It's been a big week. Let's go back to last weekend. It was the weekend before school started, and I set aside the craziness of back-to-school preparations and paperwork for some serious Aussie fun.
In the US, if you're getting married and you want to have a big last bash with your friends of the same gender, you call it a bachelor or bachelorette party. Here, It's called a Hen's party or a Buck's party. Last saturday Bec and Jeremy celebrated those traditional rights of passage, and Danny and I got to play all day. a long, fun day. I don't know what the boys did exactly.. I guess they hung out on a boat most of the day. They seemed to enjoy it. But I got to go to the races!
About 30 of us women got all dressed up on a rainy Saturday to dine on beautiful food, drink copious amounts of wine, and watch the horses. And I was introduced to the great tradition of betting on horse races. I bet a dollar or 2 at a time, and I think by the end of the day I'd pretty much broke even. But I guess I wasn't really paying all that much attention at that point. I know I didn't lose much, and I know I didn't win big. I just had fun learning how to place a bet and watching the horses run in the mud and some of the ladies get right into it all. Nobody got hurt, I'm happy to report :)
It was a long night too, but I don't need to tell you all about that. ;) Let's just say it began with a really nice ferry ride accross the river into the city, and then Sunday was spent slowly recovering from Saturday. It was a really good Hen's night :)
Then this week was the first week the kids came back to school. I'm not exactly teaching much yet -- still working on enrollements and paperwork and assessments and timetabling. It's always exciting to me to be back in the swing of a new school year and wonder what it holds. I wonder if it might be my last for a while, and I try to make it the best one yet.
So for a first week back, last week was a short one. Thursday was Australia Day. (This link is very funny. It 's an ad that was shown on the telly for a few weeks before the holiday. It's very Aussie humour!) Australia Day is always on the 26th of January, and it's a pretty popular public holiday . A bit like an independance day in any country I suppose; it's recognised in its own patriotic way by Australians. There are fireworks and sales and bar-b-q's. But this year more importantly for Danny and me , there was a wedding.
Danny was Best Man in Jeremy and Bec's wedding. It was a beautiful day and a goregeous outdoor wedding. They got married in a little park in the center of the city, surrounded by frangipani trees. I didn't get any photos of the ceremony, since I was videotaping, but I got a few shots of the reception. And that was fantastic. Bec didn't wear the traditional white dress -- she was surprisingly stunning in hot pink. But I did get to be a part of a tradition of Australian weddings that I'd only heard of before.
At the end of the reception, as the bride and groom are getting ready to take their leave, all the guests surround them in a circle. The sentimental-but-happy music plays as the couple says goodbye to each guest individually. It's like a receiving line I guess, but it's a goodbye circle instead. They start at one point in the circle; the bride goes one way and the groom the other, until they cross over each other and meet again at the point where they started. There's hugging and cheek-kissing and "Thanks for coming" and "Congratulations again." Then everyone takes off. It's beautiful. I'm so glad I got to be there.
It was a long weekend for us. Danny and I both had Friday off as well, and then we had a busy and relaxing weekend -- our favourite kind!
More about that in the next post. Keep watching, I'm sure I'll write it soon.
And be sure to check out the new photo album on my old Yahoo photo page... (it's the link with this post). It's the only way I could manage to get photos of these stories to go with this post. My computer still won't let me post pictures to blogger. grrrr....
Lots of love to all of you we think of all the time. Let us know how your January was, how your week's going
:)
28 January, 2006
13 January, 2006
Catching up
Having this time off has been one crucial step in my quest to catch up to the rest of the world. It seems I've been left behind in a few areas of cultural awareness. So this week I finally saw the movie Philidelphia for the first time. Maybe when it first came out I was too entrenched in a conservative youth group to even consider seeing it. Maybe in the following years, the Northwestern College bubble I loved so much at the time considered it a dubious piece of brain-washing for gay rights. Then again, maybe not. Maybe I just never got around to seeing it. I'm glad I finally did. Another chunk of shared consciousness that I finally get to share. And some of the finest acting...but of course, you already know that.
