Christmas Expat Style

We celebrated last Christmas with a breakfast picnic at Cottesloe Beach, a stone's throw from the Indian Ocean. Oh the novelty of it all -- blazing sunshine and 95 degrees at 7:00am, surrounded by hundreds of Aussies and their families, a sea of beach umbrellas, lots of happy, noisy children and the occasional surfer or sea gull. We enjoyed it so much that we forgot about the time and had to rush to get to church services on time. With no time to go home and change, we dusted the sand from our feet into the car, rushed into church and sat in the back, hoping no one would notice our extra-casual attire (shorts, flip flops, t-shirt).

Our first Australian Christmas was fun and memorable, but we couldn't bring ourselves to spend a second Christmas away from family. So off we flew to America and a mere 29 hours later, set foot on Texan soil. With temperatures in the 90s in Perth, I had to force myself to pack winter clothing but within hours I was glad I did.

Part of the Deal
One reality of expat life is that vacations are usually longer than normal (3 weeks this time) and never long enough. I used an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the doctor, dentist and business appointments we had to fit in before Christmas. Not to mention Christmas shopping, time with the kids and catching up with friends. In 2 weeks we fit in trips to Katy, San Antonioand Austin. I apologize that we could not see everyone during this visit, but if we missed you this visit, we'll try again next trip.

Another reality is what I call the "repatriation curve."  That's the situation where you're overwhelmed by your new culture and all its differences. We experienced this last year while learning to drive on the left side of the road, deal with stores that close at 5:00pm, and cope with the 14-hour time difference between Houston and Perth. This year the curve is reversed. I'm now used to the fact that Aussies don't treat Christmas as a big deal. There's minimal decoration in malls and stores, no significant difference in shopping patterns, and I didn't hear a single Christmas carol outside of our home. Not so jolly, mate! I missed the hustle-bustle of the season, the cooking and the visiting, and of course the food. At least I thought I did. But within moments of landing we were overhwhelmed by American culture. Frosty the Snowman blaring on the speakers, tinsel and decorations everywhere, and crowds of people -- and that was just on the bus to the rental car pickup.

Mountains of shopping to do, it's freezing cold, and our home is currently occupied by another family. We sold our cars last year. Our status is that of a visitor. We're staying at the home of friends we met in Perth who are now expat in Houston. We have local cell phones and international ones. It's surreal to say the least. Where is home? Perth or Houston?

Vive la Difference
For various reasons (mostly Perth's high prices) we decided to wait and do all our Christmas shopping in Texas. Our shopping nightmares began immediately as we searched in vain for parking places within a 1/2 mile radius of a mall. Then there were the crowds of roving teens and pre-teens who weren't actually buying anything, but stood in groups of 7 or 8, blocking all paths to the stores. Once you break through and get inside the shop, the real torture begins. Noisy, tons of merchandise (everything except what you're looking for) and not a sales clerk in sight. In James Avery  I was given a numbered ticket, a catalog, and told that the waiting time for service would be 30 to 45 minutes. And they didn't even crack a smile when I asked for a pager so I could shop elsewhere during the wait. And Christmas carols? They were everywhere, day and night, nonstop. Every radio station seemed to play them to the exclusion of anything else. No oldies, no classic rock, no country western, just "Holly Jolly Christmas." I found myself longing for the mellow, "no worries" attitude of Christmas and the decor-free, crowd-free shopping centers of Perth.

We survived the shopping terrors with determination and effective strategies. The secret: shop early in the morning while teenagers are sleeping, and kids and parents are at soccer games, etc. By day 3 we no longer had to suddenly swerve to the right because we had started driving on the wrong side of the street. But folks still laughed whenever I called my phone a mobile (pronounced moh-buy-all). We had forgotten about American portion sizes. I had to remember to order "small" everything or else I'd be eating it for the next few meals also.

The Good News
The cool stuff about Houston -- everything is so inexpensive! $15 mascara costs $6 here. $100 jeans cost $50, and for the price of dinner for two in Perth we could take the entire family to a nice restaurant. My favorite scrapook store is, alas, going out of business, but I scooped up some great bargains. And books.... at prices that don't make you weep, except for joy.

Tomorrow we're off to Hawaii for a little R&R after our 'vacation' in Houston. We'll exchange out winter coats for light jackets and maybe start work on a tan. I'm looking forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean, hearing soft guitar music and feeling sand between my toes. Like the rest of our current existence, we'll be spending New Years eve somewhere between Houston and Perth.

Golf: It's flog backwards

Spring is in full swing and the weather is finally warming up. After a year of gym workouts, we've decided it's time to add some fun into our fitness routine. Vince wants to improve his golf for fitness reasons. When asked, Vince quips "Sure I golf regularly, about once every 3 years!" My only experience with golf was a lesson in 10th grade P.E. class where the grass got more of a workout than I did, and a couple of Best Ball outings at work. Not wishing to be a golf widow, I've decided to join Vince in his endeavor. After all, how hard can it be? 

