Climbing Mt. Kosciuszko

Monday. Australia Day.

Everyone was packing up to leave early. My flight back to Brisbane wasn't until 5 PM. We had originally thought we'd do some touristy things in Canberra, but then Kevin recognized that we were within spitting distance of Mt. Kosciuszko - the highest point in Australia. We'd been there once before in 2002 when we were driving around the continent. But, it had been late afternoon by the time we arrived and we knew we couldn't make it to the top and back before they turned off the ski lifts that would bring us the rest of the way off the mountain. Somehow, that day I had convinced Kevin to let the dream go.

Obviously, we had to do it this time. We just had to do the 7 km return hike in 4 hours.

I suppose every relationship includes one person who is more cautious than the other. That would be me. I wasn't sure that we could walk 14 km (about 8 1/2 miles) up and down a mountain in 4 hours. I didn't want to miss my flight.

Kevin suggested a deal. I walk fast. I take no photos on the way up.

And, I added, we turn around in 2 hours.

He wouldn't take the add on condition. And, he said I could take photos.

As it turned out, we reached the summit, where a group was flying kites and flags to honor the holiday, BEFORE the 2 hour turn around deadline. And, that included stopping so I could use the highest toilet in Australia!

And, now for the slideshow.



Riding up on the ski lift was really fun- even without swinging or bouncing. Kevin pointed out that if they REALLY want people to ride up quietly, they should make the No Swinging or Bouncing sign look like Swinging and Bouncing are not so much fun. Like, maybe, the swinging/bouncing stick man might fall out of the lift chair? Just an idea.

As we reached the top on our lift ride there was a big gust of wind and my hat blew off. Fortunately, the people behind us witnessed the flying hat and its landing and were able to let us know it was recoverable. THANK YOU.

The walkway was pretty fabulous. Wide enough for us to walk side by side. That doesn't happen on your average Australian footpath (sidewalk).

Flies. I thank god they were happy on my hat and left my face alone.

On The Beach 2009

Friday my alarm went off at 3 AM.

Yes.

I have been getting up earlier, like 5 AM, so I can get something done at home. By the time I'm home from work, I'm too tired to enjoy doing something - anything - except mindlessly stroke the dog while zoning out watching Season 3 of "Battlestar Galactica". (I used to only have energy for Season 2 of "Battlestar". Is this an improvement, I wonder?) And, one day I got up at 4 AM. But, never have I chosen 3 AM.

Anyway, I needed to get up EXTRA EARLY so I could make my flight at 5:30 AM. (Translation: flight at 5:30 AM; must be checked in by 4:30, maybe 4:45; must get to airport by taxi who may or may not arrive on schedule - give self 40 min. That's minimally a 4 AM departure. Add shower. Add breakfast. Add verify packing is complete.)

I flew to Canberra where Kevin picked me up and drove me south about 2.5 hours to a little chalet outside Jindabyne where OTB gaming commenced about a week earlier. Jindabyne. I knew ALL about Jindabyne. I saw the movie!

From photo a day

But, maybe you didn't. Little NSW town in the Snowy Mountains. Big man made lake. Old town underneath water. Dead black woman in the river.

The last part, I think that's optional.

Friday in (well, outside of) Jindabyne on Mt. Crackenback, I took a nap.

Then, performed an uninspired job as Brendon's partner in my favorite game, "Time's Up!".

Sigh.

Saturday we drove back to Canberra to partake in a taste of the 2009 Australian Games Expo/CanCon.

Sunday - Gaming - for real - at the chalet including Tichu and - Battlestar Galactica. (I just can't get away from this! I got to be Gaius and Kevin was Adama. I was President. He was Admiral. And, we were both Cylons. We beat the humans. I think they starved to death.)

From photo a day

Too little, too late

I'm not sure why I persist with this notion that if Kevin were not at home I would live a clean and tidy life, my blog would be updated daily, I would eat 5 servings of fresh vegetables every day, and be an exercising fool. It never happens that way. Never. Instead, I miss Kevin and I gorge on "Battlestar Galactica". The dog doesn't even get walked. I am pathetic.

As you may have guessed Kevin has been gone for the past 2 weeks. (I recognize you've guessed this from the first paragraph and NOT from the 14 new clever blog entries you've just read. I possess a modicum of self-awareness or at least an awareness of my surroundings and, um, the past.) He's been in NSW playing games "On the Beach". This year it was in Jindabyne, so I guess the beach is literally man made with real houses under the waves. He's home now - hence the new entry and the freshly cut grass and the pizza waiting to be baked. The other good news - the car came home with him. The Red Dragon with co-pilot Michael Jackson made the trip - which must have been about 12 + 4 + 2.5 hours long without incident!

I DID get out of the house to have fun once while he was gone. I went to the Cultural Centre - by way of the WRONG train connection - and took in the new exhibits at the Art Museum. Oh, and I bought some groceries and a new tea pot. Below: a glimpse of my weekend as Bachelorette #1. I love the last shot. I don't know the story behind who dropped this on the footpath crossing the Brisbane River - but I'm guessing they had a bit more of a wild time than I did.

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread

From Singles 2009

Clearly, this Thomas E. Dewey -- and a man named John W. Bricker, who was governor of the state of Ohio for crying out loud-- really couldn't stand President Roosevelt. But only Nazis and the dirty little Japs were supposed to hate President Roosevelt. If you were an American and hated President Roosevelt, what did that make you?

(Old? Tired? Defeated? How come, if President Roosevelt was all those things, our side was winning the war? Well, you had to make allowances. After all, the people who said such things were Republicans, and everyone knew Republicans were sort of thick in the head.)

"The Greatest Thing..." follows nine-year-old Morris Bird III as he walks across the East side of Cleveland to visit his friend, Stanley Chaloupka, who moved away before the beginning of the school year. He's accompanied by his baby sister - who he is good enough to pull in his wagon most of the time. (It is a school day and she's threatening to call attention to their truancy if he doesn't do things her way, at least occasionally.) The year is 1944 and natural gas stores are about to erupt.

Thank you for the gift of this book. It was a pleasant read while waiting in LA for my flight to Brisbane. (I am woefully behind on this blogging enterprise.) Morris is a great kid, but I must confess that I was fascinated to learn about such a huge disaster that took place close to my last "home" in the not so distant past. (I can't believe that I had not heard anything about this event. Ever. In Darwin there would be a big museum - and there would be a giant stuffed croc there, too.) Of course, since then I've spent way too much time locating where Morris lived and Stanley and looking at photos of the devastation that was created by the explosion.

Woke up this morning

This song was singing insistently through my head each time I woke up this morning. (That would be both times.) I am not sure why. Maybe I'm homesick. Maybe I need more musical theater in my life. Perhaps it is my subconscious's salute to the inauguration.

Or maybe it is the rhythm.... cha cha cha cha cha cha - mer i ca...very much the same cadence of the scratching going on on the other side of the bed. Maybe this is all Zelda's support of her homeland.

Suggestion for all photographers in Japan

Today, as I do too often, I stopped at the Sushi Train for a bite. It used to be I justified these visits by focusing on the fact that the green tea was FREE. Yep. I might be buying $8 of sushi, but I was SAVING at least $3.20 on tea. Now, they've started charging for the tea: $1. It is still the biggest bargain at Chermside, but free is much more compelling.

Anyway, today on their video screen they were projecting some sort of program about a festival in Japan which involved a lot of drumming by both men and women in shorts. (I don't have any idea what the festival is/was. The soundtrack of the program was turned off in favor of some incessant techno-pop muzak... and even if it hadn't been, it would have most likely been in Japanese. I would have enjoyed hearing the drumming, however.) It didn't take long for me to recognize a fact that every photographer in Japan should learn. Japanese people are not flattered by wide angle lenses.

I'm not sure that any people are. Not me, I'm sure. Maybe those tall Africans who speak the clicking language.

