today dan and i are off to my cousin kate's second wedding (it's like hobbits and breakfast)... well, she got married a couple of months ago in new zealand, and is now doing the ceremony over here for her australian people. mum and dad are coming down this morning and taking us and esther and andrew out for lunch before we whoop it up with the family.
then i'm going back to The Country with the pezzas for a couple of days... i think i will relax in a bath with essential oils, go for some walks and quiz mum about plants and their various names and used so i can put them in my book. i will also look at chooks and laugh at their funniness.
and i will continue re-reading the lord of the rings. i haven't read it since (the sixth time?) just before the first film came out. i'ts a lot drier than i remember, but i'm really enjoying it as a history this time - and (don't flame me, fans) i am actually BOTHERING to READ all the SONGS!!! some of them are quite complex, with a lovely rhyme/rhythm scheme that i can't elucidate because i never paid attention to formal structuring of poetry in creative writing classes.
IT'S
all about freeform
the hiccup jazz poetic
no structure for me
ha. i'm so witty.
our garage sale was SHIT!!! we obviously didn't signpost it well enough, and also with it being a racing weekend, and almost a long weekend... dead... we had some neighbours and our lovely friends, we sold some things, and donated the rest to erin's schoolkids for their fundraising jumble sale. we made a grand total of $40!!! but we got our tax returns back the other day, and that was nice!
oh, i was accepted into masters, too. yai! now to wait until i get a scholarship offer, and we're set!
hope everyone is well, and thank to those who came along to the sale!
p.s. TURN YOUR CLOCKS FORWARDS!
30 October 2005
27 October 2005
GARAGE SALE (POEM)
we are having
a GARAGE SALE
this saturday
crockery
clothes
and general miscellany
we will be there
from 9am to 5pm
selling things
*
see you there!!!
a GARAGE SALE
this saturday
crockery
clothes
and general miscellany
we will be there
from 9am to 5pm
selling things
*
see you there!!!
23 October 2005
A SONG
ESTHER
© 2005 Chiera, Greaves, Katz and Williams
Today I saw a cat and thought of you
Today I read your blog and thought of you
Today I got your postcard
Today I walked to Carlton
Today I ordered flowers and thought of you
Did you think of me when you were eating crepes in Hampstead?
Did you thing of me when you were defacing currency?
When the dodgy French men
Touched you inappropriately
Did you think of me?
Esther, you are the best-er
I wrote some fanfic
Where you came back to Australia
Esther, oh yes we missed ya
I had a dream where
Gary kissed ya
In a bulldozer
Today I saw a Mormon and thought of you
Today I saw some orthodox Jews and they made me think of you too
Today I saw a book, I saw a fridge, I saw some houses
Today I saw a cup of tea, but no tartan troosers yet
Today I saw the sky and though of you
Did you think of me too?
Esther, did you think of me too?
Esther, you are the best-er
Esther, did you think of me too?
***
aww!!! hey, by the way, the post just below this one is the prologue to the novel i'm writing. don't read it if you haven't got time!!!
© 2005 Chiera, Greaves, Katz and Williams
Today I saw a cat and thought of you
Today I read your blog and thought of you
Today I got your postcard
Today I walked to Carlton
Today I ordered flowers and thought of you
Did you think of me when you were eating crepes in Hampstead?
Did you thing of me when you were defacing currency?
When the dodgy French men
Touched you inappropriately
Did you think of me?
Esther, you are the best-er
I wrote some fanfic
Where you came back to Australia
Esther, oh yes we missed ya
I had a dream where
Gary kissed ya
In a bulldozer
Today I saw a Mormon and thought of you
Today I saw some orthodox Jews and they made me think of you too
Today I saw a book, I saw a fridge, I saw some houses
Today I saw a cup of tea, but no tartan troosers yet
Today I saw the sky and though of you
Did you think of me too?
Esther, did you think of me too?
Esther, you are the best-er
Esther, did you think of me too?
