LAND DOWNUNDER, Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

[alex and astrid 38]

Aww about the cry. I did too. Tuesday night actually and then had a bit of a fight with Tony last night so I was feeling even MORE emotional and alone... ugh. It WILL get better I'm sure of it.. I just wish it would hurry up!

Awww vanessa I'm sorry. Just focus on having your first christmas in your lovely new home and all the new traditions you are both going to start. We are going to skype with Alex's family and with mine as well so we can kind of be together for the day...maybe you could do that too?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Awww vanessa I'm sorry. Just focus on having your first christmas in your lovely new home and all the new traditions you are both going to start. We are going to skype with Alex's family and with mine as well so we can kind of be together for the day...maybe you could do that too?

We tried that last Christmas. The internet went down Christmas Eve and didn't come back till the night of the 26th. So I completely missed doing it last year.. /sigh I will talk to mum about it. Thanks for reminding me

[KiwiBird 132]

Hey, when the holidays get you down, just imagine how great it'll be just to be able to spend some time with your husbands. I'm envious, but I'll be there next year! Despite missing him this Christmas, I'm very thankful I'll get him next year, and I'm at peace with this process. (5 months kinda sucks... but it's a lot better than a year, right?)

As for Christmas traditions, are any of you starting new ones? I can't wait to mesh his Christmas traditions with mine. We'll probably have a funny holiday then!

[TerriandEric 4]

I am with you girls on having a cry part over the holidays. I spent most of my day yesterday wrapping gifts for my kids back in AUS. It kills me to not be with them on Christmas especially when they open their gifts...but I am trying to take solace in being with Eric and Bek here while we make our own new traditions. We have decorated the house and now that I am out of hospital we can finish getting our festive preparations done.

On the note of the medical system here...I have to admit I was petrified to be taken to the ER last Saturday night BUT I can not fault their system one bit (well except for the paying part!) I was given excellent care, and no ordering food from a menu left on your table...I had room service...order whenever I was ready to eat & my meal was delivered 45 minutes later. The nursing staff were amazing and the doctors went out of their way to make sure I was ok. Heck even when I got to the point of refusing the nitro patch they didnt object as they understood my reasons for rejecting it (blinding migraines ensued (the worst I have ever had to cope with) -- 4 migraines in 3 days from them)So all in all the medical system here at least isn't as bad as I had imagined..though I did lay there and wonder just how much it all cost...cat scan, heart cath, 4 days in bed, medications by the truck load, ambulance transfer etc.

[CareBear 18]

Well you can add me to the crying list too - I had a massive bawl for a couple of hours on Wednesday night - was terribly homesick and missing the family, not great!

We're going to Arizona for Xmas to spend it with Teds mum and dad. 2 day drive each way with 6 days in Prescott and apparently the Grand Canyon is only a 90 minute drive from their home so that will be a day trip on my list. Problem is because we're going there we havent really bothered doing anything Xmas decoration wise here which probably isnt helping my moods. That and being on one income so for the first time in my life I have to watch my spending so I've def got the Xmas mehs lol. Oh well I just need to keep reminding myself to be grateful its not another Xmas apart and next year I can work again

Sorry to hear about your hospital visit Terri - hope you are well on the mend now.

[TerriandEric 4]

I can relate totally to the single income as I am sure others can too. It sucks when you are so used to be financially independent to all of a sudden not be! Drive me insane! We opened a second checking account the other week just for my wages to go into so I had a little more peace of mind when it comes to money.

Medically I am ok. They are playing around with my meds to see what combination works. I miss being at work too! No work for me until the week of the 20th...so i am climbing walls already!

On a very good note..hubby found my wallet with GC in it *THANK GOD!!* It must have fallen out of my pocket when I was hiding one of his Christmas presents last Friday when I came home for lunch...he didnt find the present but he found my wallet YAY! GC is now locked away safely.

[bextavaz 4]

Helllllllllllooooooooooooo long lost Aussie VJers

I'm alive and well up the mountains... injuring myself ~ once a week but not seriously... gotta love a life of snowboarding for a season

Hope you're all doing well, and you're all enjoying the epic snow that it seems alot of the USA is getting

<3

Bex.

[KiwiBird 132]

Oh man, Terri! An ER visit? Yea, the health care system isn't as bad as people make it out to be. The care is great. It's the price tag that's awful.

Ugh, I really can't wait for the holidays to be over. Being so strapped for money is making it worse... And I'm just so bored! Even though I'm working all the time... I'm just really awfully bored! I need a project.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

On a very good note..hubby found my wallet with GC in it *THANK GOD!!* It must have fallen out of my pocket when I was hiding one of his Christmas presents last Friday when I came home for lunch...he didnt find the present but he found my wallet YAY! GC is now locked away safely.

OMG That's AMAZING news!! I told you not to buy one yet! Oh Terri I'm so happy for you! I bet your stress levels dropped about 100% when he showed that to you!!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I also agree on the money stress. I earnt a pretty good income in Aus (over $40K a year) and to suddenly go to no income is very stressful. I know that my income in the US won't be the same as in Aus, but right now I'm okay with just earning $200 a week. Just that amount of money to squirrel away or spend however we want.. oh it'll be glorious!

[bextavaz 4]

I also agree on the money stress. I earnt a pretty good income in Aus (over $40K a year) and to suddenly go to no income is very stressful. I know that my income in the US won't be the same as in Aus, but right now I'm okay with just earning $200 a week. Just that amount of money to squirrel away or spend however we want.. oh it'll be glorious!

I went from $23/hr in AUS to $9/hr here in Colorado... lolol...

Although my benefits include a free season pass, and free entry to like 15 ski resorts across CO/USA.

PARTY ON!

[KiwiBird 132]

I went from $23/hr in AUS to $9/hr here in Colorado... lolol...

Although my benefits include a free season pass, and free entry to like 15 ski resorts across CO/USA.

PARTY ON!

Hahaha! It's all about your perspective on things, right? Right on!

[alex and astrid 38]

Everyone over here has mouths gaping open when I told them I made $20 an hour at home, doing a way easier job, compared to $12 an hour here where I work myself to exhaustion. Good times!

[CareBear 18]

LOL I was a paralegal, earned over 60k. I'm currently enforced unemployed and addicted to daytime television.....I'll take Walmart and $5 an hour to get out of this house once I get my EAD :D

Thanks girls - its nice to know that I'm not alone in my frustrations!! You made me smile

PS - nice to hear you're having a blast Nick - do try not to break any major bones lol.

Edited December 11, 2010 by CareBear

[bextavaz 4]

Everyone over here has mouths gaping open when I told them I made $20 an hour at home, doing a way easier job, compared to $12 an hour here where I work myself to exhaustion. Good times!

Yeah, although if you look closely they "expect" a lot from people, but most will only work like 30% of the time I thought they expected a whole lot from me, then my crew leader told me that we'd be doing a couple of hot laps on a powder day... I can't tell you how awesome it is that I am REQUIRED to snowboard during work

LOL I was a paralegal, earned over 60k. I'm currently enforced unemployed and addicted to daytime television.....I'll take Walmart and $5 an hour to get out of this house once I get my EAD :D :DThanks girls - its nice to know that I'm not alone in my frustrations!! You made me smile :)PS - nice to hear you're having a blast Nick - do try not to break any major bones lol.

I started applying for all sorts of random places (safeway, starbucks, costco, smartco, bestbuy, ultimate electronics etc etc etc) and the only place I got a response from was the mountain, who consequently hired me because I'm so awesome

How long til you get your EAD Carey?