And, now for a bit of Japanese drumming. Kodo. I feel pretty cool because I saw them perform at the American Dance Festival in Durham WAY back when I was a student - the first or second or third time.

Work tales

This week I worked six days. That's because my boss is off whipping the Blue Mountains into shape. It has been exhausting and highlighted by some notable people and events.

Initially, it looked like we were going to have a very slow week. As of Tuesday afternoon (my last 2 doctor day), we had only 1 appointment Wed morning, a couple in the afternoon, a few on Thursday, and nothing Friday afternoon. Wednesday morning did end up with only two appointments, but then things picked up and we pretty much filled every slot.

One of those appointments Wednesday morning was filled Wednesday morning by a phone call. "I can get you in at 9:30." So, in comes a man with his young dog to get both a vaccine and heartworm injection...and in the course of explaining to me why he hasn't been walking the dog lately tells me he's going to kill himself. Oh, and I'm the only person he's told.

What do you do with this? We didn't cover this in vet school.

While my fabulous nurses were bathing the dog (which, by the way for some reason is pronounced bath - ing in Australia...perhaps they lack the verb "bathe"), I called the suicide hotline. I was surprised by how long a person has to wait to get to talk to a person on the suicide hotline. First, you have to listen to a little blurb about the call being recorded and then wait on hold. You don't want to decide to call after you've already swallowed the pills...

I explained to the woman on the other end that my client has just told me he was planning to kill himself and that I am the only one he's told. Perhaps she could tell me about a social agency that might stop by to talk with this man?

"Call the police."

Oh, great. That sounds subtle.

The police tell me they will come out to the clinic to talk with him. They'd take him to the hospital if he didn't seem to be in his right mind. Mental images of yelling, cursing, fists flying. There was absolutely no way it wouldn't be obvious that I was responsible and WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO WITH HIS DOG?

Fortunately, the police didn't arrive until after he'd left. I told them he'd probably have gone right home since he has his dog.

Now, I'm cautious. Careful that no one leaves the clinic in the evening by herself. I'm waiting for him to show up with an assult rifle to take us out before turning it on himself. The nurses tell me I sound like an American.

Later in the week I had another less dramatic interaction.

Skink (not her real name) was in for her annual visit. Again, I vaccinated her and gave her a proheart injection. I prescribed her a worming table. "That's it. Everything's up to date."

"Everything's up to date in Kansas City," her owner replies.

"It isn't everyday someone comes in quoting Rogers and Hammerstein."

"That's something my dad said. He brought it home from the war. It was an Australian saying." Something about the interaction between the Aussies and the Yanks.

Mentally. "WHAT? AN AUSTRALIAN SAYING?." Out loud. "That's a line from a song from Rogers' and Hammerstein's 'Oklahoma.' 'Everything's up to date in Kansas City. They've gone about as fer as they could go. They've gone and built a sky scraper seven stories high...'"

After he left I ran to Google. "Everything's up to date in Kansas City Australia," I searched. Funny. Can't find any information that supports the idea that this phrase has any relationship with Oz. I found only six hits. I looked at every single one. (By the way, I just repeated it and got 10 pages, so who knows what I actually did!) My favorite was an Australian forum where the writer posted the question/comment that while there were 50 states in the US he could only come up with about 8 songs that had the title of a state or US city in them! He thought that was "so odd". The next few posts added a song or two. Finally, about post 5 was a list of several hundred. I almost fell out of my chair laughing. It went on and on and on and on.

Anyway, one of those songs was, of course, "Cleveland Rocks" which inspired me to go into a bit of a Drew Carey orgy. A bright spot in my week!

Year in Review

I know I said I had written the last of my Christmas posts. What can I say? I think I fibbed. A little. I hadn't yet posted my Christmas card/letter - though miraculously, it did get written prior to The Day.



Now, if you live in Australia, this (above) is what your card (would have looked like). I ran into a bit of a problem. I actually got the card ready to print before I left on the 5th and was feeling a little foolish about mailing them out so early. "What?" you ask. "I didn't get a card." Well, Virginia. Really no one on my Australia list got a card. Kevin's computer died and all hopes of printing were ended. I'm still thinking I might go ahead. You folks in Australia have probably never received a holiday greeting on Ground Hogs Day, before. Time to welcome you into the fold. (Plus, I bought the stamps in November!) (WHOA! How funny. That blank space is EXACTLY what your card looked like, isn't it? Kevin's computer just quit again!)



If you live in the US, you should have received one of the above cards. If you didn't, I apologize. Consider this post your card. And, you get all four photos!

If you live anywhere else, I am sorry to say I never really considered your card. If you live somewhere that Christmas is warm, you might prefer the snowy scene. Or, maybe you like the idea of an Australian scene, since it is coming from a "sort of" Australian.

Regardless of your residence, I wish each and every one joy and peace in the new year.

Happy Holidays,

I am having the best Christmas season! I was lucky enough to get 3 weeks off so I could “go home” for the holidays! I am so thankful! As it turns out, I’ve been pretty much Versailles-bound between the icy weather and having no car. Today is the first day (20th) since I arrived (5th) that I have been allowed to take the car. Two weeks. That is the amount of time my mother has determined is required to pass to flush out that crazy Australian driving out of my system. (It didn’t help me that I kept grabbing on to the dashboard and crying out “You’re driving on the wrong side of the road!!!”)

We were granted permanent residency status in June. That means our stay in Au is no longer tied to Kevin’s employer and we have passed a big hurdle on the way to citizenship (dual citizenship.) This made Kevin very happy.

Highlights of the year 2008. (I need to remind you of the year. Not because you are old but because I am not known for sending out timely cards.)
--Travel: I finally made it to Darwin! Darwin, as a city, sells itself by its history of destruction: bombed in WWII ala Pearl Harbor then flattened in the 1970’s by Cyclone Tracy. That, and it is full of things that will kill you: crocodiles, box jelly fish, blue ringed octopi. We spent a day on a tour seeing nature: birds and crocodiles in the swampy Fogg Dam wetlands, termite mounds, waterfalls, croc-free and croc-full water holes at Litchfield Park and taking The Jumping Crocodile Cruise! Sure, it was cheesy.
--GOMA. We ended our Christmas season last year with a Boxing Day visit to the Andy Warhol exhibit - our Warholiday - and returned several times throughout the year. The current collection is fabulous with a giant woman in a giant bed, a cardboard box rainbow (but without color- so maybe it is just an arch), a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Michael Jackson salute and white fake fur forest (very Christmas-y).
--The US election. We really enjoyed the election. Living in Au, we were able to control how saturated our life was with political campaigning. Big salute to Sarah Palin and Tina Fey who kept us laughing week after week. And, for a change, Zelda supported our choice for president. Sarah made a play for the Z-vote by letting her hair down in a shameless attempt to look more cocker, but Zelda stuck by her man - black with big ears.
--GAMING. Of course. A lot. Kevin scored another 15 minutes of fame by having his image incorporated as a card in Brisbanite Peter Hawes' new game: “Heads of State” (or, as we like to call it, “The Bishop Game”.) Kevin's card- let's see if you can guess - that's right, is the bishop and he's featured prominently on the game box lid.
--Zombie News. We spent a good amount of time planning our approach to an upcoming zombie apocalypse. Kevin insists Zelda has to make it on her own. I don't think that will play well. In addition, Kevin scored a guest appearance as a zombie in the comic book “The Walking Dead” (Issue 53). And, he rounded out the year by doing an interview with a reporter from Ohio Univ. regarding his film “Night of the Living Bread.” We were amused to find remakes of “NotLB” on YouTube.
--Miraculously, after months – literally months!- of dodgy auto reliability, faulty or at least incomplete repair/analysis, and totally inadequate dog grooming, our car, The Red Dragon, is back in business! We are totally psyched, and thankful that we were forced to move to this new house that is minutes from the train station.

