Home, safe and sound...

A very long day, but a great day.

First the flag-lowering ceremony that Rod survived without injury,


then off to Melbourne where Rod and Lyn dropped us off right on time.


Checked in and heard a voice "Doug!", gadzooks Keith and Jenny, what are you doing here? We had a last coffee with them, then time to go....
A very nice send-off, thank you Keith and Jenny. [Surprise was set up between Rod and Keith].




Super plane ride, a bit bumpy. Then a security nightmare in LA. [Avoid landing in the US from a country other than Canada, unless you are an American. I sort of get the feeling that we are not wanted there. People are photographed and fingerprinted while hundreds wait in the line-up.]. It took us 1 3/4 hours to get out of the procedures before we could get to the gate for next leg!

In Vancouver a sweet reception by daughter Jeanette and youngest, Adrienne.


Jeanette also had two months of mail opened and sorted by category, plus groceries etc. for us at home. A very, very nice way to end a wonderful trip. Into the very, very best bed in the world where we slept for eight hours. [some of us are still sleeping as I write this.]

I will not be posting here again on this trip. Thank you those who travelled along with us!!!

Doug and Fellette

Christmas at 35° C

Just before bed time last night, [our last sleep!] and, true to his word, the man across the street ''Illuminated" his house for us last night.

When we met him three weeks ago he said that he had a target date of December 1 to have his house ready to light up. When he found out we were visiting from Canada and going back to the land where we do have ice and snow he said he would try and have a test light-up before we left.

The photos are the worst that I have ever taken, done in a hurry under very poor conditions. Reindeer, snowmen, all the trappings of a cold climate. Amazing.







His music was not playing though. I would love to hear Bing Crosby singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas". We had to go inside a bit quickly, the mosquitoes were out and that is not fun in shorts!

Back to the real word in a matter of hours.

Doug

IT'S OVER!

We have had an absolutely wonderful time since leaving home September 24th. We have never had a vacation like this before, actually it was several different kinds of adventure for us...

1. The coach tour through The Kimberley in Northern Australia.

2. Our time 'alone' in Broome, Perth, Alice Springs and Ayer's Rock.

3. The road trip with Rod and Lyn from north of Brisbane to their home in Maryborough.

4. Living in Maryborough the past month.

Each had its own different flavour and high points. There were some negatives of course. Living out of a suitcase and sleeping in a different bed every few nights is not all fun.

The Australia that we saw and lived is not what most tourists experience. We never went to Sydney, Melbourne per se, nor Brisbane. We DID experience 'country life' in Maryborough. [It is technically a city but to me it is a large Country Town]. We saw no Opera, Theatre nor culture in the accepted sense of the word. We did experience some rough and ready parts of this big and varied country, from aboriginal towns with all their warts and faults to dried up farmlands with struggling families and dying towns. In the west, it is big time boom time. We have had long talks with many, many Australians who confirmed that we share many of the same problems and issues in our respective countries.

There was really no one thing that I can say 'this was the best part', it is all rolled up into one big ball of an educational experience. It was rather neat to experience an election from start to finish in a country other than Canada and the US, [where there seems to be one continuous election].

Some people may question what Fellette and I do regarding 'working' all the time. It is not work, that is how we play. Some people go to restaurants and bars, some to the Theatre, to some beach vacations or golfing etc. are big parts of their life. To each his own, all are perfectly acceptable. The problem with the blog is that you KNOW what WE are doing, you do not know how others spend their time.

We do have quite a varied life, and for that we are very thankful and grateful. The last two months have been a very busy time for us, it will take some time to sink in. I hope that at least some of you caught the blog once in a while. I imagine most, if they thought about it would say, "my gosh, are they still there?"

The two photos show the Puppet Theatre built for Lyn to give to their nieces and nephews. Our last bit of fun with the Lindroths.



We sincerely thank Rod and Lyn for their hospitality during our rather lengthy say. They were gracious hosts and very tolerant of our eccentricities. They regret that we did not spend more time touring about this interesting part of Australia. We, however have no regrets at all, we did what we wanted to do.

