Friday, November 28, 2008
New Poll
Check out the newest Poll at the bottom of the page. Also if anyone has any poll ideas please let me know.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Meeting Paul
Well Yesterday was a fairly average day. I spent most of the day doing laundry and tidying up around the house. I had to go to the shopping centre and get more laundry detergent as well as some more credit on my phone. I ended up getting a new phone for only a dollar. It is much better than the other piece of shit I was using. So I got back and did some laundry since I was almost totally out of clean clothes. Once Helen got home I made some Tacos for supper. Diana wasn't going to be home so it was good since she doesn't like tacos. Helen then went for a massage while I got ready to go out. We drove to the train station and caught the train into the city. We were going to meet up with Diana there. We were going to watch her friend Paul Greene play. I have heard some of his music just from the girls playing it around the house. I like it. Both girls were also in a music video of his, which was really cool. We arrived at this little lounge that was in a back street not far from Flinders Station. It was very funky, but most things in Melbourne are. When we walked in Paul was at the door, he mistook me for Diana since it was dark and gave me a big hug and kiss before Helen could explain that it was actually her friend from Canada. He then made sure we were on "the list" so that we didn't have to pay to get in. So we drank $15 cosmos and watched the show. He was fantastic. But when I was sitting there I began to miss Caley. It was something she would have loved. He is really easy going just sitting there with his guitar and singing. It is relaxing and reminded me of the time we went to open mike night at the university. After the show the girls had a quick chat with Paul and then Helen and I raced Diana home. We took the train and she drove. She kicked our ass. The train was actually really full at 11:30pm, but not in a scary way. I am beginning to enjoy the public transport. Even if you have a car it is easy to take the train or tram when you're going out for an evening. Once we got home, it was off to bed to start a whole new day. Today I am just finishing my laundry and puttering around the house. I will go for a walk after lunch since it is really nice outside.
Until next time,
Cindy
Until next time,
Cindy
Monday, November 24, 2008
Blow Hole!
Well This has been an amazing trip. I am sitting in an Internet cafe in Hobart waiting to catch the airport shuttle to take me to catch a flight back to Melbourne. It has been an amazing time in Tasmania. I hope I can get it all out before the shuttle bus comes.
On Thursday I woke up to rain. I didn't mind except that I didn't have an umbrella or rain coat. I went to one of the cheap shops and found an umbrella for $3.00. Well it lasted about an hour. I was so frustrated that I went and bought a nice rain coat. I figured I would need it the whole time in Tassie and I'm sure it is bound to rain over the next year while I am in Aussie. So I spend the day touring the city of Hobart and booking a few tours to take. The thing with Tasmania is that most of the good sights are within an hours drive of Hobart. Unless you rent a car you public transport doesn't take you to all the good sights. It is reasonably priced to take tours because most supply a lunch and know the best places to see and get pictures. I booked three tours while I was here. After discovering some of Hobart I went back to the hostel in the evening to decide what else to do that day. One of my new roommates was from Germany and she asked if I wanted to go for supper with her and the other Canadian she had met. Of course, I said sure. I then met up with Lynn who is from Winnipeg. She has been in Melbourne for the last 4 months working as a substitute teacher. She takes trips on the weekends and will travel over the summer holidays. It was so nice to meet someone who knew exactly where I was coming from. We went for supper and then walked around Hobart more. We ended the night early because I didn't want to go to the local pub with the German girl. She was upset with me because I didn't want to go. I didn't care.
