Solar Garden Lights

[Kooky]

That was certainly the in-laws' system, Bob, but a couple of properties I owned had gas central heating (oh I how I miss it now) and an electric immersion heater. Maybe the initial outlay is more.

(Remember I come from the days when the water was heated by the coal fire, and when we were small we had a bath in a washing up bowl by the fire every Sunday teatime, whether we needed one or not.)

[baloo]

Gas Hot Water systems aren't uncommon in Australia either. I guess it just depends on the house you have and what the previous owners put in.

[Fuzz]

I have gas instant water system - works like a treat. Although I've had two occurences when I discovered that the water was freezing cold just as I stepped into the shower. I had to brave the elements to relight the pilot flame because the wind snuffed it.

[BoD]

In my (admittedly perhaps outdated) experience, instant hot water shower heaters are great if you want a trickle of instant hot water

I guess that here it isn't really a problem, as even when the water is cold, it isn't exactly cold

[Kooky]

That would be nice, but we don't even have gas. Which reminds me - finally used the hob last night and delighted to discover that all the markings round the knobs have worn off. I'm obviously not meant to cook.

Back to solar lights - Bender, those Kmart lights have been discontinued but there is another cheap range available, so I'm going to get some of those.

edit: the last 2 posts appeared whilst I was typing

[Fuzz]

Kook, another local brand is Mirabella (http://www.mirabella.com.au) - they produce all sorts of lamps either solar-powered or not.

[Kooky]

One thing we do have is incredibly good water pressure. Too good at times - the shower curtain blows all over the place.

[Burbage]

I agree with Brain of Darkness. The instant electric ones were crap and couldn't heat water at any speed, so useless for the shower, but maybe the ones I encountered were cheapos. I guess most people don't think of the gas water heaters unless they are connected to a gas mains system, but they are definitely the best method. Might look into it when I get my house.

Water pressure. That's the first thing that gets renovated in my new house (when I can get it). I'm going to get some pressure into the shower.

[Bender]

Kmart lights have been discontinued but there is another cheap range available, so I'm going to get some of those.

Cheap is good. Go for ones with white LEDs and buy plenty of them - having a few miserable lights dotted around the garden looks poverty. We've found that solar lights look good in a long garden bed if they're no more than about 150cm apart.

[Kooky]

Thanks, Bender - got a set of 4 last night thinking that, if we like them, we will get more.

There is a wired light on the wall next to the patio doors; the LL is bringing me a bulb (I wasn't sure if it was disconnected or not) and he said the previous tenants used it a lot as they barbied out there, but it will be nice to light up the garden in a more subtle manner on an evening anyway.

[Bender]

While we're outfitting your place for your life in the land of Oz, here's some more ideas for your shopping list:

• Barbecue
• Esky
• a home maintenance book
• Stubbies for Neo
• Blue singlet for Neo, plus a flanno shirt (see cover of maintenance book) for cooler days
• Blundstones, also for Neo
• Aerogard
• Beer (lots!)

Get him to cultivate a good beer belly and study this website and you'll have created an Aussie sex machine! Buy a copy of this book and you'll never need to face the nightmare of cooking again!

[Kooky]

1. I don't like carcinogenic food and I rarely eat meat.
2. It's currently on the dock.
3. Yes, whatever happened to my Readers Digest DIY book?
4 & 5. Erm, Neo is often referred to as my Gay Husband - does he really need a muscle vest?
6. Not RM Williams? I've already educated him about those.
7. Got me Rid, mate.
8. Yes, felt a bit out of place rocking up (and I said this before we moved, thanks to Aussie friends ) at a party last weekend with a litre of gin.

[Bender]

The Scott Cam book is much more fun (lots of anecdotes, etc) than the RD DIY book.
"Gay Husband"? In the words of Pauline Hanson, "please explain?"
"Muscle vest"? We're talking serious beer belly under that singlet.
RM's are not usually worn by tradies unless they're going somewhere posh. Think steelcaps for authenticity. We're talking bogan here.

[Kooky]

It could be the company we often keep, and the bars we frequent, as well as his taste in clothes, but a lot of people think he's a Friend of Dorothy's. I'm not very girly either; it doesn't help.

Bogan? I don't want him looking Bogan!

BTW I had to have a word last night as he was wearing a canvas jacket with his trousers, shirt and tie, and was looking very "Colin from Accounts". He's only got 2 suits here at the moment so is trying to save them for client-facing days, but he went out in one of them this morning.

[Kooky]

Got a new bulb in the garden floodlight and it felt like it was a different place last night. Sat in the lounge, looking out at the garden, watching a little possum run along the fence (which scared Neo witless as he's never seen one and thought it was a big rat ).

Going to put the solar lights round the base of a big tree which gets the morning sun.

[Bender]

Sounds nice. Possums are cute, but beware, they bite and scratch, and you don't want them to take up residence in your roof. And don't feed them.

[Bender]

Bogan? I don't want him looking Bogan!

Ah, I understand. You don't want him to be too attractive. Aussie girls can be very competitive.

[Kooky]

I'm more worried about what will happen in a fortnight when we bring our 3 kits home, Bender. I don't want anybody or anything to get hurt.

I said to Neo last night that we really will have to put a curfew on the cats (it's not law here but recommended) but he pointed out that we will end up with a Fu-shaped hole in the patio doors PDQ.

We chose a pretty built-up area, thinking we'd never see a possum, but our neighbour soon put us right and, sure enough, as soon as we put the bulb in we saw one.

As to the roof - who needs a possum? Twice now, I have looked up through the skylight from my seat on the loo to see the neighbour using my roof to get to his and he didn't even ask/warn me.

[Kooky]

Bogan? I don't want him looking Bogan!

Ah, I understand. You don't want him to be too attractive. Aussie girls can be very competitive.

Having lived in Asia, it helps not to be remotely insecure or possessive Anyway, the most blatant hit I ever witnessed on him was by a barman in Chinatown.

[Tas]

if you don't bigger sized dead (native) stuff showing up at the backdoor, or slowly decaying out of reach, might want to find a way to retrain Fu for night time....

as for the instant hot water gas heaters, guess you lot have to move around Aus a lot more - you get a variety of heating options. In Qld I lived in a 2 or 3 places with them (and often found them a bit useless, but still better than a miniscule tank). Depends on history of the use of natural gas supply in the area I concluded.