Ho Hum

So what do we do when we aren't sightseeing or traveling or enjoying beers in a pub with no beer? Most of our year here is the day-to-day schedule and routine. I leave for work each morning around 7:30 - 8, except for three mornings when I go with my carpool girls, Annie and Kat, to the gym. We either do a cardio/weight workout, or we do aqua-aerobics. I have American witnesses who have come with me who will vouch for the fact that it is not "tea bag" aerobics! It's a really fun, hard workout, and I wish we had something similar in Corvallis. If we do, let me know!

Ross leaves the house around 8, either by big white plush school bus or by one of his mate's newly acquired car (driving age here is 17). He's at school till 4 or so depending on free periods. Tuesday nights he stays for a late class, Society and Culture, which ends at 6:30. I pick him up those nights since the great fruit and veg market is up near his school (out in the countryside).

I stay at school till 4 or so, and get to drive home most days with the carpool girls. It's a great way to learn even more about the area, the education system, and Australia in general. Last week we laughed ourselves silly the whole way home to terrible jokes, some Aussie, some naughty, some neither. Most days, though, we're rehashing the day's events, discussing issues, logistics, and students. Mix that with a little raising-teenager commiserating, recipe exchanging, and I took the dog to the vet/where does one buy new tires cheaply sharing, and you've got our car rides.

This sounds like home, right? The cool thing, though? Monday when I got home, I asked Ross if he wanted to go walk on the beach, and he took me up on it. We drove 7 minutes, past the kangaroos in the park, to the beach and walked while the sun set (not at the beach - we're on the east coast!). Some other evenings I arrive home to a note that says, "I'm at the jetty fishing. Come find me! Pat" I drive downtown, all of 4 minutes and walk out the boardwalk across the river to find Pat along the jetty rocks. Other afternoons I have to run errands. Like home? Well, here it means going the 4 minutes into town to the one street to get to the post office, the bakery next door, the bank across the street, and say hi to the girls at the hair salon next to the bank. It's wonderful!!

It reminds me of when we lived without a microwave years ago. We got along just fine. I'd had one for years and used it. I use the one I have now all the time. But when you don't have one, it's actually okay. Living without Fred Meyer store is like that. We're fine without, but as soon as we go home, I'll love Fred's again!

Wednesday nights Ross plays basketball with a community team.

Most afternoons, though, we're at home like boring usual, checking email, facebook, watching Australian Idol and hilarious Australian commercials (they have the most interesting sense of advertisements).

You've probably gathered that Pat is either fishing, or at lawn bowls, or doing every part of the housework and yardwork that can be done. He's also been doing all the paperwork and phone calling for our travels and our visa stuff. The visa stuff has been a super headache, which isn't worth going into, but let's just say it's all good, all solved, and was all-consuming for a period of weeks! He spent time on it that I didn't have with teaching, so thanks to him for making it all work out!