Happy First Day of Spring!

You KNOW what this is a picture of...

Today is the first day of spring! I know that sounds very strange to you in North America but it is true!!! It is a beautiful sunny day here in Queensland---took a nice walk on the beach early on today and the sun was just coming out. The boys are still sleeping, of course, so I am trying to do quiet things but that is not easy!

I know I have shared with some of you the reality of green frogs in toilets here and we have our first one---or at least the first one I have SEEN! I was less than thrilled last night when I saw his little foot but then of course he disappeared by the time the guys went to look. I saw him this morning and took a picture.....so now the job of the day will be to try to get him out but I don't know how to do that. They get up way under the rim of the toilet--not quite sure how they do that and the blast of the water usually does not seem to be strong enough to get them out. suffice it to say I am going to try to "hold it" so I can use the other toilet where the boys are sleeping. Should be an interesting "extraction" process which I will chronicle in pictures if I can as I know you are all dying to know what happens next! I am thinking the flush and release program is not going to work for this little guy---who doesn't look so little anymore.

The boys got in on Saturday night and were a little bit late but we amused ourselves by talking to 3 local guys who struck up a conversation with us while we all waited. They were a colorful group and everyone seems to be so intrigued with US politics--that was most of my discussion with this one gentleman who cornered me. He is a staunch Republican he told me though it really does not matter....but they are all so informed about the US (more so than I am!) and this guy even sang me a song about Iowa! Seriously now---I can't make this stuff up!!!

Yesterday we slept in a bit and then got going after lunch to the Billabong Sanctuary so the boys could see some animals and hold a koala. We had a great time other than the fact that they tried to say we didn't pay for a picture with the koalas----big miscommunication but in the end the boys got to hold them twice and we got plenty of photos. I have to get some photos off of Aaron's camera and I will post them later as I had let my battery die....oh well. We really had fun---saw them feed the dingos and crocs (HUGE) and then we found some kangaroos and wallabies to feed and pet. The one had a huge joey and it went in the pouch while we were feeding mum and Aaron got some good pictures of it so I want those!! It was a fun day for the boys i think since they really have not seen much wildlife other than possums (which are much cuter than our opossums).

After the sanctuary we went into Townsville and went to the Strand and ate dinner at Cbar which we love. Of course it took awhile and then they got Aaron's order wrong and he had to wait for his dinner a lot longer then. the owner was very apologetic, offered free drinks, dessert, etc. but it was fine. He was very gracious about it and so was the waitress who made the mistake--she told us she messed up and you know when people just ackowledge they made a mistake it really isn't a big deal, is it??? It is when they ignore you or try to make it out to be your problem!!! The food was yummy and we were all filled up by the end of the meal. We came home and watched Australian Idol.....can you tell we are very limited on our tv selections here???? Oh Austar--please get installed!!!!

Today the boys said they were going to just chill out on the beach and tomorrow I am going to drive Chris into work as he has an overnight trip to Mackay so I will have the car for a couple of days and hopefully will be able to navigate around a bit. I think Aaron thinks we are nuts for living here and I am beginning to wonder myself what with the frogs in the toilets but then I walk on the beach, sit on the deck. and decide that for a year this will be okay!!!

Will post more pictures later!!!

Getting ready for our first guests!

I can not tell you how excited I am to have Aaron and his friend Thom coming tomorrow night!!!! I can not wait!!!!!! I am making cookies and going to lay in a bunch of supplies---aka food!!!! Though Aaron told me today that Thom got a package from the US today with Captain Crunch and Honeycomb in it so they are excited!!! It is those little things that you don't realize you miss until you can't get them!

Chris is off to the Herbert region today and I think I need to get some kind of map on here so you can follow along on where he is when!!! I will work on that!!! There must be a way to do that and I am going to figure it out, by gum!!!
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mapsofworld.com/australia/states/queensland/queensland-political-map.jpg&img
There--try that!!! Course it doesn't really show the Herbert River region on it but at least you can see where we are in relationship to some of the towns I have talked about.

