1995 - 1997 - life in the country

in mid 1995 i got a job in a regional area of WA (the Gascoyne region) and we moved to Carnarvon. In the end this turned out to be a great move, but it wasnt without its challenges. For a start I ended up in court but perhaps more challenging is "migrating" to a new place. God knows how people move away from families to new continents "forever".

the girls were young, and despite having lived in the country sue was relatively naive. We took food which was actually cheaper on the supermarket shelves in the town we went to (we might just have got lucky).

although we only spent two years there they were good years on reflection. Life was good, the environment was great, we had the party house and some good parties and the kids had some experiences they might never have had and especially some close encounters with animals including Sharks and Snakes as well as flying planes.

Professionally the time was interesting and fulfilling and we met and worked with some great people (Kieran and Cecilia; Chris Jones in particular). On reflection, Carnarvon was a hoot but two years were enough

1994 - a blur

just in case you are wondering - it disappeared and i dont have diaries/records to remind me of any significant events

1995 - the earth tilts

life gets interesting in 1995. I get restless and generally this is a time "eruptions" happen in my life. Work became "boring" and i was looking for some change, but i worked in the Government so change was not its strong suit. I talked to my boss but nothing happened. By mid-year i was getting really restless. I had written a resignation note (unsigned) and stuck it under my blotter. through the year i started to "withdraw" from committees etc which i thought were useless.

One day, it was actually a turning point in my (and our lives), the CEO of the agency turns up in my office and "instructs" me to rejoin a committee i had withdrawn from. We had a polite conversation and he left - fully thinking i would be "instructed". Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for me, i signed my letter and resigned that day.

I had no job to go to, but i wasnt worried.

when i got home and told Sue what i had done, she wasnt that happy. her feeling was we should have discussed it before i did it.

My view was that it was my call. But i do recognise i could have put us all at risk.

As fate would have it - the proverbial genie came out of nowhere and put us back on track.

my take from this is that, generally, if you have the balls to follow your instinct life will look after you

1993 - a hot year

i might be considered by most to be hot, but any new relationship usually heats things up. We spent lots of times in playgrounds (that were hot) and pizza bars (they were hot too).

The NXR was hot - especially with the roof down.

the kids really were babies so in a way life just "got in the way" and we gradually shifted, as everyone does, back to warm.

In 1993 we bought our first "house". it was impetuous, but it served us well.

1993 was the start of a new era