On Friday I took a tour with Tasman Island cruises. They picked me up at the information centre which was only 2 blocks from my hostel. We rode in a big coach bus down near Port Arthur. I met a woman on the bus named Mary from Melbourne. Her husband is here on business so she decided to take some tours. The bus was also full of older people who were on a cruise. There was a cruise ship in the harbour so tons of them on all the tours. We stopped in the morning about 10:30am for our morning tea. I had a snack since it sounded like we wouldn't have lunch until late in the afternoon. From there we picked up a few more passengers and we got onto a boat. Everyone got a rain coat to wear. I didn't need one since I had my lovely new one. I also was dressed very warm since I knew we would be out in the cold water. They started the tour by handing out ginger tablets for seasickness. I am glad I took them just to ease my nervous stomach. Then our boat toured around the Tasman peninsula. It was gorgeous!! The pictures I took do not describe the beauty I saw. The water was so blueish green and the cliffs were amazing. There were tunnels and rocks in strange formations. We saw this rock called the candle stick. It is one that many rock climbers try. You have to hike out there then, camp out. It takes about 2 days to climb. We then went to the Tasman Island. On the way we saw 2 different types of seals. An Australian seal and a New Zealand seal. The difference is in the way they walk. We also saw this bird, I can't remember the name of it, that has an eleven foot wing span. It was huge. Then we saw these little birds on the cliffs that looked like penguins but they weren't. Once we got to Tasman Island there were two other boats around there. They had told our boat that there was 3 humpback whales in the bay. I was worried I wouldn't spot it since I didn't know what I was really looking for. Well I saw them all. I got a few pictures, but it was difficult to catch them since they only skim the surface. The sight of them was breathtaking. Little prairie girl from Manitoba is seeing whales show off in the ocean. There will never be anyway to describe how cool it was. Once we watched the whales for about half an hour we went back to the harbour and went for lunch. I made friends with a nice couple from Melbourne who were just visiting Hobart for the weekend. There plan is to retire here since they love it so much. After lunch we got on the bus and went back to Hobart. On the way they wanted to know all about snow and Canada in general. I informed them they were missing out on perogies, clamato juice and tim hortons. They said they were willing to give that up because they didn't like the idea of the cold winters. We arrived back at the information centre in Hobart about 4pm. It was raining very hard. I then met up with Lynn for supper. She had a long day hiking at Wineglass bay.
On Saturday I went to the local market with Kirsten, my German roommate. We had breakfast there and walked the whole market in about an hour. She had to catch a flight back to Melbourne that day so she went back to the hostel to collect her things. I also had to change rooms in the hostel. Once I had done that I went for a walk to check out the Tasmania museum. While I was there I ran into Lynn and her friends from Vancouver, Ariel and her brother whose name I can't remember. We left the museum and decided to walk to the botanical gardens. Ariel's brother was hung over from the night before so he decided to stay back. The three of us walked to check out the view. It was nice, but sort of a long walk to get there. We then came back and went for lunch at a fish and chip restaurant. While sitting waiting for our meal I noticed a sign saying you could get a ride on the tall ship for $15.00 for 1 1/2 hours. We checked to see if we could get on. We were lucky enough to be the last ones on and we just finished our lunch in time. The ship was amazing and they had 35 people on as well as the crew of 6. We sailed all over the harbour. It was cold, but still really great. Ariel got to help out with some of the sailing tasks. I also pulled a few ropes. All in all it was a great experience for $15.00. After that I went back to my room to warm up. I then met a girl from England. Her and I and another girl from Germany went for supper. We ended up talking for a long while that night. It was very cold so we just went back to the hostel since I had to be up early the next morning.
On Sunday I was picked up by my tour guide first. I took a tour of Mount Fields national park. We started off by picking up other passengers. One being Ulricka, the German from the night before and the others included Lynn and Ariel. The tour guide was very interested to know where I was from in Canada. He even had a map so we could point out where we live. The rest of the day he questioned us about Canada. We first took a hike to a waterfall, then to the top of it. Since I am not in very good shape I was hoping that would be the last hike of the day. Once we got to the top we went to another waterfall. They were both very beautiful. On the way we told him about how if you are hiking in the Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba you would need to wear a bell to ward off bears. He said he preferred deadly snakes. After that we drove to the top of Mount Fields. It was a whole different vegetation up there. The air was also a lot crisper and cleaner. We hiked around a lake and it was stunning. Ulrika commented on the fresh hair and Nathan, our guide said it is some of the purest air in the world. When the air travels around the world the only places in touches coming west or east is Argentina. So it travels all the way across the ocean before it hits Tasmania which makes it very fresh. Also they get southerly winds that come straight from Antarctica. You can imagine how cold they are. After that hike we went to check out the tall trees. I stood beside the second tallest tree in the world. It is 101 metres tall. You can just imagine the size of the tree trunk on that thing. The tallest one is in California in the redwood forest. After that we stopped for lunch. While eating our guide was informed that he couldn't take us to Mount Wellington because it was closed due to a marathon going on. They were supposed to be finished in the afternoon but got delayed and we wouldn't have time to go. He decided to plan for somewhere else to go while we stopped to see the animals. We got to watch the Tasmanian devils eat. It is quiet the sight. They are vicious little things that look like big rats. We then saw some kangaroos and wallabies. We didn't see the platypus unfortunately. They didn't show up in the stream. We also saw a wombat and a koala. The whole place was really cool. Wombats are very cute!! After that Nathan took us to a different lookout on the other side of Hobart so we could see Mount Wellington in the back ground. He also took us to seven mile beach. It was way to cold to swim but still it was nice to see. That concluded our tour. I just went back to my hostel and had supper while I relaxed. I was very tired.