MOVIES: My entire motivation to write this letter is to recommend two fabulous films. Whatever you need to do to see these films, I say, “Do it.”
“As It Is In Heaven” (Swedish). Famous conductor retires to tiny village where he was a boy and becomes the director of the church choir. “Lars and the Real Girl” Lonely, socially backward man starts dating blow-up doll. Remember, Ann says, "Do it."
Also worthy:
--Crime stories: “Eastern Promises” - Russian mob in London. “Chopper” - biography of Australian criminal/artist/philosopher Mark Brandon “Chopper” Read.
--Horror: not one of my usual best film categories but these sing - though only with subtitles. “The Orphanage” a French ghost story. “Let the Right One In” a Swedish vampire tale.
--Visit with an Old Friend: “The X Files: I Want to Believe”. (Kevin was less thrilled, so for him I'll add “Sex and the City”. We have different friends.)
--Sweet stories about friends and love: “Eagle vs. Shark” (New Zealand) “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day”.
--Guilty pleasure/feel good fun: “Mama Mia” - there I go again!
--Kevin adds: “The Dark Knight” - We had a superhero heavy year, and I'll agree this was the best of the lot. “No Country for Old Men”. We watched this between last year's letter and January 1st, 2008- so it didn't make my list of 2008 films. Kevin is less constrained by arbitrary rules.

BOOKS: My project this year has been to read in order all of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux detective novels. I've read 6 of 18. By far the best: Black Cherry Blues, Morning for Flamingos, & In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead. (Movie of the last to come out in 2009.) Yes, I recognize I've listed half of the books I've read. So shoot me. I started this project for a reason. I love Burke.

TV: Kevin and I sampled a variety of not so hot shows (“Life on Mars”), so-so series (“The Tick” live action NOT the awful cartoon) and great TV (“The Office”) I'm embarrassed to say some of our favorites are a year out of date! “Dexter” Season 2. “The Shield” Season 6. “The Wire”- WOW. We caught up with Season 4 (which has my favorite version of their theme, “Down in the Hole”) and then watched Season 5. And, then, I went back and watched Season 1. (I was a late convert.) We also made time for old favorites by re-exploring the brilliance of “Arrested Development” and the show that shaped us, “SOAP”.

Finally, our major, #1, best ever, flag-waving, horn-blowing accomplishment: We found a good pizza in Brisbane. Now, there is absolutely no valid excuse not to visit!

And, now an extra for web card recipients. While looking over the movies I'd watched last year, I remembered that while the movie "Dan in Real Life" was pretty predictable, it did have a great "talent show". Dan (Steve Carroll) is accompanying his brother who is singing a song to the woman they are both in love with...though only Dan and the woman know this. I thought it was moving. I've always liked the song, but wondered why I should let Milo open the door. Who is this Milo?

This one's for my Dad

From Singles 2009

Dad, I'm sorry you weren't able to make it down to visit us in Australia. I know you would have enjoyed the way the Aussies do golf down here. The black topped greens (greens???) out west. The flashing, honking, dancing girl target bus at our local driving range. And, I know you would have loved to meet Terry and talk with him about golfing - and golf with him. You would have enjoyed the fresh fish in Broome and the Opera House in Sydney. I can even see you climbing the Harbour Bridge. You would have gone whale watching with us, but mostly because you were a good sport. I'd have taken you to see "The Cricket" and some "Football". You'd have probably figured out all the differences in the various rugbies. We'd probably have had to work out TV reception for you here. I'd have done that for you. And, you'd love Tichu. I'd buy you your own deck and you could introduce it to all the guys at The Eagles. Undoubtedly, Versailles would soon be on the map of "Top Tichu" sites. Really, we've got a lot of good games. You'd be a fan of Mystery Rummy, too. And, Dominion. Maybe, Agricola. You left too soon.

Happy Birthday, Dad. I miss you.

All things hellish

For Christmas I bought a new pair of very cute pajamas. (Now, admit it. That is not even close to the first sentence you imagined you'd read with a title like "All things hellish".) I bought them and told Kevin they were a gift from him. Anyway, I love them. 100% cotton. Shorts with a button up, short sleeved top. Cute. Very Cute. So cute that I am quick to change into them after work. I figure anyone stopping by (and who would?) might imagine I am wearing a highly coordinated short set.

Anyway, this morning I woke to find the shirt entirely unbuttoned. That can only mean one thing.



Particularly if you take into account that it was last night that we were once again visited by the legion of baby (demon) spiders. (Kevin already wrote that report, though he woefully understated the size of the number that swarmed, literally, swarmed around the window in his study. He says he thinks people will be impressed with us sucking 50 to their doom. "But," I say, "we easily collected more than 50 with one sweep once we discovered where their little party was."

Since Sunday morning things have calmed down. No giant hole direct to hell has opened in our lounge. The number of baby spiders is dwindling, again. And, Kevin is concerned that my blog here may be mis-interpreted. He's argued that I likely unbuttoned my shirt myself in my sleep. He may be right. It is obvious that Kevin can hardly turn over in the bed without waking me. (Though I told him I knew HE hadn't done it.) I am very sensitive to heat and light while sleeping. The buttons, however, were not melted by any burning Beelzebub fingers. There was no lingering odor of brimstone. And, I've had no sudden impulses to consume raw meat. Maybe everything will be alright.

Maybe.

Happy New Year!

From Christmas/Brisbane

Kevin and I welcomed in 2009 with a couple of games: Voltage and Scrabble Express. (Actually, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Scrabble Express, but it was pretty much S-E.) Kevin was disappointed that I was his only gaming buddy for New Year's Eve. He was feeling confused - even my cousin Elaine and my friend Susette had gaming lined up for the holiday! Kevin's woe was compounded considering that
1. I have a pretty steady bedtime of 9 PM and
2. I clobbered him at both games. What can I say? I'm a master at Voltage and I was skilled enough to roll the letters to create the veterinarily victorious word "GROWLERS". Bingo! Seven letters! Triple word score!

In general, I've got some big happy thoughts for 2009. I'm going to (eventually) find the camera of my dreams. I'm going to (Feb) see the baby turtles make their way to the ocean. Great things are afoot!

And, I've even been thinking about resolutions. I thought I'd start a photo-a-day project. Then, this morning, I listened to a story on NPR about six folks who've taken a photo a day at 7:15 PM each day. Isn't that cool? But, I think I need to start out more simply ("NNV: In My Eye").

I haven't quite figured out what my resolution is with regard to exercise. I've been thinking I need to add more movement to my life - like something that might make my heart pump harder - but, especially in January in Brisbane, that is likely to also involve sweating... and I don't like to sweat. To sweat. To be sweaty. To be near someone sweaty. To think sweaty thoughts. The additional complication: Zelda. She says she is keen to increase her exercise, too. But, I've seen her plan - walk a lit- wait... sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff... OK, now we'll walk ...hold on, what was that? Here we go- right after I eat the tissue I found. (I did take Zelda to a dog obedience class for a while when we lived in Fayetteville. Week 3, when walking on lead was introduced, she developed a cervical disk problem and we had to drop out. And, ever since, she's got a great argument for why she should be in charge of our joint walks.) At the clinic we've discussed getting a group membership at the gym that's two doors down. They have a pool. Wet sweating.

Finally, 2009 may just be the year I figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

Physics experiment

Probably ya'll knew about this - how hot chocolate creates a unique tympanic condition inside a mug? and how the timber of this tone changes as the spoon cools? You did, right?

My mother only just showed me this in December.

I am so far from being cool.

The last post of Christmas 2009

A collection of Christmas lights from downtown in both my homes. I don't suppose you'll have much trouble differentiating Versailles from Brisbane.

Things to note:

You can easily see the chicken that is stenciled on the street in Versailles. That's not the only chicken stencil. They are all over. Versailles is, as you may recall, the poultry and egg hub of the midwest and home of Poultry Days in June. Each June the chicken stencils get topped up. I'm amazed at how well they've held up this year.

