The Awkward Duckling

Me, the social misfit. My priority is to learn up my work, be the efficient & effective worker I want to be. But it's kinda awkward when I have nothing to say to my colleagues. They won't fail my probation just becoz I'm not sociable, will they?

I wonder how long it'll take me to get used to everything here. Not just the work & relationships but also my feelings about Perth. Will it 1 day start to feel like home to me? Or will it feel as foreign to me as it is now regardless of the duration that I've been here?

Now that I'm more familiar with my route, driving to work & back home is less of an agony. We only had 4 cases today so we were done by 11 am. Kind of a waste to spend 2 hours on the road just to work 3.5 hours. But I guess more hours is always better than less. I've only clocked in 26.5 hours this week compared to the 31 hours last week. Well, at least 1 hour from yesterday is on overtime rate.

Hub's home from work early today as well. Looks like it's going to be a frequent event that he gets home earlier than I do. Having to start at 7 am means he has to wake up at 5 am like I do. He actually said he'll go to bed after Masterchef, even earlier than I currently do. I make it a point not go to bed after 10 pm so I can get 7 hours of sleep. I've fallen into a daily routine & there's comfort in that. I get home around 6 pm most days, do my evening gongyo & shower. Fix dinner by 7.30 pm, just in time for Masterchef. In between commercials I'll fix up Ton's food, clean up after his mess & brush his teeth. But I can't go to bed straight after Masterchef coz I've got to wash the dishes & let Ton out.

I finally have a taste of what a working wife feels like. Her work doesn't stop when she knocks off from work. On my days off, I catch up on the rest of the chores. I can't imagine how working mothers (without maid) manage. Must be tough.

Hub's Scary Encounters

While physically taxing, hub's job certainly doesn't lack excitement. Yesterday, he read a meter at what he felt is a haunted house. He said it was run down & even though sunlight filtered into the house, it gave a eerie look. He had just finished with the reading when he stood up & turned to leave. It was then he looked into the house as the main door was left open. Directly facing the main door was a sofa. On the sofa, was a white faced doll with heavy eyeliner (he described it as dark circles), staring directly at him. He got spooked. As he turned away from the door to leave, he noticed the owner (a black woman) at the back of the house hanging out her laundry & she was staring at him. Needless to say, he got out of there as quickly as possible.

Some owners leave the front gate unlocked to facilitate the meter reading. Sometimes, dogs are kept outside the house but within the confines of the plot. Hub's trainer taught him not to close the gate once he's in just in case he needs a quick escape from an unexpected savage dog. That was exactly what he did. Unfortunately, instead of attacking him, the dog ran off, probably bored from being left alone at home. Hubs finally managed to locate him & brought him back. But the dog refused to go through the gate & he had to force him through.

He's finishing up his route tomorrow & he's confident that he can get it done by 9 am. He'll have to call the office & either be given another route or head back to the office. No matter which 1 it is, he'll have to return to the office to submit his time sheet for this week anyway. I'll be working half day tomorrow as we've only got a morning list. Then it's time to worry about being able to get another car over the weekend. The letter informing us that the Lancer has been deregistered has arrived.

Careless Me

I knew I left something out when I typed yesterday's post. We went out on Monday evening to submit my TFN to the bank so they'll stop charging me the maximum tax rate on my interest earned. Tuesday morning hubs went out to the car porch, came into the house & told me to grab the Lancer's keys. I had left my wallet on the dashboard in plain sight for the whole night. Aiyo... so careless of me. Thankfully nobody came to smash the windows out, especially with the frequent break ins in my neighbourhood recently.

Wednesday today, petrol day. On my way home, I dropped by the petrol kiosk. I was 5th in the line to the pump & I waited 20 mins. Just to save perhaps $1. Well, maybe it's still worth it. Considering that I have to fill up once a week & will save $52 in a year.

It's hub's 1st day at work. As expected, he came back with sore & shaky legs. He did 250 readings in 7 hours only coz he lost his way a few times. He walked non stop, high speed for the entire 7 hours. I told him that he'll get better at it & he's going to develop a nice physique. (I haven't lost any weight yet. Darn!) Gave him a back & legs massage coz I don't know how else to encourage him. His is a really tough job. No wonder nobody wants to do it.

Catching Up On Chores

Driving home on Monday after work was a pleasure. I had 2 female drivers behind me for 2 different long stretches of road & they kept a good distance from me, like the way I do with the car in front of me. I also managed to avoid making wrong turns. The change in my GPS setting retraced my outbound route to LEI for the route home, so it was somewhat familiar to me.