On Monday I was picked up with Ulrika at 7:45 to go to a tour of Port Arthur. We ended up stopping at various sights along the way. Most of which I had seen before in the last few tours. We arrived at Port Arthur just after lunch. It is an old prison for the convicts sent from England in the 1800s. I was a bit disappointed since most of it was in ruins. There was also a tragedy there in 1996. A young man went there and just randomly started shooting people. He killed 35 people in all. He is now in the maximum security prison in Hobart. We are instructed by our tour guide not to ask any of the employees about it since they will not talk about it. The building it started in was stripped down and there is a memorial garden there now. It was very erie. We also took a harbour cruise so we could understand how Port Arthur survived as a maritime community. After that we came back to Hobart. Claudette, one of the other passengers and I decided to go to fish and chips right after the tour. A few others from the tour decided to join us. We just all sat and talked about or travels and what was the best to see. I was feeling really tired so I went back to my room about 7:30. I decided to write out some post cards and could tell my vision was getting blurry. I finished and immediately got into bed since I knew this was a sign of a migraine coming on. It was full blown in less than an hour from that. I ended up sleeping most of the night with ear plugs so I could actually sleep. The night was awful with my uncomfortable bed and terrible headache. I woke early this morning I tried to get some fresh air to clear my head. I got a coffee and went for a walk. I feel a bit better but plan to sleep on the plane back to Melbourne. Well I hope you all enjoyed my tales of Tasmania. Sorry it was so long. I will put pictures up soon.
Until next time,
Cindy
On Thursday I woke up to rain. I didn't mind except that I didn't have an umbrella or rain coat. I went to one of the cheap shops and found an umbrella for $3.00. Well it lasted about an hour. I was so frustrated that I went and bought a nice rain coat. I figured I would need it the whole time in Tassie and I'm sure it is bound to rain over the next year while I am in Aussie. So I spend the day touring the city of Hobart and booking a few tours to take. The thing with Tasmania is that most of the good sights are within an hours drive of Hobart. Unless you rent a car you public transport doesn't take you to all the good sights. It is reasonably priced to take tours because most supply a lunch and know the best places to see and get pictures. I booked three tours while I was here. After discovering some of Hobart I went back to the hostel in the evening to decide what else to do that day. One of my new roommates was from Germany and she asked if I wanted to go for supper with her and the other Canadian she had met. Of course, I said sure. I then met up with Lynn who is from Winnipeg. She has been in Melbourne for the last 4 months working as a substitute teacher. She takes trips on the weekends and will travel over the summer holidays. It was so nice to meet someone who knew exactly where I was coming from. We went for supper and then walked around Hobart more. We ended the night early because I didn't want to go to the local pub with the German girl. She was upset with me because I didn't want to go. I didn't care.
On Friday I took a tour with Tasman Island cruises. They picked me up at the information centre which was only 2 blocks from my hostel. We rode in a big coach bus down near Port Arthur. I met a woman on the bus named Mary from Melbourne. Her husband is here on business so she decided to take some tours. The bus was also full of older people who were on a cruise. There was a cruise ship in the harbour so tons of them on all the tours. We stopped in the morning about 10:30am for our morning tea. I had a snack since it sounded like we wouldn't have lunch until late in the afternoon. From there we picked up a few more passengers and we got onto a boat. Everyone got a rain coat to wear. I didn't need one since I had my lovely new one. I also was dressed very warm since I knew we would be out in the cold water. They started the tour by handing out ginger tablets for seasickness. I am glad I took them just to ease my nervous stomach. Then our boat toured around the Tasman peninsula. It was gorgeous!! The pictures I took do not describe the beauty I saw. The water was so blueish green and the cliffs were amazing. There were tunnels and rocks in strange formations. We saw this rock called the candle stick. It is one that many rock climbers try. You have to hike out there then, camp out. It takes about 2 days to climb. We then went to the Tasman Island. On the way we saw 2 different types of seals. An Australian seal and a New Zealand seal. The difference is in the way they walk. We also saw this bird, I can't remember the name of it, that has an eleven foot wing span. It was huge. Then we saw these little birds on the cliffs that looked like penguins but they weren't. Once we got to Tasman Island there were two other boats around there. They had told our boat that there was 3 humpback whales in the bay. I was worried I wouldn't spot it since I didn't know what I was really looking for. Well I saw them all. I got a few pictures, but it was difficult to catch them since they only skim the surface. The sight of them was breathtaking. Little prairie girl from Manitoba is seeing whales show off in the ocean. There will never be anyway to describe how cool it was. Once we watched the whales for about half an hour we went back to the harbour and went for lunch. I made friends with a nice couple from Melbourne who were just visiting Hobart for the weekend. There plan is to retire here since they love it so much. After lunch we got on the bus and went back to Hobart. On the way they wanted to know all about snow and Canada in general. I informed them they were missing out on perogies, clamato juice and tim hortons. They said they were willing to give that up because they didn't like the idea of the cold winters. We arrived back at the information centre in Hobart about 4pm. It was raining very hard. I then met up with Lynn for supper. She had a long day hiking at Wineglass bay.