***
aww!!! hey, by the way, the post just below this one is the prologue to the novel i'm writing. don't read it if you haven't got time!!!
PROLOGUE: IN WHICH JIMMY TELLS A STORY
“Once upon a time, in a land not too far from here, lived a girl not unlike yourself. She lived in a small cottage with her parents and her little brother on the outskirts of a great kingdom, and they were happy.”
“What was her name, Jimmy Jibber?” A young girl bounces up and down on the floor across the hearth. The fire crackles gently between them, lending the small room a snug glow.
“Her name?” he says, leaning closer on his crossed legs. “Her name was Dandelion.”
The girl shrieks with laughter. “That’s not a name! That’s a weed!”
“Ah, but there is often more than one use for a word. You see,” he gazes into a corner of the room, where the shadows dance with the darkness, “Dandelion was bright and strong, like you, and she had yellow hair like a dandelion flower. But,” his eyes snap back to the girl, and a smile curves his mouth, “she was also a dreamer, and when the north wind blew from the mountains, her mind would blow off in all different directions. She would forget what she was meant to be doing, and would go instead into a world of her own.”
A gust of wind rattles against the cottage and down the chimney, and the fire blazes. The strings of dried flowers and braids of garlic rustle secretively in the rafters. Jimmy settles into the sheepskin rug, and the girl watches him with big eyes.
“One day, when such a north wind sent the clouds running and the branches shivering, Dandelion wandered out of sight of her cottage, and spent a whole afternoon playing by the river.”
“What was she playing, Jimmy Jibber?” The girl’s eyes sparkle with excitement.
Jimmy shakes his head. “I don’t know… What do you think she was playing?”
The girl grins and wriggles in her place, fidgeting with the ragged cuff of her shirt. “I know! I know!” She waits for Jimmy to raise his eyebrows and lean forward, then squeals, “Dragons!”
Outside, the wind dies down, and the cottage falls quiet. Jimmy’s eyes dart to the thick wooden door, the shuttered window, around the room. “Shh…” he whispers, distractedly, “You’ll wake your brother.”
The girl lowers her voice, still excited. “Was she playing dragons?” she asks earnestly.
Jimmy shakes himself, and smiles. “I’m sure she was, and she was having a lot of fun. But while she was away, a real dragon flew down from its lair, and stole all of Dandelion’s family away!”
“All of them?” She screws up her nose. “How did it catch them all?”
Jimmy shifts on the rug, recrosses his legs, and shrugs his shoulders. “Well, dragons are very powerful, and very mysterious, and very, very scary. And if a dragon wants to steal away a whole family, then there aren’t many things that can stop it.”
The child’s forehead wrinkles. “Then how did Dandelion get her family back?”
“What makes you think that she did?” he teases.
“Jimmy, don’t be silly!”
His face turns sombre. “I’m not. Dragons are a very serious business.” He pauses. “But there was one person who could help Dandelion rescue her family… the King!”
“Did she have to go to the castle?”
“Where else would you find a king?”
“How long did it take to get there?”
“She ran all the way.”
“Was the King nice?”
A flicker of something like bitterness crosses Jimmy’s face – or perhaps it is just the firelight playing tricks. “Yes. Yes, the King was very nice, and kind and helpful, and he promised to get Dandelion’s family back. He called together a company of soldiers, and his champion, and they rode on horses up into the mountains, where the dragon had its nest in a big cave.”
“What were their names?”
“The soldiers?”
She nods.
“Well, most of them had names like Michael and Peter and Sarah, because they were ordinary people before they were soldiers – just like your brother and your mammy and daddy.”
“And were they excited about finding the dragon?”
Jimmy purses his lips. “Some of them were, and some weren’t. Like I said, dragons are very scary creatures.”
“They were frightened,” says the girl, with a hint of scorn.
