Green & Yellow Jack!!!

In one of my favorite movies, Jezebel, Bette Davis returns to New Orleans from her Louisiana plantation to see the doors of many of the fine homes painted with a big yellow X. This signalled that this house had been hit with the dreaded "Yellow Jack" or yellow fever. Everyone, therefore, was warned that they should stay clear of that house. I don't think there would be enough paint in the whole city of Sydney to mark all the doors of those who were suffering from this terrible virus that swept through the city. High fever, congestion that immediately moves from head to chest and extreme fatigue are the symptoms that mark this particularly heinous bug. I have dubbed it the "Green and yellow-jack" in honor of the green and gold Australian Olympic uniforms. Over the past three weeks, all four of us have been hit and Ponygirl actually had to go on inhaled and liquid steroids to battle her asthmatic symptoms. I see every Mom out there cringing at the thought of an 8-year old on steroids. They're so much fun at that age to begin with....not to mention on the crazy-insano medicine. The poor chemist I went to with my FIVE prescriptions, lamented that he was almost out of amoxicillin because of all the rush of prescriptions. Most of BigDogDaddy's office was out with the "green and yellow-jack" as well. It's been bad news.

Kids bounce back quickly, though. Surferdude and Ponygirl just returned from a school ski trip to Thredbo ski slopes near Jindabyne, NSW. They spent all day Saturday in beginner ski school and got to practice on Sunday. They both had a terrific time. BigDogDaddy and myself were not invited on the trip ("It's a Redland's bonding activity") so we headed west to the Blue Mountains. We stayed in a great little B&B. Because I was still getting over the green and yellow-jack, both of us took a 3-hour nap, had a great dinner, and then went back to bed for another sleep. Sunday, we emerged and went sight seeing. The Blue Mountains really are lovely. The Three Sisters rock formations were lovely and driving home through the apple orchards was just what we needed.

I am going to go make some more green chai tea to loosen up the gunk in my chest, so I will sign off now. One good thing about hot, summer days in the American South....it's too hot for germs to live!!!!

Things I do like this week:
1. Sleep
2. My Jane Austin anthology: I just finished Persuasion. The green&yellow-jack has allowed me to catch up on my reading.
3. Fluffy, fleecy sweats..the whole family's apparel of choice.

Things I don't like this week:
1. Two hours in the waiting room to see a pediatrician.
2. My nose...it's been useless for breathing lately.
3. The absence of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...they don't sell them here...Kit Kat's yes....pbcups no. BigDogDaddy and the kid's love them.

Getting in the Swim of Things...

Well, I'm sitting here watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games. For once, Australians don't have to watch the competitions at crazy insano times. Because the games are in China, there is only a two-hour time difference. In my opinion, they need to curtail the goose-stepping soldiers . . . reminds me of another controversial Olympic venue....Berlin! I feel like I've seen some of this before...oh yeah...Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. A great big "Good on ya!!!" to the Aussie tv presenters...they don't talk very much.

Tomorrow should be fun. The qualifying heats for swimming begin. Swimming is HUGE here. The swimmers are on every magazine cover. Michael Phelps will have his work cut out for him in the IM. They have some Aussie swimmers that lost by a fingernail's length at the World Championships. The Aussie's still talk about the Australian men's relay team defeating the US relay team at the last Olympics.

I'm also thinking about the lovely woman I met when I got my haircut. She had the appointment after me. Her fiancee is on the men's rowing team and she was getting her long hair cut to her shoulders before she made the trip to Beijing with him. She said the place she was staying only had an allotted amount of electricity, so hot showers and hairdryers were going to be luxuries. She said your electricity just shuts off and leaves you in the dark. They told her to pack flashlights!!! Ain't Communism grand!!! Her fiancee was on "recovery" now, so she was actually getting to see quite a lot of him. Apparently they train like crazy people and then take two weeks of "recovery" time to rest. Since he is on the water every day by 4:00AM, rest must sound good. As I look at the tv, she is there somewhere minus about eight inches of blonde hair.

Well, tomorrow is rugby and riding day, so I will sign off for today.

Go USA!!!! (and Aussie crew)

Things I like this week...

1. Water aerobics. My instructor was in a car accident & was told that he wouldn't walk again...now, two years later, he is teaching my class. When he says to not quit, you don't!

2. Fireworks over Sydney Harbour Bridge. You can see them from the kid's balcony. They were just popping a few minutes ago.

3. The ability to download and stream my favorite radio shows.

Things I don't like this week ....

1. Early rugby games

2. Small containers of everything. I never realized how being able to buy 24 rolls of paper towels and such really is a convenience. I think I should be able to buy more than 6 at a time...it would make for less trips to the stor and therefore less carbon emissions!!!!

3. Parallel parking everywhere...enough said.