Random notes for the moment:

Just because it's occurring to me, I thought I'd share. Two things you won't find very easily here, but they'll humor you if you ask: Napkins and ice. First of all, they're called 'serviettes' which I find funny (and they do, too, naturally) because that's French, and they're all originally convicts from England, or here for thousands of years speaking other languages. It's typical for me to politely ask/rummage through cupboards at school or at someone's house to find a paper towel or some napkin to wipe my messy hands on from the goodies I've been eating . . .

Ice, forget it. You get cold water from their lovely bottle in the fridge, no problem. Ice in the restaurant, sure, but only if you ask.

And another thing. The pool was beautiful today, first day since last summer/March. Ross and I tried it last week, but we were absolutely ice upon entry. Not even the kind of Pinecrest ice that gets better if you stay in. This just got worse. But today it's officially usable, once again!! Hooray!!

And one more thing. I have to include a photo of fabulous Pat doing our washing. He is the domestic god around here, and there is a real Australian art to hanging washing on the line, we've learned. The neighbors have been secretly laughing at us all year, they've now admitted. But dryers are only used on those rare rainy weekends. Otherwise, every back yard has a rack and everyone hangs wash. A friend at school has family in Northern California. She was amazed to hear that NO ONE has a laundry tree in the back yard. Amazing.

Still another, pumpkins are now in the grocery store. That is orange, traditional, jack-o-lantern pumpkins. Except that it's Spring here. Halloween is apparently becoming more popular, but most think it's a weird American-ism that we can do without here.

Last thing. We do have a due date back home. We will be coming into Portland December 30 in the evening. There, I said it! Bitter sweet. Yes! Fantastic to be back with our family and be back in our beautiful town and home. Fantastic to see our friends again and hear more about what everyone's been doing. Oh! It will be so very hard to say goodbye for now to our amazing friends we've made here. Hard to leave this beautiful climate and darling town. Sad to think our afternoons walking on the beaches after school or hearing the kookaburras laughing wildly in the trees out back will be over for now. We'll visit again. But it is truly a dream come true, and I'm a real sap when it comes to things ending!!

Now that's all I'll say about that!