“They were – and they were right to be! As they got close to the lair, they could see smoke rising up from the fires lit by the dragon’s breath. The air became extremely hot. The horses wouldn’t go any further, so they all had to dismount and approach on foot, carrying their heavy shields up the mountainside. At last they came to the mouth of the dragon’s lair, and the King walked forward, his beard bristling with importance.
“ ‘Dragon!’ he shouted into the black of the cave. There was a moment of stillness as his voice echoed through the mountain.
“Then came the slithering sound of scales on the stones, and the dragon replied in a voice like the start of an avalanche, ‘Who comes here?’
“ ‘The King!’
“ ‘What do you want?’
“The King stood up straight. ‘You have stolen Dandelion’s family, and we have come to take them back.’ The dragon snorted, and a plume of flame burst from the cave, singeing the King’s beard. But the King remained still, his champion just behind him. ‘Will you give them to us freely?’ he called.
“The dragon snorted again, and some more of the King’s beard singed off. ‘No.’
“ ‘What will you do with them?’ cried Dandelion, from a little way off.
“The dragon poked its snout out of the cave and looked at Dandelion with one cold blue eye. ‘I will eat them. I am very hungry little girl.’
“Dandelion stomped her foot, because – like you – she was rather impatient. ‘That’s not fair!’ she yelled at the dragon. ‘Why don’t you eat something else?’
“The dragon scraped itself a bit further out of its lair. ‘There is nothing else to eat,’ it growled, towering over the King. ‘I am hungry!’ Although the soldiers were brave, they quivered as the dragon snorted another stream of flame from its snout, setting some of the nearby trees alight.”
“Do dragons really breathe fire, Jimmy?”
“This one did.”
“Then wouldn’t Dandelion’s family be all burnt up?”
“Ah, but you see, this dragon didn’t breathe fire all the time – only when it wanted to frighten people. But Dandelion wasn’t scared, because she had thought of a plan. She ran quickly to the King, and whispered in his ear. The King said, ‘Hmm,’ and ‘Ahh,’ and was not sure that the plan would work, but he thought it was worth trying. Drawing himself up to his full height – he looked very majestic, even with only half a beard – he said, ‘Dragon! You live in my kingdom, and I will not allow you to eat my subjects. However, as you live within the borders of my land, you are also my subject, and I do not want my subjects to go hungry. If you return Dandelion’s family, and promise not to eat any more people, I will tell all the farms in my kingdom to send me one sheep every year, which I will give to you. This amounts to six sheep every month, so you will never be hungry again.’ It was a fine speech, and all the soldiers, the champion, and even the King himself, held their breath as the dragon considered this offer.
“At last it spoke, in its low, rocky voice. ‘You are a wise and generous king,’ it said, and opened its great taloned forehands. Out rushed Dandelion’s mother and father and little brother.
“The soldiers gave a mighty cheer, ‘The King! The King!’
“Dandelion ran to her family and hugged them all. Then the King turned, and all the soldiers and his champion followed him down the mountainside. But Dandelion stood in front of the dragon. ‘Thank you, Dragon,’ she said. The dragon winked at her, and disappeared into its lair.
“The King kept his promise, and the Dragon kept its promise, too. And because the dragon had winked at Dandelion – which was considered to be a very lucky sign – she was, from then on, called Dandelion Dragoneye. And she and her family lived happily ever after.”
They are both silent for a while. The girl stares into the fire as it sinks into coals, and Jimmy watches her. “But it was Dandelion’s idea.” She wavers a moment. “Why didn’t the soldiers cheer for her?”
Jimmy stretches his legs out in front. “It was Dandelion’s idea, you’re right. But only the King was able to make it work. Dandelion wouldn’t have been able to get all those sheep herself, would she?”
The girl rests her chin on her hands, and turns her gaze to Jimmy. “If Dandelion Dragoneye was so lucky,” she asks gravely, “did she get to go on lots of other adventures?”
Jimmy laughs softly and stands, holding out a hand to the child. “Maybe she did, but they would be stories for another time. Come on, time for you to go to bed.”
She jumps up. “But I’m not tired, Jimmy Jibber!”