On Saturday I went to the local market with Kirsten, my German roommate. We had breakfast there and walked the whole market in about an hour. She had to catch a flight back to Melbourne that day so she went back to the hostel to collect her things. I also had to change rooms in the hostel. Once I had done that I went for a walk to check out the Tasmania museum. While I was there I ran into Lynn and her friends from Vancouver, Ariel and her brother whose name I can't remember. We left the museum and decided to walk to the botanical gardens. Ariel's brother was hung over from the night before so he decided to stay back. The three of us walked to check out the view. It was nice, but sort of a long walk to get there. We then came back and went for lunch at a fish and chip restaurant. While sitting waiting for our meal I noticed a sign saying you could get a ride on the tall ship for $15.00 for 1 1/2 hours. We checked to see if we could get on. We were lucky enough to be the last ones on and we just finished our lunch in time. The ship was amazing and they had 35 people on as well as the crew of 6. We sailed all over the harbour. It was cold, but still really great. Ariel got to help out with some of the sailing tasks. I also pulled a few ropes. All in all it was a great experience for $15.00. After that I went back to my room to warm up. I then met a girl from England. Her and I and another girl from Germany went for supper. We ended up talking for a long while that night. It was very cold so we just went back to the hostel since I had to be up early the next morning.
On Sunday I was picked up by my tour guide first. I took a tour of Mount Fields national park. We started off by picking up other passengers. One being Ulricka, the German from the night before and the others included Lynn and Ariel. The tour guide was very interested to know where I was from in Canada. He even had a map so we could point out where we live. The rest of the day he questioned us about Canada. We first took a hike to a waterfall, then to the top of it. Since I am not in very good shape I was hoping that would be the last hike of the day. Once we got to the top we went to another waterfall. They were both very beautiful. On the way we told him about how if you are hiking in the Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba you would need to wear a bell to ward off bears. He said he preferred deadly snakes. After that we drove to the top of Mount Fields. It was a whole different vegetation up there. The air was also a lot crisper and cleaner. We hiked around a lake and it was stunning. Ulrika commented on the fresh hair and Nathan, our guide said it is some of the purest air in the world. When the air travels around the world the only places in touches coming west or east is Argentina. So it travels all the way across the ocean before it hits Tasmania which makes it very fresh. Also they get southerly winds that come straight from Antarctica. You can imagine how cold they are. After that hike we went to check out the tall trees. I stood beside the second tallest tree in the world. It is 101 metres tall. You can just imagine the size of the tree trunk on that thing. The tallest one is in California in the redwood forest. After that we stopped for lunch. While eating our guide was informed that he couldn't take us to Mount Wellington because it was closed due to a marathon going on. They were supposed to be finished in the afternoon but got delayed and we wouldn't have time to go. He decided to plan for somewhere else to go while we stopped to see the animals. We got to watch the Tasmanian devils eat. It is quiet the sight. They are vicious little things that look like big rats. We then saw some kangaroos and wallabies. We didn't see the platypus unfortunately. They didn't show up in the stream. We also saw a wombat and a koala. The whole place was really cool. Wombats are very cute!! After that Nathan took us to a different lookout on the other side of Hobart so we could see Mount Wellington in the back ground. He also took us to seven mile beach. It was way to cold to swim but still it was nice to see. That concluded our tour. I just went back to my hostel and had supper while I relaxed. I was very tired.
