A month of bits and bobs, no interest to anyone really. Just think of it as my way of keeping in touch, and as a diary for when I’m old and senile. (Yes, I know, you’re all thinking , “you are already, you Welsh twat!”, hardy har har..)
I visited Canberra’s big flower festival, Floriade, just to get some snaps. It’s wasn’t very good, again, and for the life of me I cannot see why it attracts so many punters. The most interesting thing there were the swans, which are there all year round. Ok I must admit the bonsai show was brilliant. It’s one of those things you see, and think it would be an interesting hobby to get into. But then you go home, and plant a small tree, and think; “What the fuck do I do now?” The only answer being, “wait about for forty years”. Yes, I did.
I didn’t go into the traders stalls this year, as I still haven’t finished off all the pickles and chutneys I bought at the Floriade of two years ago.
We went down to the coast as planned. Lee-Anne had the task of stuffing the car with dogs, food, wine, clothes, camera gear, hard core pornography, Viagra, and all the essentials for a weekend away for two, as I was in work. Lee-Anne drove to pick me up, it was 8.30 pm before I left work, it was pouring with rain. A good start.
The journey was eased by our good friend “Sean the GPS”. This meant we missed out on the traditional “tour of the south coast, lost and very pissed off” which is the normal start to these trips. One of the very nice things we noticed on the way down, one of the only things we noticed seeing as it was pitch black, was that when passing through the small villages on the route the local pubs were all bursting at the seams, each and every one of them. They must have been watching Aus stuff England in the one day tests. Having said that it did remind me how much I miss having a local, as I really don’t go to the pub much these days, and we don’t really have a local here.
We found the accommodation without any trouble, and very nice it was too. (See here.) At nearly midnight, I walked the dogs down the beach, which scared the crap out of the roos who were grazing on people’s lawns. Lee-Anne cracked open the vino.
The next morning at 6.30 am, we phoned the whale watching people, only to be told it was touch and go conditions, and that “today’s weather was the best forecast for the week”.
We went along. We got out to sea, despite the gale force winds. The conditions weren’t too bad, though the sea was choppy as hell, and it was not good for whale spotting. We did see some whales, and I got a few snaps, but nothing great. Still it was worth the trip to get those glimpses, and the nice people on the boat charged us a reduced fee. We’ll probably go back again later in the year to have another crack.
Saturday September 26, 2009
Blustery conditions prevailed throughout the morning which always makes conditions more difficult for whale watching, however CAT BALOU sighted three whales on their morning trip. They followed a juvenile Humpback for over an hour and this animal which was on the surface frequently throughout. Another pod of 2 adults were sighted splashing to the south and CAT BALOU had a quick look at them before returning to the more sheltered waters of historic Twofold Bay where passengers enjoyed a cruise around the southern section whilst hot soup, biscuits & cheese were served.
On board was researcher Annie from the Pacific Whale Foundation
Oh, this day was Lee-Anne’s birthday. So the rest of the evening we’ll draw a discrete veil over, shall we?
We spent another few days there at the coast (in heaven!) after this. Not doing much, walking on the beach, dropping Barnum in the sea for his tonic, visiting second hand book shops. All very relaxed, chilled and nice.
Mary, the mother in law, is off to the “World Masters Games” soon.
Despite the fact that she has an internet computer at home she imposed on Lee-Anne to get a hotel organised for her as; “You know about this sort of thing.” Or not, apparently. Lee-Anne diligently found out what Mary wanted from a hotel (“the cheapest”) and looked through some of the hotel review sites we use to find a good deal. Then booked one.
Of course once the booking was made we got a litany of complaints, mind changes, new instructions, and grief, lots and lots of fucking grief. They get that way at her age.
Started off with the hotel being too far from the ground. “I’ve got to get there for my first event which is at 8.45 am!” Ok, so scouting round found nowhere more suitable at a reasonable price, so the rate was going to have to go up. Lots of negotiations, more specifications and more toing and froing was done. But, Lee-Anne then discovered that either by taking a cab, or taking two metro train, Mary could be there in ample time to throw. In the end, after much negotiations, and thoughts of homicide, she’s staying at the original place Lee-Anne booked, and grumbling.
The basketball league which Bethy plays in had their awards event held on the weekend before Bethy was due to go off to Japan. As is inevitable I was working that day and couldn’t attend. Bethy Glenn and Lee-Anne went along. To Bethy’s genuine surprise, and immense delight (to say nothing of the delight and pride of her three parents) she was given the “Coaches medal” for the most valued player in her age group.
I spoke to her coach yesterday, when returning some kit. Out of the blue she told me that she is so looking forward to having Bethy in her under 16’s premier squad next season as; “She’s a natural leader, and inspires the girls to play their best. The side isn’t the same without her in it.”
