Megaweekend!

No photos because I'm not organised it's been so busy. But, another big event is behind me, my "Farewell to my Sydney Twenties" party, which was my 30th + farewell party. It went really well. It was a fast and crowded day, but my family were very helpful and I had kept it pretty simple. If I had remembered the keys to get into the hall it would have gone more smoothly, but even so, nothing was a disaster and I had a good time and I think people enjoyed it as much as I could have made them. I was pleased at the range of people who came and managed to mingle.

Making cake like soup.

Driving back up to Maitland afterwards, I decided that the next day I would start Job #2, car-hunting. I had been hoping to buy a second hand corolla via friend connections, but I missed out on it, so I without further ado I jumped into the murky waters of car dealers on Sunday. I rather enjoyed it.

I was one of the first people in to the Mazda shop on Sunday morning, and Dad came too but hung back so that I did the talking. A sales man spotted me and was super helpful. I took 3 cars for a drive. The new mazda 2 and 3, I wish there was a 2.5. The 2 is so basic, and the 3 is so much more expensive and loaded. So the car I liked was a Holden Cruze, 2012, and it was a good price and I am seriously considering it.

Then in the afternoon I went to the Toyota place. It was heaps quieter, don't know if that's a time of day thing. The sales man there was a lot cooler and frankly barely helpful enough. There is a demo Corolla I drove and it's for sale so that's another option. But then the Teacher's Carbuying Service man said demos can be a bit dodgy and it's worth getting the 2014 plate and full rego and all that. Sigh.

And then I went to church (2nd time), and it was good. It's just not easy starting at any new church. Even having been there years before, it's a different crowd of people and everyone's at different places now, so it's really a different church, and therefor although quite a few people know me I'm still essentially a new person. The sermon was good, I think I'm going to enjoy Roger's preaching, he preached on the parable of the shrewd manager and it was about money.

And I ate leftover birthday cake too late at night so I couldn't fall asleep.

Monday at work my computer came, I went to get it from the local post office with someone, so I spent the afternoon dealing with that.

Really the biggest thing in my mind is the car. I don't feel like new car people, and new car money is such a lot of my past savings, but on the other hand it's money I can save back relatively quickly now, living at home and all that. It's a big challenge to my identity as a Girl Of Slender Means, I'm now more a Woman Of Means. Turning 30, buying a car.

Here are some more pics from my new location. Tocal homestead, which I went and looked at last Friday, and a photo out the car window while I waited at roadworks.