Sunday, January 20, 2008

Headed Back Home

Sorry for the lack of updates the past month or two. I've been enjoying my little break after my research project concluded with two 12 hour days in the lab with two 9 hour days on each side.


And I've been a little lazy as well.


A lot has gone on since the last update...new baby (not mine)...The Big Day In...Christmas...New Years...more birthdays...Richard, Happy 30th, and Bradley...hiking...research...partying...etc.

Congrats to Todd and Erin as Hudson was born on the 19th of December. I can't wait to see him when I get back in town. He's way to cute.

The Big Day In will most likely be something I bring back with me. Hil and her friend Lara started it sometime ago and have done it every year since. People came and went through the day but they were there for the full 16 hours of craziness.

It starts at about 10am and goes until 2am at the RE here in town. The RE has one of the longest opening hours of any bar in town. So you take your first sip just after 10 and your last around 2...with almost constant drinking all day. I joined them for the start but had to take about a 3 hour hiatus as I had to tend to my turtles as they had hatched the day before (great timing).

T-shirts were made, Trivia Pursuit, Uno, pool and Jenga were played, good conversation, friends and of course plenty of beer...one of the most fun days since I've been here. I didn't make the full 16 but managed about 13 or so. It was a great time and really nice and chilled as I was super stressed the three days before working. Needless to say the next day was spent recovering.

About 2nd hour in.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and was able to see all their loved ones. Hil came over on Christmas Eve and spent some time with me which was really good as everyone else was gone for the day and I was feeling kind of lonely. Thank You.

For Christmas I went over to Emma's parents place and had some prawns (no there not shrimp) for lunch then a great meal for dinner as well. It was cool to experience the different traditions and foods, and the best part is you can eat outside without freezing your tail off as you would up north. Very cool and it was nice that they invited me over.

Hil came over again on Boxing day and spent most of the day with me as well and we had a great time just chilling with a good movie and some popcorn. I have to bring it back for everyone to watch...If I can find it. Then she was off down south to a music festival for New Years and road trip with her mates.

New Years was spent over at a party thrown by a workmate of Emma's and on the way we got drenched as the rain was pretty bad and we almost lost part of our case as the cardboard was starting to fall apart. It turned out ok though. It wasn't very big maybe 20 or so people and was nice and chilled out.

The day before New Years we went down to Emma's boyfriends parents place, which is right next to the rainforest where I did the field course a few months back. I'm still trying to find it on Google Earth so when I do I'll post where it is for everyone. It's probably one of the most amasing places I've been to in a while. They own about 1000ha, or close to 2800acres, of farmland/rainforest about 1.5 hours from the city.

Hil left about a week ago for her new job down in Canberra, which I was really sad to see her go but she got down safe after the two day drive which is good. She's got really cool house but is still waiting for the rest of her stuff to get there and hopefully it won't be too long. I miss her, but doing alright.

This past weekend a few of us went for a day long hike/rock hopping up the river, again at Emma's boyfriend parent place, that runs into rainforest and the national park. Waterfalls, swimming holes, spiders, yabby's, rainforest...it doesn't get much better. It was way too much fun as it reminded me of all the time I spent in the forest down the street when I was a little kid. We didn't make it all the way to the 60m water fall we were aiming for but I didn't care as it was great time. Maybe next time we'll get there. Today I'm still sore but I think I'm getting too old as well. The lack of exercise and increase in studying this past year is catching up to me.








Mo and Emma

Yabby




I'll be arriving back in Cleveland sometime Wednesday night for a stay of about 3 weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again and finding out all the stuff I have missed out on in the past year. I'll be staying at the same house so if anyone one wants to drop by. I should have my mom's cell which I'll be using and most of you have gotten an email with the number as well. And the home number is the same also. I'm devised a little list of things that I miss or will miss from both home and here.

Home...What I miss.
Family, friends, my puppy dogs, my mom's cooking, cheap pizza, cheap beer, my car, a good stereo, a comfy couch, carpet, snow, showers long than 4 minutes, a dryer, cable tv, unlimited internet, football, hockey, no mosquitoes, the mountains (can't get them in Ohio though),...

Down Under...What I'll miss.
Friends, the sun and warm temps, thongs (flip-flops), shorts, great ethnic food, soccer, really good beer, cricket, rugby, my hammock, prawns, the beach, the city, good public transport, the kookaburra's and parrots...

We'll see how long I last in the freezing cold before I want to get back down to the summer here. I should be ok though. I'll try and see everyone I can while I'm back. If I miss anyone they will just have to come down and visit me here. I'll see everyone in the next few weeks.

Some more links for everyone to enjoy.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Cool Illusions
Cleveland Indy Media Center
Got Gas???
Only in America
I guess this was a big Christmas item this year...make it yourself cheap
One of the Best "The Onion" stories I've seen

Cheers,
B