That same day, I finished reading The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay. I don't know how many Americans have read that book, but I don't think you're allowed to become an Australian citizen until you've read something by their possibly most popular author ever. And since I will be eligable to consider citizenship as of May 27 this year, and since I've always loved the movie, I figured this would be a good place to start on his works. I think it wins my humble prize for book that's most different from its movie. They're both very good, but...well, if you're interested you can read it. It's very much a boy's coming of age story. And the day I finished it (the same day I watched Philidelphia)...there were many tears that day.
Just for Josh Fuller and his obsession with written perfection, I'm trying in these newest posts to obliterate mistakes. Aren't you pleased Josh, I'm capitalizing! :)
It wasn't all sad this week though. I got to go on a date in the city with my husband. We met for his lunch break and went to an Irish pub. They had Fantastic River Dance style music and the best Mexican nachos I've ever eaten!
Oh, I also read this chick-lit book in about 2 days - it barely deserves a mention. Only because it was one of those books I enjoyed like a big bag of cheetos and a can of coke. It's almost sinfully fun when I start devouring and only afterwards I remember why I hardly ever do that. So now I feel the need to read some good healthy historical novels about interesting women. I'm almost done reading this one -- Tomorrow to be Brave. She's a British woman who joins the French Foreign Legion and is right in the midst of the front lines in World War 2. Fascinating stuff.
Hmm... I can't really think of anything interesting to say. These are the simple and slow things I do when I have 2 weeks off and I don't get to be with Minnesotan family and friends. And I read cookbooks and watch geckos crawl on the walls and drink iced chocolates in my favourite coffee shops. Oh, and now that Brittany has introduced me to it, I play Weboggle :) Watch out Thurbers and other word game players; when I come back I will have well-honed word game skills. I may even have a chance to hold my head high when playing against my siblings. That might take a few months...
But no more sitting around reading or playing on the computer or hanging out at the shops today. Today I'm going to hang out with a friend and a beautiful baby :) Those are always good days.
That same day, I finished reading The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay. I don't know how many Americans have read that book, but I don't think you're allowed to become an Australian citizen until you've read something by their possibly most popular author ever. And since I will be eligable to consider citizenship as of May 27 this year, and since I've always loved the movie, I figured this would be a good place to start on his works. I think it wins my humble prize for book that's most different from its movie. They're both very good, but...well, if you're interested you can read it. It's very much a boy's coming of age story. And the day I finished it (the same day I watched Philidelphia)...there were many tears that day.
Just for Josh Fuller and his obsession with written perfection, I'm trying in these newest posts to obliterate mistakes. Aren't you pleased Josh, I'm capitalizing! :)
It wasn't all sad this week though. I got to go on a date in the city with my husband. We met for his lunch break and went to an Irish pub. They had Fantastic River Dance style music and the best Mexican nachos I've ever eaten!
Oh, I also read this chick-lit book in about 2 days - it barely deserves a mention. Only because it was one of those books I enjoyed like a big bag of cheetos and a can of coke. It's almost sinfully fun when I start devouring and only afterwards I remember why I hardly ever do that. So now I feel the need to read some good healthy historical novels about interesting women. I'm almost done reading this one -- Tomorrow to be Brave. She's a British woman who joins the French Foreign Legion and is right in the midst of the front lines in World War 2. Fascinating stuff.
Hmm... I can't really think of anything interesting to say. These are the simple and slow things I do when I have 2 weeks off and I don't get to be with Minnesotan family and friends. And I read cookbooks and watch geckos crawl on the walls and drink iced chocolates in my favourite coffee shops. Oh, and now that Brittany has introduced me to it, I play Weboggle :) Watch out Thurbers and other word game players; when I come back I will have well-honed word game skills. I may even have a chance to hold my head high when playing against my siblings. That might take a few months...
But no more sitting around reading or playing on the computer or hanging out at the shops today. Today I'm going to hang out with a friend and a beautiful baby :) Those are always good days.
