I believe that some areas of Forbes are flood prone. Not sure what parts but something to perhaps ask a local.

Cheers
Sonja

I don’t have a lot of time to do the things I enjoy at the moment (ie read all the threads on this forum) but I’ve just read this from start to finish and I have dediced to add my personal experience rather than my personal opinion.

At the tender age of 4 years and several months my mother gave me the choice of attending either Padstow Park School (public) or …(am allowed to say) @#%*bank C of E (private) school. Sensing that this decision was of great importance to my mother I gave it weighty consideration and chose @#%*bank C of E school as I thought I’d far prefer to work in a bank than in a park (4yo logic for you hehe).

My parents scrimped and saved to send me to the private school. At first the most obvious difference between me and my peers was the fact that we (or our parents) supported different football teams. My mum dropped me off and picked me up in the old HR with the blue and white Canterbury Bulldogs streamers while most of the other kids had parents with Mercs or BMW’s with no streamers hanging off the aerials – the kids simply stated who they supported and that was enough to make me realise that I came from a different area. Football was big back then.

I stayed at that school from kindergarten to half way through year 9. I was never considered a local and I was not in the same socioeconomic league as my peers. I felt alone, isolated and out of place – never really accepted or part of the crowd.

Half way through year 9 a particular incident between myself and a teacher was the catalyst for finally changing to the public system with my parents (dissapointment and) consent. I refused to go to the local high school as it was co-ed and I was terrified of boys. I managed to convince the authorities that I would be better off at the closest Girls High School at East Hills. Life became a lot easier for me both socially and academically.

Socially I was on an even footing with my peers. This was a relief at the time. Looking back it also led me into temptation. I could not believe what these girls got up to and got away with. Both in school and out. They were my first real friends and I got involved in a whole heap of stuff I hope my own kids don’t.

Academically I was so far ahead that I didn’t need to take notes or keep books. The stuff that was being taught was revision. I had already learned everything that the public school was teaching. It was a source of grievance to my teachers that I refused to take notes in an exercise book but was able to achieve test results that placed me in the top couple of students for my year.

Draw your own conclusions. I can interpret several of my own from the experience and I’m stuck as to where to send my kids to school. I’ve only got a year to make up my mind though…

Nobody is perfect – even parents they (we) make the best decisions they know how at the time. The private school I attended was a curse and a blessing, just the same at the public one.

Cheers
Sonja

PS. Did you know that in some states in Australia preschool for 4 year olds (up to 2 days per week) is free (ie Govt. funded) and in others it is at the parents expense (some Centerlink rebates available depending on family income)? I am on the management committee at my daughter’s preschool (in NSW where we parents have to pay) and this was mentioned at the last meeting in relation to the upcomming election. Just a side issue that interests me at the moment…

I recently told my almost 4 year old daughter Brianna that her and her brother Daniel were gifts to mummy and daddy from God. Her response? “Can we give Daniel back to God?”

Cheers
Sonja

This is unbelievable – not to say it isn’t true. I’ll have to look into it myself as our house is also for sale. There should be something in the fine print on the policy if it is the case… yuck… reading insurance policies.

Cheers
Sonja

Hi Jaffa,

This agent wouldn’t happen to be associated with Country Direct would he? I went to have a bit of a look at their new estates in Leeton and Griffith and it sounds exactly like the answer they gave me when I asked about their prices. I know that there are several agents associated with them, one in Griffith (who sold them the land that they have now subdivided and started to sell and develop) and another here in Leeton.

Country Direct are a new group that do their own subdivisions, market them, design the houses and hire the contract tradesmen who build the houses AND provide finance to anyone who wants to buy into their new estate. They seem to have TOTAL control and would not give me any indication of what prices, designs etc were available unless I was willing to sit down and provide all of my financial details to one of their staff so that “they would then be able to show me packages that I could actually afford – saves everyone time and dissapointment”… Yeah Right…

I didn’t like the way that they do business and I just walked away. Anyway, was it Country Direct or some associate of theirs Jaffa?

Cheers
Sonja

For me, insurance is good value. Even if I never make a claim it is a small cost for the peace of mind that it buys. Do you have a financial interest in this property? If so I would suggest paying for the insurance yourself.

Regards
Sonja

Thanks for the spelling tip Kay. You are right it is kinda important to get this one right (even if they are my last choice at the moment). I have now edited my post accordingly.

I’ve also got to admit that IMHO things are heaps better for the nation as a whole since “Little Johnny” took over… but how long will he stay?

Cheers
Sonja

I agree that if enough people vote for the minor political parties that the major parties (hopefully) will then have to acknowledge there is a high level of dissatisfaction within the voting community.

Just because you give your primary vote to a minor party does not mean that you must then allow them to direct your preferance to the party of their choice. Vote below the line and number all parties in your order of preference. Personally I always put both Labor and Liberal last and second last. I just change their positions according to my thoughts at any given election.

As you can probably guess, I’m not too excited about either of our major political parties. I think this time it just comes down to the fact that the thought of Latham running our country scares me too much to vote Labor.

Regards
Sonja