Koalas and Outback

Glad your having a great time. You saw either the common Galahs (aka Rose-breasted Cockatoos) which are more grey and rose pink or an extremely rare and valuable bird ($1,000 and up) called a Major Mitchell (or Pink) Cockatoo which are white with pinkish-red in the crest when flipped up and an overall pinkish blush in the white body and head feathers. The latter is also larger...the size of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. If you haven't seen wild marsupials try a night drive in the outback. Drive slowly..they come out of nowhere. Deniliquin area has Red Kangaroos and the western slope of the Blue Mountains is good for Wombats.

Hey Y'all Down Under! Seems we're all burning up the airways and byways with our collective travel! I just went to Houston,TX for the first time this weekend and it was awesomely huge, expansive and HOT! Even in winter, you can feel the humidity and warm air just hovering. I ended up at the Houston Galleria, which I understand is one of the grandest (big European boutique names like Fendi, Chanel, etc.) and largest (next to the Mall of America in Minn.). Wow! Then trained about 40 teachers at the new school district office. That building was about as big as a Sears dept. store! Now I know what they mean by Texan tall tales, everything there being on a BIG scale, etc. Yes, for those reading this blog - which I hope is soon added to with more adventure stories - Rachelle is a bit of a celebrity in her hometown in the Sierra foothills. The Sat. before she and Missi departed, her long-time partner took her to dinner, then outside onto the main street and told her to look up. There, on the town theater marqui was a personal message loud and clear, "I love you, Rachelle. Will you marry me?" I understand a photo of the message and the newly betrothed, beaming Rachelle appeared in the local paper. Later, people stopped her on the street and asked if she was Rachelle - the one on the marquis? Indeed she is! So, there's the story. A happy beginning to a new one. Meanwhile, glad to see that Deb is caring for the phone and other technical details while Missi is out adventuring. She'll need new brakes when she gets home, but for now we're storing her car off the street in a safe place. For now, all she needs to be concerned about is that reverse-side of the road factor in Australia. Be careful - as I know you are! Missi drove our little stickshift car all over Southern Spain in Nov, and did a great job squeezing through insanely narrow archways over medieval streets and winding up hills to former fortresses. Also, while in Spain Missi and I went to the Rock of Gibraltar, which I've been wanting to see since childhood. There, the Barbary apes run freely throughout, and are quite accustomed to humans. They keep a save distance, but have no fear about grabbing packs and sacks because they know food is inside. Weeeeell..... a large male jumped on MIssi's back and started forcing his little paws into her backpack zipper. As I was trying to shoo the brazen bugger away, I felt a resounding THUMP on my back, and, before I knew it, another little ape had jumped onto my back and was grabbing my shoulder bag off from behind! She even reached around to the front, grasping my neck for leverage so she could rip open my bag! We were eye-to-eye. Even as I was swatting at her, I kept after the one on Missi's back because he was big and aggressive. Meanwhile, the large male on Missi's back was making headway and had several small items from her bag strewn onto the ground. He resisted my authority as long as he could, but at last he realized I was bigger and gave up, scampering away shamelessly with his female cohort, who also realized the futility of her efforts and scrambled off my back. She and I were both startled, because they really took us by surprise, but none the worse for the experience. The Koala that Missi was embracing seems to have an altogether different disposition than those Barbary apes at Gibraltar! It's wonderful that she got to hold the little fella --- and he didn't even seem to be grabbing for anything! I want to hear stories about kangaroos, and I want a leaping kangaroo pegatina for my bumper! The roo can be leaping toward the charging bull from Spain on the opposite side of the bumper! Gotta run. Can't wait to see more. Hope you run into an Internet cafe soon. Love and kisses, Mom