today we...

Today Paula and I decided to go on a whirlwind tour of the beautiful Swan Valley on a warm and sunny winter afternoon. There are dozens of wineries about 25 minutes from our house from the ocean with good food, good wine and lots of fun. We tasted different varieties of Syrah, Merlo, Cab Sav and a few others that I didn't recognize. We stopped at a German microbrewery and had squash soup with salads and a pint of our favorite beer. Fifty yards later we were at a beautiful winery with fields of vines where we sipped the finest Cabernets of Australia, laughed our selves sick in the sun and told lies. Another fifty yards down the road and we were at another winery buying a cask of port. Yummy. We didn't get very far down winery row!!!







Paula thinks our friends will get similar casks of port for Christmas... They had better be dear friends. The port here is second to none in the world. We cherish every drop laughing and giggling at each other after every sip. So, if you do show up on our door step with an empty glass, we'll understand. Really. If you don't, well, more for me!
Our settling in process is nearly done. The only thing missing is our furniture. Still don't know where that container might be. I do know it is somewhere between West Australia and Sigapore where it had to be transferred. We all miss our things. I especially miss my bed! But the kids have gotten into a routine of going to school then a snack and off to the nearby park to play. Although it is winter here, it is really like late spring in Oregon. Showers on and off with intermitten sunny days and beautiful sunsets over the Indian Ocean are common. Come September, we will be back in the ocean for another nine months of summer. Everyone is chomping at the bit, especially me. I can't wait to start catching lobsters and spearing big fish. Its the hunter-gatherer in me I guess...
Love to all. Steve

A Bit of This; A Bit of That

Last week kind of got away from me! The kids have been on winter holiday for the past two weeks, so we haven't had much of a routine. Today they are back in school, beginning the 3rd of 4 terms in the school year. Today I think I'll just ramble...pardon my lack of focus, in advance.

Back in the States during winter everyone heads to Hawaii, Florida, Mexico. Here it is mid-winter and people are vacationing in Bali, one of many resort islands that make up Indonesia, and all sorts of exotic points North. (remember it's opposite day, every day!)Lots of newly tanned people walking around. Makes us look forward to summer that much more.

Amazing storm last week in Perth. Very high winds and rain. We went to the beach to watch the inevitable show that Mother Nature provides during such a storm by the sea. Spectacular. I took pictures, but they don't do justice.



We finally saw kangaroos! We went out to a nearby cemetary at dusk recently, and as promised by locals, there were lots and lots of kangaroos eating grass and having a 'roo party. We were all completely enchanted. They are quite tame and it's not hard to get close. Of course, they could decide to box you in the face should you get too close, so we kept a respectable distance. I would say there were at least 30 of them in the area where we were, with pockets of many more all over the cemetary. Wow. I must say, they are kind of cute and have an inquisitive look on their faces and freeze just like deer in the headlights of an automobile.



We are all having fun trying to imitate the Australian accent and use their odd vocabulary. Here are a few more we've giggled about; "the lot"; meaning "the whole thing"; "reckon"; they reckon everything here. It sounds like a bad John Wayne movie all the time. Here they don't go to the pharmacy, they go see the "chemist". That one conjurs up bad memories of school classes from long ago.

Christmas in July. Some folks do that here. There is no chance for snow on Christmas Day here, or for temperatures much below 90 degrees either, so Christmas in July is the alternative. It's the coldest time of the year, so they figure it's more like
Christmas is for the rest of the world now than in December here. Alrighttty then!

The kids wanted to spend most of their winter holiday playing video games, watching TV and sleeping late. Too much fun. But, Lucas went to a Christian camp for a few days, the kids went to and hosted sleepovers, and there was a trip to a local indoor swimming facility and a hands-on science exhibition. We managed to keep busy but still have lots of "down" time. Sam is still taking guitar lessons, and is beginning to see some fruits of his labor. It's getting better and more fun for him all the time. Cami has a birthday coming up soon, August 1st. Her first birthday she will ever celebrate during the winter. Ha! Cami will be eleven years old. Happy Birthday Cami!
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Adventure to the Big City