“I am. Go on, to bed.” He yawns.
She takes a few steps towards the curtained doorway, then hesitates in the hands of the waiting shadows. “You’re an adventurer, aren’t you?”
Jimmy ponders this for a minute, his eyes lost in the dim glow of the embers. “You could say that.”
“Good,” she says with satisfaction. “So am I.” And she disappears through the curtain to her room.
*
So, do you want to read more?!?!?... Dan has just applied for some more jobs (more interesting that the one he interviewed for - he finds out about that one next friday), and we have been looking at units and apartments online. There seem to be a few in our price-range, even! We'll put pictures up soon!!!
OH, BTW, THIS IS COPYRIGHTED TO ME! THAT'S (copy)RIGHT! ahahah, a pun!
“What was her name, Jimmy Jibber?” A young girl bounces up and down on the floor across the hearth. The fire crackles gently between them, lending the small room a snug glow.
“Her name?” he says, leaning closer on his crossed legs. “Her name was Dandelion.”
The girl shrieks with laughter. “That’s not a name! That’s a weed!”
“Ah, but there is often more than one use for a word. You see,” he gazes into a corner of the room, where the shadows dance with the darkness, “Dandelion was bright and strong, like you, and she had yellow hair like a dandelion flower. But,” his eyes snap back to the girl, and a smile curves his mouth, “she was also a dreamer, and when the north wind blew from the mountains, her mind would blow off in all different directions. She would forget what she was meant to be doing, and would go instead into a world of her own.”
A gust of wind rattles against the cottage and down the chimney, and the fire blazes. The strings of dried flowers and braids of garlic rustle secretively in the rafters. Jimmy settles into the sheepskin rug, and the girl watches him with big eyes.
“One day, when such a north wind sent the clouds running and the branches shivering, Dandelion wandered out of sight of her cottage, and spent a whole afternoon playing by the river.”
“What was she playing, Jimmy Jibber?” The girl’s eyes sparkle with excitement.
Jimmy shakes his head. “I don’t know… What do you think she was playing?”
The girl grins and wriggles in her place, fidgeting with the ragged cuff of her shirt. “I know! I know!” She waits for Jimmy to raise his eyebrows and lean forward, then squeals, “Dragons!”
Outside, the wind dies down, and the cottage falls quiet. Jimmy’s eyes dart to the thick wooden door, the shuttered window, around the room. “Shh…” he whispers, distractedly, “You’ll wake your brother.”
The girl lowers her voice, still excited. “Was she playing dragons?” she asks earnestly.
Jimmy shakes himself, and smiles. “I’m sure she was, and she was having a lot of fun. But while she was away, a real dragon flew down from its lair, and stole all of Dandelion’s family away!”
“All of them?” She screws up her nose. “How did it catch them all?”
Jimmy shifts on the rug, recrosses his legs, and shrugs his shoulders. “Well, dragons are very powerful, and very mysterious, and very, very scary. And if a dragon wants to steal away a whole family, then there aren’t many things that can stop it.”
The child’s forehead wrinkles. “Then how did Dandelion get her family back?”
“What makes you think that she did?” he teases.
“Jimmy, don’t be silly!”
His face turns sombre. “I’m not. Dragons are a very serious business.” He pauses. “But there was one person who could help Dandelion rescue her family… the King!”
“Did she have to go to the castle?”
“Where else would you find a king?”
“How long did it take to get there?”
“She ran all the way.”
“Was the King nice?”
A flicker of something like bitterness crosses Jimmy’s face – or perhaps it is just the firelight playing tricks. “Yes. Yes, the King was very nice, and kind and helpful, and he promised to get Dandelion’s family back. He called together a company of soldiers, and his champion, and they rode on horses up into the mountains, where the dragon had its nest in a big cave.”
“What were their names?”
“The soldiers?”
She nods.
“Well, most of them had names like Michael and Peter and Sarah, because they were ordinary people before they were soldiers – just like your brother and your mammy and daddy.”