That crazy Minnesota
Ok, I realise I haven't had anything to say for awhile now. It's been a very lazy, relaxing 2 weeks since I've been home. Pretty much lots of long-distance phone bills and reading and catching up on projects and hanging out around the city. Not a whole lot to say really. But I had to have something to say about this.
This morning it is Friday the 13th. I sleepily drove my husband to work, stopped to get some very expensive fuel on the way home, and was driving down my street when I heard the most surprising announcement coming out of my radio. The Brisbane media do mention things that are going on in the US from time to time -- they love to talk about Brad and Angelina, and they spent months following up on the tormented Australian tourists caught in the New Orleans ordeal. The last time they mentioned Minnesota was the Red Lake shootings, and I was very sad.
Today, they have a story about my beloved Minnesota. And why are they talking about this relatively small and very far away place? Is it, by any chance, a positive story this time? Of course not! It's another our-governor-can-beat-up-your-governor story. Only this one is possibly even scarier than Ventura. Today there is a man who calls himself "Sharkey," who is declaring his intent to run for governor of Minnesota. He also calls himself a Vampire and a Satanist who doesn't hate Jesus Christ. This is the information I heard from the lovely Australian lady in my car radio this morning. I think my mouth actually dropped open.
Now when I meet new people, I really don't have to explain where Minnesota is. I'll just tell them where I'm from, and they'll just say "oh!! That place where they have those crazy wrestler governors!" I reckon most Aussies think that's hilarious. Still, next time I meet a stranger, maybe I should just tell them I'm Canadian. :)
This morning it is Friday the 13th. I sleepily drove my husband to work, stopped to get some very expensive fuel on the way home, and was driving down my street when I heard the most surprising announcement coming out of my radio. The Brisbane media do mention things that are going on in the US from time to time -- they love to talk about Brad and Angelina, and they spent months following up on the tormented Australian tourists caught in the New Orleans ordeal. The last time they mentioned Minnesota was the Red Lake shootings, and I was very sad.
Today, they have a story about my beloved Minnesota. And why are they talking about this relatively small and very far away place? Is it, by any chance, a positive story this time? Of course not! It's another our-governor-can-beat-up-your-governor story. Only this one is possibly even scarier than Ventura. Today there is a man who calls himself "Sharkey," who is declaring his intent to run for governor of Minnesota. He also calls himself a Vampire and a Satanist who doesn't hate Jesus Christ. This is the information I heard from the lovely Australian lady in my car radio this morning. I think my mouth actually dropped open.
Now when I meet new people, I really don't have to explain where Minnesota is. I'll just tell them where I'm from, and they'll just say "oh!! That place where they have those crazy wrestler governors!" I reckon most Aussies think that's hilarious. Still, next time I meet a stranger, maybe I should just tell them I'm Canadian. :)
11 January, 2006
A New Old Blog
Announcing the birth of my 2nd blog!
http://oldnotesdownunder.blogspot.com/
This one you can blame on my dad, If you feel like placing blame. He suggested I make my old Notes email updates available through this website as well. And I reckon it wasn't a bad idea. So in truly self-indulgent fashion I decided to use one of my sleepy days off to try to do just that. Unfourtunately, even with professional blogger help, i couldn't find a way to put all those old stories into my archives on this blog. So I created a new old blog. A new page for old stories. And i've linked that page to this one, so that if anyone ever gets extremely nostolgic and just bored enough, we can all reminisce with the simple click of a mouse.
I've just finished it, and it was a surprisingly fun excersise in memory. :) And there is a shocking amount of words!
The way it's set up, it goes backwards in time. I guess I should have publised each entry backwards so that it would end up going in the proper order, but I didn't figure that out until it was done. and i don't know how to reverse it now. So at the very bottom of the page you'll find the first ever letter that I wrote after immigrating to Australia in May 2004. and the most recent letters are at the top.
So that's that.