I had the day off today but hubs had to go for his induction. I made use of the time to vacuum the house, tidy the pantry, clean up the kitchen sink & wash up all the new baking trays I bought from Woolies at half price. I baked a coconut cake whose recipe I got off the web. It uses the creaming method & I had a hard time with it. The house was cold & the butter refused to be "creamed". I had to stick the mixing bowl into the preheating oven a few seconds at a time until I can successfully cream it with sugar. I'm not too happy with the end product. The cake had a chewy bread-like crust though it was moist inside. Well, hubs as usual claimed it very nice & not too sweet (that was becoz I halved the sugar stated in the recipe).

He's starting work tomorrow & he gets to work 5 days a week. He can start at either 7 am or latest by 8 am & work no longer than 8 hours a day. On his 1st route, he has 500+ meters to read. If he can't finish on the 1st day, he'll have to continue on the next day. Once he's done, he has to report to the office & get another route to do. I looked at the map & I was like, that's a long distance to be walking. Physically challenging job. I hope all will be well for him.

Transformers is screening soon & I asked hubs if he wants to watch it over the weekend. It's $18 per ticket but if we sign up for their membership at $26 per year, we can get 2 tickets at $11 each. Quite a good deal if you ask me.

Even though we've both got jobs now, we're still being careful with our spending. We're always on the lookout for suitable weekly half priced items to buy from Coles or Woolies. Best buy of the week was the 10 kg pack of rice for $10 from Woolies. That'll last us for a long time to come. Frozen toes & no heating in the room? I got myself a hot water bottle to warm my toes. Even Ton wants to lie down on that warm spot. Alright, time for bed & for another day of work tomorrow.

On Taxable Income

The house seems to absorb the cold throughout the day & unleashes it upon its occupants at night. I'm gonna have to get myself some gloves soon. My fingers are bearing the full brunt, turning so stiff that I can't even click on the mouse properly. Migration takes you out of your comfort zone & pushes you to what you think are your limits. Then you surprise yourself by surmounting them & 1 day, all these will settle to become your way of living. Just like driving, it's part & parcel of life in Perth. I've always loved this quote from the Gosho. "Suffer what is there to suffer, enjoy what is there to enjoy. Regard suffering & joy as facts of life, & continue chanting NMHRGK no matter what happens." The "good" & the "bad" coexist together. To enjoy what Perth has to offer, you'll also have to accept the "bad". But who says bad is bad? If you refused to be defeated, seemingly bad circumstances & situations will polish your character.

I'm sure tax in Oz is higher than in SG. But I've come to realised that it's not as bad as what misconceptions led me to believe. I was chatting with 1 of my colleague & realised that everyone except the CNM is working permanent part time. I suspected as much coz I noticed everyone is using the time sheet. Why will you need to submit your working hours if you're a full time staff? You'll only have to report hours in excess of 38 per week for the overtime pay. Although we're part timers, I noticed some staff work more than 38 hours & I've been told I can work more than the 20 hours stated in my contract if I want to.

Filling in all the necessary forms for this new employment, 1 of them was the TFN form for tax purposes. I was asked if I would like to claim tax free threshold for the 1st $18.2k for this company. It's a yes for me since this is my 1 & only job. This means the 1st $18.2k I earn is tax free. Then, I have the option of using salary packaging which takes out $15.9k from my pre-tax salary. So that works out to be $34.1k that's tax free. If I earn $70k a year, I only pay tax based on $35.9k. This works out to be $6821 based on this table I got off the ATO website. That's 9.74% tax compared to the 20% everyone say I have to pay. Not as bad as we thought isn't it?

7 Weeks In Perth

We arrived on a Friday & every Friday marks another week in Perth. I survived my 1st week in my job or should I say, I survived the driving trips to & from work? I've been absent the entire week as I have to wake up at 5 am everyday & hence have been sleeping early. I was told good things about Aussie drivers but I think they seem good to Singaporeans only becoz drivers in Singapore are way worse. Sure, they give way when you signal but apart from that... I've been told not to speed as the fines are heavy & you get demerit points. I keep strictly to the speed limit or just under not only for fear of getting caught but also I know I won't be safe. This led to daily doses of tailgating. Almost everyone speeds. When they come too close to me, I feel very pressured. It's really hard to ignore them as I've been advised. Travelling at 90 km/hr & all I can see are the headlights in my rear & side mirrors, sometimes, just the bonnet. It totally goes against the 2 second rule I've been taught in driving school. I'm so scared that in the event I had to brake hard, they'll hit me.

