Goulburn

Well we have been here one week and it aint too bad!

I have done 5 shifts at the hospital and am really enjoying it.  I have had a really good orientation to the unit thanks to a couple of awesome midwives - and all the staff that I have met so far have been absolutely awesome!  I even bumped in to a nurse (male) that used to work at the Mater Mothers in Brisbane - how small is this world becoming?   The ward I am on is midwifery and gynae - though we haven't had any gynae so far.  About 350 births a year - but it has been really busy this week apparently.  I haven't had a birth yet but have been immersed in midwifery again which has been really great.

The big news is that Mal has got himself a job!  Just goes to show how word of mouth is the way to go - he went in to the 'employment agencies' in town - they apparently only help those on the unemployment benefit!  He put an ad in the local paper and only got one enquiry - but he had a chat to the others round the camp ground and got a referral from a guy in a caravan behind us who is the site manager for the new Bunnings store being built here - a dump truck driver just quit the other day so Mal trotted across and spoke to the guy and low and behold started work straight away!  He picked me up from work that afternoon absolutely exhausted!  He is doing 9.5 hour days...bit of a shock to his system.  I think I am going to miss having my 'caravan bitch' at my beck and call.....
and here he is 'work ready'

We both had the day off today so took off sightseeing...we went for a drive round Goulburn - there are some fabulous old buildings around - we had a look at what I now know (from researching on the web) was the old St Johns boys orphanage.  Its really run down but apparently is going to be made in to flats soon.  Here is a photo




We also went up to the War Memorial which is a lookout on one of the hills overlooking Goulburn.  Great view from up there but shocking to see all the names of the soldiers on the wall in there.  Here are some photos from up there

As you can see from the photos the weather has been really changeable...we have had thunderstorms and rain the last couple of days in the afternoon following a nice day..and today has been cloudy and stormy looking like this and then the sun will come out!  It cools down here at night to a really comfortable temp for sleeping but isn't cold during the day.

We also went out to the local winery (of course!).  Did a bit of tasting and had a coffee and of course came home with a couple of bottles...