For example, this is what my current blog layout looks like on my phone:

So, not terrible (in fact, this layout appears to be a little better than my last one!) but imagine trying to read that while on the bus or walking. You’d have to basically zoom in (unless your eyesight is out of this world!) which would result in you probably having to move the enlarged text around in order to read the entire paragraph, then if you wanted to leave a comment you’d need to click on the “comments” image, wait for it to load the entire page again, then leave a comment (don’t forget to zoom in again and make sure your fingers don’t accidentally hit any other buttons while you’re at it!).

I figured there’s got to be something easier.

Then I visited The Food Pornographer’s blog on my phone and saw that she had a completely different layout customised for mobile phone users. It was quick to load and gave me the content I really cared about – the posts and photographs – without having to load the header, sidebars and other nice bloggy things that aren’t really needed when you’re low on screen space. The layout also scaled her paragraphs and photos to my iPhone screen, meaning I didn’t have to drag the page over to read everything – it was already there and I could just scroll down as I read.

Isn’t that such a simple, to-the-point layout? To read the post, it’s as easy as clicking on the title…

…and it’s all there, easily scaled to your window (images and text) and easy to read. Scrolling down is easy too because it can’t go left or right, so you’re not going to accidentally scroll over to one side when the bus hits that bump in the road. To leave a comment, it’s even easier…

…because the comment form is already there, waiting for you to leave some luvin’! You’ve got less things to click on and less things to load which adds up to a happy blogging experience. I decided I wanted my blog to be this easy to view on a mobile phone, since my experience with using The Food Pornographer’s site via my phone was so much more pleasurable than other blogs that hadn’t been optimised for mobiles.

After trying out a few plugins, I settled on WPtouch iPhone Theme which is free and really simple to use – just install it and activate it and that’s it! There are some settings you can change (like I unticked “hide excerpts” which is ticked by default) but they are all pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. As soon as it’s activated, your blog will switch to the mobile theme when viewed by a mobile phone. If it accidentally displays as the wrong theme, there is a link in the footer which allows the viewer to switch back to the normal theme, so you’re not going to find yourself accidentally viewing the wrong one.

The plugin comes complete with a list of enabled mobiles (like iPhone, blackberry etc) but you can also add your own if it’s not on the list – this helps the plugin notice the site is being visited by a mobile phone. You can also change the colours, background pattern and how many things like categories and tags you want to include.

After activating the plugin, here is my blog when viewed on my iPhone:

I did a little customisation to it – changed the background to the “thatches” option and added my own little icon of a chocolate cake I made a while back, decorated with little sugary flowers and love hearts. Click on a post and you see this:

…and continue scrolling to the end of the post in order to…

…leave a comment! You can see that the mobile theme works well with most plugins, including the CommentLuv plugin I have installed (which of course pulls your latest post from your own blog). You can also turn off the mobile theme here, to return to the normal layout.

Now, I know that I probably don’t get a lot of visitors viewing my blog via their mobiles, but if it makes reading it easier for the one or two people who might, without adversely affecting my regular layout, then my work here is done. It’s free, it’s quick and it’s easy!

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I wanted a fresh start for our trip and seeing as we only have one week (!!) before we’re boarding a plane to America, now is as good a time as any. I can’t believe there is only one week – I am so excited! We’re flying into LA and staying there for about a week before heading to Seattle, then onto Vancouver. Just typing that makes my heart flutter with anticipation!

We’ve still got heaps to do – packing, storing, organising – but we’re getting there.

ONE WEEK TO GO !!

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Anyway, it started off slow and painful, but as the time ticked on I became a little more cluey as to how to do it right – hold the hair dryer on the outside of the window and blow hot air on the tint, then use the scraper to gently scrape the tint off. The heat melts the glue a little and makes scraping easier, meaning the tint comes off in large strips rather than small flakes that get everywhere. What is a scraper, you ask? Well, I didn’t know what one was until my friend offered me hers to clean the stove top of our old house and although it’s a scary looking thing, it’s friggin’ awesome! It doesn’t scratch the surface at all, but easily scrapes baked on mess and other stuck-on things (like a dodgy tint job!) off glass or other surfaces.