Tonight we have dinner out with Chris' boss and wife and 2 other couples---I have met all but the one couple so it will be a nice evening and at our favorite Chinese restaurant to boot!!! Yum!!! I haven't seen Lorraine for several weeks so it will be nice to see her and catch up a bit on things. I am looking forward to the night out with my hubby, too! Even if it is business that is okay!

Wanted to also pass along a neat website that Chris and I have been supporting for a year or so. It has been promoted by a lot of celebrities and it is a pretty neat place to help some folks without much means to get businesses going and it is based on the whole microfinance system. I have already had 2 loans repaid and have reinvested the money by loaning it out again to help someone else out. I think the really neat thing is that you can do just a $25 loan and it can make a difference. We have given gift certificates as gifts to each other for occasions and are giving to family and friends also. Check it out---it may be something you are interested in doing also.
http://www.kiva.org/
Okay enough of the commercials.....just thought I would share a good thing we had found!

Well enough ramblings for one morning----sending prayers up that my friend Ann gets to feeling better!!! I am sending virtual hugs and chicken noodle soup.

A Pretty Perfect Morning

A few of my favorite things...........come join me!!!

Just a Walk on the Beach!

I have had such a great day today I had to share with you all!!! Chris left for the Pioneer plant early this morning and we drug out the rubbish and recycling bins and they took them both this week!!! Yay!!! Last week we thought was the week for recycling but obviously we had bad information!!! They come every fortnight (every other week--see that is your word of the day).

I got ready to go walk the beach and as I was going out the back gate the neighbor was out so we introduced ourselves. The wife was there and then the husband came out to meet me and their names are Bob and Carol---no joke!!! They said they were still waiting on Ted and Alice so they obviously have a good sense of humor. Guess they had rented their house out and could not be too selective on who they rented to and now it is kind of a wreck inside so they have moved back to work on it and fix it back up. really nice couple and they offered any kind of help that we needed---I think they moved in the same day we did.

I went and walked and there was a guy starting to get set to fish and his two dogs --Sparky a jack russell and Kelly-a black lab--came up to sniff me and play a bit so we struck up a conversation. Dogs are always a great way to meet someone!!! As usual I got the life story---well not quite the whole life but his name is Tony, he is a trucker, he was married to an American woman but she left him for one of his mates and took Sparky with her. Long story but one of his friends saw Sparky in Melbourne and recognized him and dognapped him back!!!! After "bashing" the bloke she was living with. He was quite a colorful man but very kind and probably one of the most real Australians I have met to date! When I left he told me that he and the dogs would see me again soon---they fish all the time and everyone on the beach knows his dogs!!!

I finally attacked my closet and clothes today and at least got them all out of suitcases even if the system isn't really perfect. It will work. I will have to redo when I finally get my dresser but at least I have things where I can find them. I am wishing that I had packed some different things but I really got rid of a lot of clothes when we moved and now I am just wearing shorts and flip flops all of the time. The weather has been beautiful but today was a little overcast but still in the mid 70's. Perfect!!!

i am getting excited about having Aaron and Thom here this weekend!!!! It is going to be great!!!! Will keep you posted!

Back in Saunders Beach!

1. Me!!! Sitting in a tree!!! Bowen, Australia
2. Don't think you can read the sign clearly but it says "Pool closed for Winter.
Reopens September 1st."
3. Thank goodness I have a smart husband ---hotel we stayed in this weekend had the thing by the door where you put your key to activate all the power in the room. I couldn't figure it out!!!
4. Beautiful shot coming home from Ayr yesterday---I was NOT driving at the time!!!

I promised some pictures and this is about all I can come up with today---it was a full and busy couple of days but we had a nice weekend and are back up in Saunders Beach for the week. Saturday proved to be another day of shopping and getting things "organized" which is the favorite word here. Our lounge (living room) furniture is supposed to be in in 2 weeks so we are giving them the chance though we do have something else picked out just in case. We spent Sunday driving down to Mackay which is close to one of the mills in Sarina (I spelled that wrong before--ooops!). I drove a good part of the way---the highway driving is not bad but I am still a little nervous in the city driving with the roundabouts. It isn't that difficult and I keep thinking that good grief---I have driven in Pittsburgh and Chicago so I certainly should be able to do this driving here!!! Chris has been a great teacher and patient and it reminds me of when he was teaching me to drive a manual !