While I think the angels in Brisbane are beautiful, the ones that don't carry banners have the look of young girls waiting to use the restroom. What to do with angel hands? Must be a problem for sculptors. And, is it a sin to photograph up an angel's skirt?

The reindeer are pretty. Too bad they need a barrier to keep them from flying off.

The final lights came from the Christmas evening sky. No help needed.

Christmas with Kevin

From Christmas/Brisbane

I flew back to Brisbane on the 26th. That's not completely accurate. I left the US on the 26th and arrived on the 28th. I lost the 27th, which is our wedding anniversary. So, I figure Kevin has now been married a year longer than I have. At least he's had more anniversaries. (While Kevin acknowledges this as an interesting observation, he tells me "It is going to get pretty old." I think he expects I'll be retelling this story for the rest of our lives. As if.)

The flight was on time. There were extra seats on the plane to Australia so the middle seat was empty next to me. This is all good.

Kevin and Zelda and I enjoyed our little family Christmas. Kevin "teched me out" with a speaker for my computer and my own back-up drive, already backed up. I brought Kevin a metric ton of Reece's peanut butter as well as what EVERY holiday season needs, a light up, screaming Godzilla ornament. (There were shirts, too, and a super-fabulous gift which accidentally got left behind. Really.) Zelda got a new nylabone. She'd lost hers at the Pine's Resort and has been suffering since. And, her own Christmas stocking (from Dixie).

Then, it was back to work for me. Kevin and Zelda are still celebrating through this week. Lucky dogs.

Christmas Day in Ohio!

From Ohio Christmas

Merry Christmas to All!

Ohio Christmas- Christmas Eve

From Ohio Christmas

Christmas eve was a beautiful evening. The Ohio gray that had characterized the last three weeks lifted and the sky shown! Sam's hat blew out of their car and when we went out to hunt for it (it was a very windy evening) a red tail hawk flew close over our heads.

From Ohio Christmas

In traditional fashion we had some Christmas beast and, then, to shake things up opened the crackers my mother had purchased. Eight crackers. Each one contained a whistle with a different note and a matching numbered sticker to wear. A genuine chopstick was included to use as a baton as well as sheet music of Christmas carols. Marianna, Sam, and I played two whistles each. My mother conducted. The notes were weak, the tunes imperfect, but we had fun. I'll spare you the audio version of this.

From Ohio Christmas

After watching much of "A Christmas Story" we retired, listening for the sounds of eight tiny reindeer.

Ohio Christmas: Sunday/Monday 21/22

From Ohio Christmas

There is only one word that can be applied to these two days.

FRIGID.

We watched the temperature drop on Sunday until it reached zero. Zero degrees Farenheit. Add on sustained winds and the wind chill Sunday evening was estimated at 25 below.

A good day to stay home and inside.

And, shoot a couple of short videos with my mother.

Later.

Ohio Christmas : Saturday 20th: RAIN!

Each year my mother and my cousin Elaine get season tickets to the theater in Dayton. The first production of this year was the Beatles tribute band, Rain. My mother decided she wasn't too fussed about going, so she gave me her ticket and I went with Elaine.

The production was held in the Victoria Theater. The band, Rain, played live music - dressed ala Johnpaulgeorgeringo with costume changes corresponding to musical eras while 3 projector screens displayed images. These images varied between footage of Beatles crowds going crazy, live images from the audiance or band, news images from the 60s, psychodelic colors/swirls during the latter albums and remakes of Beatles photos and album covers featuring the musicians from Rain.

The juxtaposition of the early crowd videos - teenages screaming, fainting, and climbing barricades with the Saturday matinee crowd was stark. Maybe it was ALL the white hair - and not from any bottle of hydrogen peroxide. The audiance was relatively game and would stand the clap and some dance or sway, but they (we) never matched the fervor of those Beatles fans. And, I wondered how "Rain" felt about that. My mother thinks they'd be thrilled to be earning money, but I've had enough experience with musicians to suspect that they'd always like to see young women throwing themselves at them. (Maybe that happened on Friday evening's performance.)

The concert was fun and I was moved to tears (discreet tears - why was I crying?) by the second song of the show "All My Loving". Maybe I had just been too long away. And, while Marianna had proclaimed that it was "LOUD", I must disagree and state that I thought they could have used some greater energy on their crescendos. These peaks never reached the level of intensity that I thought was needed.

Afterwards, Elaine and I ducked into the Schuster to escape the cold as we traveled to our parking garage. There, they had set up the old Christmas windows from Rikes downtown store...and "Tikes" store. We didn't do any shopping.

Ohio Chirstmas: Friday 19th: Bear's Mill

From Ohio Christmas

Made a trip out to Bear's Mill (between Versailles and Arcanum) to finish my Christmas shopping. I had originally intended to send Versailles wine to my friends in NJ, but when I went to the winery I was told they couldn't ship to NJ ?? and that I couldn't mail wine. I was dubious, but I didn't want a hassle, so I reconsidered and decided to send some of Bear's Mill's products, instead. (I don't know. Maybe it is illegal to ship cornmeal to NJ, too, but no one has told me this. Yet.)

If you haven't been to Bear's Mill it is worth the trip to see the beautiful pottery, pick up some ground grains or pancake mix, and appreciate the Stillwater River. I love to go and it isn't all about my love for eating cornbread. Over the years I've taken some of my favorite photographs around the mill and river. If I have time on New Year's Day, I'll see if I can find the swing. I suspect it is around here somewhere.

My Christmas video for you

I've missed posting some YouTube favorites for the holidays. This one I picked out before I left Australia. (I really can't do it here as I have no sound on this computer!) In honor of "Born Standing Up" (Steve Martin).

I just haven't been able to keep up here. My failure is the result of a combination of really slow (dial up) internet connection here in Versailles which frustrates me, particularly when it comes to uploading photographs (which I cannot edit here, either) and the absolutely frigid condition of the last few days. This seems to be worse upstairs at the computer. Maybe it is the west window I face. Maybe it is holding my hands out away from my heart. Anyway, I hope to catch up in a few days when I've returned to Brisbane.... though I should acknowledge there I will be plagued by jet lag and WORK.

Ohio Christmas - and today is Thursday (18th)

From Ohio Christmas

Another grey Ohio day. The ice hasn't melted from our driveway and it is still impossible to drive all the way up and into the garage. That's because you have to stop about 6 feet from the door and wait for it to rise. Then, you don't have enough traction to get started again... unless you back up onto the road and start over.

Today we put up the tree.

And, I mailed off 2 more packages of Christmas presents to friends I will not be visiting while I am in the US. I still have two to go.

Ohio Christmas - Wednesday at the food pantry

A quick check on the UPS tracking page revealed that my Shutterfly calendars (Christmas gifts) left Piqua at 9:28 AM. They would/did arrive today!

On Wednesday I helped my mother and the Council of Churches pack and distribute boxes of food for the holidays. After 3 hours I was promoted from standing in the way to sitting and doing nothing. I moved into the church office where I had the important job of answering the phone - it rang once - and calling people who had not shown up to collect their food and gifts. I made two calls. (Lets see, that is 3 short phone events in 2 hours. No wonder I fell asleep on the couch after we got home.)

On a more positive note, though decidedly less altruistic, while waiting for the phone to ring I did take time to pilfer a sheet of paper and scribble an outline of what became my Christmas newsletter.

Ohio Christmas - I can't remember Tuesday

From Ohio Christmas

Tuesday (the 16th) was a very icy day. Fortunately, we didn't need to go anywhere.

Presents were wrapped.