On Saturday morning at 6:30am sharp, we reported to the golf pro, Mostyn, at our local public golf course. In the bright morning sun, he taught/refreshed us on the grip, stance and swing. Then over to the driving range for some practice and assessment. It was at once easier and more difficult than I remembered. Vince was a natural -- he looked comfortable as he whacked ball after ball onto the green. I struggled a bit. So much to remember! Persistence pays off, and I settled into what I hope is a bad-habit-free swing. By the end of our first lesson we were both making contact over 80% of the time. Accuracy? Mostyn says we won't have to worry about that for another month. Good thing, since most of my balls ended up across the foul line (or whatever they call it in this sport).

I woke up Sunday morning feel very stiff and sore. Kind of like after an especially hard workout. Nothing a hot shower and some Advil won't fix. That evening we practiced our newfound skills (I use the term loosely) at our local park. We had to stop every now and again to avoid hitting passing cyclists, walkers or dogs, but mostly we were unhindered. We took the camera along and used the burst shot feature to take action photos of ourselves so we could check our technique later.

This morning the stiff-and-sore demon was back. More hot shower and Advil treatment. I may be incompetent but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up! (hmmm... not sure that came out the way I wanted it to) This must be how the people on America's Funniest Home Videos feel -- the ones involved in the mishaps.

Checking out the photos on our computer was interesting. We were a hoot! So many errors, such terrible posture, but a glimmer of hope as our performance at the end of the series was better than at the beginning. I for one don't wish to maintain "hoot" status for very long, so we'll head back to the park real soon. I think we'll try the video feature next time. Between the snorts and guffaws, we could clearly see what we did well and what needs fixing.  We've got a ways to go before we can grace a golf course, but with Mostyn's help and a LOT of practice, I think we'll be "real" golfers by the end of the summer.

As long as the Advil holds out.

Yee-Haw Mate, It's the Perth Royal Show

“It’s Show Time!” broadcasts the DJ, his voice trembling with unbridled delight. “Get your tickets early to avoid disappointment! This year’s show promises to be bigger and better than ever!” For weeks the airwaves and newspapers talked of almost nothing else. It certainly got my attention – what could possibly get our Aussie community so excited?

Why, the Perth Royal Show of course! Hmm… Royal Show. Sounds like a pretty spiffy event. Probably have to dress up and get my hair done. The local radio stations brought in guests to talk about this year’s show and they kept mentioning “Show Bags.” Apparently they’re a really big deal. Does that mean I have to buy a handbag too? Okay, so now I have a mental picture of Vince and me in out dress-up clothes, me in an updo with my new purse, styling our way to the Perth Royal Show.
Talk about the wrong idea. I asked some Aussie friends about it and they replied, voices quivering with enthusiasm, that it’s one of the highlights of the year in Perth and their kids can hardly wait to go. Turns out the Perth Royal Show is in fact the Western Australian version of the State Fair. Oh, so it’s that kind of show! Glad I asked.  

The fairgrounds are a 10-minute train ride from town. Saves the bother of parking and it's cheaper too! A compartment full of fairgoers adds to the fun and promotes a festive atmosphere. 

 So Vince and I got our jeans on and moseyed over to the train station on a Saturday morning to go to the “Perth Royal Show!” (You have to shout it when you say it!)  

You can sell anything if you make it look like a woman, even wheat.

  


Rehearsing for dressage

 

You want me to squeeze what?

 The show, which really is fabulous, reveals the best of Perth, which is basically a very large country town. There was livestock, dressage, music, carnival rides, side shows, stuffed animals, food, and lots and lots of people. Attendance is around 500,000 per year. That’s 25% of the population of the state and about 70% of the population of Perth. Folks come from as far away as Broome (1400 miles to north) and Esperance (450 miles south and east) to show and sell their cattle and horses, crafts and jars of jam. The rest of us come to play, listen to music, enjoy the shows, eat, and people-watch.  

Teacup ride, Aussie style

I noticed a few interesting things along the way. The showgrounds were filled with children. An awful lot of the mums and dads had tattoos and piercings-- a sign of the times I think. Contrary to the stereotype my generation grew up with, they were polite, friendly and had extremely well-behaved children. We'd stepped back 50 years to a time when families did things together on weekends besides organized sports and there was time to relax. No one minded having to wait a few minutes for a ride or queuing at the food stands. People held hands and smiled at the chicks and piglets. Mayberry, Western Australia.

mff...we should tell Dad it's time for lunch



Excuse me, do you have a Kleenex?

Move over buddy, we're thirsty!

About those showbags. What's a showbag? Wikipedia says it's a "themed bag of commercial merchandise, and a distinctive feature of Australian shows (the local equivalent of fairs or carnivals). The bag is usually made from plastic or heavy paper, and is printed with graphics promoting a theme or manufacturer." Get a load of these. http://www.perthroyalshow.com.au/showbags.aspx Most showbags are marketed to children, with candy and toys, superhero or movie themes, etc..

For some, it's all about the shopping. Showbags galore and a Taylor Swift replica hat.

I took literally hundreds of pictures, a portion of which are visible here, or click on the link below for more. Meanwhile, enjoy the show!

How to Annoy Your Neighbours

It was an accident. Really. And it all started a couple of months ago. During our first few weeks in this apartment the fire alarm was raised several times. The culprit? An overheated clothes dryer in another apartment. The fire department took a very long time to respond to these alarms, especially after the first one. This did not sit well with building management and they complained LOUDLY to the authorities about it. We read about it in our tenant newsletter.