We stayed at a nice resort for the night---got in and were totally exhausted so we took naps and then met some folks for dinner there at the restaurant at the hotel. It ended up being 3 other couples and another guy whose wife is in Townsville with the family and we had a great time. Of course what I have learned is that nothing moves very quickly when it comes to eating out here----4 hours later we were done. But it was a very enjoyable evening. I had already met several of them so that was nice to see them again. I really like a lot of these wives---they make it very easy to feel a part of the group and even though we are a little bit different to them I am sure they don't make me feel that way! We talked a lot about the Olympics and how well Australia was doing,etc.

Chris went to the mill in the morning and I just sat around reading and watching tv while he was gone. he picked me up around noon and we headed out but had to stop at McDonalds for something quick to eat before we got too far down the road as neither one of us had eated breakfast. I got more driving practice and he had a lot of phone calls so it was good that I could do some of the driving., It is a long trip to make in 2 days so I doubt we will do that again. If he wants me to go along we will stretch it out a bit and do some vacationing and if not he will just fly. Much easier!!!

We stopped in Ayr on the way through and managed to order a futon/couch, a dining room table and chairs and a bed for the house in the Burdekin that we will be in part time. I think it will make it MUCH easier for him if we can stay there 1 or 2 nights a week---he can go to the mills down there and do what he needs to do and not have to drive so far on those days. And I found that Ayr has a lot of neat shops and a nice downtown so that may be where I feel that I can get plugged into doing something worthwhile. He can use a mill vehicle while he is there so I can use the car if I want and go to the beach or shopping or whatever. It is very weird to think about having 2 places and this one will be very sparsely furnished but it is what we are going to do for awhile a least. the sales lady at the furniture store was really nice and the store was cram packed with stuff so I imagine we will try to buy some more things there over time. And it was no "drama" ---just paid and it will all be delivered next week!!! Not the story we have had up here in Townsville that is for sure!!!

A little bit ago the phone guy came --told me that we already had a number though no one has bothered to call to tell us that---and he gave me a phone (which I am sure will show up at some exhorbinant price on our bill) and is putting in the work order for the DSL which is the only reason we are getting the phone line. The whole phone thing here is ridiculously expensive---even the landline calls cost each time you make a call along with the monthly charge!!! It will be interesting to see how this all plays out and what our bills will actually be!!!

I am also waiting for a delivery of a fridge today---we decided that we really did need to upgrade from the one that Rod has here and this one will be a basic FROST FREE one!!! The one here has about 4 inches of ice in the little freezer compartment....and will be cleaner than I can get this one!! I am not "whinging" --just stating a fact! Some things i feel I need to have updated----and I am not sure how well this one really keeps things cold so I don't want to take any chances!

Wow---sorry----I have gone on and on, haven't I??? I guess that is what happens when I have taken a couple of days off from blogging!!! You have to wade through it all!

We really are having the time of our lives----Aaron (and Thom) come this weekend, Micah is in Colorado Springs for a meeting and then off to Flint, Michigan to cover a terrritory for a week or so ---so that is what is going on with us!!! Oh -new poll on the blog today too!!! don't forget to vote!!!

Saturday Saturday Saturday!!

Blue Winged Kookaburra

It is Saturday and I know that Chris is glad that the weekend is here although he hasn't gotten much rest! We got up and headed out and made a trip into Townsville one more time to try to get furniture/appliances all straightened out. The couch and recliners still are not here---they really couldn't give us a status---their manager quit and no one knows what the heck is going on. The one that we had looked at on the floor was not even there anymore so not sure what is up with that. We are giving them until Monday to figure it out and if they can't deliver we found another place that has something similar in stock, could be delivered next week. and of course, costs more!! Oh well. that seems to be life!

