Pieces and Bits

One never knows when a snake will slither up your driveway. We've seen a few before, but this one was a bit thrilling. After researching (with the laptop on top of the car) we were just a tiny bit disappointed to find out it was mere harmless spotted python and not a super venomous Death Adder. He (or she?)was as big around as a hot dog (bun included) and as long as our dining room table.

Wintering on the Sunshine Coast has been a most pleasant experience. We feel particularly gleeful to have missed one of the foggiest summers on record back  home. Arcatans have learned, however, to wait for those few days early or mid September when, for hours on end you haven't reached for a sweatshirt.  We are coming into spring here, which means the days are warming up. We had dropped into single digits (Celsius) but these days it is hovering in the mid-twenties( that's the low seventies for you Fahrenheit-ies)

Recently Mel and I had a little road trip down to Brizzy so she could take a dance exam. I didn't know there were such things until we moved here and she enrolled in a studio which follows the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus.  She completed her exam wearing the prescribed leotard etc including a particular hair ribbon (really??)  Now she waits 8 weeks for the results.  Meantime,  rehearsals begin for the studio's annual concert in late November. On the way home from Brisbane we detoured slightly to Wild Horse Mountain Lookout, and snapped this shot of the nearby glass house mountains, just before sunset.

Or Tony?

Will it be Julia?

Last Saturday's election resulted in no result. Neither party obtained the necessary 76 seats in the house needed in order to win government (meaning that  party's leader is P.M.) The Aussies have themselves a hung parliament, first time in 70 years.  And about that mandatory voting......the local paper reported that over 20% of eligible voters did not turn up. Apparently, when the $50.00 fine notice shows up in your letter box, a polite written excuse will get you out of paying.  I was recruited by my friend Julie (the local green party campaign manager) to hand out fliers on voting day, which was fun in a political way if that is possible.  No rules here about no campaigning 100 feet from a polling place.....I literally handed them to folks as they joined the queue.  I accompanied Julie into the cardboard voting booth and was aghast at the massive ballot, which about as long(horizontally) as that snake in our driveway.  It may be weeks before we know if it will be Julia or Tony, as both parties court the independents.

Tom-ism:  "Let's have a nice salad" and "I'll be there in a minute, I just need to take my (scrabble) move"  Recent accomplishment: getting past halfway in the 967 page tome he's reading, and bicycling up the beach (meaning tires in the sand) to Sunshine Beach, and back, about a 20 mile trip.  Favorite Aussie food (FAF): poached egg on toast with vegemite.

Stephanie-ism "Mute!" and "I'm going to yoga"  recent accomplishment: Not getting lost driving home from Mooloolaba (the most confusing signage ever) and taking a solo all day hike in the hinterland. FAF: essential grains fruit bread

Eli-ism: "You're not funny"  and "What's for dinner?"  Recent accomplishment: 93% on his last maths assignment, and without any nagging keeping his room strikingly clean most of the time.  FAF: creme filled lamingtons.

Melissa-ism: "How ya goin', lovey?" and "There's a spider in my room!"   Recent accomplishment: Spending most of the day Sunday finishing her physics project, and getting a facebook page (resulting in longer time to finish physics project)  FAF: lamb and beef kabob from the Lebanese deli.

Eli is now 15,and has thoroughly enjoyed his 48 hours of fame. When his birthday was done and dusted here, it had just started in California. How good is that.....

Hangin' with the Humpbacks

'Tis whale watch season here in the southern continent and we just happen to live purdy dern close to where they like to play.  Adverts claim "The best whale watching in the world" Well, we went for ourselves and see if this was truly the case.  The verdict is: YES! Up to 7000 of these 40 tonne cetaceans migrate from Antartica to the warm waters of Australia and the south Pacific Islands during the winter and spring. Our local harbour has boats that take trips during the season, (one of the most well known is the Whale One, belonging to the late Steve Irwin's family) but for an actual good look at these guys we drove north three hours to Hervey Bay. As you can see we were in spittin' distance. They are bemused by the boats so they spy hop: stick their mouth straight up so their eyes are out of the water. We also saw many a tail and pectoral slaps, but no breaching. Big fun.We also happened to arrive sort of in the middle of the town's whale festival parade, complete with camels, firemen dressed up like koalas, and heaps of nippers riding on trucks.

Eli also had a good weekend, but he wasn't with us. (this has been happening more and more) He was body boarding with his mates in Byron Bay, New South Wales, about 4 hours south. It was a birthday trip for a fellow year 10er, Cameron. One dad and 4 boys spent two full days in the water catching waves and having a great time. His wetsuit tan line was his souvenir.

We've been hiking with Jill and Angel most days, tackling Kondalilla falls again which is so beautiful I could walk there every day,  Buderim Forest Park, Noosa National Park, and Mt. Coolum. It wasn't until the last day we spotted 'roos (that weren't road kill) but we spent plenty of time looking!   A few days ago we ventured to the wilds of nearby Nambour, planning to watch Melissa perform with her high school orchestra in yet another rife with rules eisteddfod. It was a day with a lot of driving, and we did our best to be there on time, but the two tight lipped bitties at the door wouldn't let us in despite my pleading as the door was closing JUST as we arrived.  We were relegated to listen from the fire escape. Oh well. She's been on stage since she was about three and I reckon we will have another chance to see her perform soon. Um, like this coming weekend with her dance class.....