I'm starting to familiarise with the outbound route. The inbound route, however, is another story. Traffic is heavy on the way home everyday. I feel less stressed coz nobody can speed even if they want to. But I'm always making turns too early or unable to filter out, missing the exit totally. I'm terrible at gauging distances. There was once the GPS said to keep 2nd lane from the left in preparation for an exit & the road has only 2 lanes. I was in the right lane when at 80 m to go, the road spilts into 4 lanes & I ended up being on the 2nd lane from the right. Needless to say, I missed my exit. It doesn't help that the GPS is churning out different routes for me to go home by everyday. It finally occurred to me that it was becoz my settings were on giving me the fastest travelling time. I switched my settings to the shortest distance so it'll just stick to the same route everyday. Everyday during my evening gongyo, I thank Gohonzon that I made it safely to work & back home. I kid you not. I'm that stressed about driving.

I had my orientation on Tuesday & officially "started" on Wednesday. My Clinical Nurse Manager (CNM) wanted me to learn circulating 1st. On Thursday, she already left me alone for long periods of time, coming in on & off to check on me. She feels I'm that good. But honestly, I know I won't be happy with my performance as a circulator until I can reach the stage where I can multitask & yet not miss a thing. I'll also need to remember where things are kept. I haven't scrub yet & I believe that's where the challenge lies. While the rational behind the surgical techniques & the machines they use are the same, they have different instruments from the ones I'm used to & they stand on different sides depending on which eye is being operated on (in SG we stand on patient's right regardless of the side). The scrub nurse also scrubs for the entire list whereas I'm used to alternate scrub. Nevertheless, I'll try to perform to the best of my ability. They gave me a chance when nobody did. All the more I have to prove that they didn't make the wrong decision to hire me. More importantly, I get a sense of pleasure & satisfaction knowing I'm efficient & doing a good job.

Conquer Thy Fear

We didn't take the test drive to Nedlands today. Hubs came home at 4+ pm from training. We ended up going to The Good Guys before they close at 5.30 pm to get another GPS since we both will be driving. I have to reach by 8 am & I intend to leave at 6.15 am, giving myself almost an additional hour to get there.

Hubs managed to complete 52 gas meter readings in an hour, 10 up from Friday. His trainer asked him to try & aim for 70. He has been informed to go for induction on Wednesday. So I guess that means he got the job. It's tough work. He has to work in the chill of the morning, heat from noon & beyond. He has to walk heaps. But we're both just thankful to even have jobs.

I applied Rain-X to the windscreen of the Integra earlier this afternoon. Weather report says it'll storm tomorrow. It'll help repel rain & improve visibility. Given my terrible driving track record in Perth, I need everything I can to tip the scales in my favour. Yes, on the drive back, I was so busy looking out for traffic while making a right turn that I undershot & nearly turned into the opposite lane. I had to reverse on a cross junction, then correct my path.

I'm such a dangerous driver. I wonder where all my driving skills went. I totally suck. With each blunder I make, I become more fearful of driving. I don't know when I'll make a mistake that will A: crash the car, B: crash people's car or C: knock someone down. I'm gonna have to push myself out of my comfort zone & stop relying on hubs to drive me around. I need to get more drive time in. If I don't find courage to conquer my fear, I'll forever be held prisoner by it.

It's The Nerves

I start work officially tomorrow, starting with an orientation at 8 am. I'm nervous about having to drive there. Hubs is going for his 4 hours training starting at 10.30 am. So I'll be taking a test drive with him to Nedlands when he gets home. Our 1st drive there for my interview didn't go very well & he was the 1 driving. I wanted to use my handphone as my GPS but he refused, saying that it'll be dangerous if a call or sms comes in & my navigation disappears. To think that I'm more nervous about driving there than starting a new job.

We had a good weekend with Ton. He was shivering, his ears & paw pads were cold to the touch. So we got him a sweater at City Farmers. We tried a couple of different designs but the XXS was too small & the XS was too big. The only 1 that fitted well was the sweater. I never believed in buying fanciful accessories for dogs. I don't understand the rational of bling bling collars, fanciful bowls, "nail polish" for dogs, dying their fur a multitude of colours that sort of thing. In SG, doggy clothes are merely for fashion coz the weather's too hot to keep them on for long periods of time. Why not spend the money on things that contribute to their health instead?

We left Ton home alone yesterday for 2 hour as a trial. He took to it alright just as expected. I'm only worried that he'll be cold. Hopefully the sweater's enough. We got him a bunny toy for $3 at The Reject Shop & he absolutely loves it. D & J came over with their daughter to see Ton & to play with him. Surprisingly, he's quite good off leash around the house. He comes back when called when he goes too near to the start of the driveway. I think he somehow knows that's part of the house & anything beyond is "outside". Smart boy.

Sitting outside Midland Gate Shopping Centre while hubs went in to grab some stuff.