We also went to the storage store and bought ridiculously overpriced storage containers and metal basket things for the closets. There just does not seem to be an inexpensive solution to most of this storage stuff----plastic is horrendously expensive and you just have to pay it. Chris just looked at me and said "just get what you need--don't look at the price" but that is hard to do! I did get some things for the pantry that work great and this pantry works so much better than the one we had in Iowa---I never could get that one organized right. That was one memory of Iowa that I don't like to remember----I had the "pantry meltdown" when I was unpacking and couldn't figure out how to fit things in! It sounds stupid I know but a woman might understand how that would happen!!! You get used to having things fit in a certain way and then when you move and the configuration is not the same and you can't adjust shelves it just messes it all up!

We hit the grocery store on the way home and loaded up--trying to get geared up for Aaron and Thom's visit next week! I can't wait!!! It will be great to have them here and hopefully they won't be bored out of their gourds!!!

And I did manage to drive just a little tiny bit today---not bad after being here 2 months!!! Tomorrow we are going to drive to MacKay and I am going to get plenty of driving practice then. Chris will be going to the plant down in Serena on Monday and I think we have dinner out with some folks on Sunday night so that will be nice. Then we will come back here on Monday afternoon so it will just be a quick run down there but he needs to see the mill and see how it is going.

We both took naps this afternoon and now Chris is working on his mill report while I cook up our first store bought Australian pizza----thought we would go easy tonight!!! We will see how it is. No one delivers out here........we are roughing it, aren't we??? LOL

Will try to take some pictures this weekend and post them!!!

My Big Accomplishment of the Day

I know it really does not look like much but this was my major accomplishment today! Our bedroom furniture got delivered today and the delivery guys had instructions to take the platform that we had been using as a base for our mattress and assemble our bed when they got here. Well, I heard a lot of clanking (??) around of wood and sounds of something being put together and just assumed that things were going as planned. When they went out to get the paperwork for me to sign I looked at the bed, night tables and dresser (mine is on a slow boat from Tasmania and won't be here for another 4-6 weeks) and all looked fine and dandy. Once I signed and they left I went back in to start making up the bed.....
And that is when the problems started! I had gotten a slat protector to put on the slats to protect the mattress (just like it says!!) since we went that route instead of having a platform. All you do is tie this flimsy piece of fabric to the slats and it helps protect the bottom of your mattress and ensures that your warranty on your mattress is good. Well....when I tied the thing on the slats started shifting around and falling out. First one side, then I would put them back in and the other side would fall out. I was near tears because this just was not supposed to be the way it works!!! I looked at the frame and discovered that they had put one of the bedrails on upside down or so it seemed so I decided that I CAN DO THIS! I was not going to let Chris come home and have to deal with putting a bed back together so I heaved the mattress off and went to work taking the rails off and switching them around. Easier said than done! I am glad no one was watching because it was a comedy in itself and I was getting madder and madder at it and in tears by the time I was done. I did finally get it switched around, tightened up and I think it is good but I am going to have Chris double check it and maybe tighten it up a bit more than I could do. It just makes me mad because those delivery guys had to know that it was not right!!! Every time you bumped it several of the slats would fall out of one side or the other. I think I have it fixed now and they are all in the groove but if you hear a loud sound you will know that I did not get it fixed right and we are on the floor!!! I don't know why everything is so difficult !!! But I am getting very good at assembling and trouble shooting things so I guess that is the positive side of things.

And I guess I did accomplish paying some bills today which is a miracle in and of itself! I have been very surprised that the banks do a good job with their electronic banking and the B pay is very easy to use--just like what I do with our US accounts so that has been a pleasant surprise. With some things here being a little old fashioned and maybe not as progressive as what I am used to finding out that I cna do the billpay online so easily has been a very pleasant surprise. I know that probably sounds kind of weird but it is one less thing to hassle about when I can just do it online at any time and not have to try to find a post box to mail in a payment. etc.

Tonight is international dinner night---in other words--leftover night. We have little bits of everything and there just isn't any reason to make anything new when we need to eat all that stuff up! It is hard for me to cook for 2 I guess!!! So that is the news from here----watching a bit of the Olympics still but I am tired of weightlifting......