Another unfortunately - i still haven't figured out why i can't post any pictures from this computer. hmm. whenever I do, it'll just be a nice surprise for all of us :)
http://oldnotesdownunder.blogspot.com/
This one you can blame on my dad, If you feel like placing blame. He suggested I make my old Notes email updates available through this website as well. And I reckon it wasn't a bad idea. So in truly self-indulgent fashion I decided to use one of my sleepy days off to try to do just that. Unfourtunately, even with professional blogger help, i couldn't find a way to put all those old stories into my archives on this blog. So I created a new old blog. A new page for old stories. And i've linked that page to this one, so that if anyone ever gets extremely nostolgic and just bored enough, we can all reminisce with the simple click of a mouse.
I've just finished it, and it was a surprisingly fun excersise in memory. :) And there is a shocking amount of words!
The way it's set up, it goes backwards in time. I guess I should have publised each entry backwards so that it would end up going in the proper order, but I didn't figure that out until it was done. and i don't know how to reverse it now. So at the very bottom of the page you'll find the first ever letter that I wrote after immigrating to Australia in May 2004. and the most recent letters are at the top.
So that's that.
Another unfortunately - i still haven't figured out why i can't post any pictures from this computer. hmm. whenever I do, it'll just be a nice surprise for all of us :)
01 January, 2006
Home
Is home a relative term? Is that why I'm so confused? Or maybe it's just that the word has so many meanings and emotions that when you crash into all of them at once, it can make a bit of a mess of your heart. or mine anyway. We're back home now. We just left the place that feels like home for a million reasons, and now I'm in our place, the one we call home for hundreds of different reasons. and all the people and places collide in my dreams and make a very happy, if slightly confusing fusion of both places.
Have you ever been in transit for 36 hours? I don't think I had either. That was the way we saw out the year 2005. Only about half of those hours were actually in the sky. The rest of them were the hurry-up-and-wait kind. Rush over there, stand in line again, take off your shoes, stand in line again, rush over there, find a space on the floor and wait some more... oh it was fun. (in a roll-your-eyes sort of way). There were heaps of other people swarming around to wait with us. In the LA airport, we actually met a couple of girls on their way to Antarctica! they were college students who've been studying rocks on the ice. They were happy to answer my hungry questions about it. I felt kindof vicariously adventurous just talking to them. :) Those are the kinds of things about even the airports of travel that are fascinating to me. and then there are things that just make every part of your body sore and tired...but i don't need to talk about that.
Now I would just like to put out there into the great void of the web and to anyone I know who might read this, that we had a really really good time in Minnesota. "good" isn't good enough. It was encouraging and fun and comforting and safe and beautiful....maybe good is enough. Thanks to everybody we got to see and talk to and spend time with in any way that we usually can't. :)
And I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Whatdaya reckon about New year's resolutions? Have you made any? do you still call them resolutions? Or is that sortof passe' now? I think I'm calling them goals. Maybe that way it doesn't sound like such a binding commitment. Maybe "goals" leave a bit of a back door open...just in case something goes wrong and I don't achieve them, I don't have to feel quite as guilty about it. but I probably would anyway :)
So do you want to hear some of my goals for the year? here's just 2 of them....
- to read 25 books. No - to actually finish 25 books. This year i started 21, but i've only actually finished 17. yes, I am still trying to finish 4 books that i'm about 1/2way through. strangely enough, I rather enjoy savouring 4 books slowly over the course of 2 months. but maybe I can speed things up a bit in the next few weeks before i start teaching again.
-to learn to dance with danny. Lots of steps. Ballroom stuff. And not to step on his feet too much. :)
Ok - a quick recount of the last 2 weeks of our trip: We spent some fantastic days with Michelle & Josh and their brilliant son Toby. He's probably still learning new words and phrases every day. Danny taught him "Nice." (as in "Wow, look at that puzzle you did by yourself Toby! Nice.") And I taught him "Oh dear!" And he taught me that I am indeed, without a doubt, extremely clucky.
I got to visit baby Alicia again, and I took some pictures through the glass or whatever exactly it is, but they didn't turn out so well. she's still improving slowly. there's still good days and harder days. but she's off the ventilator and most of her tubes and she's steadily gaining weight. I'm really glad I got to see her again before we left. Finally got to meet Joy's baby Kalyn too. It was a good night with friends.