On Monday I was picked up with Ulrika at 7:45 to go to a tour of Port Arthur. We ended up stopping at various sights along the way. Most of which I had seen before in the last few tours. We arrived at Port Arthur just after lunch. It is an old prison for the convicts sent from England in the 1800s. I was a bit disappointed since most of it was in ruins. There was also a tragedy there in 1996. A young man went there and just randomly started shooting people. He killed 35 people in all. He is now in the maximum security prison in Hobart. We are instructed by our tour guide not to ask any of the employees about it since they will not talk about it. The building it started in was stripped down and there is a memorial garden there now. It was very erie. We also took a harbour cruise so we could understand how Port Arthur survived as a maritime community. After that we came back to Hobart. Claudette, one of the other passengers and I decided to go to fish and chips right after the tour. A few others from the tour decided to join us. We just all sat and talked about or travels and what was the best to see. I was feeling really tired so I went back to my room about 7:30. I decided to write out some post cards and could tell my vision was getting blurry. I finished and immediately got into bed since I knew this was a sign of a migraine coming on. It was full blown in less than an hour from that. I ended up sleeping most of the night with ear plugs so I could actually sleep. The night was awful with my uncomfortable bed and terrible headache. I woke early this morning I tried to get some fresh air to clear my head. I got a coffee and went for a walk. I feel a bit better but plan to sleep on the plane back to Melbourne. Well I hope you all enjoyed my tales of Tasmania. Sorry it was so long. I will put pictures up soon.
Until next time,
Cindy
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Tassie
Hey All!
I arrived in Tasmania today. I had to get up early and catch a bus to catch a train to catch a bus to the Melbourne airport. Ya I was in travel mode for an hour and half before I even got to the airport. So needless to say my shoulders are a bit sore from putting on and taking off that backpack. But I finally arrived in Hobart at 1:30pm. It was a quick flight and was beautiful to see the view as we landed. I took a cab to my hostel which is right downtown only 2 blocks from the water. It is beautiful here! It reminds me of Halifax. Once I got to my hostel I was greeted by a fellow Canadian working the front desk. He made a joke about how everyone in Canada know the coldest place is on Portage and Main in Winnipeg. I got to laugh because I don't live in Winnipeg, plus I'm sure its true. I headed up about 15 flights of stairs to my room. It was on the 4th floor and OMG my backpack is heavy. I got settled in my room and decided I better eat before I chew my arm off. The Krispy Kreme donut at the Melbourne airport just wasn't cutting it. I had to go have fish and chips! I went down to the harbour to find a few fish and chip shops literally floating on the water right off the dock. I went to one and had some amazing fish and chips. The calamari was to die for, I've never had any that fresh before. Then I decided to go to the information building and check out what kind of tours I would like to take. I have picked up a few pamphlets and am making my final decision about what I will go see. So far Hobart is darn pretty. Can't wait to see more. I will keep you updated on my adventures here.
Until next time,
Cindy
I arrived in Tasmania today. I had to get up early and catch a bus to catch a train to catch a bus to the Melbourne airport. Ya I was in travel mode for an hour and half before I even got to the airport. So needless to say my shoulders are a bit sore from putting on and taking off that backpack. But I finally arrived in Hobart at 1:30pm. It was a quick flight and was beautiful to see the view as we landed. I took a cab to my hostel which is right downtown only 2 blocks from the water. It is beautiful here! It reminds me of Halifax. Once I got to my hostel I was greeted by a fellow Canadian working the front desk. He made a joke about how everyone in Canada know the coldest place is on Portage and Main in Winnipeg. I got to laugh because I don't live in Winnipeg, plus I'm sure its true. I headed up about 15 flights of stairs to my room. It was on the 4th floor and OMG my backpack is heavy. I got settled in my room and decided I better eat before I chew my arm off. The Krispy Kreme donut at the Melbourne airport just wasn't cutting it. I had to go have fish and chips! I went down to the harbour to find a few fish and chip shops literally floating on the water right off the dock. I went to one and had some amazing fish and chips. The calamari was to die for, I've never had any that fresh before. Then I decided to go to the information building and check out what kind of tours I would like to take. I have picked up a few pamphlets and am making my final decision about what I will go see. So far Hobart is darn pretty. Can't wait to see more. I will keep you updated on my adventures here.