Fast forward to last Thursday morning. I had such good intentions. It was 6:40am. We had just returned from the gym and I thought it would be nice to have a cooked breakfast instead of cereal for a change. I dragged out the toaster and for the umpteenth time thought "I really need to replace this thing. It doesn't work very well. I should have bought the more expensive one." But I popped the bread in anyway and went to work on a cheese, tomato and bell pepper omelet. Moments later the glorious smell of coffee and eggs wafted through the kitchen, followed by -- what's that? -- burnt toast! I flipped on the extractor fan and opened the kitchen window, but I wasn't quick enough. Within seconds the high-pitched shrieks of the fire alarm filled not only the apartment but our entire building.

The culprit

My  first thought was "that's what happens when you buy a nine  dollar toaster" immediately followed by  "how do we stop this *&^%$# noise?!" I knew that after the events in May, our local firefighters would be here lickety-split. And sure enough, they were. I felt awful when I saw the lady in the apartment below standing in the lobby with her sleepy four year-old, both in their pajamas. And then I had to explain to Andrew, our safety rep, that there was no fire, just a bunch of smoke from a cheap toaster. He was remarkably understanding, considering that he is a policeman who works the night shift and had just arrived home in hopes of a good sleep.

Two firetrucks - one for each slice

Manny, Moe & Jack?

Moments later the fire brigade arrived -- two trucks worth, and sirens blaring. Guess they wanted building management to know they got the message about being responsive. In a flash they were on the 6th floor, checking out the smoke alarm and smirking at the burnt toast. It occurred to me  that this was a memorable moment, I should get a picture. Really, how many people do you know who have had the fire department called to their home in Australia? I didn't think the firefighters would share my opinion, so I snuck around and took pictures from our window rather than risk getting arrested for setting off a fire alarm under false pretenses.

On their way home. Hope they saw the humor in it!

Another five minutes worth of groveling and "no worries, mate!" and the firemen were on their way. And now I'm off to buy a $35 toaster that won't smoke out the apartment. When I get home, I think I'll bake some muffins for the other tenants. But I'll be careful not to burn them!

Transitions

This week marks our 8th month in Perth. We celebrated by purchasing a car and getting Australian Driver's licenses. Not exactly, but we did recently become the proud owners of a gray 2008 Ford Fiesta complete with automatic transmission, in mint condition, and low mileage. Ignoring the fact that all the kids now drive nicer cars than we do, Vince especially likes that the turn signals are on the left side of the steering column, just like in the states. No more windshield wipers going when he's trying to make a turn!

The car purchase is necessary because we are about to switch from expat status to the local payroll, which is bringing about all kinds of changes. We're giving up some benefits in exchange for others, so we had to give up the Hyundai i30. I'm happy to say that in the Ford Fiesta I have not bumped into a single post, nor have I ever scraped the car while parking. Some interesting facts about driving and car insurance in Western Australia.

• Australia has compulsory third party insurance which you must pay to the government when you register your car.
• If you have an accident and you are found to have been drinking alcohol, your insurance company will not pay damages for you or the other party.
• The same thing applies if you have been "driving recklessly," e.g. texting or talking on a cell phone, etc.
• Police can (and frequently do) conduct random breathalyser tests on any driver they suspect of "drink driving." If you refuse, you go to jail.

Strict stuff, but there are a lot fewer accidents here than in Texas and California. Maybe they should try it in the U.S. too.
 
It's taking a while to furnish the apartment. IKEA has become my new best friend, although I laughed the first time friends suggested it. Furniture, like many things, is outrageously expensive here. We've found some bargains though, mostly from departing expat families who either have too much furniture to ship to their new destination or don't want to take it home with them.  We now have a proper computer desk and a very cool wall shelving unit full of large cubes which hold baskets and other neat storage containers. This is the stuff that blows my hair back -- finding a place for everything and everything in its place. My boxes of scrapbook stuff now have proper homes and I might actually finish a few of them this year :-)

And the weather is changing a bit. It's getting a little warmer, the days are getting a little longer and to Vince's great joy, the first blueberries have appeared in supermarkets. It has been one of the dryest winters Western Australia has seen in some years, and folks are worried about the crops, but there are 2 months left of rainy season, so sit may work out. Encouraged by the sunny days, I am already thinking about what to do in warm weather. On my list are sailing lessons, tennis, and having "shrimp on the barbie."

Australian Politics

Australia is having a General (national) Election in two weeks. The campaigning period has been short and it's a close race. I'm not sure whether to be pleased or disappointed to learn that Australian politics can be just as confusing, underhanded and interesting as the American version.

