tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36518578567576375182024-02-20T19:06:33.082-08:00How "Woomba" is TOOwoomba?Is woomba a good or bad thing?
Whatever it is, we have more than we need.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-67342573893371801792010-04-13T04:26:00.000-07:002010-06-05T00:13:10.864-07:00Toowoomba IndicationsOne of the indicators on the car started acting up. It was flickering on and off really fast - usually an indication of some sort of malfunction.<br /><br />Peter checked it out, and sure enough one of the rear indicator bulbs had blown. He went down to buy a new one.<br /><br />The man serving him gave him a funny sideways look. "Are you a resident of Toowoomba?" he asked.<br /><br />Peter assured him that he was, adding however that he had not lived here long.<br /><br />The man commented that Toowoomba residents come into the shop for many things, but NEVER to fix an indicator ... because, after all, they just never use them.<br /><br />Come to think of it, as we drove around Toowoomba, we realised he was right.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-51468476592224008842010-04-06T01:08:00.000-07:002010-06-05T00:13:34.087-07:00Not enough Woomba after allWell apparently there was not enough woomba after all.<br /><br />Despite Toowoomba's beautiful cool weather, the delightful tree-lined hilly streets, and the overwhelming friendliness of the Toowoomba people ... we are leaving.<br /><br />With only one 3-day-a-week casual job between us (and that has finished now), we realised we have to look farther afield.<br /><br />Jobs would be easier to find if we both had Masters Degrees. So we are going back to study.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">QUT</span><br /><br />We went down to Brisbane for the weekend, and had a little look around at the QUT campus (at Kelvin Grove).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/jGAhsK5PnReBmm6_rz3WGQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7g-lGnFZ1I/AAAAAAAAMS8/iu7oWb43_c8/s400/education%20bldg%20QUT.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />This is the Education building - quite magnificent, ay.<br /><br />The whole campus is unbelievably hilly, with lots of stairs - and in the middle section there is actually a large lift making it possible for anyone to reach the buildings at the top.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/uPZRkZxguaVFL1D3NAKb6Q?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7runRnQU8I/AAAAAAAAMT4/SYq9d5ocpz0/s400/QUT%20lift.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />So we stayed for the weekend at the Heritage listed old Brisbane Manor Hotel in Gregory Terrace.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/us6ECkrM8JLOgT6pa8W8GQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7g-mZGPLdI/AAAAAAAAMTM/v0mDKHrLgLo/s400/100_2173.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />This magnificant old building is now a mostly backpackers style hotel (nice and cheap), but the room we were in was a kind of basement/dungeon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/MIaDhuXOEty4YIDPRoBlkA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7g-mHKPRLI/AAAAAAAAMTI/zPrr6wCdPbo/s400/window%20bott%20rt%20our%20room.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />That is our bedroom window half buried in the ground on the right. And that is our door - green leafy and quite pleasant.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/ArFrYrIT1X-xbeDLDovDFw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7rwYBnK7sI/AAAAAAAAMUE/QtWFXckU6oY/s400/our%20door%20down%20there.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Just down the road a few metres is this busy intersection.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/gBAFW0AgBVTk4j3HRfpHNQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7g-luC7qpI/AAAAAAAAMTE/cJc7ur3qspA/s800/100_2175.JPG" /></a><br /><br />And in that brown block of flats on the corner is our new apartment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/04ClVrT7i-i1VeMC1hDQqg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7g-lUdt0_I/AAAAAAAAMTA/lkSPO6-_5xg/s400/thats%20our%20car%20hole%20under.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Those three windows at the top right are ours, and that is also our car hole under the grey building.<br /><br />It is a walkable distance from QUT where we plan to do our Masters (starting in July), or a short walk from bus stops to get there.<br /><br />It is also a 10 minute walk from Brunswick St mall, and China Town, and busy Wickham St.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/2di7dGMVtk7bBdJTtnx6mA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S7runx8f2-I/AAAAAAAAMT8/4kDso0BARec/s800/BRIS%20MARCH%2010%20%2835%29.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We had to stop and take a photo of THE WICKHAM!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-48189275603057609822010-04-01T20:04:00.000-07:002010-06-05T00:14:13.774-07:00Work!We came to Toowoomba looking for work, believing that there could be jobs for both of us at "SQIT" (South Queensland Institute of TAFE) or even USQ (University of South Queensland), both of which are in Toowoomba. As Toowoomba recieves a lot of refugees and immigrants, there are lots of opportunities to teach English as a Second Language (ESL).