Goodbye, Crib Point...Hello, Hawthorn!

Today was the Grand Final for Australian Football. Although the sport originated in the state of Victoria, two non-Victorian teams made it to the final – the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles. Sydney won the very close game, 58-54. “Footy” is very big in Australia. It’s actually quite fun to watch! They use a combination of skills from football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer.

Now that we have been here for over one month, I have a bit more experience that I can share with you lucky readers. I mentioned last month that I would speak on the water, the food and the coffee, so here goes. The water here is the BEST water I have ever tasted! I’m talking about water from the tap – it is, dare I say, delicious! It sure makes drinking those 8 glasses a day a lot easier.

It has been fun discovering Australian cuisine. You will find all sorts of international foods: Asian, Italian, Greek, and even Mexican. But there is some distinctive Australian grub. There’s Vegemite (disgusting brown yeast spread) on toast, meat pies, pasties (crescent shaped pastries with veggies and meat inside), sausage rolls, dim sims (like Asian dumplings – steamed or fried), and “meat & three veg” (just like it sounds). I have been to the McDonald’s once, and I ordered the “Oz Burger.” It would have been great, had they not put beets on it!! My favorite meal so far has been at the Spud Bar in Hawthorn. You get a huge baked potato and then you tell them what you want on it from the vast assortment of toppings. The sushi, Vietnamese food, and Italian food are also wonderful. The pizza is less saucy, and the crust is less doughy. I’m not won over yet.

Probably the most disappointing thing I have experienced is the coffee. I can’t find normal, brewed coffee anywhere! In the cafes and restaurants all you can order are café lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites (virtually the same as a latte), short and long blacks (espresso), or macchiatos (a latte with less milk). Of course you can buy instant coffee at the grocery store, or coffee for plunger brewers. There is no half & half to be found, only thickened cream or milk. So, don’t take those $1.50 coffees with the free refills for granted! Here one small cup of this sludge costs $2.50 - $3.00.

FLORA AND FAUNA

It is slowly turning into spring! The flowers are starting to come out and it smells gorgeous. I have now seen a few kookaburras and kangaroos! Tomorrow morning we will move into an inner suburb of Melbourne called Hawthorn. Lachlan’s Gran is generously letting us shack up with her for a while. She has a front room where I could teach violin when I find some students. She also has a nice backyard for Jackie to play in. Staying in Crib Point has been fun, but it is too far away from the city (about an hour away). We have had to go to the petrol (gas) station almost every day! Cha-ching…

NEWS FLUSH (OR HALF FLUSH)

I must give credit to the news stations here. They have been very thorough on their coverage of the hurricane disaster. I even saw the Oprah special – it was incredibly moving. It’s hard to be so far away and experience all of the suffering on the TV. [Deleted original content that was uncomplimentary to our current leader.]

KANGAROO JACKIE

She has earned the title. We have had her for about a week now, and it has been loads of fun! Last Tuesday, we were helping a friend install a kangaroo fence on a doctor’s farm property. Jackie came along, and as soon as she saw the kangaroos (there were over 30 of them!), she chased them off the property. It was a sight to see! The doctor then told our friend that he didn’t need the fence anymore. He just needed a dog! Jackie was so tired and sore that night, she could hardly walk. But I think it must have been the most exhilarating day she has had yet!

WORK-A-BERRA

Lachlan has been working part time at the Trading Post, doing graphic design and layout. He enjoys the laid-back atmosphere and the people he works with. But the job is only temporary, so he is still looking for a nice full time job. I took an audition in Sydney a couple weeks ago for the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. They perform at the beautiful Sydney Opera House. I didn’t get the position, but the competition was very tough. And the audition process itself was rather daunting. At least I gained experience from the ordeal and I will know better what to expect next time. In the meanwhile, I am looking for a part time administrator job so I can keep practicing and working toward my dream job of playing in an orchestra. Hopefully I will also find some violin students.

MOVIE REVIEWS

Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Our first movie in the Australian theatre was an animated movie! I guess you could call it “claymation.” Anyway, it was very cute. Wallace is the human and Grommit is the very intelligent dog that doesn’t say anything. Actually, Grommit doesn’t even have a mouth. They have a pest control company called “Anti-Pesto” and they are known for removing pests in a humane manner. The trouble begins when Wallace tries to brainwash the rabbits into not eating vegetables… I won’t say any more, as I don’t want to divulge too much of the story line. ☺ The movie was clever and clean fun.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.”
- Malcolm X (1925—1965)

Hugs across the ocean,

B.