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We’ve not been doing anything big recently but lots of little things.  We’re still in the process of buying the land.  It’s been changing a bit as we’re going through but we think we’re now at a point to exchange contracts on the land.  I’ve put a picture on the website of the building site that we’ll eventually be 74 houses.  Then we have to find a builder and decide on the design of the house.  We also had the fun morning last Saturday of pricing up a swimming pool for the garden.  If everything goes well, we should move in early next year.

Jack and Grace have been enjoying school and going swimming a few times a week.  They can both now swim short distances without support, and getting better every week.

Last weekend we all went to one of Jack’s schoolfriends birthday parties at a play centre.  It’s nice to see him making new friends.

Then yesterday we went out to the Hunter Valley to a fayre at one of the vineyards.  It was nice to get out of the city, and it was a fun day though it did start to rain.

I’ve been working hard and enjoying my new role as a Production Manager.  I look after 3 Galvansing lines and 4 Wiredrawing machines which involves about 60 people.  Very similar to the job I was doing in Sheffield but a bit of a step up.

Sarah is beginning to have more time to herself, but up until now it’s mostly been spent looking at houses and cars.  We’re looking to change our car now most of our driving is in town or on the highway.

We’ve been looking for a house to buy for a few weeks now, and last weekend we agreed on a decision to buy a block of land in Adamstown Heights, which is the next suburb across from Merewether.  The land is on a new development on the site of an old pipe factory.

After debating it for a few days, Sarah phoned up to get a contract for the block we liked which the real estate said they’d send out.  But later that day they phoned back to say it had gone.  A bit dissapointing, but we’ve gone for the one next door, which is slightly small but wider at the front.

We are still looking for a suitable house to build to fit the block and we’ve not paid a deposit yet, so it’s not certain, but we’re very excited about it.

Last Sunday I competed in the Newcastle Foreshore Triathlon.  This was my second triathlon and my first competetive race.  The swim was down the Hunter river in Newcastle, and by the time I was swimming it was quite a strong current, fortunately in the right direction.  Then the cycle ride went out along Newcastle Beach so was very picturesque and the run went out to the harbour breakwater and round the foreshore park.

I had a good swim and a fast cycle ride, but I’m not very good at changing from riding to running yet, a bit more practise required there.  In the end I took 1 hour 3 minutes and came 153rd out of 262 which I was very pleased with.  Even better was that my number was picked out in the prize draw and I won a six pack of wine, worth the entry money alone.