Hugging his bunny toy to sleep.

Ah Ton Finally Arrives

Hubs got back from his assessment around 9.30 am. He followed this staff on her route. He completed 42 readings in an hour which she said was alright for a newbie. She herself can complete 70 readings in an hour. I was like, "Really? That's less than a min for each house." With this job, you have to study the area map the night before & plan your route well. You park at the nearest carpark & go on foot to all the houses. Some are straight forward in that the meter is outside the house. For those hidden in the garage, you have to knock & ask to read the meter or have the owner read it to you. Some are behind bushes, buried in the soil etc. I guess 70 in an hour is only possible if they're all straight forward.

Landlord came over at almost 11 am to paint a portion of the outdoor ceiling that was repaired a couple of weeks ago as well as spray weed killer on the mulch areas. While we were chatting, the 1st phone call came. Hubs is being called to a 4 hour training on Monday. Shortly after, we received a 2nd phone call. It was from the pet transport company informing us that Ton Ton will arrive at our place between 3.30 to 4.30 pm. Needless to say, I'm overjoyed.

We went out to buy offal & veg for Ton's meal after landlord went off. I had already prepacked fresh meat 2 days ago & left them in the freezer. Everyday I just have to grab a pack to defrost before feeding him. Sometimes you just can't anticipate everything that you need. I was hoping I don't have to buy nail clippers by bringing him out for long walks. This will grind down his nails naturally & I don't have to cut them. I didn't think that I will be showering him in this cold weather so I didn't get hair dryer as well.

Just slightly after 4 pm, we heard the sound we were impatiently waiting for. The sound of a vehicle driving into our driveway. Ton was a bit confused & probably feeling lost. I was sure he recognised us but he didn't exhibit the exuberance he usually gave us. He ran around the house & upon seeing the backyard, he ran straight for it. Bang! He ran straight into the glass door. Oh my, that's my silly goof of a dog.

Brought him out to the "park" outside our place for toileting. His pee was super concentrated. He must have not been drinking. Then I realised the fur around his anus was all matted with dried feces. So much so that he couldn't pass stools & he kept whining coz the stools were stuck. I tried my best to clear some of it off his anus but ended up with feces all over his butt. No choice but to shower him. Hubs drove out to Big W to get a hair dryer while I showered him & brushed his teeth. His breath stinks (still is). After that, I trimmed fur off his eyes so he can see better, brushed out the matts on his body, trimmed his paw fur & gave him a sanitary clip. I also realised his ear canals are in terrible condition. I shaved off the fur from underneath his ear flaps & the cleaning solution will have to wait till tomorrow. I promised him outings & car rides so we're all going to City Farmers tomorrow. Yey!

Been receiving lots of bad news from friends lately. 2 of my friends' dad had health issues so severe that they require hospitalisation & further investigations. 1 of them is taking her health assessment exam this Sunday some more. It's her last semester & it's imperative that she achieve a pass or wait 2 years to redo the module. Another friend recently diagnosed with diabetes. I don't know how she's taking it & I don't know what to say. As a nurse, I can say do this, don't do that, eat this not that. But as a friend, I can only say we'll be there for her. Back at home, fervently chanting for their health & victory over the circumstances.

Gas Meter Reading Assessment

Just sent hubs off for his gas meter reading assessment. He has to be there by 6.55 am & he's still taking his own sweet time. 真的替他捏一把冷汗。Although the GPS gave the estimation as 20 mins drive time, we shouldn't take it too literally. Being late on your assessment almost guarantees that they'll give the job to someone else who demonstrates punctuality. It's a rather straight forward route though so hopefully he'll be fine.

If I'm scheduled to start at 7.30 am at LEI, I think I'll be leaving at 6 am. If 2 heads can't figure out the GPS's instruction, me with my lousy sense of direction means that I'm highly likely to make a few wrong turns. I still can't figure out how we took 1 hr 20 mins to drive that 34 km. I can always adjust my departure time as I familiarise myself with the route. If I'm early, I'm early. I used to show up at work 30 mins before I was due anyway.

It's a cold morning & has been so consistently for the whole week. Waking up to 3 or 4 degrees is the norm. I don't even have 1 long sleeved top. Before coming over, I checked the temperature in Perth across the months. It showed 10-18 degrees during winter. I thought to myself, 10 degrees ain't bad. Hence I left all my warmer clothes behind since my luggage was overweight. The next time I better take it with a pinch of salt. So I guess summer isn't going to be the rosy 18-31 degrees as dictated either. I've already been told it can hit 42 degrees on some days.

Alright, I shall pop back into bed. Once I start working, being able to wake up naturally will become a luxury.

