Post-moving and 'Straya Day! (pics) in Adventures in paradise

When did I write last? I’ve lost all track of time with how fast everything has happened with the move. Crazy.
I had my first night here on Tuesday night on an air mattress, as I had my bed loaded up in a hire cage-ute in the parking downstairs. Those Eurobeds aren’t too bad at all :)
All was good until a stranger opened my door, apologized and walked out again. I was under my covers just watching something on my laptop. Just as well I was under the covers because I didn’t have anything on lol.
At first I got all paranoid thinking, “Oh great, I’ve just moved into this place and someone else already lives here or has a key” lol. But I was so exhausted from moving shit all day (3 car trips the day before, taking that car back, then hiring the cage ute (which I should have just used for everything in the first place - DOH - not the cleverest hen in the chook shed Matt) that I didn’t even get up from the bed to demand to know who he was. I only got a brief look at him. Wasn’t much to look at lol. And getting up off of an air mattress, naked, ain’t the easiest, plus I woulda had to put clothes on and go out there - sigh - it’s a tough life. Let whoever it is roam around the apartment lol.
It wasn’t more than a minute later that I got a text from Phil (new roomie!), apologizing, saying that “Ben” got a little too excited to see the apartment. He obviously didn’t realize my room was the main bedroom. Dude, it’s an apartment. They ain’t huge haha. I just replied to Phil, “Oh thank God that wasn’t a complete stranger!”

Anyway, since then, bed’s been moved in (I feel like I’ve written all this already so I apologize, I’m a bit all over the place), I’ve gone back to Bartley Street to clean my old room. Andrew had my mopping the God-damn walls and ceiling for fuck’s sake lol. But at least it look spick and span afterwards! I posted a Snapchat vid of me walking on the street to go ‘home’ for the last time. I think it’s the first time people would have heard my voice in a Snapchat. I’m always conscious of it sounding uber-gay hahaha. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Just stems from my horrific childhood in that regard.

But anyway, handed the key in. The only thing left in the room was the parting gift that I had bought and ordered online for Andrew. I’d covered it with a towel and hidden it behind the door.
I heard Andrew say, “Hey Matt, what’s this?” and I yelled out, “Don’t look at it! It’s your present, you bitch!” - totally joking of course.
I was convinced he’d looked under the towel to see what was there, but he was adamant that he hadn’t. The whole surprise would have been ruined.

Okay, so a few months ago, I decided to get Andrew a going away gift, since I’d lived in that house for 11.5 years (^gulp^ - forgive me father, for I have sinned). Andrew’s favourite alcohol has always been Cascade Pale Ale for as long as I’ve known him, except that for whatever reason, they stopped stocking it anywhere in my state. The only way for Andrew to get that particular beer is to go to Tasmania and have it shipped up.
Well, cue my research and I wasn’t having much luck finding it initially, but then quite a few pages into search results on Google, I came across this boutique booze website that not only STOCKED it, but would ship it also.
It cost me $65 to buy 18 bottles of this shit, plus another $28 postage, but I figured why not?
It even arrived earlier than I expected, so much so that I had to get it redirected to the local post office and pick it up and lug it back when I had the chance. It wasn’t wrapped in anything, just it’s original carton with a mailing label slapped on it, so if it had been left on the front verandah, anyone could have taken it!
Anyway, I brought it out to the kitchen and told Andrew to take the towel off it, as I wanted to take the towel with me haha. I asked again if he already knew what it was.
He said he didn’t know.
“What do you think it could be?”
He still didn’t know, so i told him to open the present by removing the towel.
Well. The look on his face!
It was a huge hit. He couldn’t believe that I’d not only found it, but knew him so well that it was “The best gift I’ve ever received”. He even told me he thought about it all day at work the next day.
I told him that I’m always very thoughtful with my gifts. If you end up being a close friend of mine (and after 11.5 years of something being your landlord and basically living with him every time he’s home, that’s bound to happen) you tend to get thoughtful gifts from me. Like, it’ll never be gift cards unless I’m really stumped. It’s always a risk getting something for someone that they could potentially not like, but hey, that’s on them really.

Anyway, I’ve now just gotten through my first work week after moving! It’s another 10 minute walk for me to get to work so I’m having to set my alarm for even earlier that I already was, but I’ll get used to it. I wasn’t late at all, so I’m doing well. I bought an ironing board (like the maid I am) and I’m still not really sure where to store it. It’s in the lounge atm since there’s still nothing in there. I’ve bought a bin that fits perfectly under the sink, a dishwashing rack (even though we have a dishwasher and I feel like it just takes up space) and a bunch of cleaning stuff. I bought the ironing board whilst I still had the van. I tell you what though - stupid me should have just gone to Chermside in the first place like I told myself I should have, but no, I went to Indooroopilly didn’t I? For those who don’t know, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre’s carpark is a nightmare, let alone me driving that cage ute under there! I was so nervous that I was going to take out the green and red parking lights only inches above me! I was taing note of every clearance sign there was and even reversed when I thought it was too low for me to clear. I had a car flashing it’s lights at me and another guy said something to me as I drove past him LOL. Omg what a fucking nightmare. Thankfully, I got out of there unscathed and didn’t send the entire shopping centre crashing down from above, or setting off any sprinkler systems. Fuck me sideways.
Then when I got out of that place, I went to Chermside anyway. Still had time, somehow. Got all my shit, brought it back, got it inside, took the ute back, caught a bus back home.

