American Thanksgiving

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Astrid returned from across the ditch (Australia) where she was attending a medical conference in Melbourne with her friend Nayana Suchak. After the conference, the pair of the them travelled up to Cairns and back through Syndey. I will leave it to her to provide the highlights. However, while in Cairns the pair hurled themselves off an AJ Hackett bungy jump. This purpose built tower allows for a 150 metre fall (7 metres more than the Kawarau Bridge where Avery and I were initated). I was truly blown away to hear that Astrid went. While I had no reason to believe that she would not be able to jump, I am amazed that she was able to make it up the open metal staircase to get to the platform - given that she has a reasonably strong fear of heights. Good on 'ya.

In any event, she was gone for about 10 days and it was good to have her home. Nayana was with her and will be staying for a few days before heading back to Toronto.

The highlight of the week (next only to Astrid's return) was our Americian Thanksgiving. It was a few days late but worth the wait. Mark (the new Americian doctor in town) had a turkey deep fryer brought in from the U.S. He then procurred what I am sure is the entire South Island's supply of peanut oil and two fresh turkeys. The party was a well attended pot luck affair. The deep fried turkeys were moist and tasty and a suitable novelty for the local Kiwis. Astrid and Nana cooked up a tradional Americian green bean casserole (I didn't now there was such a thing). As with any thanksgiving feast, there was too much food and too much wine.

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Photos

Deep Fried Turkey
Turkey boils in peanut oil with the parsons nose showing