In early May the Labor government introduced a 40% "supertax" on the profits of mining companies, which angered executives and unions across the country, but especially those in Western Australia where there's an enormous mining boom going on. WA residents are none too happy about paying out the bulk of the $12 Billion this tax would generate. In response to this action, mining industry folks aired some very clever TV and radio commercials featuring average Aussies. They're worried about a potential  mining industry collapse, job losses and mining customers going to other countries because Australian goods would become too expensive.  Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister and head of the Labor Party wouldn't budge on the tax, and the party's popularity plummeted. Panicked Labor Party leaders met in secret to figure out how to fix the problem. On June 24th Australia awoke to headlines that Kevin Rudd had been ousted in a coup and that Deputy Leader Julia Gillard had become Australia's first female Prime Minister. The vote took place very late the night before, surprising everyone, including Kevin Rudd. It worked. Julia Gillard immediately spoke of compromise with the miners and the poll numbers picked up again. After only 3 weeks in office, Julia Gillard called a General Election, to take advantage of the honeymoon period and the improved opinion of the Labor Party.


However... the opposition leads by a small margin, which they have held onto for most of the campaign. There has much talk but no action on reducing the Supertax, which is not impressing the mining industry who are traditional Labor supporters. We've seen the usual finger pointing, charges of dirty tricks, the debates, and promises of good things to come if so-and-so is elected. Individual races for MP (Member of Parliament) are especially important because Australians do not elect a President. The leader of the party with the most seats in Parliament becomes the Prime Minister. So... depending on how the election goes, Julia Gillard could become Australia's first elected female Prime Minister or the shortest-tenured one, and the Liberal Party could win back the leadership they lost in 2007, making their leader Tony Abbott the next Prime Minister.

Keeping facts straight is a bit of a challenge because Party names don't mean the same here as they do in the US. The Labor party is the left-leaning one, and the Liberals are more to the right. Julia Gillard has crafted an image of a centrist moderate, but she's an atheist (wouldn't put her hand on the Bible for her swearing-in oath), unmarried (lives with her "partner") and has no children. She was once secretary of the group Socialist Forum, and a helped found Emily's List, a group which raises money to help elect pro-choice women to Parliament. Not so average or moderate, actually. Tony Abbott, leader of the oppostion Liberal party, isn't liberal at all. He is a Roman Catholic and once studied for the priesthood (his political enemies called him "the mad monk") and is now married with 3 children. He holds degrees in Law (as does Gillard) and Economics, and began his career as a journalist.

I have the luxury of being entertained by all this because I cannot vote and our stay here is temporary. Still, if the supertax goes through there will be economic repercussions which could negatively impact the oil and gas industry, which is a bit worrisome.Here are some interesting facts about the Australian voting system.

--> Government is dominated by two main parties: Labour and Liberal. Labour is liberal and Liberal is conservative. The Liberal party is also known as The Coalition because it incorporates some other parties which have fewer than 5 members.
--> The Green party is the largest "minor" party. Minority parties often hold the balance of power in Parliament.
--> Although Australia is an independent nation, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is also formally Queen of Australia. 
--> Elections are frequent. They must be held within 3 years of the first meeting of a new Parliament.
-->  All citizens over the age of 18 must vote in both federal and state government elections. Failure to do so may result in a fine or prosecution. (What a great idea!)

The election will be held on Saturday, August 21st. One way or another, history will be made that day.

This and That

I'm chalking up the lapse in blog entries to writer's block and the challenge of getting settled into our new apartment. We are two floors higher than before, and have about 270 degrees of view vs. 180 at the old place. Not to mention an extra bedroom, bathroom, living space, a normal-sized, gleaming stainless steel refrigerator and two parking spaces. Haven't put a scratch on the car since we moved in.  

Perth sunrise: view from my kitchen window. Makes me want to do the dishes!

We're slowly furnishing the apartment. I know the layout of the IKEA store by heart. Eight stores and seven hours of shopping netted me a travertine-topped dining table, 6 microfiber (like suede but easier to clean) chairs and a buffet made of Marra (pronounce marree) wood.  We barely got unpacked when it was time for our first inspection. In Australia the owner of a residence has the right to inspect it as often as every 6 weeks. Typically, the real estate agent or a hired third party service does it. Sounds a bit big brother-ish to me but hey, renters can't be choosers. We passed our first inspection with flying colors. From the inspector's comments I must conclude that there is an epidemic of soap scum spreading to shower doors all over Perth, and I've heard they're thinking of making it a felony to have a dirty kitchen floor. :-D  I still love this place, and will take more photos and share them soon.

Next time... Australian blood sport - oops, I mean politics!

America's Superb Export

A couple of weeks ago I discovered a friend from Texas had been living in Perth for several months and neither of us knew the other was here! She has been making the most of her time, including volunteering her time and skills at local charities. Last week I went with her to visit the Pregancy Problem House, a pregnancy resource center in Nollamara, a northern suburb of Perth. I've commented before that Perth reminds me of cities in America in the 1960s and this place fits that description too -- on the outside. It's an older house converted into a welcoming place for teens and young adults who are pregnant (or think they might be), with counseling services, childbirth and parenting classes, and a brand spanking new 4d color ultrasound machine, plus every possible thing a newborn or new mom could need. There are centers in Texas that are not this advanced or well-equipped.  Here's a a link http://www.pregnancyproblemhouse.com.au/

How is it that a non-profit, non-government supported charity can be so leading edge when so many businesses and organizations are not? Answer: they have learned from the Americans. The Director of the Pregnancy Problem House is Australian who has spent most of her life in Perth, but lived in Illinois for a few years and volunteered at pregnancy resource centers in different parts of the US midwest. She set up the center in Perth using the American model, and she keeps the center up to date by participating in American and international organizations which specialize in this kind of care. I am impressed and pleased to know that young women, couples and families have a place to go for pregnancy testing, counseling, free healthcare referrals, baby furniture and diapers, and all the things infants and their parents need. They are a Christian organization too, but like the one I worked with in Katy, Texas, their first concern is for the emotional and physical well-being of the people who walk through their doors. It's a busy and cheerful place, and the warmth and care for people is evident in the comfortable surroundings and first-class services.

