Keeping the Windshield Wiper Count Low

I'm sure you are puzzled by this week's blog heading. Has the Opera Goddess (that can be my handle) finally lost it? Actually, keeping the wiper count low is really, really important. When you are driving on the left side of the road .... Your turn signal is not on the left anymore, but on the right. Push the signal lever up to turn left, down to turn right. That means that the windshield wiper lever is on the left.....now do you understand? You are navigating a roundabout thinking "Left, left, left...signal, enter" when all of a sudden your !!!!#&%#!!! windshield wipers are furiously thunking a perfectly dry windshield. You've forgotten that the turn signal needs to be operated by your RIGHT HAND!!! Honestly!!!

Last Friday, Big Dog Daddy brought home a Holden station wagon in shiny black. Because our fence is not yet fixed, it isn't as shiny because we cannot park it in our garage (it opens along the warped fence). Still, it is great to be able to explore on the weekends. We traveled to North Head (on the coast of Manly) and West Head (on the coast of the Ku-Ring-ai National Park) and beheld spectacular scenery. The weather has been spectacular. Of course, warmish-glorious weather would occur as soon as our heating system was fixed. We have hardly needed to use it. Oh well, I'll take glorious weather anytime.

On an uplifting note, we just received word from our dear friends in Charlotte that their adorable 6 month-old daughter has acheived one of many milestones on her long path. She was born with a severely cleft palate and her latham device, which widened her palate each day when her parents turned a tiny "key", has reached the end. The key won't turn anymore. It was a painful process for both baby and parents and we are saying great prayers of thanks for her improvement. I read a profile of Cindy McCain in the Sunday paper here (I know, why they are covering her here in Sydney is anyone's guess.) and she is a spokesperson for the Operation Smile that helps children with cleft palates all over the world. The McCain's adopted daughter had a cleft palate. Both Operation Smile and the Smile Train have helped out our dear friends so much. When I took SurferDude to the doctor for his sore throat, the doctor and I got to talking. She was saying how long any kind of special procedures take in Australia. (gotta love national health) I had mentioned doing a sleep study for SurferDude, since he had been sleepwalking again. She said it was best to just wait until we returned to the States. I then asked her about fixing clefts. She shook her head and said that area of medicine lacked doctors and many families had to wait years or travel to other countries for timely help. (Now I know why these organizations raise money for children to travel to the USA for surgery.) The older you try to fix the cleft, the more painful. Anyway, I am so thankful for the wonderful doctor that is helping our little love. We truly do have the greatest health care in the world.

Finally, a big shout out to my amazing sister for her unofficial role as "blogmaster". All the cool improvements to my blog are because of her. She has her own great blog http://www.bookmoot.blogspot.com/ if you want some great insight on children/young adult literature.

Things I love this week:
1. Emmy Lou Harris' new CD - Dolly Parton sings "backup" on one track....gotta love it.
2. Lamb kebabs (pronounced kehbaybs)
3. The 4th of July in winter
4. Aussie white semillon grape - makes a great wine

Things I don't love this week:
1. Babysitter for an 11 and 8 year old = $25.00/hr
2. Not being able to justify swanky adult party if I have to pay above amount for babysitting
3. Turn signal being located on the right

Keep smiling!!!

I Want to Play Rugby Too!!!

Well, after watching Surferedude play rugby this Saturday..... I want to play rugby too. Our sweet little human dollhouse has been falling apart over the past two weeks. Thus, I have become an expert dealing with Aussie tradesmen. It has been made clear to me that because of the circumstances by which western settlement occurred in Australia (aka the convict heritage), all of us blokes on the island are equal in all ways. Therefore, your average tradesman will behave as any other businessman.... make personal calls, eat lunch, take smoke breaks .... just as any free-willed CEO. No worries with this philosophy, except when you are waiting at home with no hot water, or heat, or you are watching carpenter ants eat the dry rotted fence. The plumbing has been fixed, the fence and heat, however, have not. Needless to say, I have been a bit snarky lately and have neglected my blog. I look forward, especially to the heat being fixed tomorrow...it is chilly, chilly here. It's been around 8degrees celsius with breezes off the bay...
Anyway, watchig Surferdude plow into other kids, wrap them up and push them down made me really jealous. I've wanted to tackle someone to the ground all week!!!!!