Until next time,
Cindy
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thank You!
Thanks to all four people who voted in my Christmas poll. I will miss the snow over Christmas and now know you think I won't have an ideal Christmas when I'm sitting on the beach.
Check out the new poll and make sure you vote.
Check out the new poll and make sure you vote.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The latest
Well I got most of my Christmas shopping done the other day when I took the tram downtown. It was a really hot day and it felt great to be out and about in Melbourne. I went to get some Starbucks just to remind me of home. I was sitting in the Starbucks drinking a frappuccino that had snow flakes on the cup. There was Christmas music playing and there was a bird flying around in the building. This felt so strange since it was 32 degrees outside. Once I got home I packed up everything to send home for my family. I now will only have to buy a few things for the roomies and the Christmas shopping is done. I would like to find the dvd "Strange Brew" for the girls but think it will be difficult to find here. I haven't even started looking though, so who knows what I will find. Thursday I mailed (or posted as they would say here) the stuff home so I feel great that it is on its way. I also went to the little cafe near by for coffee in the morning and surfed the net. It was very relaxing.
On Friday Diana and Helen took the day off work and we all went to the Healsville animal sanctuary. It was sort of like a zoo but with only Australian animals. They also have an animal hospital there so they help sick animals then release them back into the wild. It was nice too see that they cared so much for the animals. I got to see my first Tasmanian devil. It was sleeping since it is a nocturnal animal, but it was still cool none the less. It was a perfect day to go since there was a rain storm in the morning and it was nice and cool for the animals yet not too cold for us humans. Once we got home we were pretty worn out from all the walking and just decided to watch a movie then go to bed.
Today I went to my job interview. It was a job fair with about 75 other people looking for a job with Cotton on. It took about 3 hours, but it wasn't hard at all. I met a girl my age named Chelsey who had a little 9 month old daughter. Her daughter was named Harper after Ben Harper. She used to work with the Make a wish foundation and had met Ben Harper a few times. She thought he was so wonderful and told her she would name her first child after him. The fact that she actually did it was amazing to me. I got to meet Harper later that day. She was so beautiful. She made me miss Hailey and London. Harper was so loving and actually put her hands out for me to take her only a few minutes after I met her. She definitely brightened my day. I will see Chelsey again on Nov. 30th when I go for my training. I look forward to it. So after I met Harper we went back into the room to find out if we got the job. They separated us real Australian Idol like and then told one group they got it and one group they didn't. I'll tell you the results after this commercial. Just kidding ha ha. I got the job! If you hadn't figured that out your not reading close enough since I mentioned I would be going back for training. It is just a Christmas casual position so I don't start until Dec. 18th and then finish Jan. 4th. Perfect for me. I decided today that I will look into flights to Tasmania before I go for my training. This way I can see some of the island instead of waiting around doing nothing for a month. I may even venture further yet, who knows. My roomies are very excited to hear that I will be around for Christmas. Today we decided that we will most likely go to their cousins for Christmas day. On boxing day we will go to the beach and have a picnic.... that is if I'm not working. Either way I'm sure we will get there at some point that day. After the interview was over we came home and Diana and I made some perogies from scratch. It wasn't too hard, but I'm sure you can imagine what they looked like. They tasted great though. I have decided I will make some more to take with us for Christmas day. It will be my Canadian treat! Tonight was spent celebrating with perogies and drinks. We played a card game and drank too much. Fun fun. I am just going to head to bed after this post. I am a bit tired since it is 1am here, but most who know me know it is normal for me to be up late. If anyone else would like to make my Christmas special send me clamato juice. lol. The girls think I am crazy when I talk about it, but I actually do miss it.
Until next time,
Cindy
On Friday Diana and Helen took the day off work and we all went to the Healsville animal sanctuary. It was sort of like a zoo but with only Australian animals. They also have an animal hospital there so they help sick animals then release them back into the wild. It was nice too see that they cared so much for the animals. I got to see my first Tasmanian devil. It was sleeping since it is a nocturnal animal, but it was still cool none the less. It was a perfect day to go since there was a rain storm in the morning and it was nice and cool for the animals yet not too cold for us humans. Once we got home we were pretty worn out from all the walking and just decided to watch a movie then go to bed.
