Do You Want the Short or Long Version? (March - June)

Hello lovelies! 

So a lot has happened since my last life update! Sorry I've been slack and haven't written in so long. 

If you'd like the short version, I've made bullet points for you - how convenient and thoughtful of me! Otherwise if you'd like to be in for the long-haul, boy have I got a treat for you! 

The Month that was March

• My 22nd birthday!
• Parents visited for a weekend
• Survived Cyclone Debbie

Cue Taylor Swift music - "I'm feeling' 22!" Although it was hard having a birthday away from family, I was so blessed by the wonderful friends I've made in Mackay. We ate fish and chips at a hidden away lookout on a cliff looking out over the ocean. I just wanted something relaxed but also not to be alone on my birthday and boy did they deliver! Perfect night :) 

The weekend after my birthday my parents came to visit! We did a ridiculous amount of driving and went to Airlie, Cedar Creek Falls, Cape Hillsborough, Pinnacle, and probably more places that I've forgotten now. So much fun to be able to show them around my new hometown and spend time with them again. Highlight of the weekend was Mum and I racing along Cape Hillsborough beach :D 

Cedar Creek Falls, Proserpine

Airlie Beach

Then Cyclone Debbie struck... I went to work on Monday morning as the cyclone was approaching only to be told two hours later just to go home as my boss didn't want us to get stuck trying to get home. I spoke to a few people at work and everyone said that where I live was probably going to flood and they advised that I should evacuate before the weather got worse. So I went home and packed up my things and moved most of my stuff upstairs. I'm friends with a couple that I actually knew in Brisbane through Riding for the Disabled and they helped me move furniture upstairs and let me stay with them in a higher suburb until it was safe to return to my unit again. That night my suburb was officially evacuated! We expected the cyclone to hit at king tide but were very lucky that it didn't! It hung over us for so long! I just got so bored and sick of being stuck indoors all week. I had lost all communication (phone reception and internet) so I couldn't contact anyone and just hoped that my boss didn't expect me at work - she didn't thank goodness, no one worked all week. We somehow still managed to have power throughout minus a few flickers here and there. I think it was Thursday or Friday that I moved back home and only my laundry and main bedroom got a bit wet from water being pushed under the door but it could have been a lot worse! The grocery stores were empty for a week or two afterwards as they struggled to get supplies into town. Well, now I can say that I survived my first cyclone! I think that well and truly makes me a Central Queensland local now. 

Tree in my backyard that was shredded but still standing! 

So much rain water! 

Adventures in April

• Adopted a kitten
• Went home for a long weekend

I finally got my own kitten! I adopted her from a local rescue organisation that have foster carers so I met her and her foster carer and decided to adopt her! Her name is Nellie and she's a Siamese X Domestic Short Hair with tabby colouring. She's now about 6 months old and is still very naughty and wakes me up every morning anytime from 4:30am. She has one toy in particular that she absolutely loves - it's a little mouse on a string that rattles. She actually carries it in her mouth and delivers it to me all the time. It's my go-to if I ever need her to go somewhere, if she hears it move, she'll come running! 

I also went home for a long weekend at the end of April. It was pretty relaxed and a lot of my friends happened to be away that weekend so I mostly hung out with my family. We all had fish and chips at Sandgate which is one of my favourite places, I went shopping with my sister, and Mum and I explored the Redcliffe and Woody Point area. Also my cat at my parent's house (Libby) now seems super giant and fluffy to me after getting Nellie :D Sorry Lib, I think I called you fat and fluffy about 10 times. 

Stunning Sandgate

Exploring Woody Point with Mum

Libby & I

Mishaps in May

• Visit from Simon, my old pastor
• Origin & the Fan Incident

The pastor of my church in Brisbane left to work for Compassion around the same time as I moved to Mackay. He now travels around Queensland and happened to stop in Mackay and we were able to spend a night catching up. He's such a genuine and caring 'people' person and it was so lovely to spend the night chatting over Thai food (so typical of us) and pots of tea at the Coffee Club. We also met a couple from Mackay who have sponsor children and have visited them and they were lovely to chat to. All in all, a wonderful night catching up with a friend who's always encouraged me and helped me develop into the person I am today. 

If you're from Queensland or New South Wales, you'll know that it's Origin season! (For those of you not in the know - it's 3 NRL games between the best players that were born in either Qld or NSW and the best of 3 wins the series! It's a pretty big deal here and everyone gets into the spirit!) Anyway, I had friends over at my place to watch the first game. Qld almost scored a try and my friend jumped up and put her hand into my ceiling fan that was on medium speed at the time... She cut it and it bruised a bit poor thing. Turns out the try didn't count so it wasn't even worth the battle scar. Turned it into quite an eventful night though! 

Jinxed June

• Deathly sick
• Attempted break in 
• Crazy car lady
• New paediatrics role

June has been an interesting month... I missed 4 days of work due to being ridiculously sick. I was basically bed bound for a few days and couldn't do anything. I only really went to work on the Friday because my boss had also come down with a cold even though we hadn't seen each other. There's definitely been something going around because so many people have been sick recently! One thing brightened this though - one of the physios I work with made me chicken soup because she noticed that I didn't look well and knew that I didn't have anyone to make soup for me. So sweet and it made my day! 

Last week someone attempted to break into my unit. They cut my front and back security doors and managed to unlock both of them but luckily they couldn't get past my wooden doors. So that night I spent over the phone to Police Link and emailing my real estate. The police showed up the next day - first the forensic officer who took photos and tried to get fingerprints and I thought it was all over and then another two officers turned up to ask questions and speak with my neighbours. 

That night we also had a woman appear to try to hide their car at the back of our parking lot. My neighbour confronted her and then visited me to warn me to keep an eye out, especially considering the break in the day before. The woman claimed that she was parking it there as she needed new brake pads and didn't know how long she wouldn't be able to drive it for. Not sure how that warrants parking in a private parking space though... Oh well, she left and I haven't seen her since. 

I am also changing my job role very soon and starting to work in paediatrics on top of my existing caseload. I didn't really expect my career to go in this direction but I would like the variety and I think it will be a good experience to have. I did a lot of paediatrics during uni so I feel somewhat confident in my abilities :D I'm sure it will still be a pretty big learning curve and work is already busy at the moment so fingers crossed I don't completely burn out. 

To tie this all up, 

I'm ridiculously blessed by the people around me, so much so that I've come to realise that if/when I leave Mackay, it'll be almost as hard as it was leaving Brisbane. My parents are flying up tomorrow to visit for the weekend which I'm really looking forward to, there's many more #adventureswithnellie to come and although work is hectic right now, it's super exciting to see where my career goes. 


Toodle-pip!

Hxx