“And were they excited about finding the dragon?”
Jimmy purses his lips. “Some of them were, and some weren’t. Like I said, dragons are very scary creatures.”
“They were frightened,” says the girl, with a hint of scorn.
“They were – and they were right to be! As they got close to the lair, they could see smoke rising up from the fires lit by the dragon’s breath. The air became extremely hot. The horses wouldn’t go any further, so they all had to dismount and approach on foot, carrying their heavy shields up the mountainside. At last they came to the mouth of the dragon’s lair, and the King walked forward, his beard bristling with importance.
“ ‘Dragon!’ he shouted into the black of the cave. There was a moment of stillness as his voice echoed through the mountain.
“Then came the slithering sound of scales on the stones, and the dragon replied in a voice like the start of an avalanche, ‘Who comes here?’
“ ‘The King!’
“ ‘What do you want?’
“The King stood up straight. ‘You have stolen Dandelion’s family, and we have come to take them back.’ The dragon snorted, and a plume of flame burst from the cave, singeing the King’s beard. But the King remained still, his champion just behind him. ‘Will you give them to us freely?’ he called.
“The dragon snorted again, and some more of the King’s beard singed off. ‘No.’
“ ‘What will you do with them?’ cried Dandelion, from a little way off.
“The dragon poked its snout out of the cave and looked at Dandelion with one cold blue eye. ‘I will eat them. I am very hungry little girl.’
“Dandelion stomped her foot, because – like you – she was rather impatient. ‘That’s not fair!’ she yelled at the dragon. ‘Why don’t you eat something else?’
“The dragon scraped itself a bit further out of its lair. ‘There is nothing else to eat,’ it growled, towering over the King. ‘I am hungry!’ Although the soldiers were brave, they quivered as the dragon snorted another stream of flame from its snout, setting some of the nearby trees alight.”
“Do dragons really breathe fire, Jimmy?”
“This one did.”
“Then wouldn’t Dandelion’s family be all burnt up?”
“Ah, but you see, this dragon didn’t breathe fire all the time – only when it wanted to frighten people. But Dandelion wasn’t scared, because she had thought of a plan. She ran quickly to the King, and whispered in his ear. The King said, ‘Hmm,’ and ‘Ahh,’ and was not sure that the plan would work, but he thought it was worth trying. Drawing himself up to his full height – he looked very majestic, even with only half a beard – he said, ‘Dragon! You live in my kingdom, and I will not allow you to eat my subjects. However, as you live within the borders of my land, you are also my subject, and I do not want my subjects to go hungry. If you return Dandelion’s family, and promise not to eat any more people, I will tell all the farms in my kingdom to send me one sheep every year, which I will give to you. This amounts to six sheep every month, so you will never be hungry again.’ It was a fine speech, and all the soldiers, the champion, and even the King himself, held their breath as the dragon considered this offer.
“At last it spoke, in its low, rocky voice. ‘You are a wise and generous king,’ it said, and opened its great taloned forehands. Out rushed Dandelion’s mother and father and little brother.
“The soldiers gave a mighty cheer, ‘The King! The King!’
“Dandelion ran to her family and hugged them all. Then the King turned, and all the soldiers and his champion followed him down the mountainside. But Dandelion stood in front of the dragon. ‘Thank you, Dragon,’ she said. The dragon winked at her, and disappeared into its lair.
“The King kept his promise, and the Dragon kept its promise, too. And because the dragon had winked at Dandelion – which was considered to be a very lucky sign – she was, from then on, called Dandelion Dragoneye. And she and her family lived happily ever after.”
They are both silent for a while. The girl stares into the fire as it sinks into coals, and Jimmy watches her. “But it was Dandelion’s idea.” She wavers a moment. “Why didn’t the soldiers cheer for her?”
Jimmy stretches his legs out in front. “It was Dandelion’s idea, you’re right. But only the King was able to make it work. Dandelion wouldn’t have been able to get all those sheep herself, would she?”
