a day off

Tomorrow is Australia Day, which is like the 4th of July, or Canada Day... only Australian. It falls on a Tuesday this year, which kind of sucks, since we had to go to work today... but tomorrow we have the day off. And we have some fun plans, so check back later for the photos.

Happy Australia Day!

tomato... tomahto

It’s interesting how when you grow up in the US and then relocate to another part of the world, you start to realise how very American certain behaviors, fashions, and expressions really are. While in the States I never gave it much thought but here someone will say, “Oh that's so American!" And I could never quite decide whether that was good or bad. For instance, this week a co-worker, who was talking to me about another co-worker said "do you see how he drives? with his arm hanging out the window? that is sooo American!" I am starting to think that it might not be a compliment.

On a similar note, the funniest thing happened this week at work. I was working at reception one morning (Did I mention that our receptionist quit? Does anyone want the job?!) and I had the following conversation with a woman who called in... in the heaviest southern American accent I have ever heard.

Me: Good morning, XYZ Property, this is Valerie.

She: What? What company is this?

Me: This is XYZ Property, may I help you?

She: Is this XYZ Property?

Me: Yes, it is.

She: Oh. Sorry, I didn't understand your Australian accent.

Wow. I wanted to say "lady, you just made the blog."


The photo above (taken by me, and not The Husband!) was from one of our regular Saturday morning trips to the Eveleigh farmers markets. I could live there, I love it so much. Just thought I'd share it, since I hate blog entries without photos.

a regular week

Things have settled back into a regular routine now that we are home from our trip. The Husband is still going to the gym regularly... I am not. It's been hot for days and days, but tonight we got a nice big summer thunderstorm. The kind that washes everything clean and drops the temperature ten degrees. Ahh... good sleeping weather. it will be good to turn off the air con and open the window for awhile.

Work is hum drum and it's hard getting back into it after having so much time off. But, I am slowly getting back in the habit of working again. Our receptionist quit though, so that's a bit sucky. Anyone interested in the job?

I got to go spend and hour tonight with a friend who just had twin boys. They are the tiniest little chicken-legged things! So cute and soft. Can't wait to go back and see them again. Newborns smell so yummy!

We had Indian for dinner last night. The Husband usually cooks and then I run downstairs and across the street to get rice and fresh naan - straight out of the the oven - from our neighbourhood Indian restaurant. Except, I swear that he (the restaurant guy) is judging me for just buying carbs, so I always feel like I have to order something else. Sigh. And then we have too much food and we eat too much.

Tomorrow night I have my regular dinner and catch up with Tash, and then Friday The Husband has his camera club meeting. Hopefully this Saturday I can do some shopping and get some new shirts for work.

Sometimes people think that we live this all-vacation-all-the-time life here in Australia. And I look at the laundry and the dishes and the bills and the bathtub that needs to be cleaned... and I laugh. It's just a regular week!

a new year

Let me just start by saying that we didn't take very many photos on our trip this time. Perhaps it was because it was cold enough to freeze snot, and it was a hassle to remove the 37 gloves we were wearing just to get out the camera. Or, perhaps it was just too easy to press the camera button on my iphone than to use the actual camera. (There's gotta be an app for that!) Anyway, most of the pictures we did take were blurry, a fact which The Husband has announced calls for a new lens for the camera. Whatever. I think I'll stick with the iphone.

As one of my favourite bloggers wrote this week...

The holidays seemed to have picked me up by my feet, swung me around its head, and flung me into a dumpster.

And isn't that the truth.

I am never sure if a trip "home" is going to convince me that Canada actually is home, or further my feelings that I am completely without a home. This trip made me want to curl up into a ball and eat myself into a stupor. I wonder how many Wendy's number 4 combos that would take?

Two days into the trip I told The Husband that I realised how much I missed Canada. The people are so lovely... the customer service to die for... barely a funny accent to be had. And then we arrived in the Soo. Holy cow, I thought we were in Fargo! Since when do Canadians sound like Sarah Palin? Freaky. (There's gotta be an app for that, surely!)

Anyway, we survived it. It was cold, and snowy, which was fun for about 30 seconds. And then it was just cold and snowy. Christmas was nice. But every year I say "Less stuff! Fewer presents!" And this year, I mean it. The craziness has got to stop with someone, and I'll gladly put my hand up. Next year, everyone gets a goat!

New Years was a lot of fun though, and it's nuts to think that we are already 10 years past the insanity of Y2K. Seems like that was just yesterday.

After 61 hours in airports and on tarmacs and in line for (some seriously invasive) security and on planes, I am happy to be back 'home' and getting some rest. I seem to have contracted the annual post-holiday sickness. Ick. Hopefully nothing a weekend of rest won't fix.

and we are back

Sorry I have been MIA for the past few weeks. It's been a little crazy. I promise a Christmas recap soon. Right now, I am just too tired.
Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!