Home is where the heart is

So where is home? Home is in Brisbane where we own a cute little 2-bedroom house with polished timber floors and carpet in the bedrooms, a wonderful front deck, a lush garden which at the moment is a picture of spring with lillies all in bloom, a very regal persian cat, 2 chirpy budgies and my own laundry.

Home is Brisbane - my Mum and kids live there, as do my friends and relatives. Home is where I can go to the movies, buy fresh flowers at the grocery shop or better still the florist, where the shops are well stocked with my favourite grocery items. Home is where I can't decide to go when I want to eat out, where new places spring up overnight, where I can go to the theatre or the opera, or the Story Bridge Hotel on a Sunday afternoon.

But I don't live at home - I live on Thursday Island. I live in a yellow donger (unfortunate name, isn't it) with ugly grey rubber flooring that shows ALL the dirt, a straw runner in the bedroom so I have something else to stand on besides the rubber and a couple of carpet tiles. The yard here has been sadly neglected. There is a certain amout of greenery and Rob and I are starting to tend to the soil so that hopefully we can add some variety to our garden and have it thrive.

The yellow donger which is now home to Rob, Kacee and I. Garden is looking a bit sad, but with some TLC will soon be lush and thriving.

The fake tulips which look quite nice I think.

The shared laundry. Sometimes all machines are in use - a case of getting in first.

As our donger is a part of the pilot house we share some faclities, namely the laundry. I used to take doing the laundry for granted - you know the clothes are dirty, so you wash them. But now there are times when the laundry is in demand so the trick is to do try and get in before the others.

It's not unusual to go to use a machine (we have 3) and it's being used. It's also not unusual to go to collect your washing and find it sitting on top of another machine, or else someone's put it in your basket. Sometimes if they're really keen they'll even hang it up for me. But it's all good :-)

The supermarket shelves are a bit bare at the moment - I'm thinking of joining Coles Online - I do miss my favourite cheese flavoured rice crackers. Rob says I'm addicted to the yellow food colour and flavour enhancer ...... probably :-)  And as for flowers - well, I'm enjoying those fake tulips that I bought up with me - they suit the dining table quite nicely.

There is no movie theatre here, or any theatre for that matter. Places to eat out are limited and there is definitely no Story Bridge Hotel - although the Torres on a Thursday night does come a close second :)

And my family is so very far away. But Rob is here, pup is here and now my heart is here too.

Life is good.