'Lo folks.

Not been on the site much since we moved here to Perth and that was 7 months back this week!

Been a series of ups and downs. We managed to find a nice house in the northern suburbs, an area called Clarkson (googlemap it). Not huge but on a good block of land (600m2) and with a separate building at the back for my office as I am working from home. Nice to have a real garden with wild birds too.

We moved into the house in April and our gear from Shanghai arrived a couple of weeks later. Bloody shippers managed to damage every piece of antique furniture we had collected in the 10 years in Shanghai. I think we are now able to settle that issue as we have found a cabinet maker/furniture restorer who can do the repairs needed.

Along with the move in we were adopted by a small female kitten. She suddenly appeared on a tree limb that Jade was about to lop off with a chain saw. Yes I bought her a chain saw, last of the great romantics me.

We called her Boots as she had white boot like markings on her back legs. We were concerned about how she would get on with the two cats who we are bringing over from China.

Sadly that is not going to happen, poor thing was hit by a car 2 weeks back and killed, That devestated Jade as she saw it happen and we have never lost a cat that way.

The two cats finally arrived in Perth last week. They have 3 more weeks of quarantine to go here. A total of 7 months away from us.

I was able to see them each month during their sojourn in Singapore as I am away 50% of the time from Aus and route through Singapore.

Work has been hard to get off the ground in Aus. Loads of projects but try getting a meeting with anyone!

I am not going to be able to travel for the next couple of weeks as I am in hospital on Friday to have an op on my left knee. Jade has suggested wooden legs miight be the way to go at the rate I seem to damage mine.

I was in Shanghai for a couple of weeks sorting out documentation for the office there. Quite nice being back as I made it to quite a few sessions at The Blarney Stone and was invited to play at the inaugral event for Le Cheile an new Irish Expat group in Shanghai.

I took a drum with me but it was then impounded on the way back A$60 to have it fumigated! I did point out that it was made in the Orkney's and had been fumigated at many pub sessions, it cut no ice. I am still looking for a good session here.

Jade is working at a local mushroom farm, so I no longer have to feed her crap and keep her in the dark, she is now doing it on a professional basis.

For Jade the settling process has not been easy, first time she has lived outside of China and though her English (and Anglo-Saxon) is excellent dealing with documentation has been a trial, so I do all of that.

Her parents are coming over for about 4 months so that might help too.

With summer on its way we can now look forward to trying to do some traveling and exploring the area around us. We have been up and down the coastal strip a lot but now we want to head east into the bush.