Exciting Astrid - (well I hope it is exciting) - the thought of a move excites me, I don't really want to move but if work for either of us dictated it, I think I would be quite enthusiastic - I have never lived anywhere as an adult as long as here, maybe that is why. Hope the work stuff sorts itself out.

Yes the hours test I wonder how it will work itself out - I mean after I had DS I still kept DD in daycare 2 days a week to maintain her place and to give me a break - but I wasn't on maternity leave (had been contracting), wasn't eligble for PPL (due to the odd rules about length of time being more important than hours of work) - so I wouldn't have met their new working requirements, our family income would have been under the 65,000 at that time so would have just qualified for the up to 24 hours but only just and if I had ended up working during that tax year would have put us over - but $220 a week for childcare is a huge amount for a an income just over 65,000. Personally I think everyone should be eligible to up to 24 hours of care with a rebate level according to family income. I think the whole ethos of 'forcing' people back to work (especially during the first year) is misguided, I won't mention the whole double dipping saga - the government are clueless.

I have been approaching work with a new positive attitude - it is sort of helping - DH is still at home so that helps because he is dealing with most of the home stuff (although financially is not great at all). I am taking the morning off because I want to get to a parents association meeting at the school - and they keep swapping what are meant to be evening meetings to the daytime, it was meant to be the AGM but now it isn't - but am going to go anyway so at least I can see what they are all about and if I am really bothered about the fact they are all daytime. It is annoying having to get time off and lose the pay especially as DH isn't working - but either I can put my point across and get them to have some evening meetings or after having been I will be able to get over it :-)