Today I went to my job interview. It was a job fair with about 75 other people looking for a job with Cotton on. It took about 3 hours, but it wasn't hard at all. I met a girl my age named Chelsey who had a little 9 month old daughter. Her daughter was named Harper after Ben Harper. She used to work with the Make a wish foundation and had met Ben Harper a few times. She thought he was so wonderful and told her she would name her first child after him. The fact that she actually did it was amazing to me. I got to meet Harper later that day. She was so beautiful. She made me miss Hailey and London. Harper was so loving and actually put her hands out for me to take her only a few minutes after I met her. She definitely brightened my day. I will see Chelsey again on Nov. 30th when I go for my training. I look forward to it. So after I met Harper we went back into the room to find out if we got the job. They separated us real Australian Idol like and then told one group they got it and one group they didn't. I'll tell you the results after this commercial. Just kidding ha ha. I got the job! If you hadn't figured that out your not reading close enough since I mentioned I would be going back for training. It is just a Christmas casual position so I don't start until Dec. 18th and then finish Jan. 4th. Perfect for me. I decided today that I will look into flights to Tasmania before I go for my training. This way I can see some of the island instead of waiting around doing nothing for a month. I may even venture further yet, who knows. My roomies are very excited to hear that I will be around for Christmas. Today we decided that we will most likely go to their cousins for Christmas day. On boxing day we will go to the beach and have a picnic.... that is if I'm not working. Either way I'm sure we will get there at some point that day. After the interview was over we came home and Diana and I made some perogies from scratch. It wasn't too hard, but I'm sure you can imagine what they looked like. They tasted great though. I have decided I will make some more to take with us for Christmas day. It will be my Canadian treat! Tonight was spent celebrating with perogies and drinks. We played a card game and drank too much. Fun fun. I am just going to head to bed after this post. I am a bit tired since it is 1am here, but most who know me know it is normal for me to be up late. If anyone else would like to make my Christmas special send me clamato juice. lol. The girls think I am crazy when I talk about it, but I actually do miss it.
Until next time,
Cindy
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Same old same old.
Hello Everyone,
It is finally starting to get really warm outside. It feels great. Although I am having difficulty grasping the idea of Christmas being so close. There are commercials on TV with Santa on a surf board so it must be real. I try to get outside in the sun everyday and take a walk.
On Friday I wasn't feeling very well so I didn't do much. It rained most of the day so I didn't feel bad about not going far. Helen had a function with work in the evening so Diana and I ate the chili I made for super. It seemed like the perfect rainy day meal. We then went to pick up Helen since she had had a little to much to drink to drive home. The rest of the evening was spent playing cards. I still wasn't feeling well that night and was worried I might be getting the flu.
On Saturday Diana and I met up with a friend of hers from work. We went to Lygon Street for Italian. We started off with drinks and appetizers at one place. The drink Sharon, Diana's friend, recommended was a sort of bubbly red wine. It was very good. We then went for supper at Sharon's favorite Italian restaurant. All the waitstaff knew her by name so I could tell she was a regular. It was delicious Italian food. All three of us enjoyed home made pasta. Then we ventured down the street even more. The place we went for desert was amazing. There were unbelievable cakes on display and tons of deserts to choose from, including home made chocolate, cheesecake, tarts, squares and great big pieces of chocolate cake. I decided on a cream puff. It was magnificent! We then sat and had desert and coffee. It was a very yummy evening and I enjoyed meeting Sharon. Then Diana and I caught the tram home. Since I still wasn't feeling top notch I was worried that the motion of the tram would make me sick. I did get a little dizzy but my handbag survived the trip.
Sunday was a day for sleeping late and cleaning. I had awaken with a bad headache so I didn't do as much as I normal would have. In the afternoon Helen and I went to the beach to soak up the sun. I brought an apple, a book and a beach towel so I was satisfied for hours. It was a perfect day outside. Not too hot, not too cold, which helped with my headache. The water was not as clear as the last time I was at the beach but we were down a ways from the spot Diana and I were at last week. It was really nice to just sit and listen to the waves. Helen did not bring a book so she ended up bored and wanted to leave. We went home and had supper and watched a movie.