The girl rests her chin on her hands, and turns her gaze to Jimmy. “If Dandelion Dragoneye was so lucky,” she asks gravely, “did she get to go on lots of other adventures?”
Jimmy laughs softly and stands, holding out a hand to the child. “Maybe she did, but they would be stories for another time. Come on, time for you to go to bed.”
She jumps up. “But I’m not tired, Jimmy Jibber!”
“I am. Go on, to bed.” He yawns.
She takes a few steps towards the curtained doorway, then hesitates in the hands of the waiting shadows. “You’re an adventurer, aren’t you?”
Jimmy ponders this for a minute, his eyes lost in the dim glow of the embers. “You could say that.”
“Good,” she says with satisfaction. “So am I.” And she disappears through the curtain to her room.
*
So, do you want to read more?!?!?... Dan has just applied for some more jobs (more interesting that the one he interviewed for - he finds out about that one next friday), and we have been looking at units and apartments online. There seem to be a few in our price-range, even! We'll put pictures up soon!!!
OH, BTW, THIS IS COPYRIGHTED TO ME! THAT'S (copy)RIGHT! ahahah, a pun!
19 October 2005
THIS IS NOW
A BLOG ABOUT ORDINARY EVERYDAY THINGS
what i wrote in my masters proposal:
The dissertation will discuss the representation and construction of trans people by contemporary mainstream Victorian newspapers. Focussing on articles covering two separate stories, I will use trans theory (informed by queer, post-structuralist and other theorisations of gender and language) to analyse:
* language used by newspapers to describe and construct trans identities;
* depth and quality of coverage by newspapers of trans issues;
* agency of trans people in news articles.
I will then conduct a survey with trans people to highlight problems and issues encountered, and use the results to produce a set of guidelines outlining these problems and suggesting some solutions.
something similar was in my scolarship (or scholaphris, as i just typed!) application. i have submitted both, online and in person, along with various sundry pieces of paper either required or not required depending on what you read and who you ask.
dan is looking for jobs (so if you know any full-time jobs related to AV things, please tell us), and i am writing my book.
speaking of books, we have spent about $200 on them so far since returning. we have a library. you can borrow for a $2 deposit.
house is still nice. housewarming was lovely. we even met a couple of our neighbours - one is called julie, and she works in a kindergarted and writes kids stories... i hope she brings some downstairs to read. we have walked into the city 3 or 4 times through royal park. we are so close to the zoo!!! it's very cool. dan saw an elephant from the tram the other day!
and now i must go. i wonder if anyone will read this now we are not in an exiting foreign-type country?
what i wrote in my masters proposal:
The dissertation will discuss the representation and construction of trans people by contemporary mainstream Victorian newspapers. Focussing on articles covering two separate stories, I will use trans theory (informed by queer, post-structuralist and other theorisations of gender and language) to analyse:
* language used by newspapers to describe and construct trans identities;
* depth and quality of coverage by newspapers of trans issues;
* agency of trans people in news articles.
I will then conduct a survey with trans people to highlight problems and issues encountered, and use the results to produce a set of guidelines outlining these problems and suggesting some solutions.
something similar was in my scolarship (or scholaphris, as i just typed!) application. i have submitted both, online and in person, along with various sundry pieces of paper either required or not required depending on what you read and who you ask.
dan is looking for jobs (so if you know any full-time jobs related to AV things, please tell us), and i am writing my book.
speaking of books, we have spent about $200 on them so far since returning. we have a library. you can borrow for a $2 deposit.
house is still nice. housewarming was lovely. we even met a couple of our neighbours - one is called julie, and she works in a kindergarted and writes kids stories... i hope she brings some downstairs to read. we have walked into the city 3 or 4 times through royal park. we are so close to the zoo!!! it's very cool. dan saw an elephant from the tram the other day!
and now i must go. i wonder if anyone will read this now we are not in an exiting foreign-type country?