We are looking forward to seeing our kids, grandkids, relatives, employees, friends and neighbours and, sleeping in OUR OWN BED!

Hopefully the weather is a bit more moderate at home than in Saskatchewan where Vivian says it is somewhere about -28 C, with a wind!

Thanks for following us. To some of you, see you in a day or two!

Love to all of you, Fellette and Doug

To bed now for our last sleep!

TA-DA! We're Finished!!!!!

Below are the final pictures you will see of our major projects. We all feel very good about them and a myriad of other bits and pieces done in the last few weeks. Rod is a very capable handyman, but somehow it is more fun with friends of like interest and skills. Lyn's talents lie in other more homey areas so Rod enjoyed the companionship as well.

The pond bridge - before


The pond bridge - after


The trellis and fence - before


The trellis and fence - after



"Thousands Attend Doug's Birthday Outing", read the headlines!

Well, today was my Birthday. It was very touching to turn on the computer at six this morning and hear from friends who had remembered, I wish I had that certain something that special people have. I do, however, miss phoning my mother and wishing her a "happy birth day", she always got a kick out of that.

After we put the finishing touches on the fence this morning we got cleaned up and went to a lunch with friends of Rod and Lyn's who live about 14 Ks out of town. They have five acres in a bush-like setting in a neat and tidy house with humungous flower and vegetable gardens. Water is a major concern, many of their plants, trees and shrubs have died in the past 10 years.



In spite of that, their resourcefulness has enabled them to have, still, a very colourful garden. Their friend has a very serious hobby of birds and fish. They have about a half acre of aviaries where his finch collection flitters about. Hundreds of them. His fish collection occupies a converted sea-going container. About 30 odd tanks I estimate. Birds and fish have been his hobby since childhood days.



By the way, dig those crazy raised bed vegetable plantings made out of old water tanks, I would like to try that one day, easier on the back!




After lunch we all went out to a somewhat remote area to see a bridge that was built by an enterprising gentleman over 150 years ago to enable people going to the gold fields a direct route over a marshy area rather than a lengthy detour. Of course it is now condemned and a derelict. As a lover of construction methods I am amazed at how they would build such a structure in those days with only their backs and their wits.



While marvelling at their ingenuity, thousands showed up to join the outing. Those Damn flies again. We were in the area for about 30 minutes, some areas worse than others. They REALLY are annoying folks! Lyn seemed to attract more than her share. I have enclosed a couple of shots. The Australian Tourist Association will probably have a contract out on me. [I am constantly reassured that this is very unusual. Sure guys!]



All in all, it was a great day and one that I shall always remember. Throughout the day and evening I had numerous e-mails from friends and family and even a phone call from my good friend Keith Stafford in Melbourne. It is a little humbling. Thank you all, we are indeed blessed.

And guess what, tomorrow is my birthday, again, at home!!!! [except we won't be there]

Two more sleeps!

And The Lord said...

Remember the seventh day and keep it holy... on the Seventh day ye shall rest.

So I did!

[Actually I did a few 'wind-up' jobs, including putting the primer coat on a Hand Puppet Theatre we are building for Lyn's nieces and nephews].


Later, when Fellette was giving it it's final coat in the afternoon, I pulled up a chair with a glass of wine and kept her company. After about 30 seconds I was bored so I rummaged through Rod's shed and found a somewhat but not-too-old magazine. I read an article that said that the life expectancy of males in Australia was 72.

Inasmuch as my 72nd birthday is tomorrow, I immediately put the magazine back.

The moral of the story? Don't read!

Two more sleeps.

Energy Breakthrough...

The Energy Breakthrough Challenge is a somewhat bland name for a very exciting event that we have had the pleasure of witnessing the last few days. This weekend [Thursday to Sunday], is the biggest thing in Maryborough's calendar. Seventeen years ago, somebody got the idea to give the school kids a challenge to build some alternative energy cars and race them! It is a team project and they are required to give presentations on their projects and raise money to sponsor their vehicles, shirts, caps, etc.



