Settling in

Phew - it's been a crazy 4 weeks but I think we can say we've settled into our new house and new city. There are still a few boxes stashed away in cupboards but for the most part everything is in its rightful place.

Of course I have to confessthat since writing those first two sentences another 4 weeks has slipped by in a blur of unpacking (ok, maybe I was a little generous when I said that 'most' things were in their rightful place), exploring and continuing our love affair with this glorious city. The weather hasn't been entirely cooperative, but it has put on some spectacular spring days - including an amazing golden day for Puddleduck's 2nd birthday - so we really can't complain on that front.

Our house, while small is surprisingly functional. I will refrain from regaling all with the stories (yes, I did mean to use the plural) of Mr Puddleduck falling down the stairs. it hasn't happened for a while so I'm just going to put it down to overexcitement about our new digs and leave it at that.

We've had our first visitors and are now planning an assault on Ikea for a suitable foldout couch to prevent repeating the Great Air Mattress Debacle of 2010. We've also realised that boxes and spare rooms really don't work terribly well when those spare rooms need to be used for guests. They don't give the space a jaunty, attic-y feel (theory Mr Puddleduck and I tossed about for a while as we tried to spin our way out of our disorganisation). They just make it hideously crowded and unpleasant.

Despite being fairly dedicated couch potatoes, we've walked to school and work pretty much every day since we moved and our walks home as a family are one of our favourite parts of the day. Puddleduck is excited to tell us about all the things she did at school and we're just generally delighted to be going home from work! I also don't think you've really lived until you've walked up Oxford St pushing a pram and singing the Alphabet song with a toddler very determined to be noticed. I dare you to try it one day. I think we're now known as "the Alphabet family".

We're going on a house hunt

Saturday number two of the Puddleduck Family house hunt began with decidedly less enthusiasm than Saturday number one did. I'm not sure whether it was the long week we had all had or whether the reality of house hunting in Sydney had sunk in and dampened our naive spirits. Whatever the reason, our approach to the day was far more prosaic than it had been just a week before.


Nevertheless we were determined to do this thing properly. We arrived for the inspection so early I am fairly sure the existing tenants thought we were casing the joint. Apparently our best "act casual" routine simply made us look like we were loitering with intent. Fortunately the agent wasn't witness to this so he was perfectly polite when we bailed him up a full fifteen minutes before the inspection time armed with our "responsible tenants' smiles and offering handshakes all around.

Puddleduck was tired and crotetchy, but thankfully distracted by lots of stairs to climb. Mr Puddleduck and I sent about filling out application forms with as much speed as we could possibly muster. You see it turns out that most agents don't accept the online application forms through Domain. Sigh. Another point to add to the list of "things I wish people would tell me about moving to Sydney instead of harping on about how expensive it is".

Anyway, an experienced looking house-hunter swaggered in about five minutes after our charm offensive began and he immediately offered a deposit. DAMMIT. Amateur mistake from us. Mr Real Estate Agent said he would give him an application form but would get back to him on the deposit. Phew-ish.

I say "ish" because people have now started swarming through the door. They're all terribly friendly and smile nicely at Puddleduck blocking their route up the stairs (I swear we didn't put her up to it). Fortunately I was able to 'help' a few people and explain that the open space at the top of the first level was the study/ third bedroom. Perfect for a couple with a toddler, not so much for a group of girls wanting to share a house close to the shopping Meccah of Oxford St.

A full half hour after we first arrived we waved goodbye to Lovely Mr Real Estate Agent having outlasted all other potential tenants. We'd both been out onto the street a few times with Puddleduck and were confident no more people were on their way so we could leave safe in the knowledge we were the first to arrive and the last to leave. That had to show commitment, right? Our wallets were also significantly lighter having proffered up a deposit on the house that Lovely Mr Real Estate Agent told us would take it off the market while he checked out our references. I wonder briefly if I should have included a reference from Mrs Anderson my Grade One teacher who really liked me. Probably not, I think she also said I didn't like sport. That's fairly unAustralian of me.

After we left we checked out the 'hood on foot for a while and then we headed to check out the next place on our list. It was, um, not so salubrious. A lovely looking facade if you ignored the giant graffiti tags on the front wall. We both immediately concluded that this would freak Grandparents out in a very serious way when they came to visit and struck it off the list.

Having put all our eggs in the gorgeous Paddington basket we decamped to Bondi for fish and chips and toddler leg-stretching. Rain threatened for our entire drive there but once we hopped out of the car the sun emerged from behind the clouds and a simply perfect Bondi afternoon emerged - so did a Police Rescue helicopter to the absolute delight of Puddleduck!

The parting of the clouds has to be a good sign, doesn't it? Not to mention the police helicopter ... I mean what's a move to Sydney without the odd police rescue in the neighbourhood?