It sort of looks like this:

I know, it’s a tiny photo but you get the idea. It’s a bit scary to use one because I felt I was scratching the crap out of my glass, but nope – perfect! It did leave a little glue behind, but a bit of scrubbing with a cleaner managed to get the glue bits up easily. I’ve done half the car and need to do the other half tomorrow – luckily the back window wasn’t tinted, so I didn’t have to mess around with that – apparently it’s the hardest window to do due to the demister lines.

I’ll have to get some photos of my car pre- and post-tint removal because I am very proud of my work. Sure, I could have paid someone $100+ to do it for me, but at this point we are trying to save every cent, so it’s something I could do myself.

It’s not fun, but it’s sort of satisfying, pulling the tint off.

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* Finally upgraded to WordPress 3.0 using the automatic upgrade. I waited until Phill was available because last time I tried the automatic upgrade my blog completely died. Luckily everything went smoothly this time around and it’s chugging along nicely. Still figuring out some of the perks, but so far so good.

* We got our bond back in full for our old rental house, yay! I spent what seemed like an eternity cleaning that place so the property manager wouldn’t have cause to try to withhold bond – I seriously never want to touch a bottle of Ajax Spray’n'Wipe again! Or at least, not for a while. I even cleaned out the wheelie bins and trust me, attempting to not hurl everywhere while half-way in a wheelie bin, scrubbing the bottom out with a scourer is NOT a fun way to spend an afternoon!

* If you’ve visited this blog lately you might have noticed some things in the works – I’m messing around with a new layout I like, trying to get it all pretty before going live. I’m ready for a change, something new and different! Notepad Chaos (the current theme) has been really great but it’s just getting old now. Not too long before the new one goes live!

* I’m looking into customising my blog for mobile users (iPhone etc). I’ve noticed that some blogs already have a mobile format when I’m using my iPhone and some of them don’t – I find it much easier to read and enjoy when it’s customised for phone users. Having to scroll and enlarge and click tiny buttons with my big fingers is frustrating! I think there are some pretty easy plugins that know whether the visitor is using a PC or a mobile and customises the blog view just for them – how cool is that?

* In four days I will be unemployed … and I’m really excited about it! I can’t wait to move onto the next chapter in my life. I feel like I’m done with this one (of course not with my friends and family, but with work and where I live etc). I’m ready for a change; a new challenge! And I think moving across the world to another country is definitely a challenge!

That’s all I can think of at the moment, because my brain is just not co-operating with me today. I can’t believe it’s only 8pm and I am absolutely exhausted. Granted, it was a long day at work today but still – I should be able to keep my eyes open for at least another two, three hours! I think I might call it a night.

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I’m glad to hear that Puddy is settling in well and getting familiar with her surroundings. I’ve been extended an offer to go visit Puddy before I leave, but I’m undecided (as horrible as that sounds!). On one hand I would love to go and see her again, play with her and cuddle her BUT on the other hand, I have to think about what that would do to Puddy. Would it confuse her? Make her think I am back again, only to have me disappear once more? Would it get her hopes up, only to be let down again? Perhaps it’s best to just let her be and let her get comfortable and happy, and just miss her from afar?

I really appreciate any thoughts you guys have on this. Do you think I should go visit her, or do you think me visiting her might be detrimental to the whole process?

I’m trying to think with my head on this one, but my heart is being very loud and annoying!

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She was pretty good in the car and didn’t whine much. She seemed to be calmer when I had music playing, and sort of rested her head against the speaker in the passenger’s door. She meowed a few times so I poked a couple of my fingers into her carrier through the gaps – she came over from the other side and grabbed hold of them with her paw. I, of course, burst into tears.

The drive took about an hour and a half. About half an hour before we got there, Puddy had a little accident. I don’t know if it was from fear, or she just really had to go, but my poor little cat did a number two in her carrier – something she has never done before. I had to pull over to get rid of  the mess since I didn’t want to hand over a cat covered in poop. It was quite funny, driving along trying not to breathe through my nose, begging Puddy to stay still and not stand on it, all the while searching for a safe place to pull over. I gave myself a mental high-five for putting two towels in the carrier – it meant I could just remove the top one and Puddy was left with a fresh one to sit on.

