World Doom and Gloom

This morning's news was all bad on the financial front ... American stock market crashing again, Eurozone going down the gurgler and the Aussie dollar plummeting against the American dollar.

Its a joy to get to work and read the canal blogs where there is no mention of the world doom and gloom ... the worse that seems to happen is that a boat goes past and poor Johnny spills his tea or workers cutting the grass make a mess of some shiny paintwork!

I cant wait to be in the same position where all we have to worry about is our little sardine tin and where shall we go today. 

Only hope all the negative financial vibes don't affect the house sale!  Fingers - and everything - crossed for our 3rd open day tomorrow - and a meeting with Sasha - the Real Estate guy!

Ooops

This happened on one of our favourite walks very close to our house. High powered car and low powered brain cells don't mix. Very very lucky couple.

He wasn't even pissed!!   

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/photos/gallery/bmw-m3-crash/

 

Lazy Day

Saturday was another busy day getting the house ready for inspection and tidying up the garden. Then we watched Australia get beaten by the Paddy's.......that wasn't suppose to happen!  To finish off our Saturday we went out to dinner with friends before watching Arsenal get beaten again! Now that did make me laugh.

Sunday morning we awoke to a clear and hot day, so we thought 'bugger it' today is the day to have a rest. In the afternoon we went down to Little Manly.

Little Manly Beach

As the name suggests, it has a much smaller beach than the ocean beach.  It is our favourite part of Manly as it is off the main tourist route and this is the area that I (Paul) first moved to 31 years ago. I met a lot of friends at that time who also lived in the area, and as a matter of fact we are going out to dinner with them tonight (they are all POMs!)

Next to the beach it is now a park with free BBQs  and is a nice spot to sit and veg out.  (It used to be a gas works, they did a real nice job converting it to a recreational area.

From Little Manly with Sydney City in the distance

Its not Pink its Salmon coloured 

Collins Flat Beach

Manly Ferry heading to Manly

Manly Hospital on the hill

To the left on this pic you can just about see 'Jump Rock' where kids love to go and jump ! (...even though Manly Council have put up a 6 foot fence to try and stop them ... they just jump off the top of it !)

Federal police training centre

Loads of POMs on the beach playing soccer !

Obligatory ban everything sign!!!!

Of course, there are the Manly Council signs - banning everything that might be considered fun (double click on pic to see more detail).  Everyone ignores the 'no drinking' sign though !

Shark proof swimming enclosure at the beach

Second Open House

Saturday was our second open house, all went well according to Sasha the real estate god. Two couples came back for a second look so that was good.
Last Thursday he rang us because a lady couldn't make the Saturday open house so could she come come on the Thursday, no probs says I. So Elaine had to delay some of her clients and spend a couple of hours getting the house to presentation standard again. Apparently she has been travelling around the world for a number of years, she now want to settle down and has friends in our area. She is cashed up and loved the house.....so hopefully she will make us an offer we cant refuse.

Quote of the Day !

One of my clients gave me this quote today .. he thought it apt considering our future plans - I like it ! (Posted by Elaine!)

• Houses, are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of gay transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting-place.

• by Arthur Ransome (January 18, 1884 – June 3, 1967), who was a British children's author

Double Trouble

On Saturday I noticed  a big dent in the bonnet of Elaine's car, plus 3 dents on the roof! Looks like some twat has been practising his parkour moves on her car!

... and today there is a bloody great dent in the back of the ute. Some one must have overdone the touch parking or their parking sensors failed.

Never mind  they are both insured and as they say 'worse thing happen at sea'!  We will just have to pay the excess !!!!

Had a great night out last night, even managed to catch a bit of the England vs Argentina rugby game at the pub, there were hundreds of back-packing poms having  a good night down there.

1st Open House

 Had the 1st open house today from 2.00-2.30. Sasha, our real estate guy. just rang -  he had 12 groups go through - his second highest of the day!  (They show approx 10-12 houses on a Saturday).

The feedback was 'very good,  immaculate presentation' (thanks Elaine) and a few really interested parties.
Next step is Monday - he calls them all and gets their feedback and interest after the weekend.

... then we do the whole episode again next Saturday!

We were up early getting the house looking all super-dooper so tonight we are off  to the pub and a very nice restaurant in Manly called the 'Pantry' - which we affectionately call the 'toilet block' because that is all it used to be (now it has the toilets underneath it !).