It shouldn't come as any surprise that I am going to join their organization as a volunteer. After 8 years away, it's time to use my pregnancy resource center experience to help others. Perhaps this is a partial answer to the question "What is God's purpose for me here?"  I will share more as I get better acquainted with the Perth version of this wonderful ministry.

Foundation Day

Today is Foundation Day, when Western Australians celebrate the founding of their state. Their history is not unlike the U.S. - in 1826 a small British Army outpost settled on the beach at Albany (think Plymouth Rock), which is about as far south and west as you can get in Australia. A year later Captain James Stirling of the Royal Navy led several boats full of English settlers (think the Nina, Pinta & Santa Maria) in explorations of the Swan River. Stirling spotted the coast, started the Swan River Colony there and became its first Lieutenant-Governor. Around the same time, Captain Charles Fremantle anchored off an island which he also claimed for Britain. This busy port and city is named after him. There is a tenuous yet charming connection between Oz and USA here. The story goes that on August 12, 1829 Helen Dance, wife of a ship's captain, cut down a tree to mark the founding of Perth, the capital of the colony (and now the state). Did she know about our first President's relationship with a cherry tree?

Reading between the lines of Wikipedia, I reckon the English settlers had issues with the locals (Aborigines), so much so that 5 years later Captain Stirling decided they needed an annual celebration of some sort. I guess having a great big party once a year helped folks get along, kind of like giving your kids a project to work on to keep them from killing each other :o> .Stirling picked June 1st as it coincided with the day his boat first spotted the coast as well as a significant British naval victory (over France) 40 years earlier.

Of course everybody gets the day off. In fact they celebrate it on the first Monday in June and make a 3-day weekend of it. We celebrated by indulging our inner gamblers. Vince has become interested in Poker lately and like a good engineer, has read several books on the subject: how to spot a bluff, winning strategies to use, etc. and then practiced his new skills at poker evenings with friends. Figuring we were ready for the big time, we joined another couple and visited the spiffy-looking casino in the Burswood Entertainment complex. Vince and his mentor, an experienced poker player, went off the to Poker Room to seek their fortunes while we ladies opted for the slots. We left our ATM cards at home, lest we be tempted to overdo things...

I started at the poker slots where a dollar buys you the chance to push a couple of buttons and pray for a win. This noisy, neon-lit, electronic machine offered 3 different games requiring pairs of jacks or better, kings or better, or traditional with deuces wild. We hung in there for about an hour, getting sucked in by small wins and eventually losing about $50 each. While my buddy took a rest room break I moseyed over to the keno machine, which allowed 20-cent bets. Now I don't even know what keno is, but you really don't have to. You don't even have to pull the handle any more - just push the "play" button. In a gambling fever I quintupled my bets to a dollar each and within 3 minutes got a full house! Hearing the whoop! whoop! whoop! of the machine and the sound of $50 worth of tumbling dollar coins dropping loudly into the tray sent my pulse racing. Woo-hoo - I won! And I recovered my "investment." :o)

Energized by this win, we cruised the casino floor for more exciting games to play. I was attracted to the craps tables but unwilling to risk that much money. After passing up dozens of slots with names like "Indian Princess" and "Pirate Millionaire" we decided to try our luck at "Diced Chicken." The guys eventually lost their stake and sought us out. They found us just as we were tiring of the game, which involved barnyard animals and golden eggs in a bingo-esque fashion. With the "help" of a fellow gambler who seemed more interested in flirting with us than winning, we were fast losing the contents of our gold-coin-filled plastic cups. Although I had a net loss, I scored the biggest win of the evening, which means I got to pay for dinner. Over pasta and chicken, the guys explained their losses: "the cards weren't good tonight," and "there were a lot of good players at our table so we couldn't bluff much." We thought of this as a learning experience, albeit a trifle expensive. Will I try it again? Hmm...

Old Friends and New

Someone once told me that the only certain thing in life is change. Part of the Expat learning curve is confronting the painful truth that family and friends in Houston did not put their lives on hold when we left, breathlessly waiting for our return. Change is part of their lives too! And it has certainly been true for the Perth Vetters this month, starting with our address. For those who want to send us cool things in the mail, our new address is:

Unit 6

152 Mill Point Road
S. Perth WA 6151
Australia

We packed up our old apartment before going on our Houston holiday, but we didn't count on Vince having to return to Houston two weeks after our vacation ended. So it's been nonstop lately. As I stayed in the US longer, we had only 3 days together between the time I arrived home in Perth and the time he left for Houston again. We used the time to finish the travel laundry and pack up the last few bits of our apartment. Then Vince rented a truck and we moved our things a couple of blocks up the road to our new place. We didn't have THAT much stuff, but the exercise still left us exhausted. The next morning Vince was off to Houston again and I began the journey of getting the gas, electricity and phone turned on. We have a land line now, which means we can try skype soon! If you have a skype account, please let us know so we can talk live via webcam.