With the windows wound down, we continued on until we reached her new home. I must admit, I was holding myself together pretty well. It was almost surreal – you know, when you know what’s going to happen but it doesn’t seem like it’s real? It felt like I was just going to visit a friend except with my cat in tow. It hadn’t quite sunk in that I’d be driving home without her.

I brought Puddy in first and put her on the lounge room floor, still in her carrier, while I brought in all her supplies from the car. I didn’t realise how much cat-related things we’ve accumulated over the years. Wet food, dry food, mousies, scratching posts, water dishes, litter boxes – the list goes on! After ensuring all the doors were tightly closed, I let Puddy out. Immediately she started walking around, sniffing everything. She somehow looked comfortable, like she already owned the place. It made me feel a bit better, because it meant she would settle in a lot easier. We sat and had a drink while Puddy checked out the house. She ventured upstairs and I followed her out of curiosity. The first thing she did was head to the wardrobe in one of the boy’s rooms. It had been left ajar and she tried to squeeze her head through the gap, but she didn’t quite fit. Typical Puddy – she loves her wardrobes.

About an hour after we arrived, I suddenly felt it was time for me to go. I felt if I didn’t leave, I would stay there for the next two years. It’s hard to explain but it just felt like it was “time” for me to go. I scooped Puddy up and gave her a hug and a kiss and said goodbye. I told her I was going to miss her and I hope she’s very happy here with K and the boys. Let me tell you – it is very dissatisfying saying goodbye to an animal. While I was feeling all emotional and hugging her, Puddy was looking around at the house, completely disinterested in me or what I was saying. I could feel tears brimming, so I put her down, said my goodbyes and thankyous, and left. I got to the car, smiled and waved, backed out of the driveway, turned the corner… and burst into tears. Not delicate, sniffly tears, but heaving, horrendous, manic tears. I had to pull over because I couldn’t see through the blur. After a few minutes, I calmed down and drove off.

I spent most of the trip either crying or holding back tears (which would inevitably brim over anyway, so why was I bothering to try?). I think the thing that got me the most is that a) I won’t see her again for a long time and b) wondering about what she might be thinking – that I’ve abandoned her mostly. K is on Facebook and said she would post photos so we’d be able to see how she’s settling in, which is a really nice gesture and something I didn’t even think of. It will be nice knowing I can still see how she’s doing, even when I’m in Canada.

This week has been really hectic. Phill and I moved in with our friends on the same day I took Puddy to her new home, so I think it still hasn’t sunk in that she’s gone. I feel like we’re on holidays, that Puddy will be there when we get back – but we’re not actually going back to our old house at all. I’ve found myself missing her at night when she used to come and snuggle up to my side under the doona, even missing her cold little paws.

In two years, I’ll see her again.

I wonder if she will remember me.

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Looks like it’s fixed now, thank goodness! Watch out for a new post tonight. Have a great day everyone!

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I’ve done a lot of packing in my time, mostly for holidays. Choosing what to take, what you’ll need, what can stay behind – that’s all part of the fun. Then, making it fit into the suitcase, worrying about the weight restriction and whether you’ll be able to lug it down the stairs and into the car. Wondering if you’ve packed enough underwear – don’t forget your bikini and of course, the sunscreen.

But this packing? The packing I’ve done today? That’s not holiday packing. It’s not even moving house packing. It’s moving country packing and that is something I’ve never, ever done before. If I’m being honest, it’s a little intimidating. I’ve got to think really long-term. This isn’t some short three-week holiday. This is two years.

We’re moving house this weekend. We still have the house for another two weeks, so it’s not essential that everything moves, but we’re pretty determined to get it all done, since we don’t want it dragging on. I’ve had Channel [V] pumping all afternoon as I pack away the plates, bowls and glasses in the kitchen. I forgot to put on the dishwasher this morning, so I’m currently having a little break while I wait for the pots to finish washing, so I can pack them. I’ve already done the clothes (Phill has about twice as much clothes as I do – that’s a little scary!), packing them all into our suitcases. We’ll repack before we leave Australia in September – right now, we’ve culled our clothes down to the essentials, already packing non-essentials in vacuum bags for storage.