It’s quite a nice place. Definitely still in the honeymoon period. It’s really nice to sit outside of a morning, especially in this Summer heat, but it’s really nice at 4:30am and the sun is just up and really pleasant and cool. At the moment I only have my camping chair out there haha, as it’s the only seat in the house at the moment. I’ve decided on a fridge and a washer that I really like the look of. Phil and I are going halves in the cost, which is nice. I guess if either of us moves out, the other can pay the other half out I suppose. Although given they are the ones that I chose, I’d probably be the one to pay the other half. Anyway, it makes it easier for now.
We’ve had a few teething problems (to be expected) with the carpark for Phil (someone else is always parked in his spot so he’s had to leave a note, but we have no idea if they are away on holiday or whatnot) and reception told us that we got the first 10 days living here for free, but they’ve listed the next rent payment date as February 2nd, which clearly doesn’t account for that. I brought it up with the nice lady and she said that she will reissue us a new rent receipt, but so far, nothing ergh.
And the latest issue is that I got Phil to sign up for a PayID (SOOOO much easier and I don’t know WHY everyone isn’t already using this technology!) and he’s sent me his half of the whitegoods (already!) but I never received it. I’m hoping like hell that there’s a good reason why, and he sent me a copy of the receipt and everything checks out, so I’m confused as to why it hasn’t transferred, as the whole idea of PayID is to get the money instantly rather than waiting 3 business days for the funds to clear.
Anyway, we’ll sort it all out.

Ergh, sorry, this entry is huge since so much has been happening, so trying to shorten it.

I went to a house party after work yesterday for Australia Day, but not before catching up with my friend Matt, who is visiting from London! He’s only here briefly before he heads off to Miami to go on a gay cruise around Honduras and Mexico and a few other snazzy places. His boyfriend wasn’t here with him, which surprised me, but he will be joining him on the cruise. It’s a lot easier for him to fly from London. Poor Matt has to fly 25 hours to get there from here haha. And he’s just flown 20 hours from London. Australia really is far away and I didn’t realize that for myself until my first trip overseas. The second trip didn’t seem as bad to me. I can tune out well.
Anyway, so Matt was with his mum and some other relative (I think) who Matt said was annoying whenever she was away lol.
Anyway, got a selfie!

We had some Midori Lemonades at the Powerhouse

And outside

Matt’s mum very kindly offered to drop me in the Valley, as I wanted food before heading to this Australia Day party at Mark’s house. I had Oporto and it turns out it made me very sick afterwards lol. I had to rush to find a bathroom and I almost thought I wasn’t gonna make it. Anyway, you don’t need to know about that haha!

I got to Mark’s and rang his number but there was no answer. Thankfully Mark turned up downstairs. I’d only rocked up at probably close to 8pm but the party had been going since 1pm. And I knew NO-ONE there, so I felt awkward as fuck. Thankfully there was a bottlo just up the road from him and I bought more Midori Illusions there, and they kept me sufficiently liquored up.
MAN Mark has some fit friends! Like, they are all late 30’s/early 40’s and fucking fit. There was one chubby IT-looking guy, two girls (one straight, one bull-dyke) and a few other average guys (I’m not really sure where I fit in) so it was a bit of a mix, but Mark def likes his buff men haha. It was so good to see Mark again after so long. It turns out he doesn’t actually live that far from where I’ve moved to! Easily walkable.
And his friends are hilarious and loud. So much so that my jokes were going unnoticed because I’d have to yell them for anyone to hear me over these bold personality types. Luckily there was enough laughter to keep everyone entertained.
One of the guys were clearly my favourite, but unfortunately he happened to be the one who’d had too much to drink and was swaying all over the place lol. I figured that he and another one of the buff guys were a couple, and it surprised me to hear they were from Caboolture. many jokes were made about Caboolture during the night. You know how every city has one or two dodgy suburbs? Yeah, well Caboolture is one of our major reputation ones, and it’s forever away. Like probably an hour or more I think.
Anyway, drunk buff favourite guy was so drunk that when we were in the lift on the way back down, I was in the corner making room for the others, and he happened to back himself right onto me, full on rubbing his arse against my crotch. My God. How I didn’t faint is beyond me.
Then when we were outside waiting for the others, his boyfriend was trying to palm him off to me to look after him for the night (obviously he’s used to seeing this) and as much as I would have liked to strip this guy down and put him to bed, I couldn’t go out to the clubs with the rest of them as I had work in the morning.
So yeah, that obviously didn’t go down too well with all these guys I’d just met. They were demanding to know what time I started and when I said “9am”, they were like, “That’s HEAPS of time!”
Anyway, after they all got in the cab, I closed the cab door behind them.
The selfie from last night showed up on Mark’s facebook page, so thankfully I can share that too.
I want to write more, but I’ve had enough! Whitegoods arriving on Tuesday yay!
Pick the one who’s drunk as a skunk lol.