Last weekend we decided to get on a train and go to downtown Perth; the big city! Living in Medford makes most any city seem large, so Perth seems like a big city to us. Actually, it has a population of about one million. It is a lovely city, quite beautiful and situated along side the Swan River. When we all decided it would be fun to take a train ride, our original destination was Freemantle, which is just about an hour south of Perth. We jumped on the train near our home and when we arrived in Perth to catch a different train to Freemantle, we discovered there was some kind of service interruption and we couldn't get there via train.
Time for Plan B.
We decided to walk around Perth and see what a Sunday afternoon would bring. It was fun to discover that Perth was alive with plenty of people, shopping, musicians on the street, great food and a cornucopia of culture that made our head spin. Walking down the street you can hear many different languages spoken, as well as many versions of heavily accented English. Clothing specific to the cultures represented here is equally as interesting. It's hard not to stare openly at times! We just took it all in and enjoyed it. We finished the day at a food court where we could choose between a "Subway" for a familiar American-type sandwich, the Aussie standard fare of fish and chips, or an impressive array of Asian fare. Steve and I were in heaven with the Thai food we selected; I would eat it every day. One thing I am fast becoming to appreciate is the food here. There is an influence of so many cultures, it's quite fun to try new things.
We arrived home tired and happy, declaring that our next train excursion we will make it to Freemantle.

Bloomin' Winter!

Yes, it's winter here and I can't help but think that the rest of the world is snickering at Australia a bit as they partake of the delicious activities, food and carefree attitude of summer. Yup, we wish it was summer here too. Whatever.

We've got bloomin' flowers! Take a look at some of the flowers blooming around our home right now in Perth. Those green globes hanging from the tree in our backyard are as yet unripe lemons. Yup, in the summer we will be able to make LEMONADE! Roses bloom and tiny daffodils emerge and show their little yellow faces.

Now that I think about it, I'm fairly certain I can handle a winter where I can have cut flowers all year round.

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa Felines....

I can't help it.
I really miss my kitties. I had to take them to C.A.T.S. the final full day I was in Medford before departing for Perth, Australia. C.A.T.S., for those of you who are not familiar, is the acronym for Committed Alliance To Strays; a non-profit organization that takes in stray, abandoned, and unwanted cats and kittens and cares for them in the most loving, clean and pleasing environment. They are located in Jackson County on Ross Lane. They do not ask for money, or anything in return. They simply take cats and kittens, make sure they are healthy, comfortable and loved, and put them up for adoption to people looking for a new companion. It is a labor of love for the folks who work and volunteer at C.A.T.S.; a most extraordinary gathering of people who love and are devoted to felines of all kinds who are in need. Jan Whetstone is the executive director, (forgive, please, if that is not the exact title) of C.A.T.S., and has been for many, many years. The energy, time and love she has devoted to cats and the organization is simply extraordinary. The minute I am on Medford turf again, I plan to become a humble servant to do anything that needs doing for this organization.



I acquired one of my cats there; Sosche. He came to me at 4 weeks old, brought in by someone who found him and didn't know what to do with him. Because he was "under age" I had to be his foster home until he was old enough to adopt. He was tiny and scared when Sam and I brought him home that day in June. We were smitten instantly. My other cat, Misha, was less than thrilled with this adorable bundle of fur, but it wasn't long before Misha was won over. I had Misha for 9 years and Sosche for 5 years before our journey to Perth became a reality. I relinquished them both to C.A.T.S. amid copious tears, hysterics and hyperventilation. Jan was on hand to personally take care of me (yea, me, not the cats!) since I was a bigger wreck than they were. They were scared; I was devastated.

Today, I have seen their pictures posted on the C.A.T.S. website (www.kittensandcats.org) and it tears my heart out. I hope they are still there when we return to the States because I will go there and snatch them up again. I miss them terribly. But, because C.A.T.S. is such an amazing organization, I know they are being loved and cared for and if they are adopted by anyone during the time I am away, I know whoever gets them will be a genuine cat-lover. The folks at C.A.T.S. are very good at making certain the home these cats go to is the right one for them.

We also miss and talk often about our dog, T-Bone, whom we gave to a couple who seemed to fall in love instantly with T-Bone when they met him. For those of you who don't know, T-Bone is a Border Collie, and smarter than all of us collectively. He was "adopted" by a couple with a huge love for animals, and had a dog appropriately named "Aussie" whom they wanted a friend for. We are in touch with these folks often and have been told of the spectacular way that T-Bone has enriched their lives. He will be going to agility training classes when he reaches one year old, which is in October. Our family is hoping to be able to see T-Bone perform in a dog agility show which are often held at the Jackson County Expo. Border Collies in particular are known to be outstanding performers for this venue. It will be such fun to see him!



Our adventure Down Under is fully underway, but we miss our pets every day. If anyone is moved to volunteer or donate time, money or supplies to C.A.T.S., I would consider it a personal favor to me, repayable many times over when we return.