Our new apartment is completely unfurnished. I am proceeding cautiously, looking for bargains on gumtree.com (Australia's version of Craig's List) and Quokka, Perth's version of the Green Sheet. So far I've bought a small leather sofa and 2 matching chairs and a double bed. I am grateful for new friends who willingly offered their truck to transport my finds to our new home. And of course, IKEA has featured prominently in my travels this week. They're just the best when it comes to solutions for storage and organization.

Tomorrow Vince returns from Houston to Australia, but instead of going to Perth, he'll stop in Brisbane to attend a conference. I will join him and finally get to see some more of Australia. I am especially excited about this trip because in addition to seeing Brisbane, I will be visiting my longtime friend Pat, who was my flatmate in London in 1984. We lost track of each other for a while but I found her last year, through her daughter's My Space page. She looked so much like her Mom that I took a chance and wrote her a note explaining how I knew Pat. Fortunately she didn't think I was an axe-murderer or online predator, and Pat and I reconnected last summer. We had no inkling that we would actually meet again, and in Australia of all places. But life is amazing and... full of change. She lives in a town called Hervey Bay (pronounced "Harvey Bay" which in photos looks a bit like Clear Lake/Kemah. So... another reunion and a great reason to explore some of Australia's east coast.

And speaking of old friends, it was wonderful to reconnect with Rick Wacula, "my intellectual friend" from USC days. Thanks for getting up early on a Sunday to have breakfast with Alice and me! And as if two friends from the past turning up wasn't enough, a third friend has also re-entered my life. Lisa Kraig, a friend and mentor from my Pregnancy Help Center days is now living in Perth (her husband works for ConocoPhillips) and looked me up recently. The city is filling up with Texans -- yay! Now all we have to do is teach folks here how to make real enchiladas and brisket.

It's late and I still have to pack, but I'll sign off with some photos from Dr. Bartner's 40th Anniversary gala at USC. Fight on!

Dr. Bartner thanking everyone for celebrating him, accompanied by this year's Trojan Marching Band, also known as TGMBITHOTU (The greatest marchingb and in the history of the universe!).

Prior to the gala was a reunion and memorabilia display. Here are the uniforms we wore back in the 70s. They didn't make gold boots in size 11 back then, so I bought white ones and spray painted them gold before every game! Note the white windbreaker in the far right corner -- you had to march for two seasons to earn it.

Just for fun - here is that 70s flag girl uniform in action at the USC vs. Cal Berkeley game c. 1974 :->

And today ... with my sister Alice who flew down from San Francisco to attend the gala with me.

Coach John Robinson, star quarterback Rodney Peete reminisce about special moments with Dr. Bartner and the Trojan Marching Band. Rodney Peete began the tradition of quarterbacks coming to band practice and conducting from the "God Tower." The band loved it and it really psyched up the team.

Friend and squad member Jeannine "Chickie" Zakaryan Barba and her significant other, Craig. Her nickname refers to her practice of bring along her favorite rubber chicken to many of our parties, dinners and other events when we were in band together.

The grand finale. A wonderful end to a glamorous and joyful evening!

California Dreaming

Can it be only 5 days since I arrived in Los Angeles? Feels like I've been here for years. Familiar landmarks made me feel at home: the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, The Hollywood sign, Palm trees galore and traffic-choked freeways, Inn-n-Out - the best burgers and fries anywhere. Time to visit the Knutson side of the family including my Mom, two sisters, niece and nephews. The pink UGG boots went over big with Michelle, and we all spent an evening at Miceli's restaurant on Cahuenga and Vine, where the waitstaff break into Italian arias and Broadway standards at the drop of a fork or by request. The wall of 8x10 glossies in the waiting area attest to the influence of "the biz" here. Young and talented dreamers still flock to this town in hopes of being discovered.

The next day took my Mom and me to Porterville, a small rural town nestled in the cetnral part of the state, south of Fresno and a short drive from Sequoia National Forest. We visited with my mom's friend and future traveling companion and talked about what to see and do in Australia. They did more visiting than planning, but at least they've got their passports. We can do the rest later. Then it was back to the San Fernando Valley, known as simply "The Valley" to Californians. I spent the next two days clothes shopping with my sister Dianne and hanging out with her family. A pleasant surprise was the affection shown by their cat Clover. I enticed her with a plastic ring from the top of a milk jug and she let me pet her. Maybe I'm on the rebound from Oscar and Finney's rejection, but I loved my moments of chin-scratching and playing with pieces of string. Clover is a few cards short of a deck, but she let me pet her and she thinks I'm okay, which was a big help to me. Guess I'll always need a cat in my life, even if it's 2,500 miles away.