<br /><br />Or so we thought.<br /><br />Somehow it didn't work out quite like that. But at least I got a part time casual job at SQIT, teaching English to refugees and migrants at Gatton, some 36km from Toowoomba, at the bottom of the "Range". Three days a week I drive a SQIT car down to Gatton and back.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/s_sAycWyBEvtIijdUhyBfQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5NhaGZFkBI/AAAAAAAAMB8/YxtCawiVgzw/s800/IMG_5821.JPG" /></a><br /><br />It is a multi-cultural, multi-level class, really hard work!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/woVjgc-wIxkcTPQodG4aJw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5Nho5dqOEI/AAAAAAAAMCA/cdTtcOdwpRQ/s400/IMG_5831.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Many of my students are refugees from Sudan, and have never attended school even in their own language, so they have the unenviable task of learning English and becoming literate at the same time.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/wBRan8dIpzKDNzEpdsIUDw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5Nh22Se_OI/AAAAAAAAMCE/4Wso8cJXfk0/s400/Ruth%20teaching%20Gatton%204%20Mar%202010%202.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />They are pretty special people, though, and it has been a valuable experience for me.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-45939298089216813502010-04-01T19:37:00.000-07:002010-06-05T00:15:00.778-07:00Drought ConditionsWe went and visited the Cooby Dam, just to see how bad the situation is.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/SQenHfbmjwqpefmRPtdCYw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sz5txVoWiXI/AAAAAAAAL5A/L5J6FA6Xwu0/s400/Image015.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Yup, seriously not much water there!<br /><br />And then the rain really got serious.<br /><br />Most people here have their own rain guage, and when they meet they all discuss how much was in theirs last night.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/U5oWr2KGMxllZ02HGc22HA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5NhPtm0C-I/AAAAAAAAMB4/lNvCUU6kdfM/s800/100_2111.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We have one in our back yard. And that was one night of rain.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-20345596802017741182010-04-01T19:22:00.000-07:002010-06-05T00:15:46.416-07:00The Scenic RimWe took a bit of a ride around the Rim, while Alison was still with us.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/mFoT5OoIEXzC4-rFzvXOxw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5NgqZQK3PI/AAAAAAAAMBs/r0CMwuF1k2Q/s800/100_2087.JPG" /></a><br /><br />There was a lot of lovely scenery to view through the car windows, but at one stage we decided to get out at a rest area, and hike up to alookout through a little bit of rainforesty bush.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/MNdRYLIRs1_D_opGgMBN-g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5Ng8V_m7YI/AAAAAAAAMBw/J-H1cepd1k8/s800/100_2090.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We saw lots of creatures and buggies, and even felt relatively intrepid.<br /><br />As we climbed back down the hill towards our car, we could hear voices, and hoped that no one was stealing or vandalising our vehicle. When we got there we were surprised to find the little car park jammed with cars, and a long line of vehicles at a standstill in the road, which was blocked by a police car. Apparently a little further down the road (which was a fairly steep hill) a truck had got into difficulty and slid off the road or something, and the police were holding up the traffic until it was all cleared.<br /><br />After that we went up Mount Tambourine, to enjoy the views.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/h7ekelmip8LA9G_0-WXaqg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S5NhI2HOFHI/AAAAAAAAMB0/wvPjlnACaOA/s800/100_2095.JPG" /></a><br /><br />This is a jumping off place for crazy hang-gliders and the like.<br /><br />Then we drove on down to visit an old friend down near Surfers, and stayed the night.<br /><br />Ali went for a bit of a swim at "Surfers" - Burleigh Head - and found it very strange swimming in the crowd between the flags - after the freedom of Rockingham beaches where your safety is your own responsibility.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-85898941107579204262010-01-24T01:55:00.000-08:002010-06-05T00:17:01.048-07:00Wii Wii all the way home ...We discovered the joys of Wii <a href="http://howdisaudi.blogspot.com/2009/01/gotta-love-ikea.html">when we were in Riyadh</a>, KSA, and going outside for fun and recreation was usually out of the question. We bought Wii Sports, and Wii Fit, and had extra fun with our friends Sally and Wayne playing 4-handed tennis and when they visited us with their controllers as well.<br /><br />So now in Queensland, wanting to keep playing, and we bought a Wii Fit <span style="font-style: italic;">Plus</span> ... BUT it wouldn't play! We never thought they would have "regions" for Wii games like for DVDs! (We basically defeated the regions issue with DVDs by getting a PS3 that will play anything.)<br /><br />Peter searched the net and went all over Toowoomba trying to get our Wii console unlocked, or get a "mod" (modification) chip, or whatever.