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!!!