The showcase of this visit was the 40th Anniversary gala celebration of the Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. They put on quite a show, with guest appearances from former coach John Robinson and notable USC alumni including football great Rodney Peete, Olympic gold medalist John Naber, singer Monica Mancini and musician Arturo Sandoval and many others. One of my favorite moments was the mini-concert given by the rock band War, who invited us all to sing along with them to the songs "Why Can't We Be Friends" and "Low Rider." It was wonderful to reconnect with so many fellow band members from the seventies and share what we've all been doing for the past 30+years!

This visit has been fun and rewarding, but it has also confirmed that Perth is now my home. I've enjoyed my time with family and friends but I miss Vince terribly. And I'm ready to drive on the left again, resume my morning walks along the Swan River, and play Mahjong with my favorite ladies.

Yes, It's Possible to Have Enough Mexican Food

The past three weeks in Houston have been a gastronomic dream. Meal after meal of our favorite foods at our favorite restaurants. Enchiladas, nachos, fajitas, brisket, ribs, red beans and rice, cornbread... The dream skirted nightmare territory as we hit Marble Slab and R.J. Goode's with their chocolate cake from scratch. We are now safely removed from the land of temptation: Vince is back in Perth and I am visiting my Dad in Seymour, Tennessee, a picturesque town in the shadow of Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a respite from restaurants and calories. Not too many dangers here except the occasional Krispy Kreme, which I have avoided thus far. It's been mostly water and salads for the past couple of days as I crawl my way back on the weight loss wagon.

In between feedings, we managed to accomplish a few other things. We brought all of our summer clothes (now too big) with us and donated them to charity, then bought new ones for the coming cooler weather. I found some great bargains at the winter clearance sales, and now my biggest problem is making sure my suitcases don't exceed the 50-pound limit. After our gluttonous indulgences, will these smaller clothes fit? Yes, we'll make sure they do! Fortunately, I was able to work with my former trainer Karla who offered great encouragement while torturing me with squats and ab crunches.

With help and inspiration from the teachers at Lone Star Scrapbook, I finally finished a scrapbook I promised Vince's daughter over two years ago. Now I can move on to the other projects on the list, and of course all the photos I've taken during this trip will need a home too. We also "visited" our house and the folks who are currently living there. Neither of my cats appeared to recognize me after an absence of 5 months. Oscar (dark grey Siamese) was more friendly and settled on my lap for a while. After a few moments of cautious sniffing, Finney (orange striped Tabby) allowed me to hug him and scratch his neck, but quickly grew impatient.  On my second visit Oscar remained friendly but Finney scampered off and did not reappear. My heart took a thrashing. Next thing? We sold our cars. At least they went to good homes: Vince's son Greg bought my car (2 months old when we left) and Tom, a longtime friend, bought Vince's Z4. I'm sure Tom will get the same testosterone rush from it as Vince always did. There's just something about a convertible.

I think I'm experiencing some separation anxiety as a result of all these changes. Life in Houston as we knew it no longer exists. Our house is now a home to others and looks completely different, we no longer have our cars, and while our friends and family have been happy to see us again, they're busy getting on with their lives without us. Rather humbling!

One more stop to go on the visit-America train. In two days I'll head for Southern California to visit my sisters and my Mom. Gotta limit my trips to Inn-n-Out Burger. I'll deliver the UGG boots to my niece and free up space for necessities to take back to Perth: towels, Crest toothpaste, Velveeta... I'm looking forward to some girly time and to seeing the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains again.

Home. It's where you are.

Roadrunners and a Wedding

We arrived in Houston on April 2nd and I haven't stopped running yet. So much to do, so many friends to visit, not to mention the Mexican dinners to consume... and best of all, a wonderful wedding. Vince's daughter Sharon married Lynn Horne on April 10th on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, just south of Cancun. The reception was held in her brother's back yard this past weekend -- the weather was perfect, food was great, friends and family were wonderful.

The wedding was held on the beach at sunset, the bride wore a beautiful white dress and white flip flops, the groom wore Tommy Bahama linen. It was beautiful. The professional pictures are in process, but I employed my trusty camera to the tune of about 300 shots. I'd love to upload them all, but here are the highlights.

And now I must pack for the next leg of this journey -- 5 days in Knoxville with Dad & Ann. The Smoky Mountains will be beautiful, and it will be a chance to slow the pace. Until next time...

Vince and Sharon at IAH Airport

Rehearsal Dinner: Left to right - Lynn (Groom), Sharon (Bride), Vince (Father of Bride), Anita (Stepmom of Bride), Mark (Bride's younger brother), Greg (Bride's older brother), Melissa (bride's sister-in-law)

Groom & family - Doug (Groom's to-be brother-in-law), Lynn, Claudette (Groom's Mother), Tricia (Groom's sister)

Proud Dad Vince escorts Sharon down the rose petaled path as the sun drops in the sky.  

Saying their vows

Mr. & Mrs. Horne

Happy Dad!

First dance as husband and wife

So much love... Father & Daughter dance

More love... Mother & Groom dance

A joyful toast

We're family now! Bride's Dad, Groom's Mom, aka Vince & Claudie

We're family now! The Vetters and the Hornes.