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/1gMorIFRfd3hJjuQMst7pg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S1wZmDqo73I/AAAAAAAAL-4/qbYl0lxprX0/s400/IMG_5759.JPG" /></a><br /><br />No luck with that, instead we have ended up with 2 Wiis! One runs the Middle Eastern games, the other runs the games we buy here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >A walk in the park</span><br /><br />Just down the road from us here, right near the middle of the city, is Queen's Park - and what a delightful place it is.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/dtMAyZ_HgvnDMtcUuDISmg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sz5t2YYbzEI/AAAAAAAAL5I/lP94WJ9HzOw/s400/Image027.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We went for a walk in the park with Ali in the evening, and enjoyed the interesting plants and trees.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/zdi0vC61Ti5CE2Lg9N0gaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sz5tzyP7FvI/AAAAAAAAL5E/YJNeRGTShVo/s400/Image025.jpg" /></a><br /><br />One section of the park has a lot of interesting play equipment.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/f0Qzi25fxPC5jFyFR6YJmg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sz5t5fPBW7I/AAAAAAAAL5Q/jscb1giaCbg/s400/Image033.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Great place to bring the kids! But not all of the items were child-sized, some could be used by adults, and some were definitely adults only.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/CL52OH5JkObOPF81v9zBvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sz5t8Q8VSgI/AAAAAAAAL5U/m5STXg69K08/s800/Image036.jpg" /></a><br /><br />(Unfortunately it was getting dark and I didn't get photo's of the more interesting ones, this time.)Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-11253246672313742572009-12-21T14:11:00.000-08:002010-06-05T00:17:25.313-07:00The Climbing Tree<div style="text-align: left;">All kids love climbing trees! And they seem to be less and less common - maybe health and safety and all that.<br /></div><br />But the LYH has a climbing tree in the front yard.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/iSk1Id2ytkDFBcd9a7Nc3A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sy_yYuusOqI/AAAAAAAALyQ/rUfopUTSd3c/s400/100_2071.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Of course it's never as easy as it looks ... and Ali soon discovered that a T-shirt is not the best attire for coming back down.<br /><br />That was easily fixed, and she returned for a second go (this time without parents watching and 'helping'!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/iA_huNrqoxeI6nPUd_spfg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sy_yVO2NE1I/AAAAAAAALyM/lECfkq1BUx8/s800/100_2082.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Full House</span><br /><br />Our LYH is only a 3-bedroom cottage, but it's open plan and has a bright, spacious feel. Over the Christmas break we not only had Ali visiting, but also James and Lisa and Jakob and Cooper.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/ikwJ2EmwbBzw7_fYVcJeow?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S1wZdOXHD9I/AAAAAAAAL-w/ybXvfIqLkkI/s800/IMG_5738.JPG" /></a><br /><br />These little red futons are very light and rest on flimsy plastic legs, but at a pinch they are fine to sleep on for a night.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Getting in-stated</span><br /><br />We have been working on becoming Queenslanders (again - we were <a href="http://merlife.blogspot.com/">in this state for the '80's</a> of course.)<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/CLXXA0OiseSgvke3L3xx9A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/S1wZjgTe4iI/AAAAAAAAL-0/I8bLggTqk-4/s400/IMG_5754.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We are now less noticable on the roads as the car is sporting Queensland plates. (Not nearly as interesting as having WA plates!)Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-82846238197221439012009-12-19T22:47:00.000-08:002010-06-05T00:18:07.643-07:00When Ali gets in the kitchen ...It's lovely having Ali visiting with us for a while!<br /><br />We get served with random snacks like this pikelet fruit stack!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/z1dQKnqrobR1dulMjOc3mQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/Sy3IPTKhziI/AAAAAAAALxs/f9IdcGJQkn4/s800/Image009.jpg" /></a><br /></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-33024701493721563972009-12-15T01:15:00.000-08:002009-12-15T01:21:58.085-08:00That's the Point!<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Picnic Point!</span></span><br /><br />Lovely little spot on the outskirts of town, looking over the escarpment and the road leading down towards Brisbane.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/P18V-0o_FPriuH-f3L2sWg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SydTtM_exVI/AAAAAAAALwE/r6VBJzC6Eis/s800/100_2056.JPG" /></a><br /><br />That's Tabletop Mountain, by the way.<br /><br />There's a restaurant, of course, with cakes and coffee ...<br /><br />And a bit of a playground - with some pretty cool stuff!!