The RACV [Royal Automobile Club of Victoria], sponsors the event. 600 volunteers from all over help with marshalling, policing etc. 6,000 school kids from 200 schools in 90 some odd different events. The town of Maryborough's population increases from 8,000 to 28,000 during this event [they have lots of parental support]. The beautiful cricket ground down in Kings Park turns into a gigantic campground. Some of the town's streets are incorporated into the race track for the gruelling 24 hour endurance relay of Human Powered Vehicles.



Primary schools [grade 1-6] are involved in building push carts and racing them with one student riding and steering the cart, while another pushes. Boys and girls, compete with equal enthusiasm. Each team has its own uniform and support team. It is a very intense time for the kids, they have been working for months in preparation for this week.




They also have a competition to build a floating vehicle [boat] that must carry a can of pop down a long trough filled with water, propelled by some sort of energy. Solar panels, compressed air and other strange innovations are used. Some of the designs seem as if they had more fun coming up with some unusual appearance as well. Prior to racing any of their contraptions, they must do a presentation describing their inventions. All projects are worked on in teams. Believe it or not, that object that those two kids are holding is a solar powered crab. It won the heat.


The High school kids [grades 7-11] make some very sophisticated vehicles. They are all pedal powered but also require lights for night running, brakes and a horn, as the race they go in is a continuous 24 hour relay. There are pit stops where the drivers change over after about five laps of the track. The track is about two K's long. Speeds of 50 KPH are achieved. This may sound very dull and unexciting. Quite to the contrary, the enthusiasm is contagious. It is exciting to see these young faces so motivated in unison. They are all fitted out with knee pads, helmets, gloves and elbow pads.

The Human Powered Vehicles have the driver seated in a very stretched out position and pedalling with his feet. They are securely strapped in with helmet, goggles and water tube stuck in his mouth. The temperature today in the shade, sipping water was mid 30s C. I imagine a kid in one of those rigs would lose a litre of water in 10 minutes, at least.



We watched the start on Saturday from a great vantage point near the starting line. Lyn works for the RACV as a Traffic Safety teacher. She visits schools around the state of Victoria and is sponsored by RACV to instruct primary children in traffic awareness. That is why she is invited to share lunch and a good viewing spot from the corporate tent. Any lucky Canadians who happen to be visiting her are invited also.




They also have a small midway and refreshments area, but the accent is on the event and the teams, not the amusement side. Although, as I write this at 9.17 PM I can hear the upbeat music from Prince's Park a kilometre away.



As I am writing this the current federal government here is going down to defeat to a Labour Government. Get ready to hear about Mr. Kevin Rudd. [Mr. Slicko.]

Four more sleeps.

Doug's ramblings, bits and pieces...

It is Federal Election Day in Australia Today, November 24th, 2007.

The 'Liberal' and 'National Party' ruling coalition government may fall today. They have been in power since 1996. The touted winner is the Labour Party. If you think that the old BC NDP government was pro-union, you should see this mob!

Get ready to hear from a man called RUDD. Mr slicko!

As a matter of interest, Australians are subject to a fine of somewhat over $100.00 if they fail to vote. The notice comes to you in the mail!


Doug's ramblings, bits and pieces...

1. I have taken 2401 photos in the last two months. [Most never to be seen again]. I am in about 15 of them!

2 We have slept in 25 different beds since leaving home, plus one night on a plane.

3. The SOUTH side of a houses in Australia never gets sun on it, [ and moss grows on the SOUTH side of trees.

4. HOT winds come from the NORTH.

5. The school year STARTS very early in February and ENDS a week before Christmas, the kids then have their Christmas/Summer vacations.

6. People go to the beach at Christmas, and are NOT likely to have turkey for dinner.

7. They sing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" here, although snow is basically unheard of except in some mountains.

8. Some people have "Christmas-in-July" because it is cooler.

9. There is no thanksgiving here. [The first arrivals were convicts sent to the ends of the earth].

The Aussie observations of course are obvious, and we knew of them, but I never really thought too much about it, until now.

Fellette and I had a rather neat on-line-experience the other morning. We and Jeanette and Ted at work had a brief exchange of e-mails for a couple of minutes. We were still in our PJ's at 6.45 AM, and it was 11.45 AM at work, a day behind. Kind of fun.