Bethy got off ok for her visit to Japan. She managed to get everything she needed and great deal of time, thought and effort were put into, not only her new wardrobe, but buying suitable presents for her host family. Lee-Anne spent a small fortune of getting good wrapping paper and accessories, as for some strange reason the Japs put as much credence on the presentation as on the contents of any gifts.
There have been extra curricula cultural appreciation lessons for the past few months, and reams and reams of do’s and don’t’s to be memorised have been brought home (The instructions on using the family bath come in three volumes.)
Without wanting to boast (Ok, yes I do) her school reports have all stated that she is the highest performing student in her Japanese class, in fact in all of her classes.
It was only while waiting to see her off at the coach station in Canberra that we discovered that there were six boys and only one other girl going. (With one male teacher and two female) I can see why she was so keen then.
But what an opportunity for a kid of 14 yrs. The exchange was with Matsusaka High School, in the Mie-Ken Prefecture in Japan, though they will also be spending time in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and some other places.
She was due to spend week living with a Japanese family and attending school there, then one week touring Japanese cultural sites, nothing ever turns out as planned does it?
The first e-mail we had off her was ok. She was at Hong Kong airport, with a five hour wait for the transfer to Japan.
On the first leg of the flight she watched the “Angels and demons” and “Robin Hood” movies on the plane, no reviews on these apart from “they were ok.”.
Bethy discovered at Hong Kong that three people on the trip with her, one of them one of the teachers, have never left Aus before. So seeing as Bethy has been to the UK three times (with stopovers in HK, Japan, Frankfurt, Bangkok,) and to New Zealand, she was playing the sophisticated traveler…
The second e-mail was to inform us things are going well, and that Bethy had just had to make a speech in Japanese in front of the whole school, 600 pupils watching her. Hell of a scary, but it sounds like she pulled it off with aplomb.
From the mail, I quote; “I got a great wallet it has some classic engrish, it says, `GOOD DAY SOUL PEACE I BREAKE A DAY IT WILL AGAIN UP YOUR NEW LIFE`”
Also that she was NOT enjoying the whole “hole in the floor” toilet routine.
The next contact? Via the phone to Lee-Anne’s work number; Apparently Bethy was having to be moved out of her host families home and in with another family due to one of her hosts having (suspected ) swine flu!
I know. 14 yrs old, in a foreign country, and they start dropping with swine flu around her. Then we get another e-mail;”みゆ has swine flu and I can’t live with her so I’m, for tonight at least, going to live with a pensioner.” A pensioner? This was mitigated by; “I met the mayor of Matsusaka and he is kind of weird, not like a stereotype old crotch of a guy, but a hip funky kind of super jesus
awesome.”
Hmmmm…So much for our spending a fortune on gifts for the host family, she was there three days. I don’t know if she bought another gift for the old biddy she ended up staying with.
Next e-mail?
“I have done a tendon in my foot whilst playing a game of soccer.
It is strapped and they put some balm on it. (I reckon it has tiger vomit in it.)
It is alright. It is fine. It is a funny shade of purple.”
She comes home in four days (as of my writing this) She’s presently touring Nara, Kyoto, Tokyo and other places. We cannot wait to have her back, the house is too empty, and too quiet without her. Though a lot more tidy.
Edit: at the time of writing this we are hearing that a typhoon is forecast for Japan, with 210 kph winds and 50 mm rain, flights out are being canceled, Bethy was due to fly tomorrow. I’ll keep you updated on request.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1009990/1/.html
By buggery we’ve been having some funny weather here of late. I thought this one worthy of transcribing in full.
ACT and Canberra Forecast
Issued at 11:20 am EST on Tuesday 22 September 2009
Warning Summary at issue time:
Severe Weather Warning for Damaging Winds.
Sheep Graziers Warning for Wednesday.
Small Boat Alert for Canberra lakes.
Current Weather Situation and Future Developments
Windy conditions will persist as a number of Southern Ocean cold fronts cross the region over the coming week. These fronts will bring some rain and isolated thunderstorms as they cross. The colder stream following these fronts will also bring snow showers to high elevations from time to time. Fine conditions will return as the fronts clear, and the next high approaches on Sunday.
Forecast for Tuesday
Raised dust otherwise fine until isolated showers and thunderstorms develop later this afternoon. Rain developing tonight with further isolated thunderstorms. Partly cloudy with fresh and gusty west to northwest winds, strong to gale force about high elevations.
City Precis: Dusty. Late rain developing.
City: Max 21
Tuggeranong: Max 21
Chance of rainfall: 80% later.
Winds on Lake: Northwest 30 to 40 km/h.
Yes, dusty! The whole bloody city was dusted out, I got a good snap of the view from our porch here. Then it peed down, so all the dust turned to mud. Then we had snow on the tops, now we’re having frost. Springtime in Australia just isn’t supposed to be this way.
Follow