Today was my day off. It's Tuesday. By day off, I mean day on. I had an incredibly productive day. I managed to wash, dry, fold and put away four loads of laundry (including our sheets and towels). I also tidied up the apartment, made a cheesecake, prepared dinner and ran (biked) a few necessary errands. I even ate two, soon to be three, solid meals today (this never happens on work days). As a side project, I started to organize the brochures we have collected over the past few months. We have seen and done some pretty amazing stuff. It would be nice for the next person who visits the KAI apartment to have some recommendations (organized in a lovely purple binder) for places to visit (and places to avoid) in Australia. I think I might learn to knit next Tuesday.
After travelling throughout the States for three weeks in August/September, Conor and I returned to Brisbane on September 8. Within two hours of landing (after flying two hours to L.A. from Seattle, fourteen hours from L.A. to Sydney, and another one and a half hours from Sydney to Brisbane - and skipping September 7 altogether), Conor and I were back to work. As always, our trip was whirlwind and wonderful. We/I took over 1800 photos while we were in the States. A handful of these photos are posted on my Picasa Web Albums site: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/home
Over the course of three weeks, Conor and I visited with almost everyone who is important to us. We were lucky enough to be present for the marriage of some of our best friends from high school and college (one wedding in Buffalo, another in Seattle), and visit with family members in Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, Providence and Seattle. We spent an afternoon with my 85 year old grandfather and the following day playing in the front lawn with a handful of nephews (and one niece) who were preparing to embark on their first days of kindergarten. I met my childhood best friend's son for the first time and discovered that a handful of good high school friends were in the process of buying homes. We volunteered at Sarah's non-profit, Cradles to Crayons, in Quincy, MA. We climbed a mountain in the Adirondacks. I saw a movie with Mary and Meryl and ate Mighty Taco twice in one day with Jack. I even spent 22 hours in Portland, OR hanging out, consuming great beer and amazing food with co-workers of the past and dear, dear friends. And I ate meat. It was an amazing three weeks.
And of course, there was Bella. We chatted with Bella for hours.
We are incredibly lucky people, Conor and I. Our trip home only further ingrained this truth. We have wonderful family and amazing friends. We are so privileged to know so many fabulous people. We are healthy. We are safe. We are having the time of our lives.
I am currently working Saturdays and Conor and I spend one day a week together. This past Sunday we drove north two hours to Noosa. We stopped in Mooloolaba and stretched out on the beach for a couple hours. We bought a boogie board. We had the best pizza since our arrival in Australia in Noosa at Zachary's. The bartender made me a Mexican Mule and had me at first sip. It was a wonderful day.
We are planning our next adventure, which is only just over four weeks away. We are travelling to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup (the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby) with six friends, two of whom were married on Friday evening at a lovely little restaurant along the Brisbane River (and yes, we were present! - I ate kangaroo for the first time.)
About a week after our Melbourne Cup trip, Conor's brother Dylan arrives in Queensland. We are hoping to head north with Dylan to Cairns for a long weekend and some snorkelling in the GBR.
Christmas will most likely be spent in New Zealand (on the South Island).
We're going non-stop. Work is work. My staff were excited for me return. They told me they missed my accent and ridiculous (often corny) sense of humour.
I'm back on the horse. More blogging to come!
Stay tuned...summer on the horizon and tomorrow: Mostly Dust Storms!
