Rosegirl Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi EveryoneI am new to the forum. I am currently residing in Houston, Texas, and if all goes according to plan, will be moving to Australia at the end of November. We are planning a trip to Oz in early May to validate our visas and have a look around. I feel very optimistic about our move since we have moved around the globe a bit, and made a success of it every time. We still have a home in JHB, but are winding things down there. As you can see from my name, I love roses, and I miss my garden in JHB, but......I have done my research.....roses thrive in Sydney, and I plan to plant many of them. Thanks to everyone for all the information shared on this forum. I am taking it all into consideration for our big move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi EveryoneI am new to the forum. As you can see from my name, I love roses, and I miss my garden in JHB, but......I have done my research.....roses thrive in Sydney, and I plan to plant many of them.Hi Rosegirl,Welcome to the Forum! Happy gardening....those Aussie borer beetles will have a fight on their hands... Tex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 A big welcome to the forum Rosegirl. You sure have moved around alot.I too am a avid gardener - a terrible plant beggar at times - dont know what comes over me. Yes roses grow well in Aus, just our water restrictions play havoc with the gardens.Good luck with your plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enrica Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Dear RosegirlWelcome to the forum and good luck with your plans and move.CheersEnrica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polly Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Good luck with the move. Can't wait until we have our own place so I can plant roses again.... and lots of lavender. First rose I am planting is the Grace rose. Made a promise to a friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosegirl Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thanks for all the good wishes. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Thanks for all the good wishes. Much appreciated. Wish you all the best in Australia. Lovely country. Anyway, I see you are still in Houston. We lived there for 16 years, and are now back in Switzerland (almost 8 months.) We moved just before the hurricane last year, do not even know the name anymore, otherwise I remember the names of all the big ones while still living there. Anyway, what is your impression of Houston? (except now that it is hot, humid and stormy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosegirl Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hi EdwinaHurricanes....what can I say? We have spent our time in the U.S. trying to dodge them. Our first post here was in New Orleans. We arrived in Dec 2004. We were just settling in nicely when Hurricane Katrina made it's way to New Orleans (Aug 2005) and we had to evacuate to Houston. Well, everyone saw what New Orleans looked like....we couldn't go back for three weeks, not even to see if our apartment and car was still around, or floating down the bayou. Thank the Lord, our place was fine, however we did have to relocate cause my hubby's offices were in the downtown area and were damaged. Those offices were closed for 6 months.But, we were happy to move to Houston, it is a far cry better than New Orleans, and more family orientated. And we were tickled pink when our car insurance was reduced because we were no longer living in a "Party City", and our chances of having a car accident were somewhat slimmer. We have settled in well in Houston, stay in a very nice upmarket apartment complex, my little son attends the preschool at a Methodist Church, and we have made a few good friends. We love the zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, the Children's Museum, the summer camp programs, the very low cost of eating out, the cheap cars, being able to drive around without having to be aware of anyone trying to hijack me, sleeping well at night and not having to keep one ear open in the night for criminals. We love it here, except for the hurricanes, and we miss our older son who is still in JHB, and who the U.S. embassy won't grant a visa, to visit us. But our family will be together again....in Australia.That hurricane you mentioned....Ike is his name....left us without water for 2 days and electricity for 4 days. But we managed ok. Thank God for the cool front that came from the north...otherwise I would have been the first to rush to a hotel to find some airconditioning to spare me from the heat and humidity. One other thing I love about Houston is Liebmans Fine Food and Wines on Memorial Drive. Mrs Liebman supplies biltong, droe wors, eet sum mor, romany creams, Mrs Balls, boerewors......I am a regular customer there. What can I say? I am a South African, and biltong and chutney run through my veins.And last of all....the best thing about the U.S. is DISNEYWORLD. We recently spent 6 days there and had the time of our lives. Hope you are settling in well there in Switzerland....you certainly have gone from the oven to the freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 It seems you really enjoy Houston. We lived northwest of Houston, 27miles or so. Since we (my daughter and I) wanted our own horses, we bought property with enough land. First couple of years went fine, we enjoyed it and loved the country life. But the work soon became too much for me, lots of mowing, and keeping the place up, teenage daughter soon had other interests than her horse, add the tornados, hurricanes ect. I pretty much got fed up.After high school my daughter went off to University in Australia, so it was just my young son and myself on the "plot". (Husband traveled for his work and was seldom home) But we still managed to stay 15 years and then finally sold the place, moved into an apartment for 2 years and then back to Switzerland. I am very happy about our decision. Son is in an International school here in Switzerland, which is good. Hopefully this was my last move, but who knows. I would love to retire in Australia, my favorite country, but that is just a dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosegirl Posted March 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi EdwinaYou really managed to stick it out in Houston for quite a while. If my only choice was to stay here....I would make it work. Our main reason for going to Australia is so that we can be together with my older son. But for now...while we are in Houston, we will make the most of it. Today we went to the Rodeo. Had a grand time, won lots of stuffed animals for my little boy, rode the rollercoasters at the carnvial etc etc. Houston does have quite a lot to offer.All the best to you there in Switzerland. Stay warm, I heard it is still snowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi EdwinaYou really managed to stick it out in Houston for quite a while. If my only choice was to stay here....I would make it work. Our main reason for going to Australia is so that we can be together with my older son. But for now...while we are in Houston, we will make the most of it. Today we went to the Rodeo. Had a grand time, won lots of stuffed animals for my little boy, rode the rollercoasters at the carnvial etc etc. Houston does have quite a lot to offer.All the best to you there in Switzerland. Stay warm, I heard it is still snowing.I remember the Rodeo days. We love horses (had three) and in the beginning we always went to the Rodeo. Houston does have a lot to offer, I agree. It is not snowing here in Zurich, but it is still cold, not below 0, but certainly not spring yet. It can snow even in April, and people say "in April macht das Wetter was es will" which means in April the weather does what it likes. It can be warmer with beautiful sunny days, or we can still have snow, and have freezing temperatures. It will be my first spring here in Winterthur, so I wonder what it will be like this year. I must admit I am looking forward to summer. Long walks in the mountains, that is what I love most about Switzerland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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