The Car.......

IS NOW PAID OFF!!!!!

Bye bye car loan, ain't gonna miss ya, wouldn't wanta be ya....
We've been paying additional payments ever since we bought it just over a year ago. Today I paid off the remaining chunk of the loan.
Happy day!

Steve (one less monthly payment) Dickinson

Morning

IT'S FRIDAY!

Job Offer

We'll today I officially received a job offer and I have accepted. It's a Lead Animator role with EA Melbourne, the project sounds exciting and a chance to live in Melbourne is very appealing. It's a little bitter sweet, we have some great friends in Brisbane and we really like the life we have here. There's a lot to get done over the next couple of weeks, but I'm looking forward to some going away drinks! There's a chance that a few of our friends may also be heading to Melbourne, fingers crossed. Cari and I will try again to get our residency, we have to wait another year now, but thats ok. I've already started looking into Melbourne running races and mountain bike events, seeems to be a lot so I'm happy. Cari's looking forward to the shopping.

Steve (wont relax until the contract is signed in blood) Dickinson

The Boys at Byron Bay

So, as most of you know the Pandemic Brisbane studio has been shut down. Read the post after this one if you haven't heard. So me and 40 ish of the remaining staff have been let go. Sad times. By far the best group I have ever had the fortune to work with. So anyway, a few of us, (Dan, Morgan, Darryl, Rej and I) decided the best way to move on with life was to spend 5 days in Byron Bay. Sun, Surf and Sand.... Unfortunately there wasn't much sun, but it still was an awesome time and definitely needed. Above you can see how tense Dan was over this whole ordeal, but 5 days in Byron fixed that!

On the way we stopped in a little hippie town called Nimbin to stretch our legs. If you have ever heard the experssion "dirty hippie" this is where it came from.

I've always wanted a grow light!

Bringabong! Classic..... Remember the tie dye craze....thought it was over....WRONG!

No idea....

We had a place booked to stay at, but at the last minute they canceled the booking so we showed up in Byron with no place to stay. So we spread out to look for a place to crash, long story short we ended up renting this awesome house for the five days, and it was only a 3 minute walk to the beach.

We could see the light house from our front deck, really cool at night.

The Morgan

The Rej

The Darryl

Morgan and Dan half naked on the sofa, we had a strict "don't ask don't tell" policy on this trip.

So after 3 days of just boys, the ladies, and kids showed up to crash our male bonding time. Actually these two suit cases belong to Rej and Dan, again....don't ask, don't tell. We don't judge.

The big "B" herself.

The kids thought the bunk beds were awesome....

Playing cards with the "ladies", Clo, Amy (hidden by Clo) and Stacey.

It wasn't all fun and games, I had my Iphone glued to me waiting for emails from companies I had contacted about work....Each morning I got up and walked down to the beach to check my emails, the reception at the house was off and on so it was the best place to get a signal. Nothing beats looking for work and checking your email while sitting at the beach...

More cards.

Even more cards. It rained almost the whole time we were there, so there was a lot of card playing. It didn't stop us from body boarding all day. It was awesome to be in the water while the rain poured down around us.

So at one point during a weekend evening we started noticing blood all over the hardwood floor, and finally tracked it down to Dans foot. Somehow he got a leech type thingie on him, no idea when and no idea how. The little fella got a good meal from Dan and then fell off onto the floor.

Amy cleaning up her future husbands foot.

Amy showing Dan the leech that she found on the floor.

Close up of the leech.

Don't you just want to run out and make one of your own.....Milk, it does the baby good.

View from our deck. Like I said it rained all week, excect on Sunday, the day we left.

Shamus enjoying the deck chairs.

Julian Rocks, great diving there!

So on Sunday we all went to the beach. This guy was doing his thing in the bushes behind us. He/she wasn't too shy so I got some close pics.

It was a great week away and muchly needed. Someday i'll tell more of the Pandemic story, but not now, its long and sad.

Steve (just got a job offer) Dickinson

What the heck is happening with us??

I know you have all been waiting patiently for an update, but really, there hasn't been much to report. Steve and I have been waiting patiently as well!

Having said that, we have had some news in the last few days. As most of you know, Pandemic Studios closed down a couple of weeks ago and Steve was left without a job. There was hope of an investor re-opening the studio and re-hiring the team, but sadly we learned just a few days ago that the investor pulled out and that wasn't to be. So, we were left with some deciding to do. When Steve lost his job, the clock started ticking, counting down the days until they cancel our work visas (I say "ours" because my visa is attached to Steve's) and so, we have had to decide fairly quickly what we want to do/where we want to go. I was quite open to moving back to Canada, or anywhere really, until I actually realized that we might have to do it! Then, I had a real reality check that I'm not ready for our time down under to be cut so short! We still have so much we want to see and do! Steve felt the same and so, we have decided to do all we can to stay. That means that Steve is looking for work here and we are keeping our fingers crossed. He's had some interest, but until anything is concrete, I don't want to jinx it! I'll keep you posted as we know more. For now, I am still able to work and Steve is trying to enjoy some time off. I suppose, one bonus about an entire studio being laid off is that you get to be unemployed with all your friends! And, well, Brisbane isn't a bad place to be left with free days to fill:) Until we hear more about a job for Steve, we'll carry on like normal. Thanks again for still checking in and keeping in touch! I promise to keep you posted...

Morning

IT'S MONDAY!

Hello!

Wow! It's been awhile since I've posted anything! I'm sorry about that, but I am starting to feel like blogging again, and have lots to share, so stick around! It's been a crazy time for us, the last few months but I think we're starting to finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'll give you a better update soon and even post some pics this weekend, when I have more time. Thanks to those of you who have emailed asking how we're doing. It means a lot!:)

Can anyone spare a coffee table?

This happened last Friday. I came home from work, grabbed the lap top, sat down on the sofa, lifted my feet into the air, brought them down onto the top of the coffee table then.....smash. It shattered into a bazillion pieces. The wood under the glass snapped when I put my foot down, which brought the glass top crashing to the ground. No one got hurt, it was only me and the dog, and once he heard the breaking of the glass he ran off into another room.....so much for mans best friend. Only took an hour to clean up....

Tasmania, Day 6 - Launceston Cataract Gorge

Day 6 saw us roll into Launceston. The only thing we had planed to do here was the Cataract Gorge, which was well worth the stop. Located pretty much in the center of town is this huge, beautiful park. A chairlift will take you from one side of the gorge to the other if your feeling lazy.

Views up the river.

Peacock chillin on the top of the cafe...

Flowers.

A trail went along one side of the gorge and back along the other side.

Part of Launceston.

Cari trying to make a grass whistle....didn't work out to well.