guy in Cairns is ordering a new one.  Not bad at $55 a pop!  On top of that, we couldn't get the TV going.  I didn't get to watch anything for a week!  And I survived too!!!  I bought a Set Top Box, then couldn't figure it out to drive the darn thing.  Then I couldn't even get a picture on the TV even without that connected, and it seems the aerial is broken for some reason.  But I got a little cheapie indoor aerial from Tandy's in Cairns, and connected that to the Set Top Box, and it goes like a dream.  Beautiful picture now.

Sarah is still being a 'you know what' to Steven.  She 'lets' him see the boys, then starts a fight with him.  Or she says he can come up and then goes out with the kids before he gets there.  She still rings him constantly - and I do mean constantly.  Mostly, he doesn't evn have a chance to pu the phone back in his pocket before she's ringing again.  I feel so bad for him they way she runs him.  Sometimes, Ive heard his phone ring 10 to 15 times in the space of 5 minutes.  Yesterday she told him she was sick and asked him to come up and help with the obys.  He dropped me off at church first, and was there 35 minutes after she rang.  (It's normally a half hour drive).  When he got there, she'd gone with the kids again. 

Steven's looked into the mining thing, and it looks like he's going to have to have a Heavy Rigid licence to get the work   They'd not told him that.  It's a bit of a pain because I've been lending him a lot of money and he was counting on getting into the mines to earn the money to pay me back.  Now we'll have to find out what his options are. 

I have placed my CV with the office here at the Caravan Park, because the manager, Bronwyn, said that her manager might have something for me too.  I asked her about it today, and she says she's handed my CV over, and the lady is quite interested, so I might be in with a promise there.  Not sure what kind of work it is.  It might be office, or it might be cleaning toilets, so either way, it's work.

To those of you who have commented on my previous blog, thanks.  Keep reading, and talk to me, ok?

Here I am now in Port Douglas.  I've been here a few days, and there does seem to be a fair bit of work around.  I haven't had a chance to do any active chasing up yet because Steven's needed a bit of help.  Subsequent to the developments in the last blog, he and Sarah have parted company, and he's needed a bit of help getting sorted out.  He was pretty cut up about whether he would see the boys, but it seems that although Sarah is being exceedingly nasty, she is at least allowing that.  I actually thought she probably would, but thought it would take longer, so that's a good thing at least.  He told me things have been pretty bad for a while, and although he really wants to hold his family together, he can't continue living like he has been.  I don't know what will happen.  I don't like the girl, but that's because I don't like the way she treats my 'boy'.  I don't want to be responsible for them breaking up, but I don't believe I am.  I think the episode with me was just the final straw.

Today he's in Cairns getting his car sorted out and roadworthy and registered.  All done now.  He just rang to let me know. 

I've got an application form for IGA here in Port Douglas.  They're looking for junior and senior staff so hope I might have a chance there.  I'm also going to put my name down at the Sheraton.  It's quite close so would be very convenient.  Plus, by working there, I'd have a chance of working in their establishments in all the major cities I go to in my travels.  I do believe they have a rule about working a year for them before they'll transfer, but maybe they'll be able to negotiate that.  Or maybe I'll get a job there, and stay a year.  Who knows?  Of course, working at IGA would probably give me the same opportunity with them too.  Plus it would be great exercise. It's nearly 4km on the bike.  Forced exercise.

It's raining raining raining.  Not a good day to go out, plus I'm feeling a bit under the weather too.  Nothing serious, just don't feel too great!

Motorhome problems.  I'm going to go onto the CMCA website and see if I can find a contact person in the area.  The arm of my awning is damaged and I can't shift it.  It's out now, but I can't put it back in, and can't secure it where it is.  I need to get someone to attend to it, but don't know who to call.  Hopefully, a CMCA member might be able to steer me in the right direction.

This park is really dear.  No weekly rate, so I'm paying $30 a night ($210 a week).  That's $60 more than I was paying for a two bedroom flat in the middle of Kangaroo Point for the last 4 years!  I really do have to get a job!  And there's no alternative either. 

I'll 'report back' when I have a job.  Talk to me please.  I'm lonely. (Not the chatters - I'll give you your own chatterblog, ok?)

Serves me right for getting so excited about seeing my son again after so long (nearly a year and a half).  I left Charters Towers on Tuesday morning, and went through to Townsville, and on to Rollingstone where I freecamped the night.  Very popular spot, and I was tempted to stay another night there, but wanted to push on and get to family.  No photos because it rained pretty much all the way from Townsville to Cairns.  I drove up next day as far as Innisfail, and stopped for the night at the rest area on the intersection with the Palmerston Highway, just outside Innisfail.  Met up with my niece Belinda and her family heading south.  They've just been spending time with Steven and Sarah too, so I feel a bit bad about descending on them so soon afterwards, but it's been planned for months.  In fact, Sarah had said they had a room for me and all, but I told them I'd have my van, and only needed to park it alongside. 

Arrived at Newell Beach  around 11am and Steven was out the front with the boys, Zed and Kodi, waving me in.  No sign of Sarah.  I parked up the van, and got it all sorted, and then she came out as well.   We spent a couple of hours catching up then Steven and I drove into Port Douglas, because I realised that I'd lost my CBA card somewhere.  I think I left it at the servo at Townsville.  When I got back, Sarah came out to the van and told me I had no right to descend on them out of the blue, and that I hadn't even asked if it was OK, and that she thought I shouldn't stay, and she wanted me to leave.  I was pretty gobsmacked.  It was so out of the blue, but sadly, not at all unusual for that young lady.  She's pretty rude at the best of times and gives Steven a really hard time.  All the same, I felt pretty shattered.  I'd looked forward so much to getting here, and catching up with them and then she came out with that.  Steven of course was furious with her, but didn't really know what to do.  There's a caravan park in the next block, so I came here.  But they can only give me two nights so I've arranged tomorrow to go down to Port Douglas and stay at the Pandanus.  I'll find a job  down there ok. 

As far as I'm concerned, Sarah has completely blown any chance of any kind of relationship with me from now on.  She's pretty much blown it with Steven too I think, but he's in a difficult place.  He'll never leave his children.  At least I can get in my motorhome and drive away.  All the same, I didn't sleep at all well last night, and shed a few tears over it all.  (Don't tell Steven).

And get this, as I was finishing breakfast this morning, along to the van walks Steven, Zed, Kodi and Sarah!  She greets me with a cheery tinkling 'Good Morning Kerry!'.  I just looked at her and said 'What are you doing here?'.  She says 'Oh, we've just come to say good morning to you'.  I looked her straight in the eye, and said 'Pi@@ Off!  Don't you dare come waltzing in here as if nothing has happened.  Get out!'  She looked at Steven as if completely shocked and shrugged her shoulders, spread her hands and said 'I tried!'  Come on boys'.  Steven said 'No, the boys are staying'.    'Oh, well.....enjoy MY family then!' and off she went.  I can't believe the hide of her. (Yes I can)

Am I upset?  You betcha!  Sorry, just had to vent.  I've never tried to influence my boys about their life choices because I figured I raised them up the best way I could, and that was to teach them to make their own decisions.  But I said to Steven today 'You have to get out of that!'  Trouble is, he knows very well that Sarah will use the boys to manipulate and control him, and he'll have a hard time getting to see them.  What is it about some people that they think the way to live life is to try to control every part of someone's life?  It just GETS me!  GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Anyway, I'll head to Port Douglas tomorrow afternoon, and see if I can find a job down there.  I've got a couple of options.  If I can get something to carry me through for a good time, I'll stick around.  I have a feeling Steven might need some support in the months to come.

Hope my next post will be cheerier.