Ohio Christmas - The saga continues

Monday

Once again Kevin, Zelda, and I have our souls boosted by the prayers of first graders and on Monday I had the pleasure of spending an hour with them. I really should have been more prepared. Instead I opted to answer questions which somehow - after everybody told me what kind of pet they had and which ones had been killed by cars - evolved into me telling them how you test an animal for rabies. (You cut off the head and send the head to the state laboratory.) We don't have rabies in Australia so my skill in rabies testing is unused. One little boy - the same one who clamped his koala pencil hugger onto his ear - waited at the door when we were leaving the classroom to ask if I had ever had to cut off a head.

"Yes."

But, only once.

Postscript. I do recognize that you CAN only cut the head off any single animal only one time. What I meant was that, well, you know.

Oh, and I have a very cute photo of all of us, but, alas, it is not digital.

Ohio Christmas - Week at a glance

From Ohio Christmas

Day 5 - Tuesday DEC 9
Christmas shopping. Fairfield Commons.

Day 6 - Wednesday DEC 10
Decking the Halls #1. Unpacking snowmen, Santas, and trees. Put up tree in Foyer and decorate the banister.

Day 7 - Thursday DEC 11
Christmas shopping. Troy. Find super gift for Kev-o at Kohls. Hope batteries are included. Buy tree.

Day 8 - Friday DEC 12
Decking the Halls #2. Complete mantle. Start putting boxes away.
Finish gifts for MEH, Dixie, and Linda. Shhhhh.

From Ohio Christmas

Day 9 - Saturday DEC 13
Finish shopping. Piqua. Find gift Kevin doesn't know he needs. Hope air holes will be sufficient for flight. Pleased to be finished with shopping as now we are beginning to look like elves.

Day 10 - Sunday DEC 14
Dinner with MEH. My mother says something about showing her the photos I brought back from Brisbane on the computer.
"No."
"The ones of Zelda on the computer."
"No photos." It was at this point I thought I might have to kick my dear mother under the table. I didn't want to ruin any of the surprise of the photos in the calendar I had just finished making for her.
She caught on before any blood was shed, but I suspect that Auntie now is onto me.

Candle light service. I'm a non-discriminatory candle lighter for religious holidays having practiced with the Buddha's birthday. I'm probably a bit more comfortable with those ceremonies held in Chinese where I cannot understand the celebrant. (Though I do enjoy the Christmas music more - and in this case it was a fine harpist. Unfortunately, Christmas pageants aren't usually accompanied by kung fu boys flying across the stage.)

Ohio Christmas Day 4 - Monday Dec 8

From Ohio Christmas

It is on Monday that three notable things occur.

I do not take a nap.

I make my first visit to the library to re-establish internet connectivity.

I get a Christmas massage.

One of my gifts from my mother this year was a massage. There is a new massage therapist in town working out of the Sports Medicine Clinic. I arrived early and was led back through the facility- through doors and corridors and more doors into a little white painted room with prominent beams and studs. The environment is minimally decorated with a photograph of the moon and a primitive painting of a church. And, white paint. And, a small portable heater.

"I'm sorry it is so chilly. Take off all your clothes and get under the sheet."

This apology is repeated often. But, neither the apology nor the heater does much to warm the room.

So, in goose bumps I lay under the sheet studying the room and wonder, "Was this the old meat locker?"

"How did you get to be here?" I asked.

He described his job hunt which ended here in Versailles. "Funny story," he said. "This used to be the meat locker. See the holes in the beams. I think that is wear they put the hooks from which they hung the carcases."

I don't know. Maybe I've been away from home too long. This just isn't the environment that I associate with massage. Frigid. Stark. Bright. Meaty.

Ohio Christmas Day 3- Sunday Dec 7

From Ohio Christmas

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. Ho. Ho. Ho.

Pancake breakfast to benefit the Versailles Council of Churches (with Santa).

Nap.

And, in the evening we drive Santa Dixie to visit her grandchildren.

Dixie bought her Santa costume years ago for the first baby. At that time her husband, Mike, wore it. Now, the baby is a senior in high school and Mike has had enough of Santa. The youngest grandchild is in junior high and all the grandchildren stand back aghast when Santa Grandma comes knocking on the door - telling stories - singing songs - dancing dances.

"Grandma. You were drunk." Zach said later.

It wasn't true, Zach. Your Grandma is all that.

I had a great time as official photographer - missing the critical shots as the digital camera (Dixie's this time) says "You pushed the button? You want a photo? Well, OK." Meanwhile, 2 seconds and THE shot has passed. Still, I must have shot 50 or so. The odds are that something has to be worthy. I've yet to see them.

Ohio Christmas Day 2- Dec 6

From Ohio Christmas

Williamsburg Christmas Dinner. Ft. Loramie. Land of the lit up crucifixes.

Renee, Sam, my mom, Elaine and I met my Auntie, Michael, Uncle Carroll, and Karen. It was a cold!! and blustery and snowy evening. Dinner was fine - turkey - accompanied by carolers.

I come from a difficult family. My mother sings along. Michael and Marianna make faces and debate whether the men are sharp or the soprano is flat. Karen smuggles in martinis with a baggie of olives. And, I run around trying to take a photograph where everyone is properly exposed. (It never really happened.)

After, Sam does doughnuts on Route 66. Three-sixty to the right then to the left...but kept us out of the chasm that is the ditch. Fortunately, we neither met anyone - which was good since we were on both sides of the road - nor did anyone catch us from behind. There were a lot of vocalizations- and they weren't all "wheeeeee".

On the first day of Ohio (Dec 5)

Written on the 7th day. I think this isn't going to go very well!

I boarded the plane in Brisbane - no- wait - the story begins earlier.

At 8:30 PM I called Yellow Taxi to arrange for my pick up for the airport. My flight was scheduled to leave about noon, so I figured (reckoned, in Australian) if I left at 9:15 for a 20 to 30 min drive, I should be right. "No," says the agent on the phone. "That is right at the end of rush hour. We cannot guarantee that our driver will arrive on time and get you to the airport for your flight. 9:00."

"OK," I agree. "Nine o'clock."

"No. Not nine. Eight-thirty."

Reluctantly, I agreed. So much for having "lots" of time in the morning.

As I was washing up the breakfast dishes the next morning I heard this loud engine. Naturally, I thought, "The garbage truck is late. It is 8:10 already."

I should have been thinking, "It is ONLY 8:10." It was my taxi.

"So, the traffic isn't bad," I said to my driver midway. "Is this unusual?"

"No. Not for a Friday morning. There really isn't much of a rush on Friday mornings - people taking 'sickees', long weekends."

It took us 20 minutes to get to the airport. So, I had 3 1/2 hours to spend and Kevin had the dishes to finish.

I got to check in right away (yay) and got an aisle seat (yay, again! I don't have to ask anyone to move to use the toilet.) I was able to complete some of my Christmas shopping at the airport and look at the prices of cameras at the duty free shop. Of course, I haven't done any research to know what I want. But, I scribbled prices down on one of the "dockets" from one of my earlier purchases. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

I had just found my seat when the steward stopped me from getting comfortable telling me that they might need to move me - move the entire row. That was OK. What difference did it make to me if I was in row 41 or 50? Then, the man in the aisle seat leans over and tells me it is his fault. That he needs to be near an electric outlet.

"I need to be hooked up to a breathing machine. I stop breathing when I sleep."

"I don't want to see that!" As Kevin will confirm, it is always about me.

And, so we were moved and it was no big deal. At least not until his machine required additional water in the middle of the "night" and for some reason the way that filling needed to occur was over my sleeping body. Unfortunately, the water didn't all fall into the cup. Some of it fell down my neck.

I screamed.

They gave me a set of QANTAS PJ's.

I'm Back!

I arrived in Ohio Friday evening. Exhausted.

In less than 3 short days I've slept about 28 hours and spun out on the highway - narrowly avoiding the deep ditch that we in rural Ohio call "the shoulder".

More later. I've been monopolizing the library's computer long enough.