We got to share the most beautiful Christmas with my Thurber family. 12 grownups and a baby circled around my parents' living room at crazy o'clock in the morning. We were all a bit sleep-deprived and silly, and just really happy to be there. Jay proposed to Audra, down on his knee in front of the whole family. Extra points for guts! There were sisters crying and lots of hugging and congratulating. They're finally engaged! It's about time. We're soo happy for you guys.
I really wanted to put some photos up here, but for some reason I'm really struggling to make that work today. I'll try them again on a more fortunate day.
So a happy new year to you all. May you find peace and lots of laughter in your home -- wherever it is, and however many you claim as yours.
:)
Have you ever been in transit for 36 hours? I don't think I had either. That was the way we saw out the year 2005. Only about half of those hours were actually in the sky. The rest of them were the hurry-up-and-wait kind. Rush over there, stand in line again, take off your shoes, stand in line again, rush over there, find a space on the floor and wait some more... oh it was fun. (in a roll-your-eyes sort of way). There were heaps of other people swarming around to wait with us. In the LA airport, we actually met a couple of girls on their way to Antarctica! they were college students who've been studying rocks on the ice. They were happy to answer my hungry questions about it. I felt kindof vicariously adventurous just talking to them. :) Those are the kinds of things about even the airports of travel that are fascinating to me. and then there are things that just make every part of your body sore and tired...but i don't need to talk about that.
Now I would just like to put out there into the great void of the web and to anyone I know who might read this, that we had a really really good time in Minnesota. "good" isn't good enough. It was encouraging and fun and comforting and safe and beautiful....maybe good is enough. Thanks to everybody we got to see and talk to and spend time with in any way that we usually can't. :)
And I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Whatdaya reckon about New year's resolutions? Have you made any? do you still call them resolutions? Or is that sortof passe' now? I think I'm calling them goals. Maybe that way it doesn't sound like such a binding commitment. Maybe "goals" leave a bit of a back door open...just in case something goes wrong and I don't achieve them, I don't have to feel quite as guilty about it. but I probably would anyway :)
So do you want to hear some of my goals for the year? here's just 2 of them....
- to read 25 books. No - to actually finish 25 books. This year i started 21, but i've only actually finished 17. yes, I am still trying to finish 4 books that i'm about 1/2way through. strangely enough, I rather enjoy savouring 4 books slowly over the course of 2 months. but maybe I can speed things up a bit in the next few weeks before i start teaching again.
-to learn to dance with danny. Lots of steps. Ballroom stuff. And not to step on his feet too much. :)
Ok - a quick recount of the last 2 weeks of our trip: We spent some fantastic days with Michelle & Josh and their brilliant son Toby. He's probably still learning new words and phrases every day. Danny taught him "Nice." (as in "Wow, look at that puzzle you did by yourself Toby! Nice.") And I taught him "Oh dear!" And he taught me that I am indeed, without a doubt, extremely clucky.
I got to visit baby Alicia again, and I took some pictures through the glass or whatever exactly it is, but they didn't turn out so well. she's still improving slowly. there's still good days and harder days. but she's off the ventilator and most of her tubes and she's steadily gaining weight. I'm really glad I got to see her again before we left. Finally got to meet Joy's baby Kalyn too. It was a good night with friends.
We got to share the most beautiful Christmas with my Thurber family. 12 grownups and a baby circled around my parents' living room at crazy o'clock in the morning. We were all a bit sleep-deprived and silly, and just really happy to be there. Jay proposed to Audra, down on his knee in front of the whole family. Extra points for guts! There were sisters crying and lots of hugging and congratulating. They're finally engaged! It's about time. We're soo happy for you guys.
I really wanted to put some photos up here, but for some reason I'm really struggling to make that work today. I'll try them again on a more fortunate day.
So a happy new year to you all. May you find peace and lots of laughter in your home -- wherever it is, and however many you claim as yours.
:)
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