All the gang - Cheers 2017 - End of an Era
All the gang
Pick your favourite...
Stephen
Steve is now Manager Operations with Wagga Wagga City Council. It is a wide-ranging role, where he gets to look after the operations and maintenance of: roads, footpaths, street lighting, stormwater drainage, sewerage, buildings and facilities, parks and gardens, the cemetery and crematorium, and even the zoo. He also seems to be responsible for anything else that looks like it is difficult or has no kudos or budget attached. Yes, it's busy.
Steve bought himself a new car in February. The first new car (and only the second car of any description) he has ever bought. Life is full of little surprises.
Michelle
Michelle continues to work with Feros Care, getting out and about supporting people over 65 in their homes. She has worked for Feros Care for nearly two years now.
She purchased a new car in February this year as her little Hyundai Getz was not really built for 4 days-a-week on the roads covering from Noosa to Montville to Caloundra!
Michelle continues to enjoy life on the Sunny Coast, attempts to go to the gym to try and keep up with some semblance of fitness…. not working too well though. She enjoys a walk along Mooloolaba Beach and a catch up with friends. It’s all about the coffee you know!
Drives down to the Gold Coast to catch up with and support her mum on regular basis. Michelle applied to be a volunteer worker at the 2018 Commonwealth Games being held on the Gold Coast. She was accepted and plans to live with her mum during the games and make the short trip to the venue each day.
Hannah
Hannah is another year older. 27 of them have ticked by now.
Life is fairly steady for Hannah. She is an expert XBox player and now has a NetFlix account to amuse her, rather than purchase endless DVDs. She gets out to the chiropractor and massage therapist once a fortnight, and cruises the shopping mall at Kawana whenever she gets the chance (but not during school holidays).
Hannah took part in a medical trial of cannabis during the year. More on that under Stories.
Hannah still likes to dabble in story writing. It was suggested that we might see her first novel around 2030. She has set the record straight. She claims it will be 2060!
Not big on the outdoors, not sure she has ever been out into the backyard... she does know her way to Aldis though and that's important.
Emily
Emily moved to the UK in December last year to start work at a school in Brighton, south of London. She is living in a flat in Hove, sister city to Brighton. Bit like Albury-Wodonga.
She started out as a contract teacher, working through an agency. This was fine until July, when she was advised that her position at the school was being cut. After a number of interviews at other schools she wound up being offered a permanent job at the same school. Go figure. The permanent job has the advantage that she no longer has to pay the agency a percentage of her wage and she now gets paid during school holidays.
Emily has made the most of living in England, with trips to Croatia, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and other places during her first twelve months.
Amelia
Still working at the Cheesecake Shop in both Maroochydore and Caloundra. Has just finished her second year at the University of Queensland.
Amelia took up running in 2017 and trained hard for her first long run in April. She blitzed it, coming home in 1:23 for 14.6 kms (her first run over 5 kms). Not willing to let it rest at that she signed up for the City2South run in Brisbane on 4 June (14 kms) and the Sunshine Coast Half Marathon on 20 August (21.1 kms), making it home in 1:18 and 2:05 respectively.
Amelia has finally left her teen years behind her, turning 20 on 3rd December. To celebrate she went off to Nepal to trek to the Everest base camp in the Himalayas. She made it back on 22 December and has a story to tell.
Marmalade
No interest in anyone beside himself. Moonlighting as a part-time guinea pig security guard.
Assorted Guinea Pigs
We have gone through a few guinea pigs in 2017. Blinky passed away from the effects of mange mite and Charlie is not faring that well at present. Charlie is the last of the Mountain Creek guinea pigs.
Steve started a new herd in Wagga. They are easier to look after than a cat or dog, and cheaper to feed. Started off with Bertha, Martha and Samantha. Samantha was carrying some baggage, hence he also has Pinky and Chucky now. Not sure if Pinky is male or not. Just too little to tell.