12 October 2005
BACK IN AUSTRALIA
THE FLIGHT: was looong... it's odd to get on the plane at 7:30pm, in the darkness, have tea (DINNER for you english people), go to sleep, wake up at 1 or 2am to bright sunshine, then get to Japan at about 6am... in the middle of the afternoon! we spent a lot of time in japan duty free - the best duty free in the world!!!!!!!!! so many odd things!... siberia was GORGEOUS again. from the air, you can really see how arid australia is - esp compared to that lush greenness of the uk.
THE ARRIVAL: picked up by the pezzas, we encountered fresh air for the first time in 30 hours. what a relief! and also, not too chilly - has melbourne always been this mild? drove through the wonderfully ramshackle suburbs of melbourne, where all the houses have verandahs and you can feel the army of friendly hills-hoist washing lines parading in the back yards, to RETRO for a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL BREAKFAST!!! yay!
THE HOUSE HUNT: we got the rental lists, spent half the day driving around, looked at 3 flats, applied for one (just around the corner from esther-my-sister) and got it!
THE FIRST WEEK: gorged on australian food and friends; stayed with esther and andrew until our flat was ready; lay in the sun in their back yard beside the huge lemon tree and the hills hoist, sipping BIG Ms!!!
THE MOVE IN: helped by a couple of friends (saj, we will be eternally grateful - likewise to may for the ute... me driving a big mo-fo ute around brunswick *cackles evilly* it was so much fun!) we were moved in - in 2 days! then began the slow process of unpacking boxes (you are right mum, we have a lot of cups/teapots/cushions/books!) - a process which continues to this time.
WHAT ELSE?: have cried twice when thinking of whisky in the scottish highlands. had a HORRIBLE ear infection for a week or so. have got lots of pix developed - and venice looks much nicer than i remember - i think coz we didn't take pix of all the places with tourists. am applying for masters and scholarship as we speak.
HOUSEWARMING!!! we are going to have an open house on THIS SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER from 1 PM TO 8PM at our place... we will text and email details (if you don't get a text or an email, you are still invited, but you'll need to text/ring us for the details, which i am not going to post for the whole world to see!!!)...
other than that, it's great to be back, but we miss all the people in europe too! speak soon. xxx.
THE ARRIVAL: picked up by the pezzas, we encountered fresh air for the first time in 30 hours. what a relief! and also, not too chilly - has melbourne always been this mild? drove through the wonderfully ramshackle suburbs of melbourne, where all the houses have verandahs and you can feel the army of friendly hills-hoist washing lines parading in the back yards, to RETRO for a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL BREAKFAST!!! yay!
THE HOUSE HUNT: we got the rental lists, spent half the day driving around, looked at 3 flats, applied for one (just around the corner from esther-my-sister) and got it!
THE FIRST WEEK: gorged on australian food and friends; stayed with esther and andrew until our flat was ready; lay in the sun in their back yard beside the huge lemon tree and the hills hoist, sipping BIG Ms!!!
THE MOVE IN: helped by a couple of friends (saj, we will be eternally grateful - likewise to may for the ute... me driving a big mo-fo ute around brunswick *cackles evilly* it was so much fun!) we were moved in - in 2 days! then began the slow process of unpacking boxes (you are right mum, we have a lot of cups/teapots/cushions/books!) - a process which continues to this time.
WHAT ELSE?: have cried twice when thinking of whisky in the scottish highlands. had a HORRIBLE ear infection for a week or so. have got lots of pix developed - and venice looks much nicer than i remember - i think coz we didn't take pix of all the places with tourists. am applying for masters and scholarship as we speak.
HOUSEWARMING!!! we are going to have an open house on THIS SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER from 1 PM TO 8PM at our place... we will text and email details (if you don't get a text or an email, you are still invited, but you'll need to text/ring us for the details, which i am not going to post for the whole world to see!!!)...
other than that, it's great to be back, but we miss all the people in europe too! speak soon. xxx.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)