Shall the Aussie Mumsnetters have a thread to chat a bit?

[HennyPennyHorror]

I suppose AIBU to put this here...but it IS the busiest area. I just thought...I'd see if there were any other MNrs in Oz who'd like a little chat thread together?

Nasturtiums are tough! Lots of plants are very tough... once established which won’t help you! Canna lillies? I love them.

So confused about this new childcare support, I have two in childcare. Would love to be paying less! (We can’t afford childcare, had to put them in so I can have it for when I get a job but it’s killing us financially and jobs are hard to find)

The guardian has some excerpts of Leigh sales interview about childcare Which says

The federal education minister, Dan Tehan, has told Leigh Sales on 7:30 that people who are paying fees for a childcare centre but keeping their kids at home to self-isolate will still have a place.

And they will no longer have to pay after the government made childcare free for the next six months.

Sales:

If you need to send your child to childcare, your childcare centre will be open for you, but if you choose to keep your child at home, the place you’ve got will still be available for you down the track when the pandemic is over?

Tehan:

Yes.

And grow mint smells nice and doesn’t die. You can grow strawberries in hanging baskets as well as nice pot of lavender in the corner

Just been to Woolies to do a week shop and realised I forgot a lot of what I wanted. Not a lot of people around.
No cleaning stuff or gloves.
Will have to make do until next week.
Did manage to get eggs at the green grocer, win!
My first day of being at home. Was given 2 weeks off and then reassess.
I think I will clean my pantry next.

I gave notice to dd2 nursery 2 weeks ago. Yesterday was her last day. I had to go in, sign her in, wait 30 minutes then sign her out so I didn't get charged more than my rebate.

I'm pretty certain I'm going to lose my job so thought it was the smart thing to do.

I've just had a call from the nursery asking me to re-enroll dd2 if I'm working.

It's good news for the nurseries and working parents who would lose their DC place if they pulled them out.

I don't think I'm going to re-enroll dd2 though.

www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/making-a-balcony-garden/9430240

Westringia or woolly bush will bring the birdlife.

Thank you for all the plant suggestions.

I’ve picked out a new table and chairs and am now plotting (not yet plotting) where plants can go. This will be the challenging part - I am capable of killing artificial plants, never mind the ones that are supposed to be alive! Definitely no green thumbs here!

Can I plant stuff before winter arrives? Will they live? I’ve never done anything more than bamboo sticks in a vase before. And I’m a little miffed to say that I topped that up with water before going overseas for 2 months and came back to find that the bamboo had done better while I was away rather than when I was there!

In terms of practical stuff (moving away from Pinterest), I have cleaned the outside of DH’s bbq to make it look a bit more presentable (first time that has been done in at least 15 years, I think) and I have given the pile of boxes in the corner in good, hard glare (I’ll deal with them tomorrow, well, that is the plan, anyway).

I feel like DD2 h been slightly damaged by the great toilet paper drought.
There was a time recently when anyone going to the shops was asked to check for toilet paper. As she works there, she got asked the most.
I asked her to get some bread on her way home tonight, she walks past the bakery.
She went into the supermarket and got toilet paper as well.
We have toilet paper, as she did this last week as well. Plus I bought some last week too.
I have asked her to check with neighbors to see if anyone Needs it.

LangSpartacusCleg Re planting on a balcony. Read the GA factsheet I linked to above. Balconies are not gardens. There are too many variables.

We have little herb planters on our balcony with mint, chives, parsley and basil.
Pretty and tasty.

Sorry is it a balcony or a garden? It’s quite different!

It is a ground floor balcony. It is a decent but odd size, not really sure how to describe it. Lots of sunlight. One corner (where I need something big and tall) is quite exposed. And there is an AC unit to hide as well. There are gardens between us and the road including a pretty tall hedge which gives us a fair bit of privacy but still let’s the light through. I’ve been rearranging furniture but DH’s bbq is too bloody big! Standard Aussie size, I’m told, which in UK measurements is too bloody big! He has had it for 15+ years so he’ll get rid of me before he gets rid of the bbq.

I’d love to get some visiting bird life but around here seems to be mostly cockies and galahs, no lorrakeets.

Sandgroper, your link was very helpful, thank you.

I really appreciate everyone’s help and interest in my balcony. Thank you all!

How are the various stages of lockdown going for everyone?how are you keeping occupied this weekend?

LangSpartacusCleg I am glad you found the link helpful. Keep working through the site - there is loads of information. If you are on the ground, that's a start because weight won't be an issue.

You don't say where you are. Melbourne vs Cairns vs Perth is a wide range of climates.

End of daylight savings tonight for those in VIC, TAS, SA, ACT and NSW.
Check the smoke alarms after your lie -in.

Tomorrow I'll be doing the ritual reversing of the ceiling fans to winter setting, after dusting off the blades. I know how to have fun. :o

I’m moving house... so much cleaning and sorting and it’s going very slowly. No money to blitz the place, have just splashed out on some super cheap pantry cupboards from fantastic furniture now we don’t have to pay nursery fees! It does make the self isolation and easier that I’m going back and forth between two places a bit though (currently living with mum and dad)

Hope the house move went well, timeisnotaline

The Au government's modelling is about to be launched and is on the live feeds. I'll wait for the edited version to emerge.

I'm a teacher so back next Tuesday to a world that says no exams this year, and only in-school teaching for the vulnerable and key worker children.

Then the (Au) version says shutting schools has no health effects. Er...that would be when they also advise strict social distancing outside schools.

Hope everyone’s had a great Easter weekend!

Its being Anzac Day today, all the usual gatherings are out but a neighbour did a dawn service (not religious) at the front of his house and asked neighbours to stand their front gates and hold a torch/candle.

It was very touching, especially as in the distance you could hear other "Last Posts" being played in other parts of the suburb.

How are we all today?

Bleddy cold in Melbourne, I can tell you.

Tell me about it. I’ve been freezing the past two days! I’m northern though, so I’m far too proud to wear a coat .

How is everyone coping with lockdown? I must admit I’m starting to struggle not being able to take the kids out anywhere to burn off some energy.

I'm lockdown and teaching online.

Jesus.

I don't know a teacher who doesn't want to get back in the building: online is way more demanding to do, and less effective than face-to-face.

I also don't know a teacher who will go in that building without appropriate safety measures.

In a non-work stylee I want to go the cinema, and drive down the Mornington Peninsula to Bushrangers Bay with my DD.

I am desperate (so, so absolutely desperate!) to go to Myer. I don’t know why or what I want to even buy, but I have this intense urge to go to Myer and buy something. Towels, it’s probably towels 🤦‍♀️

That’s so funny @ScotsinOz .

I can only imagine how hard online teaching must be. Hopefully they can keep the number of cases down so that it’s safe to re-open the schools, but I do worry that things are about to get worse as winter is just around the corner .

This is our first winter in Melbourne. Is it likely to be cold from here on, or are there ever any sunny spells in winter? (Wishful thinking I’m sure ).

To reassure you, ButterbingQueen, we've had shocker of an autumn this year, usually our best season, and yes it does get cold in Melbourne. However rarely the overcast skies you get in the UK, so very often the blue skies that would get you out on a country walk.

The upside is you can go to the snow.❄️

Am so :o about ScotsinOz's urgent need to buy towels.

I'm hoping the EOFY sales will be good this year.

My kids return to school tomorrow (Adelaide) after a week of online teaching. They are back in classrooms with face to face lessons. My eldest wants to continue learning from home but the other 2 are desperate to get back. They have had 4 weeks of isolation save for family walks and bike rides around the block so I understand how much they are looking forward to seeing their friends.