Dinner at sunset

Amorous groom :->

Sparkler Sendoff

New Digs

It is wonderful to have the delightful friends and family we enjoy. Not bragging, I just think y'all are the best! We feel greatly complimented that so many of you want to come all the way down under to visit us. Just one problem - where will we put you? Our two-bedroom crackerbox is cute, but not very practical for more than a couple of people at a time. Since our apartment lease expires in May, this is a great opportunity to find something more suitable for entertaining guests from near and far.

View from the southwest balcony of our new apartment

I've been searching for about a month and learned all kinds of things in the process. It is common to rent apartments for 6 months, and 12 months is considered a long lease. Lease contracts specify a termination date and you must move out on that day, unless you request in writing that you want to stay longer. Almost all renting is done through real estate agents, and the system works very differently here. In the States, you look in the real estate section of the paper, or go online, or ask a friend, or just drive around until you see a location or apartment building you like. Then you go to the management office, fill out an application, and if you are accepted you negotiate a move-in date, which can be up to 3 months in advance. Not so here. First, the majority of listings appear online. Apartment buildings do not have management offices. Most of the apartments are owned by individuals. Some occupy them, others buy them as investments and rent them out. The owners choose the real estate agent they like best to manage their properties. I found this rather bewildering when I started my search. For example, the building we live in now contains 64 apartments. Six of them are currently for rent, through 4 different companies. So if you want to see different apartments in the same building, you might have to visit several different real estate agents.

Vince checking out guest bedroom #1

This can be convenient, though. If you are looking for an apartment in a certain price range and/or location, you can pick a real estate agent, tell them what you want, and they will show  you properties which fit your criteria. The different agents don't often share listings, though, so you still might have to work with more than one agent in order to see everything on the market. That's what I did. I looked online, found 19 properties I liked and visited 13 of them, which required talking to 6 different agencies. (I only dragged Vince to see 5 of them ;->) The result? A perfect fit -- a 3-bedroom apartment on the sixth floor of an 11-story high-rise on the crest of Mill Point Avenue, just a few doors up the street from our current place. The building is less than 2 years old (our current one is closer to 50), the apartment has never been lived in, and it has two balconies -- one overlooking the north bank and the other looking southwest. We're across the street from Perth Zoo, which means we can open our windows and hear kookaburras and other animals in the morning if we want to. We're vlose to two sets of shops and cafes, and we're still near Mends Street, home of good restaurants, nightclubs and boutiques.

In Australia, "unfurnished" means no fridge or washing machine. However, the current renting market is slow, and we were able to negotiate a bit. The owner agreed to provide both items before we move in.

Vince tries out the baby grand in the elegant foyer.

A pretty place to come home to.

Happy to have found a place to call home for the next couple of years!

We signed the lease today and we'll move in after we return from our US vacation (5 days til we leave!). I've already started packing things up!  So... if you can make the trip to Perth, we'll leave the light on for you. No, we'll meet your flight and show you the town. You'll have a place to stay and we'll throw in breakfast on the balcony. We hope to see y'all soon!

A Spot of Weather

I try to post something once a week, but occasionally I run out of time, ideas or both. But there has been a dry spell lately, in the weather as well as my imagination! It was broken yesterday as the heavens opened and dumped almost an inch and half of rain on Perth in less than an hour. Wind gusted to 120km (75mph) and over 150,000 Perthians lost power, some for more than 24 hours. I had a flashback to hurricane Ike as the trees swayed wildly and water swirled at each side of the road.

We had spent the afternoon playing mahjong and were on our way home when the cloudy skies let loose their barrage of precipitation. It sounded like someone was hammering on the roof of the Hyundai i30 -- thump, thump, thump -- getting faster and then slowing down. I found myself praying silently "please God, prevent the hailstones from breaking the windshield, the water level from flooding the car, and please keep us from plowing into another car."

It was a loud 15 minutes, but nothing broke and no one was hurt, although traffic slowed to a crawl and we got drenched as we ran from the car into our apartment building. My Canadian friend Ethel, a rather nervous sort, was calm as we drove through the mess of tree branches, deep water and hail stones ranging in size from moth balls to golf balls pelted everything in sight. As we turned into the parking lot and waited for the gate to open she laughed and said "this is just like driving in Newfoundland!" The laughter helped -- we needed all of our sense of humor to get out of the car and submit ourselves to a drenching as we freed several broken tree branches which had become stuck in the mechanism of the gate to the parking lot. Drowned rats ... that was us!

Thanks to Ethel I made it home safely and checked the flat. Not expecting a freak hail storm, I had left several windows open, but fortunately the winds were blowing in a different direction and the apartment was unscathed. The power went out 15 minutes later and Vince and I had a nice candlelight dinner of peanut butter and crackers, accompanied by a loud thunderous soundtrack and spectacular lightning!

Today the sun is shining and I must commend the Perth city officials and public works employees. Many of them worked through the night and by 10:00am this morning most of the mess had been cleared up. Only the flashing traffic lights, continued power outages and some very large broken branches still attest to the forceful chaos of yesterday.

We've been told to prepare for another storm tonight, which we all hope will be less severe. Here's more info for those enquiring minds. http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2010/03/23/2853482.htm  . Not all the photos here were taken by me. Several were forwarded via email and I'm unsure of the artist. Thank you, anonymous photographer :->

We'll be in Houston just 10 days from now and the weird weather will be behind us. See you soon!