Australian:Not a mozzie in sight during winter, but still warm enough for a barbie. Eli to mom:  "Can you get me a big bag of lollies from Woolies?" After brekky Jill and I donned our sunnies  and creatively arrived downtown for yoga class and stretched our hammies. And...in addition to the thumbs up for the local favorite bickies, Angel actually thinks Vegemite is yummie.

American:  Mosquitoes did not  interrupt our barbecue last week of local Mooloolaba prawns and Hervey bay scallops.  Eli's gift of choice for the birthday boy was a nutrition filled bag of candy from the grocery store.  Jill and I had some delicious fruit bread for breakfast, and planned to catch the bus, but oops there it goes. Missing class was unacceptable, so armed with yoga mats and sunglasses we thumbed it and within a few minutes a nice surfer dude stopped. We stretched muscles I knew about, like my hamstrings, and others I had forgotten about. In addition to lamingtons, our guests sampled Tim-Tam cookies and Vegemite. This hugely popular Australian condiment can be compared to Spackle mixed with coffee grounds in a jar, and tastes like super salty yeasty bitter paste. I'll pass.

Other weekend activities: local comedy (better than the last one we saw but still wouldn't be mistaken for the pros) my choir singing at at Coolum Celebration Day, visiting the Yandina Ginger Factory where they produce 70% of the world's candied ginger, and stumbling into a cute cafe/vintage shop for a farewell lunch with Jill and Angel. It was great having them, and all our other company too. It appears we have no other guests slated to bunk with us....must mean the end is coming. I won't count the weeks yet. And here's a link I'm passing on (thanks Susanna!) from the blogosphere catalogliving.net It's  hilarious...enjoy.

Sunshine Coasting

Tom's sis Jill and her partner Angel arrived yesterday and we took advantage of some sunny weather and made an afternoon jaunt to the Noosa National Park. It was a lucky day for Koala sightings as this little guy was perched in his eucalypt only a few feet above our heads! He even confirmed he was alive by imitating a newborn: opening his sleepy eyes briefly, stretching a little hand, and defecating.

Australia's first women Prime Minister was appointed a few months ago, and the media has been quick to fill us in on her private life. She  has a male partner, but they are not married. She also describes herself as an atheist. Me thinks these two qualities would keep her out of the highest office in land in the states. Seeing the need for a public mandate as she was appointed not elected,  she called for federal elections. She had three years to do this, but jumped on her tide of popularity.  Australians will vote for the party of their choice on Saturday Aug 21. Voter turnout plummeted years back, so the powers that be decided voting would be compulsory so they say 95% of enrolled (registered) voters turn up, but as in America heaps aren't registered. Shame. Julia Gillard represents the Labour party (whose views seem to be aligned with American democrats) and her main opposition is Tony Abbott (representing the Liberal party, republican-esque)In addition to the Greens party, other voter choices include the fishing and lifestyle party, the Australian sex party,  and the climate skeptics.  

At Kondalilla Falls with Kim and Anjie

Mah Jong

The Perrett clan  hosted some guests recently... travelers Kim and Anjie, from Hong Kong and Germany respectively.  They had been working for Julie and Gary, our friends who live nearby, as "woofies" which is short for WWOF (world wide organic farm) association. This outfit matches folks willing to work for room and board, usually on farms! Gary and Julie don't have a farm, and our tiny tomato patch hardly counts, but none the less it worked out just grand-- in return for a bed and vittles, they did a smashing job washing our windows, re-organizing the pantry, helping with dinner, and cleaning our barbecue.  Plenty of time to wash the sheets before Jill and Angel arrived less than 36 hours later.

Last weekend was a treat for me, I was  down the road 1 km for a yoga retreat, my first ever but not my last. It was blissful to do so much yoga in one weekend. The Ayurvedic food was delish,  company fabulous, and the teaching superb. The most astounding participant was a petite power house named Vivian, always dressed in fetching purple togs.Somehow she could accomplish a myriad of poses requiring strength and flexibility far beyond my scope........and she is 37 years my senior!

new uniform for Sunshine State High School

Melissa has now finished three weeks at her new school, and the report is all thumbs up. She is really enjoying her new classes, but I still don't quite understand how she has so many.... in addition to the four traditional core subjects she somehow also has  manual arts (she's enjoying making a wooden pencil case at the moment)sport, Italian, art, and music. She has already made  new friends, as she was at a girlfriends house Friday night, and then onto a slumber-birthday party Saturday night. It sounded quite familiar.....a whole room of giggling girls eating junk food, watching movies, and gabbing until it was almost light. She was one tired puppy on Sunday!

The door was open a few days ago and in flew a magpie. He hopped around for quite awhile and seemed to consider staying but after he got a good look at the place out he flew. Finally, Here's a snap of a spectacular sunset we had last week. G'day mates!