Friday The 13th: 6th Week Mark

It's just past midnight now. I was just reading my old entries from just before I left SG. Has it really been only 6 weeks? It certainly felt longer than that. We've lead a happening life. Lol. What stuck me most was the roller coaster of emotions I penned down. (Well, typed but penned is a more beautiful word to use.) From excitement to dejection to determination.

Ton will be released from quarantine between 8.30 to 10.30 am. Dropped an email to Pet Movers asking when can I expect Ton but didn't receive a reply. Urgh... I hope it goes on smoothly & I'll get to see him tomorrow. I'm just worried that there'll be hiccups. I don't even know if the flight to Perth has been booked for him & whether arrangements has been made for someone to check him out from quarantine. There're not many companies/businesses doing pet export. I chose Pet Mover coz they're $800 cheaper than Shiloh & they've been in this business for a long time, hence more experienced. I just wish I'm kept in the loop more.

Now on to the main part. It was a whirlwind of activities today. Wednesday, Jus messaged me on Whatsapp saying that she received a call from LEI (I listed her as my referee) & she's quite certain that I'll get the job. Basically, they verified with her what I told them during the interview. Jus told her that I have recovery experience, I'm independent when it comes to scrubbing & circulating & I had good rapport with my colleagues. This morning, I received an email from LEI's HR manager saying that she was unable to reach my 2nd referee & if I have other numbers or other referees I can provide. That induced frantic calls to SG, trying to reach some of my ex nursing managers. When I couldn't get them, I smsed them. (They didn't reply at all even till now btw.) Jus suggested I try Sr Tay & I did. She was at her desk so I managed to get her. She kindly agreed to help me & I gave her number to the HR manager. A short while later, I received the call I've been praying for, for an entire month. They're offering me the job!

When I set my prayers, I targeted 100k daimoku to be completed by tomorrow. 20 mins is roughly equivalent to 1k. It may sound like a huge number but believe me, there're many others doing many hours a day. This is considered quite little. Back in SG, I did like 10 mins of daimoku a day only. So pacing myself to do 1 hour a day (30 mins in the morning & evening) was initially a struggle to me. But in time, I got used to it. As I progressed through my chanting, I had this feeling that I should complete my 100k by today instead of on today. So I upped my daimoku sessions to 1 hour 20 mins a day for the entire week. I was still 40 mins short when my prayers were answered (as I've not done my evening gongyo plus daimoku). In Buddhism, we talk about winning. We practise so we can conquer life's struggles. I'll definitely continue to practise for self & others & be a candle that lights up the dark in people's life.

Me: Terrible Driver

The seal at the side of the engine that was leaking in the Integra? The seller informed us that the part would only come yesterday & hence he needed another day to fix it up. He called earlier today, telling us that we can collect the car at 7.30 pm at his place.

We spent the day catching up on previous episodes of Masterchef, starting from the 1st episode. I think Nix mentioned that migration should be an adventure, without every smallest detail intricately planned out (or something to that effect). I think we sure don't have a shortage of that. Perhaps we're magnets for it.

I haven't drove since I last got rear ended. I developed a phobia that I'll get hit again. Or worse, that I'll hit another car or something. I told hubs I'll drive to the seller's place coz we each have to drive a car back later anyway. Driving there will give me a chance to practise & familiarise myself with the route. I drove to the ATM 1st to withdraw the cash for payment of the car. I always thought our withdrawal limit is 2k but in fact is only 1k. Gosh, thankfully the insurance payment had already gone into hub's account & we were able to each withdraw the balance we needed (I had $800 from the other day). Another actual proof that everything we need comes in time.

While driving to the shopping centre (for the ATM), I didn't see the lady at the zebra crossing cum hump. She was blocked by the spine of the windscreen & I didn't see her from afar. Since I was so slow (10km/hr), I didn't cross the hump & stopped when hubs said there was a lady waiting to cross the zebra crossing. Yeah, that got me some criticism with regards to my driving skills. To think I drove for so long after receiving my license back in SG. In manual some more! I've become so scared to drive. How did I get so lousy at driving?

Nothing much during the drive to the seller's place though I was shaking all the way. 1st thing I noticed was that the car wasn't there. The wife came up to us & told us that she locked the car with the key inside. She asked if hubs can drive manual & for him to drive all of us to the car wash where her husband & the car was. So we all rode on their manual CRV (what a coincidence since this was the same model that rear ended us).