Born Standing Up

From singles 2

In a sense, this book is not an autobiography but a biography, because I am writing about someone I used to know. Yes, these events are true, yet sometimes they seemed to have happened to someone else, and I often felt like a curious onlooker or someone trying to remember a dream. I ignored my stand-up career for twenty-five years, but now, having finished this memoir, I view this time with surprising warmth. One can have, it turns out, an affection for the war years.

I finished "Born Standing Up" just before leaving Brisbane. It was an interesting read and I was humbled by seeing someone else's determination, ambition, and work.

Through the years, I have learned there is no harm in charging oneself up with delusions between moments of valid inspiration.

In "Born" Steve Martin describes his origin- the family he was born to, the amusement parks where he got his first taste of "show biz", and life on the road. It obviously is not easy getting or being famous. Fame was never an ambition of mine and perhaps that is why Kevin liked the book more than I did.

I had a long routine (for me) in which I confessed to weird sexual fetish, "I like to wear men's underwear."

My favorite bits, I must admit, were when he tossed in a line from his act. I'd feel a bit shallow or guilty except that this is my nostalgia. As you can see from the photo up top, we were products of the Steve Marin phenomenon.

I'm so mad at my mother, she's a hundred and two years old, and she called me the other day. She wanted to borrow ten dollars for some food! I said, 'Hey, I work for a living'"

The book did, however, provide an excellent closer for any entry.

And my closer, "Well, we've had a good time tonight, considering we're all going to die someday."

SOAP

"This is the story of two sisters: Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell."

Last night we finished the final episode of "Soap". And, this deserves a few comments.

First- the DVDs that are available for "Soap" are pretty cruddy. We were pleased to be able to review this series that was so important to our youth - but the picture quality is very shoddy. I do not believe it is just our aging eyes. And, I don't believe that everything was so fuzzy back in 1979, 80, 81.

Second- the DVDs - at least the latter seasons - have no extras. We aren't really "extra" sort of people. But, we would have liked to see the episodes that ran before the onset of seasons 3 and 4. The episodes where the past is recapped before embarking on the new season- particularly the episode where Bea Arthur is God and Jessica is in heaven. Plus, we'd love to have heard an interview with Susan Harris about where she saw the Tates and Campbells going had they not been cancelled. If you don't know, the final episode of the series leaves Jodie trapped in a past life, Burt ambushed by bad guys, Jessica in front of a firing squad who is just pulling their triggers, and Chester pointing a pistol at Danny and Chester's new wife, Annie (no relation). (Sorry about the spoiler. You weren't going to watch it anyway because you've read my third comment below). We've looked for the synopsis episodes and for the Benson (season 5, I believe) episode where Jessica appears and tells Benson what has happened. But, we can't find anything. This led to Kevin saying something like "You know what this means when we get back to the US?". To which I could only come up with, "We find a time machine"? (He actually meant we had to scour the TV listings for reruns of Benson.)

Third. Season Four. Skip it. "Soap" is brilliant- particularly for its time - in Season's 1 through 3. Season 4 retreads old ideas- Jessica threatened with death, a odd/mystical/possessed/alien baby. In addition: Danny is more stupid. Chester is uninteresting. Dutch is simply annoying and Burt's character has been lost. (Not to mention there IS no Corrine or Benson.)

What next on the TV revision highway???

The X Files.

All Zelda, All the Time

I'm working on my Annual Zelda Calendar which means I'm reviewing and shooting new photos of our bad dog. I imagine she is getting a bit tired of this- especially since I had a couple of poses that I really wanted. And, she didn't. I don't know why she objects to wearing things on her head.... She's won on that one - so far - but here are a few of my favorites because I think they are good or very bad (that have not yet appeared in blog form).

The beginning of the Christmas season

From singles 2

In Australia, we learned today, the Christmas season begins on December 1st. Until this day arrives it is considered "bad luck" to decorate - though one would hope not to shop. We're good. Today, Nov 30 we only just celebrated Thanksgiving. I had to work this weekend, so our turkey day was devoid of actual turkey. We had homemade (per moi) chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes and cholesterol laden green beans with onions and bacon. And, pumpkin pie. We got to share our dinner with friends who bravely tried the bizarre American dessert and discovered pumpkin could be eaten sweet.

So, tomorrow will be both the day after Thanksgiving AND the first of December and we shall be ready to begin our "ho ho ho" in both cultures. I'm not sure how far along I'll get- though it appears on my list. My countdown to Ohio is in hyperdrive and I've yet to get serious about packing or finishing my photo gift projects.

From singles 2

Before I leave I want to accomplish the following:
1. See some of my favorite Brisbane Christmas lights - I hope to get into the city. I have never seen the lights there. This could be a difficult plan to fulfill.
2. Send out Christmas cards to our friends in Australia. These cards - well - they don't really exist yet and I'm not sure I have the technology to complete them. Fortunately, since these are the people we spend the most time with, they won't suffer from not getting a "holiday letter". They may even be pleased to dodge that bullet.
3. Pack. And, not forget any of the gifts I've purchased for friends and family back at home. I'm slowed down in completing this goal because I have this problem with all our suitcases. They are all falling apart in one way or another. I think I'll take the wheelie suitcase that still wheelies to the clinic and see if I can find a screw that will make the errant wheel stay ON. I'll only be left with the problem then of the corner opening up. Alternately, I can forgo all wheels. Then, it is just a matter of trading off size of suitcase with size of rip in the lid. And, weight.
4. Run the battery all the way down in my camera so I can recharge it before I leave.

Sorry- just talking to myself here. (Pretty interesting cross between a palm tree and a Christmas tree in the shot from K-Mart above. Do you have those in the US?? Guess I'll find out soon enough.)

In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead

From singles 2

"When people make a contract with the devil and give him an air-conditionied office to work in, he doesn't go back home easily."

Wow. By the time I finished the first chapter, page 5, I was hooked. Dave Robicheaux, New Iberia sheriff's detective, sees dead people. This isn't really the first time. Dave was communing with Annie and his dad in "Black Cherry Blues" - though I might not have told you that. This time he's getting a hand from General Hook - who you've already figured out might be "Confederate Dead".

"I need some help, general."

"You belong to the quick, you wake in the morning to the smell of flowers, a woman responds to the touch of your fingers, and you ask help of the dead, suh?"

No Clete this time (sigh). Rather, Dave is assisted by an FBI agent - Rosie Gomez. The sheriff has called in the FBI (Fart, Barf, and Incest... no, I think that is wrong) to assist in solving the case of a brutally murdered young woman. As in the best of Burke, this story is intertwined with a host of others - all interesting and, ultimately, all one. There's a movie being made in New Iberia. Julie 'Baby Feet' Balboni, old home boy, now a made man with his entourage is back in town. A body of a man Dave witnessed being killed in 1957 surfaces. Hmmm. And, everybody's seeing ghosts.

Like the rest of Burke's novels this one is peppered with fabulously evocative descriptions "his breath slid across my face like an unwashed hand", pithy prescriptions "You can't ever tell what'll fly out of a tree until you throw a rock into it", and some very funny moments.

"Oh, oh, he trying to get out on the dock, Dave. I ain't goin' out there to pull him out of the bayou this time, me. Somebody ought to give that man swimmin' lessons or a big rock, one, give people some relief"

"In the Electric Mist..." will soon be released as a film. Dave is played by Tommy Lee Jones - who might feel a bit old, skinny and craggy to me - but he ought to have a great smooth Cajun accent. Baby Feet is played by John Goodman- who isn't going to be the athlete that he is in the book- but I suspect will be oily and menacing enough. I looked at IMDB yesterday and was very pleased that everybody looked right. There is no release date yet - but I'm psyched. I'm hoping to have some moments of quiet with Dave's voice over saying something beautiful.

When I woke from my dream, the gray skies were filled with a dozen silken hot-air balloons, painted in the outrageous colors of circus wagons, houses, general stores, clumps of cows, winding bayous, until the balloons themselves were only distant specks above the summer-green horizon outside Lafayette.

One last word: denouement.

