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Published: June 14th 2008
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The Collection
Don't mind the labels... this is the homemade stuff. Hello world!
I have missed you. However, the weekdays leave much to be desired... As far as interesting things to post in here I guess, haha. The weekends are exciting though, as I'm sure you have noticed. 😊
Alright... Thursday. Thursday my plan was to scoot right from work to a place called Garden City. It's an "elephant-sized" shopping mall. Well, it was big. I would actually compare it to the one in Ann Arbor or Lansing. So, "big" if you're talking about Jackson Crossing or the Westwood, I guess. Anyway... I emailed Annette to wish her a happy girl's weekend because I wasn't coming in Friday and I hadn't been able to catch her in her office. She ended up inviting me over to "Nana and Pops" for dinner. I assumed they were her parents, but they are just an older couple she met several years back.
(Sidenote: They live in a house right down from her old house where she lived while she was married. Her husband was diagnosed with cancer and it turned ugly really fast. I guess he got really angry and was not ready to die or something. Anyway... as any death is...
The Bird
Suzanne...She was very social. watching him die was tough on Annette and one night she walked down the road and hid in some bushes to cry and this old couple was having a party of some sort and heard her. They came out and found her and I guess the rest is history. They've stayed close and she goes over there every couple of weeks.)
Anyhow... I loved them right away because when I walked in I was greeted with the hugest hugs and a kiss on the cheek from both of them. I learned their names were Karen and John. They were both in their 80's I believe. One of the first things they did that made me laugh was talk about this new lingerie that Karen had bought. It was pretty, haha. No worries, she didn't try it on for us. She just showed us. "I'm so big up top it only covers my nipples!" Ha! I laughed so hard. They were such a riot and you could see that they were still so inlove. She has four kids and he has six so they have a huge family. They've been married only about 25 years I think.
The next
Footy!
Outside the Oval thing they did was bring me out their extensive collection of different liquors they had made themselves. Bourbon, scotch, gin, schnapps, vodka... you name it they make it. John brews his own beer, too. The only one I tried was Karen's Kumquat liquor. It was very sweet. I was a little afraid to try the bourbon. I am a whiskey drinker... but I told Annette to cut lose and I would drive us home.
They made some sort of roast for dinner. It was good (but not as moist and tender as yours mom!). They also had mashed potatoes (sweet and regular mixed!), brussell sprouts, cooked carrots and beets. I had never tried brussell sprouts before but they were really really good. And it was my 3rd/4th try at the beets... and I actually liked them this time. Now, Jay had me try them several times and I never liked them... so I am half tempted to believe that I like them because they make me feel closer to him or something... but I've had them since and liked them again. Maybe I miss him a lot? Or maybe I do like beets now. I think both.
They
The Dockers
My team for the Aussie Trip told amazing stories about travelling and their children and I really enjoyed listening. I like listening to well travelled people and older people's stories. Sometimes they're so simple and just so real. I love that the simplest things can make me/people so happy. It helps me to remember that the world's not all bad. There are some people left that can find beauty in the smaller things and happiness in simplicity. When I left they told me to come back anytime and gave me more hugs and kisses. I do hope that Annette invited me back over there. 😊
Friday I decided to go to Garden City because I didn't go Thursday. I must say that it was kind of a dissapointment. It was pretty big, but it was all clothing shops. I guess I sort of expected more authentic australian stores. Not souvenir shops, but just places to buy authentic australian made things. So, after an hour I left. I did buy some perfume from the Body Shop. We have them back home, but I've never been to one. I bought some Sandalwood and some Patchoulli (yeah yeah... I'm a hippie, I get it 😉)
That night
Where it VIP cars park...
On the grass through the Mazda tire was the Frankenstein play I was going to with Mark, Harry and Harry's friend (annette's son and his friend). Well, I'll skip the details and just say that they didnt want to stay for the entire play because after act one they were bored. Since it was "boys weekend" for them I kept my mouth shut and said I didn't care if we left. *Annette was supposed to come, but Mark just bought tickets without asking anyone and it happened to be the weekend Annette had plans**. Since Mark had bought the tickets, I guess the money part didn't bother me. However, I cringe thinking that he wasted almost 200 dollars and only stayed through act one ($49/ticket). Well, I'll skip any details about the night because I'll just get fired up.
BUT, I will say that I lost a lot of respect for a couple people that night.
Today was GAME DAY!!! Whoooooo! I woke up and went through the ritual and left. I left the house four hours early, but I just wanted to get out of the house. So I left here around 10 and headed into Subiaco/West Leederville. I found the place a lot
easier than I thought I would. Just way early. So I wandered around and then kind of just laid at the park for awhile because it was so nice out and sunny. When it was finally time to head into the game I was ready. It was so much fun! The Oval was packed wall to wall. Those Docker's fans are really dedicated seeing as how the last several games have been huge losses/dissapointments. Well, long story short.... THEY WON! Maybe I am their good luck charm. They won 120-67 I believe.
You know what I think is strange.... At home when we go to games the big thing is to buy a soda or beer and snack on popcorn or peanuts. Hotdogs.... typical stuff for us. Here, everyone eats "chips". Which are what we call fries. Everywhere I go they have chips for sale. Games, movies, restaurants. Chips come with everything. And they call potato chips "crisps". So everyone eats these chips while they watch the game. And also lots of chicken... think KFC style (ew!). Haha. I wanted some peanuts and I failed miserably. Good thing I packed an apple and pear! I was hungry.
Anyway,
the game lasted longer than expected and once the sun set it was chilly, so I just came home instead of wandering.
I am bummed out a little because it's supposed to rain alllllllll day tomorrow. We're talking a 90% chance all day long. Not just hit and miss. I wanted to go into Fremantle and pick up the gifts I've finally set on for people and just mosey around because I like the ports. But it's all outdoors. 😞 Maybe we'll see how bad it's actually raining. Maybe I'll finally make it to the Aquarium, haha.
Anyway.
That's all for now.
Week 5 complete.
I'm still loving the adventures I'm having and the people I'm meeting.
I'm still not feeling like my heart is in the internship.
But I am a glass-half-full kind of girl, so life will go on!
See you lovely people in three weeks!
Hope you're ready to try some vegemite 😊
Megan
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Momma
non-member comment
Hi
This looks like a good day!! I am glad you got a chance to watch a real "footy" game. Enjoy the rest of your short time there. We love and miss you