We are finishing our tasks here, I will send photos when completed.

Yesterday we spent a couple of hours after our morning work at the local Park where a weekend of racing competition is on. [I will send more info when the weekend is over].

In the meantime I will show you a few shots of the terrible weather we are enduring!




According to my computer this morning, following are the projected temperatures for four cities around the world where we have friends/relations......

Vancouver 7 C, London 8 C, Atlanta 12 C, Maryborough 31C!

Four more sleeps and then home.

"Nothing exciting happened yesterday..."

I said that to Fellette early this morning. I generally do a blog at the end of the day and send to Craig, along with appropriate photos and he puts his magic touch on it and publishes it. Yesterday I did not do that, so, today, to keep my typing skills up to date, I will tell you of "our day".

D and F awoke at 6, coffee on and chat in bed, quietly!, [our hosts go to bed late and get up later than we do].

I check the computer and have a neat exchange with Jeanette and Ted at work.

Thursday is "Crafts Day" for the girls, so they put on street clothes, not work clothes like Rod and I. It is cold as blazes out [?] with a nasty wind howling so it is jeans and sweater for me. Fellette had to borrow wooly coats from Lyn as her bodies thermostat is completely confused from the 39C temps of earlier in the week. [temp. is now hovering at 18C with a wind-chill factor of -1!!!]


Yesterday I had taken down the 109 year old copper 'house name-plate' that had oxidized to black. I went to his 'shed' and found paint stripper. It never touched it. Into the kitchen with salt, vinegar and 000 steel wool. Eventually a copper sub-surface started to appear. A half hour of scrubbing and I had a masterpiece in my hands.


Eventually our hosts appeared, rather drowsily, and had their breakfast, sort of. Fellette and I had ours.

I helped Lyn set up a Blog, [they are out of the country for most of 2008], for a few minutes. The girls then left for crafts after Fellette gave Rod and I some advice [?] on how to handle the lower boards on the fence.

Rod and I started to fiddle with some old 2 x 4s for the fence. After a short while we realized that what material we had, [used], would not do. We measured up and went to the hardware, [lumber yard] and ordered the goods, then returned home.

We came inside to get warm and killed time until it was time to walk to town and have lunch with a few of the 'crafters' at a local deli. Now this is the part I do not understand. We joined six chatty-kathy ladies for lunch, just Rod and I and six ladies. Why?


Anyhow, we did. I think that I picked up about 10% of what was said. They all seem to have different accents and the topics were about absolutely nothing, utter nonsense. The girls seem to feed off of themselves. Even though the average age was well over 60, they were like teenagers.

As soon as it was convenient we left. I needed a haircut but the barber was out to lunch so we did a few of Rod's 'town errands' first. Back to 'the barber', a 21 year old 'hot babe' in spiked heels [5"], black tights and bleached blonde with black frill. Gadzooks Doug, what are we in for? After the man ahead of me had his razor slash on the back of his neck fixed up with a styptic pencil, I was 'next'!

I then proceeded to get the best haircut I have had in the last 20 years. Plus some intelligent conversation with 'the babe'. Her 'partner' is a farmer who was thinking of going on a Farm Exchange in Canada. I encouraged him/her to do so. To Saskatchewan! I tried to tip her $2.00, but NO!, she ended up taking $2.00 OFF the senior price of $12.00!

Rod and I left and walked to the park where there is an event on this week. [Possibly later Blog?]. Back to the house where the lumber is just arriving for the fence, we help unload.

Now, get this, a bunch of 'crafters' arrive for 'tea'. It is too late to go outside so I fiddle with the computer and Rod walks over to visit a friend who is in the hospital. The chatter from the tea party is louder than ever, so I sneak to the bedroom for a nap.

After a long snooze I awake to the same ladies at the same table chatting away about the same nothingness. They leave eventually. I am then informed that we are going to the pub for the usual $5.00 meal [the traditional craft day excursion]. A 14 K drive, where the socializing continues for about two more hours. Home and to bed.

Now do you see where I said nothing exciting happened? Also I might say, not a darn thing constructive except the lumber arrived.