A list of things

Top: See-Hops one of our 'supermarkets' - they sell everything, groceries, furniture and floor coverings.

Bottom: Main street, Douglas St. The yellow shop is the video shop. The shops at the top of the pic is Col Jones. This houses the newsagent, homewares, shoes, RetraVision, Billabong - it's THE shop.

Things I like about Thursday Island:

• everybody is friendly - people say hello and smile at you in the street
• I can walk almost everywhere - to the shops, the coffee shop, church, work - everywhere
• Rob and I don't have to take turns at designated driver because we can walk home
• there are no traffic lights
• there is no traffic
• the beach is at the end of our street and the water is a beautiful blue/green colour
• if you want to, there are many community activities to become involved in - it's a matter of putting yourself out there
• sometimes getting a job is as easy as talking to somebody who will mention it to somebody else
• living at the pilot house, while challenging at times, is showing me how to let go and live in the now
• the island has a nice feel about it. I'm enjoying our new lifestyle

Things I'm still getting my head around:

• bare feet - it's not unusual to go into any shop or business and be met by a person, black or white, well dressed and in bare feet. Those of you who know me know that I don't do thongs, but I tell you, I think a pair of thongs is preferable to bare feet. I mean, even in church ......
• bare shelves in the supermarket. The barge comes once or twice a week, depending on .... actually I don't know what it depends on. All I know is that some days the shelves are stocked and that once they empty they can be that way for a while. I'm learning now to stock up - if I see what I want I don't buy one, I'll buy multiples because I don't know when it will be available again
• limited choices - in lots of things - eating out, places to go to, in the shops. While our needs are certainly met, sometimes I do miss being able to buy my favourite brand. To that end, I have enlisted the help of my daughter Nikki who is now my logisitics person in Brisbane. Hopefully she can keep me supplied with my favourite things like moisturiser, deoderant, perfume - all those little things that will help me to feel still connected to home.
• no fresh flowers. My flower seeds are not coming to bloom - the soil is starving. Luckily our lovely neighbour, George, is helping us to feed the soil and then we can plant and be confident of a crop. George teaches horticulture at the TAFE college, so this man knows his stuff.
• no Tupperware :) The shops do sell Decor, but whenever I need to store something I think of what I have at home and bemoan the fact that I'm now using empty takeaway containers. Having said that, there is a Tupperware lady on the island. Rob went to a party a couple of months ago - yes, he has a strong feminine side - and ordered. But being a boy he bought gadgety things and not the practical storage containers
• privacy - what's that? I have to remember sometimes that we are not alone - blinds need to be drawn and cover ups need to be worn. Eating breakfast outside in my PJs is no longer an option - thank you to my darling daughter Vera for buying me that beautiful kimono on your last holiday

Things I don't like about Thursday Island:

• the distance from my loved ones. My Mum, and my 3 beautiful children are not within hugging distance

As you can see there are more positives than negatives, although the negative is a big one for me. But for now, for me, where I am, how I am - this is good - life is good :)