Pets enrich our lives in so many ways. Remember to love and appreciate yours while you have them. And remember, with July 4th approaching, it's scary out there for dogs and cats. Keep them inside.

God Bless.

Winter is for the Dogs

G'day mates! How ya goin'? No worries here down under. Not even on the first official day of winter. Winter? Ha. That's what they call it here, but seriously....
Winter is frozen fingers; socks in bed; hands encircling a cup of something hot and steamy; sitting by the fire; turning up the heat, putting on warm fuzzy socks, bundling up in a blanket and STILL being cold. Winter is feeling like your bones are cold. Get out from under these warm blankets in my bed? I think not. Flippin' brrr!
Take a look at winter in West Australia. Seriously. It is laughable. I took my bike out for a ride on 21 June, the first official day of winter here; Winter Solstice. Shortest day of the year. I rode on one of the glorious bike paths that hug the stunning shoreline all over the greater Perth area. What I encountered didn't have any of the trappings of a winter day. The coastline was teaming with people out enjoying a gorgeous day. I saw people wearing pants, shorts, wet suits, swimming suits, sports bras, bare chests. Winter? Whatever, mate!

The temp was high 60's, low 70's. I found my way to a dog exercise area of one beach; people can let their dogs be dogs here without having to keep them on a leash. The unabashed joy I saw on the faces of these dogs was pure magic. Of course, they didn't know it was the first day of winter and couldn't have cared less. But I was struck by it. In Oregon the first day of winter is generally drizzly and/or foggy. Cold and yucky. But hey, it's winter, it's supposed to be, well, cold! West Australians don't have a clue about winter. They feel terribly inconvenienced to wear a hoody if the temps dip below 75 degrees, or, if they have to exchange their flip flops for a pair of socks and shoes; not that I've seen many concessions in those areas yet.










Aussies dream of a winter vacation up north (remember, it's always opposite day in Australia!). Up north it's a nice, sunny 80-85 degrees. Better yet, go to Bali or some other Indonesian island where the real warmth is.

Aussies like to squirm and compain about enduring the winter. One friend I have said she has lived here most of her life and she characterized it as something of a surprise each year when winter rears it's ugly head in Australia. Like, "hey, who turned down the sun?" Well, that's not all that winter is here. It actually rains here in the winter too. But it's nothing like the days upon days of rain we have to endure in Oregon. It's usually a day or two of major downpour, and then several days of sun and delightful temps. I am still quite comfortable riding my bike during the day wearing shorts or capris.

Winter in West Australia? I think I can handle it.
But hey, mate, the days are already starting to get longer here! No worries!

What's In A Word?

We've all learned some interesting vernacular since we've arrived in Australia. Sharing a few with you all here:

trolley = grocery cart
jumper = sweater or sweatshirt
saltana = raisin
tea = either a cuppa, or, dinner, depending on how it's used in the sentence
petrol = gas
how ya going? = how are you?
mince meat = ground beef
flat white = latte
bather = swimming suit
booking = reservation
biscuit = cookie
can do = OK
bloke = male friend
mate = male or female friend

There are a couple that hurt our ears, so-to-speak, because they are so cumbersome to us. They say "maths" which is short for mathematics. We just say "math". They also pronounce the "h" in herbs, where the "h" is silent when we say it in America.
The letter z, almost never used in Australia (the letter "s" is used in place of it in most spellings) is pronounced "zed".
Here's an interesting one; they spell yogurt "yoghurt".
Almost all the cheese is just labled "tasty cheese"; not cheddar, or muenster, or monterrey jack. There are custards and creams in the dairy section galore; I have no idea what to do with them, but they seem fattening so I just stay away!
They eat lots and lots of lamb; like we eat chicken in America.
All the cookies are hard and crunchy; there is no such thing as a soft baked cookie in Australia. Steve and the kids are trying to get me to make cookies everyday, and then try to sell them. We are all convinced that if they knew what they were missing, they would give up their "hard biscuits". Of course, when you eat them while you are drinking your morning tea, they soften right up, so I think that's what they like.
They don't use any numbers with their letters like, 1st or 3rd. Instead they say the number instead of the month first; 1 (one) June. I've created some major confusion for some of the school administrators when I would forget and put the month first. Whoops!
Every kid at every school in West Australia has to wear a hat when they have recess or activities outside. To not have a hat on invites a warning and/or your right to be outside revoked! They take their sun exposure very, very seriously here. The incidence of skin cancer is very high in this country.
This summer we will have to lather up!

G'day, mates!