GOMA with KEVIN

From singles 2

Saturday was a beautiful day. Kevin and I threw all our responsibilities to the wind and boarded the 1:30 train to the city. Off to GOMA.

We went for two reasons.

Two things.

First, the Australian Contemporary Exhibition "Optimism" opened last weekend. "Optimism". It sounds like something everyone needs to see.

Second, Kevin didn't get to see the fabulous exhibits on the third floor that I saw on my last weekend off (and out). He hadn't gazed along the length of the box rainbow. He hadn't contemplated the expression of and skin detail contained within the giant lady in bed. He hadn't watched the Michael Jackson singers!

From singles 2

Optimism was, as you'd expect, fun and colorful. You also might have expected that photography was not permitted. (I haven't worked that out yet. They're happy to have me shoot photos of some pieces but not others.) Some of our favorites: The pairs of vesper scooter/animal hybrids, the BIG lacquer "paintings", the dark hallway to the "water fall", the paintings in the Salon, and, most of all, the furry white forest. We want one of these- we've got the perfect place to put it! (Note: I did not include the tapes playing of "Kath and Kim" highlights.)

From singles 2

While the exhibit itself was great fun, the children's activities downstairs were superb. Coloring fold together houses- including a fold together Winnebago, a walk through car soundscape, the opportunity to make and plant wheat grass in recycled paper pots. Black lights! The aphorism maker. (There was one upstairs, too.)

From singles 2

Kevin thought he could see what remained of the museum in the 45 minutes we had left. We almost made it through one room! It takes time to pull yourself away from the fabulous movie collages (I guess that is what you'd call them- clips of films strung together all dealing with the same theme.) and the Michael Jackson singers. Kevin spent time in front of each screen and so got to hear each individual voice. That's cool. I've only sat on the bench in the back in awe.

I don't think I'll make it back before I leave next week, but come January look for Kevin I to once again be GOMA bound.

"Strangers" by Dean Koontz

From singles 2

"The moon."

Listening to this unabridged on CD is a monumental project. Twenty-three CDs. Twenty-three. And, wouldn't you know that beginning at track 82 on CD 22, there is a significant scratch that won't allow my car or portable CD player to play.

Arghhhhh.

It was 4 PM Friday. I knew the library would be closed but I had time, I hoped to find a copy in Border's Bookstore at the mall and read what would amount to the last 18 tracks on CD 22 (and then hope that CD 23 played.) I checked Fiction. I checked Science Fiction/Fantasy. Then, I used the computer locator.

It is available

by special order.

Arghhhhhhh.

Fortunately, the CD played on my computer so I WAS able to finish the story that I've already invested 3 weeks in.

Review- it was just OK. Don't rush out to make that special order. (Though you can buy it used from Amazon for $0.01 USD.)

STORM!

From singles 2

This week has been, shall we say, rainy. Monday I got to work and saw that the tree in front of the doctor's office next door was toppled over. Thursday morning I woke to find the trellis out front leaning on the sun screen in front of the window. Then, later, I heard that the inner city bypass was closed because there was an estimated 11 million liters of water in the tunnel. And, last night, we had another big, big storm! I'm not sure I've ever seen rain come down heavier - though the duration was pretty short. We lost power for about two hours. I spent a portion of that time outside watching the clouds. The cloud banks would glow in succession with silent internal lightning. I thought I made a movie of it, but, alas, I did not. Afterward, Zelda and I cuddled in our chair while I moved a votive candle over the pages of my book.

Love Story

Because Oxen and Rabbits are on the same wavelength, this can be a rewarding relationship. The Rabbit's calm relaxes you. And, since Bunnies avoid confrontation, there's little chance of temper flare-ups. When it comes to passion, your sensuality warms any cool Rabbit. You are both motivated to move upward and establish a secure environment for each other. This is a sweet union if either has experienced too many dramatic "gimme, with nothing in return" relationships.

A Stained White Radiance

From singles 2

I had never been able to understand the women who hung with outlaw bikers, because with some regularity they were gang-raped, chain-whipped, and had their hands nailed to trees, but they came back for more, obedient, anesthetized, and bored, like spectators at their own dismemberment.

I must say, I really liked that title. Equally true, the story did not thrill me. Maybe I read it in too many small bites. (Burke helped here (?) by shortening the length of his chapters.) Perhaps the story suffers by following so closely to my reading of "Black Cherry Blues" and "Morning for Flamingos"- two very strong efforts.

In "Radiance", Dave Robicheaux is investigating a shooting. Someone has shot through the window of the home of one of his childhood friends- though friend is too strong a word - Weldon Sonnier of the Sonnier family. Weldon doesn't seem to care and his sister, Drew, similarly provides no help. Dave spends at least half the book going between these two looking for insight into this escalating problem while the third sibling, Lyle, the local evangelical, faith-healer keeps looking Dave up to provide history and insist that the culprit is their father who was believed to have been killed in a work accident 30 years earlier. Add in a dash of New Orleans mob boss, Weldon's drug-addled wife's Ku Klux Klan affiliated politician brother, a trio of hired "button men", Clete, Dave's friend/employee Batist, and Bootsie who is struggling with her Lupus.

Both Clete and Batist are unfailingly heroic and Clete remains charmingly cavalier - but the "bad guys" are not distinguished. And, the reluctance of Weldon and Drew to communicate frustrated me as much as Dave. Like other Robicheaux novels, Dave gets an idea in his head about who is bad and pursues that... but often his/our ideas of good and evil don't mesh with the reality of the situation at hand. I apologize for the spoiler - in "Radiance" Dave and Clete are looking for the tie-in between the Aryan Brotherhood, the politician, and the mob- but in this case it is not the secondary mystery, it is just a ruse...and I think that is why I found it so unsatisfying. Maybe I wanted too badly for the bigoted politician to be corrupt - to match my own (like Dave's) prejudice. Maybe this disappointment was just too much reality for me.

I had determined once again to stop keeping score in my ongoing contention with the world, time, and mortality, and to simply thank providence for all the good things that had come to me through no plan of my own.

Oh, and lest you forget this is an Orion Publication:

I could see two trusties from the jail washing petrol cars in the parking lot.

The Feast of San Martino

15 November

Kevin and I celebrated our anniversary (5 years!)Saturday evening by participating in The Sicilian Association of Queensland's "Festa di San Martino": hors dourves, four courses, and dancing to the music of "Dominic and the Latin Maffia". (I'm copying this from the ticket. I thought Mafia had one "f". Maybe that is an Americanism. Maybe Maffia, with 2 f's, means "drummer with a big smile".)

Like our "Faulty Towers" dinner, we were seated at a big round table - alone - with 8 empty chairs. Pleasantly, those other seats were soon taken- by 5 Australians, 1 Italian, and 3 Portuguese. (Hmmm... that would make 9 extra seats. Never mind.) Everyone was friendly. And, unlike virtually every other table, none of us were over 60 or members of "The Association". The question passing most commonly around the table... "How did you hear about this?" The answer was uniformly somewhere you'd buy food...deli, produce store.

The food was good and plentiful: anti pasta, ravioli, sausages with potato salad, and fancy 3 layered ice-cream: coconut, chocolate, banana. The music was great fun- accordion and drum set- the musicians were cool in their black suits with black fedoras - and EVERYBODY danced. Well, almost.

Christmas arrives in Brisbane

From singles 2

Yes.

Santa arrived in Brisbane today. November 8. Both the Catholic Church and the Baptist Church, big believers in massive light displays, started erecting their stars and crosses and camels. At the clinic we have started to dig out our decorations and discussing hanging up the enormous Happy Holiday sign.

Maybe it is because Santa has so far to come from the North Pole, but I think it is because Australians don't have a Thanksgiving Holiday at the end of November. There is no obvious, widely recognized day on which the Christmas season should begin.