Enough of the Ugly American...Ponygirl has been busy with her third grade studies. Her teacher says she has fit right into the flow of things and isn't having any trouble with her maths or literacy subjects. She is even enjoying French. Last weekend, she picked out a baby pink, Maria Sharapova tennis racquet and is working on a killer forehand. Surferdude is living in boy-world. He meets me after "ruggah" practice covered in mud and all scratched up. Boy heaven.

Big Dog Daddy surprised me with a laptop. I am still having trouble with email. I can receive messages but I cannot send them. We are still working on it. The school holiday is beginning next week. We will explore horseback riding and scouts at that time....more later. Saturday, we get to see some Gilbert and Sullivan....HMS Pinafore. Yeahhh!!

Things to love this week...

Blue skies
Coffee stands
Public transport
Laid-back Aussie attitude

Things to drive me crazy this week ...
Laid-back Aussie attitude

Love to all.

Walking It Off

Well, now I know how Australians stay so slim while all the time eating french pastry and drinking lattes (there is a coffee stand about every six feet) . . . they walk everywhere. Today, I have already been to downtown Sydney to pick up some shirts for Surferdude, gone to the grocery and am now at the library. After this, I am heading down to Mosman Sailing Club to see about sailing lessons....I have already walked at least 5 miles or so. That is one good thing about not having a car, I have to take the buses everywhere and walk to my destination.

Not having a car may be a challenge this Saturday. Surferdude has been practicing with the 11/12 year-old rugby team. All of his school chums are on it. So, the coach suggested he come to the game this weekend and warm up with the team, then he can sit with the team and watch so he picks up the rules. Only problem is, the fields are further north and will take two buses and a 1/2 kilometer walk (45 minutes total) to get there....by 8:00 AM. I know there isn't any other time in his life when Surferdude will get to play rugby (thank goodness-says Mom), so if the school doesn't use a bus for the team, I guess Sat. morning will start early.

Good thing there is a coffee stand every six-feet isn't it?

Kangaroos and Wallabies

G'day everyone. I have my newly printed library card and I can access my blog through the Mosman Library. A wonderful time was had by all in Kangaroo Island. I even practiced my driving. Staying on the other side of the road and turning (left turns are easy, right turns are hard) wasn't the problem. The problem is getting a feel for where your car is on the road. I tended to get the left wheels on the shoulder quite a bit. Anyway. . . Ponygirl and Surferdude had wallabies and kangaroos eating "roo-food" out of their hands. We all got to pet the koalas that were, literally, hanging out of the trees. There aren't any predators (dingos or foxes) on Kangaroo Island or any rabbits to eat the vegetation, so all the animals flourish. The kangaroos are dark brown and some are as big a bears! We flew into Adelaide and traveled over to K.I. by ferry. It was a perfect spot for a 3 day weekend.

Flying in Australia....

Flying in Australia is a wonderful experience. Security takes about 15 seconds. Logic is attempted and not everyone is treated as a potential criminal. We caught an earlier flight for Adelaide on Friday night in 10 minutes. Impossible thought in the USA. Parents and loved ones can actually escort their charges to the gate here as well. Service on the flight was great as well. The meal they served was Lamb Curry with Rice. Surferdude LOVES lamb, but the spicy curry was a bit much...Ponygirl...Forget it. So, the flight attendant warmed up some extra dinner rolls and brought them to the children...out of the blue...without being asked.

Motel vs. Hotel

In Australia, the "M" vs the "H" is very, very important when finding accomodation in Australia. We stayed at a motel near the Adelaide airport and basically had the same amenities as sleepaway camp. Let's just say we used the bathroom as little as possible. On the other hand, the lodge/hotel at Kangaroo Island had all the basics you would expect in a family hotel...the price of each accomodation? basically the same. Good lessons learned.

Tomorrow, I am going to a play with some of the moms from the school. One Accenture wife has been particularly kind and generous to me. She has been introducing me around and giving useful advice. The play is in the city. It should be lots of fun.

I will keep you posted!!!