<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/Z2iU3QueoKFpmj2J2Sa9sg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SydTmVR5-jI/AAAAAAAALwA/aM8zQAdkEz4/s800/100_2043.JPG" /></a><br /><br />An hour or two well spent.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-43362527132953555752009-12-13T03:19:00.000-08:002009-12-13T22:43:30.429-08:00Is that a Woomba?Sunday evening, working in our office room at the front of the LYH, with windows open to catch breeze - including a window that swings out into the carport and has <span style="font-style: italic;">no flyscreen!</span><br /><br />Suddenly we noticed something on the white Holland blinds ...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/Dr6cI3AfVjwHnuhrfgW9bQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCO_vv6OC1efX7gE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyTOrj3LkhI/AAAAAAAALvM/Tr_vNM6wZnk/s800/IMG_5709.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Apparently the whole experience may have been a little distressing for this buggie ... and this was before we caught him and sent him back outside. (Now there is a nasty little splodgy stain on the blind!)Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651857856757637518.post-77730928271132355852009-12-11T12:52:00.000-08:002009-12-12T13:17:39.468-08:00Toowoomba or not Toowoomba?After a fairly stressful year of <a href="http://howdisaudi.blogspot.com/">working in Saudi Arabia</a>, we returned to Australia for a <a href="http://notriyadh.blogspot.com/">bit of a holiday</a>, and then studied for a few months at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Edith Cowan Uni</span> in Perth.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/Gt415czI9dRbLXfT4mKyxA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyKznCn8MyI/AAAAAAAALqk/abzpKeOc3U8/s800/Image019.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />And finally it was time to <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >GET BACK TO WORK!</span><br /><br />When you are unemployed, do you<br /><ul><li>look for a job near where you live or</li><li>go live near where you might find a job - ?<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Across the Deadly Desert to Toowoomba</span><br /><br />We saw a job going in Toowoomba ... and everyone said Toowoomba is a nice place.<br /><br />So we packed our two suitcases, and the few odds and ends we had bought, into the car, and drove East for four days, and then North for half a day.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/rOip5lrr_4JWNDuGjA52OQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLhyfTXgmI/AAAAAAAALrM/u3CF457zOag/s800/Image048.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />It was a relatively easy trip, overcast most of the way, but with thick dust storms around Broken Hill.<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Somewhere to live</span></span><br /><br />We arrived on a Sunday, and booked into a caravan park for four nights to give ourselves time to find somewhere to live. We spent Monday visiting Real Estate agents, and on Tuesday managed to go to a "viewing" of a couple of houses that looked nice. We were sure the second one was what we wanted, and we impressed on the agent that we wanted to move in on Thursday ... she said she would see what she could do, but wasn't very hopeful. Within a couple of hours she rang us to say we had been successful!<br /><br />So on Wednesday we went to Fantastic Furniture and ordered a bed, mattress, table, chairs, and sofa (all flat-pack) to be delivered on Thursday, and a few items from "Searcher's End" (a second hand shop), and a fridge, washing machine and microwave from Harvey Norman, also to be delivered on Thursday.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);font-size:130%;" >The LYH</span><br /><br />Don't you love acronyms? (initials for everything!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/2kWCvoSNSgDKozgBSauO-A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLmdJBMhcI/AAAAAAAALrU/Cju5GW5HX3o/s800/IMG_5701.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />This is the lovely <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Little Yellow House</span></span> we are renting!<br /><br />It has polished wooden floorboards throughout, and a lovely big open-plan kitchen and living area.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/0nlfcZEi0Lsz4IBa-O-qsg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLmfORzjyI/AAAAAAAALrY/4pjkeMrrLyo/s400/IMG_5692.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/PszK9F9NOibLfcj1GWiScQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLmf2z_w2I/AAAAAAAALrc/_2xYlkLwvDs/s400/main%20room.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/pG0p3sZUsRBsMkzN1TgqCw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLmgn0yh4I/AAAAAAAALrg/Br-CfD9MQz8/s400/kitchen.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Level 5 Water Restrictions</span></span><br /><br />Toowoomba has a severe water shortage, with level 5 restrictions prohibiting use of hoses and even buckets.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/jl2fSoEFZ43FELN9iv6y8A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VkFQaQA_F9Q/SyLmkUNs8BI/AAAAAAAALrk/q7HQs5NUUkc/s800/IMG_5704.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />Still green and pretty though!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08413223567586507894noreply@blogger.com1