The seller was trying to insert a metal wire into the car with 1 end twisted into a hook to hook at the car lock. Yep, he succeeded with hubs holding a tool to pry the window's rubber seal slightly apart. I wondered what the police will say if we were seen doing this. Probably think we were trying to do a grand theft auto. Lol. He really cleaned up the exterior & he asked if we mind waiting while he vacuum the interior as he couldn't do it with the car locked. Hubs told him not to worry about it, that we'll do it ourselves. The interior's not too bad, way cleaner than our Lancer & we've made do for so long anyway.

Drove back to seller's place, us on the Integra & them on the CRV, only to realise none of us have the transfer forms. Seller drove to a friend's place nearby to print it online. We chatted a while with his wife. They're from Mauritius & have been in Australia for 5 years. They spent 3.5 years in Melbourne before moving to Perth. They felt Perth has more opportunities as she easily found a job here when she couldn't get even 1 in the 3.5 years that they were in Melbourne. Like so many others have told us, she encouraged us that the job will come, we just have to be patient & keep trying. Seller got back soon with the forms. He gave us $50 back, asking us to use it to top up the petrol. To what we owe them their kindness? They wished us luck in our life in Perth & for landing jobs soon. I kept them in my prayers, wishing them well.

I was to drive the Lancer home with hubs following behind. I was to use the GPS to guide me back. Before we depart, hubs told me not to worry if I lost him, that he knows his way home. I did lose him when I cleared a traffic light & he didn't. Then it was back at that stretch of road that hubs got tailgated on when we drove back from P & J's house after visiting the hobby farm. It was really dark as there're no street lights. Speed limit's 90km/hr. As a habit as taught in driving school, I frequently check my rear mirror. The car behind me was way too close for comfort. I could only see the headlights & at times not even the headlights, just the bonnet. What's with this stretch of road that people likes to tailgate? I was already doing 87 km/hr. That driver was freaking me out. I'm not risking a fine to drive faster & I know I won't be safe if I speed up anymore. Finally ditched him/her at a round about when he/she went off in another direction near the entrance to Ellenbrook. That was about 18 km of scary & stressful driving. On my end that is.

Hubs made it back before I even turned off the headlights & I kept just under the speed limit all the way. Gosh, he's fast. I really need a lot of practise. If I get hired, I'll have to drive myself to work. Really need to overcome the fear of driving.

Less Congestion

At Albany Highway, with hubs currently in his 1st interview as a meter reader. We left at 8.30 am & arrived at 9.10 am, due to smooth traffic. The straight forward route also meant we didn't make the wrong turn or exit. Comparatively, Nedlands was tough as we came very close to the city & it was way more congested.

We'll be picking up the Integra later this evening. I'm hoping we can make a trip to Bunnings to get a "pee tray". Well, it won't originally be intended as a pee tray, but rather a plastic rectangular pewter tray for garden pots. I reckon buying the real thing from pet shops will cost much more. It'll be a late night standby for urgent toileting matters & will be put into use when both of us are out at work with nobody to bring Ton out.

Am suffering from muscle aches this morning due to my 5 km jog yesterday. I woke up feeling the intense motivation to go jogging & immediately changed to do so. I expected it to be hard as I've not jogged for about 2 months. The park circuit just outside my place is small, 1 round being 180 m. I wasn't even sure if I could complete even 10 rounds. But surprisingly, I went on & on till I had to stop only becoz I had to shower, do my morning gongyo & leave for P & J's house. I think it's the cold that enabled me to jog such a long distance. In SG, I struggled to even complete 2.6 km despite training for 2 months. The cold wind stung my eyes & made them water though but it was just a small problem.

P & J drove east for an hour to this place called Baker's Hill. It was definitely a change in scenery, though it already is when you've just arrived in Australia from SG. It's nice but I wouldn't dream of living here. The plot's gigantic & I won't be able to tend to it by myself. I'm only interested in growing some herbs & expensive asian staples like chilli or ginger. So a small place will suffice if I ever get to that stage where I decide what kind of house to build.

Car No. 2

5 weeks & a day. Just got home from an indian dinner of briyani with D & J. They went with us for the 2nd viewing of the car. I was too tired to blog last night. Yep, last evening we viewed a 1998 Honda Integra as a replacement to our soon to be written off Lancer. Seller wanted to sell for 2.7k & we bargained for 2.4k but he said 2.5k was the lowest he would go. On our way to home based soka meeting, he called & asked if we still wanted the car. He'll let it go for 2.4k to us. So we headed down with D & J for 2nd opinion this evening. As with our assessment, the car seems to be in a pretty okay condition, even better than our Lancer. We paid him $100 as deposit & we'll pick up the car on Monday as he wanted to clean it up for us.