Sounds organised, right?

We host this blog from home, so there might be a little down-time while we move, since we’ll need to move the tower. It shouldn’t be down for long, but just a heads up in case you try to visit and find the blog isn’t working. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep it at someone’s house while we’re gone, otherwise I might have to go over to blogger or something (and I’d rather not). I’ll add that to my “to-do-before-boarding-that-plane” list.

Tomorrow morning, at 11am is when I’m taking Puddy to her new family. It’s been on my mind a lot today, especially since Puddy’s been very clingy, trying to jump into the box I’m packing things into, or rubbing up against my legs while I’m trying to walk. It’s weird but I think she suspects something and is on her best behaviour. Tomorrow is going to be very, very hard and I’m not looking forward to it, but I know it has to happen, so I just need to get it over and done with. I’m going to miss Puddy like crazy.

I predict plenty of wine and chocolate tomorrow. And tissues. Plenty of tissues.

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I’m excited, but nervous. I’m happy, but sad. There’s such a mixture of emotions. A part of me can’t wait to leave Australia, but another part is absolutely terrified about what lies ahead. Making new friends, finding a new job, learning a new culture, learning how to tip (we generally don’t tip in Australia), finding where to buy Tim Tams and Vegemite – there’s a lot of changes coming and sometimes changes are scary.

Perhaps the biggest change (and the saddest for me) will be this Saturday, when I bundle Puddy into the car and drive her to her new home. I am not looking forward to it; in fact, I’m dreading it. It’s going to be incredibly hard to say goodbye and no doubt I will be driving home with a few tears on my cheeks. While I take Puddy, Phill is going to be moving our things out of our house and into our friends’. A part of me wonders whether he didn’t want to have to face giving Puddy away. I have to keep reminding myself that she’s going to a loving home with a family we know and that she’ll still be there when we get home.

Doesn’t make it easy, but it does help. A little.

We’ve still got plenty of things to pack and a few more dump-runs, but we’re getting there. The house is clearing out pretty quickly and we’ve only got a few large appliances left, and we know where most of those are going, it’s just a matter of moving them out. This weekend, our house will pretty much be empty and we’ll have moved out. In just over a month, we’ll be boarding the plane.

It’s all happening too fast! (Or not fast enough, I can’t decide!)

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So… I’ve resigned from my job and we’re leaving in September… what is going on??

I can now share with you all, our next big adventure… Phill and I are moving to Canada!

We’re going on a two-year working holiday visa, something we’ve never done before. We’ve done a fair bit of traveling but we’ve never lived and worked overseas, so we’re really excited. We are going over with a bunch of our friends (some of whom have done this before). For our friends, it was their last chance before they hit the cut-off age; for us, it was a chance to get away, try something new and experience living and working in a completely different country, and going with friends was just an added bonus.

Are you wondering about Puddy? I feel terrible leaving her behind and I am going to miss her so much, but she is going to live with our friend’s sister while we are away, so she will be well cared for. Originally, Puddy was going to stay with our friend but she owns a dog and the first meeting didn’t go too well. Well, it went okay, but all it took was for Puddy to make a sudden move and they’d be at each other. I didn’t like seeing Puddy skulking around our friend’s house, obviously nervous and stressed. The stress on Puddy, and the dog, and our friend and her husband would just be too hard, so her staying with our friend’s sister is a happy solution for everyone. Puddy was starting to get confident in our friend’s house, so I think removing the stress of another animal in the house will mean she’ll settle in nicely. When we come back, we’ll take her back – I just couldn’t imagine giving her away permanently!

I’m planning on keeping this blog going while we’re away but it will turn into a travel blog, because obviously there will be no cat to obsess over (sad face). I’m saving up to buy an awesome camera when we leave because I know how beautiful Canada is and I want to be able to take photos that does it justice. It will also be good to have a way of connecting with my family and friends while we’re away. I hope you’ll stay with me and this blog while we’re away – I promise regular posts! It’s just been so hard getting on here and not being able to talk about our plans, but now it’s all out in the open, so I can!

So… exciting? Heck yes!

Scary? YUP!

But exciting. So very exciting!

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