Even though it is too early, I must enjoy the Brisbane Christmas now because in only four short weeks, I will be cooling my toes in Ohio! Time to get those Australian cards sorted out and to complete my gift buying! This year it is very important that everyone receive Australian gifts - we cannot afford to spend those expensive US dollars!

15 November.

This is what happens while I wait to get a photo for the entry. Christmas moves in with a bang! Santa's now at Chermside shopping center. Christmas markets are rife. Won't be long until the big light show buses start moving out.

It is also, today, Steve Irwin Day at the Australia Zoo.

All this and I'm working.

Anyway, Happy Birthday! Merry Christmas!

This one's for Cathi

From singles 2

It has taken me until November to make my way back to South Bank. As you can see, the wheel is finished...with nary a little wedgy board in site. Still, I did not cough up the $15 to take in the view on this cloudy Brisbane evening.

GOMA! GOMA! GOMA!

From singles 2

It was another long weekend for me and I didn't have anything special planned. Saturday was hot and humid. Kevin had work to do and was planning on going into the city. So, I hitched a ride and spent the afternoon at the GOMA.

Now, I know what you are thinking. "Been there. Done that." But, with the exception of the fabulous red ringed infinity sculpture, I think everything was new. (New with still 25% of the gallery to be filled and opened- next week. "Contemporary Australia: Optimism" begins November 15.) And, it was pretty great. I was sorry I didn't have someone with me to knock an elbow in his side and say, "Cool."

The exhibition on the third floor- architecture of Brisbane - didn't do much for me. I walked through it and glanced at the photographs of glassy boxes that looked like they'd been stepped on so that the walls were askew and the lid slid off over the side. Very contemporary - which I might like in person or in smaller doses - but an entire room was to me "much of the same". I am impressed with the little models that architects make of their buildings.

From singles 2

From singles 2

In the gallery opposite, however, was FABULOUS. The gallery is bookended (??) with a giant woman in bed and a cardboard box arch. A significant proportion of the 2-D images were a bit macabre and I was really sorry Kevin wasn't there to see them: a graphic-novelesque series where Guatemalan "worry dolls" were fleeing from a murder scene- on the lam- and captured. A series of ghoulish beings combined with and pictured in situations more apropos to children's literature.

From singles 2

My favorite, however, was in the center of this gallery: a video installation of a dozen people- all equipped with a ear-phone listening to, dancing to, and singing along with Michael Jackson songs. Each person was projected as a life-sized image and the soundtrack of the piece was NOT Michael Jackson - but all their own singing and mumbling. I assume that everyone knew what he/she was going to be asked to do since several were dressed in M.J. appropriate attire... but there was also a belly dancer?? and two women who stood there expressionless with only the slightest movement to suggest they were experiencing anything rhythmic. You couldn't make out any single voice let alone match it to an image. And, as a group they were truly awful. It was mesmerizing and it really, really, really gave me a better appreciation for singers.

The third gallery had video images and while I found some of them interesting, my brain was probably too full to either remember or describe them well. But, as Arnold says,

"I'll be back."

Petition to Barak O'Bama Re. First Dog

From singles 2

I can be ready at a moment's notice.

I have a history of political activism.

I have a history of inclusiveness. I will sleep in every bed with every family member on each night. I will share your chair with you - unless it is too warm. Then, I'll move.

You need not worry who will walk me in inclement weather. I don't like it. I have perfected the 15 second pee.

I understand that Malia has allergies. So do I. We can share my antihistamines.

I understand HOPE. I practice HOPE each day, all day long. I HOPE someone will throw the ball. I HOPE someone will chase me when I have the ball. I HOPE that each trip outside will include me. I HOPE (a lot) that someone will drop food on the floor.

I can help you house break your children. They will learn to keep their clothes off the floor and put their toys away when they are done playing.

For no extra kibble, I will keep your floors licked clean of crumbs and tidbits.

I can help you screen visitors. Every guest will get a thorough sniff and a good bark.

If you make better decisions than these liberal yahoos I live with, I will entertain your dinner guests by jumping up and down repeatedly for bites from the table.

I have experience with living in foreign lands and meeting both non-Americans (Australians, Swiss, Germans) and un-Americans (Cleveland Heights residents and gay and lesbian people).

"Psst- Zelda. McCain did not win. George W. is leaving the White House."

Lamington National Forest

From singles 2

Funny. It isn't covered with chocolate and coconut.

Two weeks ago in a fit of ambition I told Kevin we were checking out the car and driving down to Lamington National Forest for the Tree Top Walk. I printed out the directions, set the alarm to wake Kevin, and off we went.

Now, there's a reason I think that Kevin is the usual planner. My research says it will be a bit more than an hour drive. But, that is the amount of time it takes to get to the town from which you take this narrow, winding road for an additional 30 km. Narrow - like one lane - Winding - like hairpin curves. Oooboy. Up a mountain. So, that would end up being a two and one-half hour drive.



Still, we made it before noon. Checked out the bird feeding. Ate lunch. Took a 3km hike. Walked the tree top walk - which is a series of bridges about 15 meters in the canopy of the Lamington National Forest. The walk itself takes less than 10 minutes. And, while it is not the best tree top walk in Australia (that would be in Western Australia), it was a very nice forest with beautiful birds. (Just listen to this whipbird- which sounded even more cool in person.) And, it was cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. No sweating here. AMEN.

We are not going to jail!

It is official!

Kevin says we never were. He didn't think they were going to rescind our citizenship, either, and strand us here in the land of heat, humidity, and spiders. And, he says, we were NOT going to pay taxes to Versailles just to make them quiet.

For the last 3 days (since the election) I have been corresponding with the tax administrator of Versailles who has questioned our ability to vote with an address in Darke County. How was it possible that we could live in another country and vote? To make decisions about things, like taxes, that would affect people in the United States?

Anyway, it is OFFICIAL. From the Board of Elections:

You and Kevin can vote because you are U.S. citizens living abroad.

So, despite the fact that our little blue votes fit better up in Cleveland Heights, we are registered and LEGAL voters in rural Ohio. Word to the wise: this would be the WRONG time to bring up a proposal against gay marriage in Versailles.

Last call for Halloween

I came home today and took down the last of the Halloween decorations. Everything looks sad and empty. Bare. No more bats. No more ghosts. No more pumpkins or skeletons or spiders.

Wait.

Plenty of spiders.

November 5th

Kevin and I would like to congratulate Barak Obama and Joe Biden. Glad we could help - now we just have to convince the village of Versailles that we don't actually live there and so do not need to pay income tax. The price of democracy! And, Sarah, I'll miss the laughs.

BIG LOSER!!

Continuation of Melbourne Cup Results

One of my horses came in last (Honolulu) and so I won an additional prize. We are really rolling in the money now!

Words of wisdom from "Morning for Flamingos"

This didn't seem to fit into my review neatly, so I'm giving it space of its own.

Two gems about life and a fun fact:

1. "You're too serious. It's all comedy, man. The bottom line is we all get to be dead for a real long time. It's a cluster fuck no matter how you cut it." Tony Cardo

2. "Save yourself a lot of grief and don't make a mystery out of morons." Minos Dautrieve

3. "Did you know a half-million dollars in hundred dollar bills weighs exactly eleven pounds?" Minos Dautrieve

OMG!

They've hatched. That is the only explanation we can come up with.

Last night- while watching "The Daily Show" - we glanced away from the TV and at the wall then ceiling.

"What's that?" I asked as Kevin paused the show, walked over and peered at the moving spots and I left the room.

From singles 2

Spiders. Baby spiders. Baby spiders who look to us like they'll grow into those large, menacing, webless, fling your arms and legs out, big-ass, ugly, god-awful huntsman spiders. ARGH.

And, it's not just one. Or, two. We must have killed at least 50 last night.

FIFTY.

..................................................


The vacuum is now armed and ready in Kevin's office. I had to wait until after his alarm went off to start up the battle, again. Ten more.

Just a preview of the zombie apocalypse.