P & J invited us over for dinner after our car viewing last night. They've invited us to go with them to visit a friend of theirs who owns a hobby farm tomorrow. I'm kinda looking forward to it. It's away from the city, perhaps it'll be something like back to nature. They said there was once they left after the sun had set. Becoz it's so far from the city, there's no light pollution, they could see the milky way. I frequently go out to the front lawn at night, just to admire the stars & constellations.

I miss Ton. 6 more days till we're reunited. I can't wait. I can see in my mind his wagging tail, his excitement (& perhaps relieve) upon see me & hear his happy whines. Is it going to be a day of many again? Friday's the day I'll be hearing from both hospitals regarding my application. I await for good news.

Miraculous Happenings

Boy am I bushed. Left home at 8.30 am for my interview. GPS stated that it requires 50 mins to get there but after a couple of wrong turns & heavy traffic, we parked the car at 9.50 am, just 10 mins shy of my interview time.

On the drive there, I received a call from the insurance company asking us to bring the car down for assessment. I'm so terrible with people's accent over the phone. I got the address wrong & was frantically searching online for the correct address while worrying about my interview at the same time. In the end I gave up, thinking that I could call the main line for the address.

I couldn't tell what my chances of being hired are from the interview. But I think I'm the 1st of the entire lot as the closing date for application is today. I'll know by end of next week if I got the job. From the interview, I could tell that this is very similar to what I've been doing in SG. Scrub, circulating, recovery duties. I definitely hope my familiarity with this field will give me added advantage over the rest of the applicants.

After the interview, I called the insurer's main line. Initially they couldn't figure out who called me. The lady on the line said to bring it to the 1 I went to get quoted on, in my nwighbourhood. But the guy told me the assessing centre is in Victoria Park. Eventually, I was transferred to the claims department. Take a look at the address & you'll see how I got it wrong. I took the address down as Tilba Street, something that sounds like Wellsbrook in Victoria Park. The correct address is Pilbara Street, Welshpool. Gosh! But when I got there, meeting the guy face to face, I have absolutely no problem understanding him. There's just something about talking over the phone.

We were directed to a licensing centre to get documentary proof that the car is under our name, a document we don't have. We went to the nearest in Cannington only to be rejected becoz hubs didn't have his passport with him. Drove all the way back home, grabbed the passport & did this in Midland since it's along the way. Then drove all the way back to Welshpool to submit the document. By the time we got back to our neighbourhood, it was already almost 5 pm.

If we weren't asked to collect the fridge yesterday, we wouldn't have made it today at all & the lady leaves Perth for good tomorrow. No matter how many times it happen, the impeccable timing of how things fall into place never fail to amaze me. It's just as the picture I posted. Gohonzon's clock is never early or late. It always strikes on time.

Rolling In On The Same Day

Remember I was commenting on how everything seems to fall on the same day (5th June)? It's amazing how it all came together, like liquids added to flour. I feel like I'm kneading a dough. All the ingredients have to be added in an order for it to work.

It's Wednesday, aka petrol day. I called iinet for techincal support as my home line isn't working. The good thing about them is that they have this call back system. They tell you how long you've got to hold the line & if you don't wish to hold, they can call you back based on your current queue. My waiting time was about 20 mins so I requested a call back. While waiting, J called to have a chat, asking if we've received our Medicare card. That's the only document missing for license conversion & TFN application. 1 of the jobs that got back to hubs requires a local license. So she was concerned for us that the longer we have to wait, the higher the chance that the job's been taken.

I received the call back shortly after we hung up. Turned out that the phone cable doesn't go into the phone port but to another port instead. Weird huh? So got that sorted out & we'll be able to make & receive calls on our home line now. Took a shower (coz it's too cold to shower at night) in preparation to get the petrol & grocery shop. We were about to leave when hubs checked the mailbox & he excitedly told me to "Quickly open this 1. It has 2 cards in it!" Yep, our Medicare cards have finally arrived. Immediately, I said, "Let's go to Midland."

We did the license conversion 1st, followed by the post office to produce the documents for the TFN application. Then, we were informed that we can collect the fridge today. Like magic, eveything came at the right time. If the Medicare card didn't come, my TFN would have expired & I'll have to file the application again. The Medicare temporary slip expires tomorrow which means if I fall sick, I won't be able to use it. Initially, the lady had told us we have to go in early tomorrow as she'll be busy in the evening. But D only knocks off at 2 pm & he needs time to get home, pick up the trailer with us before driving to her place. I couldn't do it earlier anyway coz I have an interview at 10 am, 50 mins drive away. 

Everything's falling together like magic. That's the wonder of the mystic law. You don't know how or why it works. It just do, leaving you speechless & full of gratitude.

Took this on the way to Midland. Beautiful cloudless day with endless blue skies.

I didn't exit my SG WD whatsapp chat group & this is 1 of the many pictures being shared. It serves as a reminder not to worry too much coz all that I need will come in time.

Intuitive Ton

Called home yesterday afternoon to check if Ton has been taken away by Pet Movers. My dad said he didn't want to go & the guy had to carry him away. Dogs are really good at reading our emotions & body language. Perhaps he knew that he's being taken away, never to return. For he didn't exhibit this behaviour when they took him for his pre-export vet visits. I can only imagine how scared he was & still is. He must be on the plane now, en route to Melbourne. He's all alone in the airline carrier with loud engines roaring away. Later, he'll be kept in a kennel in isolation. Hang in there buddy! We'll reunite soon enough.

I can only hope he'll enjoy living with us here in Perth. He's small so the house will seem exceptionally big. I think he'll find it exciting, chasing my neighbour's cats from our lot. (They come around all the time.) I intend to retrain him to do his business outdoors. It isn't difficult actually & in fact it's much easier than to paper train. I just have to bring him out perhaps 3-4 times a day, with a pee tray to standby at home. (Just in case he needs to go in the middle of the night or for when we start working & there's nobody at home to bring him.)

There'll be another mouth to feed so it becomes more imperative that we land jobs soon. He's on BARF so I'll have to buy him meat, offal (thankfully that is affordable) & veg. I don't have a food processor yet so I'm gonna have to mince the veg by hand. I know Pedigree is cheap ($15 for a a big pack that can feed him for months). But I like to know exactly what goes into his stomach. Becoz his health & wellness is important to me. It is time consuming but if it's good for him, I'll do it.

Received an email informing me that Ton has arrived safely at the quarantine centre & that he's "quite nervous & a little uncertain". I laughed so hard when I read that coz it's totally him. He's release date is 13th June & I believe I'll get to see him that afternoon itself. Can't wait.

Sense Of Loss Once Again

I removed myself from my native country & put my parents through the sorrow of separation. Tomorrow, Ton Ton, everybody's favourite dog will be taken away by Pet Movers in preparation for his morning flight on Tuesday morning. They're sure to feel the pinch all over again. At this stage, I really really really wish I have the monetary means to bring my parents over. Stay for a week or 2.

I haven't been sight seeing. But I'll definitely bring them around. Let me indulge in a fantasy where money isn't a problem. I'll bring them to Rottnest Island, see the quokkas, take heaps of photos. I'll bring them to the various parks for short treks, tourist-y markets & vineyards to sample wines. My dad will love the nature, the quiet of Perth & the ability to grow your own veg in the backyard. My mom will find it boring without her drama series. Lol.

I must always keep in mind the reason why I'm here. I had enough of working my ass off & getting paid barely enough to stay afloat, the absence of work life balance all for what? Money that I can never access, HDB flat that's never really mine. I came here so I can earn enough to provide for my parents so they can live better even if they're in SG. I came here to live the life I wanted. I'm here to give it a shot. I don't know if I'll make it. Even if I don't & have to go back, I'll never view life in the same way again. But I'll sure as hell chant daimoku until I manifest the effects I want, until I craft the future I so desire.

The Curse Of The Inconvenient Weeds

Green is supposed to be soothing to the eyes & instill a sense of calm. That's why operating theatres are often painted green. I can't speak for anywhere else but it doesn't seem to work in SG. Anyway, P & J laid lawn for their house for the same reasons.

Barely 1 week into our arrival in Perth, we rented this place that we're currently staying at. My landlord had just laid the lawn & she asked me to pick the weeds on & off as they grow. Initially, I couldn't tell the weeds & the grass apart. Everyone told me weeds simply looked different. Except for the long stalks which looked different than the lawn grass but is in reality another breed of grass.

Weeds are terrible inconveniences. They grow fast & relentless. It doesn't help that 1 can only do a small area at a time. I would squat on the lawn, pulling out the weeds as I go. Before long, my legs would start to protest & shake from the prolonged squatting. By the time 1 completes the entire lawn, the 1st area has already been overwhelmed by weeds again. J suggested Feed n Weed which upon application, feeds the lawn & kills the weed. Perhaps when we have a sustainable income. Until then this will be the only exercise I'm getting

I continued with the weeding today. Not wanting to stop, I got on all fours. It's easier to be on your knees than to be squatting. I have no problems distinguishing the weeds from the grass anymore. In fact, I've become progressively more efficient at weeding. I found myself pulling more out along with the roots than not. I'm not sure if it's therapeutic coz I don't really feel the effects. But I'm definitely feeling a sense of satisfaction whenever I sucessfully deroot the weeds. That I guess is a form of progress.