Monday was also a gorgeous day outside. Helen came home early from work with a bad headache. I went out in the afternoon for a few groceries. I enjoy the walk and the sunshine. I finally don't need a sweater everywhere I go. That morning Diana called to tell me not to prepare anything for supper since she was picking stuff up. She came home with prawns and baramundie (I doubt I spelt that right). It is a type of fish. I made some mashed potatoes to go with it. We had the prawns for an appetizer and fish and mashed potatoes for an entree. Diana doesn't like vegetables so when she cooks we don't get any. I seem to crave them lately so the girls often laugh that I eat cauliflower and broccoli raw. It was a very delicious meal.
Tuesday, Helen also stayed home. She said she just wasn't feeling right. Maybe she caught whatever I had. I however have been feeling good. We didn't do much on her sick day. I didn't even go for a walk. I sat outside for a few hours and enjoyed the nice weather though.
Today I am planning on catching the tram and going to Federation Square downtown. I have spotted a few Starbucks there and am dying to get one. I will probably wonder around and see if I find any Christmas gifts for the nieces.
Until next time,
Cindy
It is finally starting to get really warm outside. It feels great. Although I am having difficulty grasping the idea of Christmas being so close. There are commercials on TV with Santa on a surf board so it must be real. I try to get outside in the sun everyday and take a walk.
On Friday I wasn't feeling very well so I didn't do much. It rained most of the day so I didn't feel bad about not going far. Helen had a function with work in the evening so Diana and I ate the chili I made for super. It seemed like the perfect rainy day meal. We then went to pick up Helen since she had had a little to much to drink to drive home. The rest of the evening was spent playing cards. I still wasn't feeling well that night and was worried I might be getting the flu.
On Saturday Diana and I met up with a friend of hers from work. We went to Lygon Street for Italian. We started off with drinks and appetizers at one place. The drink Sharon, Diana's friend, recommended was a sort of bubbly red wine. It was very good. We then went for supper at Sharon's favorite Italian restaurant. All the waitstaff knew her by name so I could tell she was a regular. It was delicious Italian food. All three of us enjoyed home made pasta. Then we ventured down the street even more. The place we went for desert was amazing. There were unbelievable cakes on display and tons of deserts to choose from, including home made chocolate, cheesecake, tarts, squares and great big pieces of chocolate cake. I decided on a cream puff. It was magnificent! We then sat and had desert and coffee. It was a very yummy evening and I enjoyed meeting Sharon. Then Diana and I caught the tram home. Since I still wasn't feeling top notch I was worried that the motion of the tram would make me sick. I did get a little dizzy but my handbag survived the trip.
Sunday was a day for sleeping late and cleaning. I had awaken with a bad headache so I didn't do as much as I normal would have. In the afternoon Helen and I went to the beach to soak up the sun. I brought an apple, a book and a beach towel so I was satisfied for hours. It was a perfect day outside. Not too hot, not too cold, which helped with my headache. The water was not as clear as the last time I was at the beach but we were down a ways from the spot Diana and I were at last week. It was really nice to just sit and listen to the waves. Helen did not bring a book so she ended up bored and wanted to leave. We went home and had supper and watched a movie.
Monday was also a gorgeous day outside. Helen came home early from work with a bad headache. I went out in the afternoon for a few groceries. I enjoy the walk and the sunshine. I finally don't need a sweater everywhere I go. That morning Diana called to tell me not to prepare anything for supper since she was picking stuff up. She came home with prawns and baramundie (I doubt I spelt that right). It is a type of fish. I made some mashed potatoes to go with it. We had the prawns for an appetizer and fish and mashed potatoes for an entree. Diana doesn't like vegetables so when she cooks we don't get any. I seem to crave them lately so the girls often laugh that I eat cauliflower and broccoli raw. It was a very delicious meal.
Tuesday, Helen also stayed home. She said she just wasn't feeling right. Maybe she caught whatever I had. I however have been feeling good. We didn't do much on her sick day. I didn't even go for a walk. I sat outside for a few hours and enjoyed the nice weather though.
Today I am planning on catching the tram and going to Federation Square downtown. I have spotted a few Starbucks there and am dying to get one. I will probably wonder around and see if I find any Christmas gifts for the nieces.
Until next time,
Cindy
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Not much to say.
Well I finally got a phone call about a job. I have an interview on Saturday Feb. 15th for a job at a clothing store over the Christmas season. If I get the job I will be here over Christmas, since it is a Christmas casual position and only a temporary job. If I don't get it, I will be moving on.
This morning I was awaken early with a text message from my sister saying that my uncle died. I knew that he had been sick but was surprised to hear of his death. My heart goes out to his kids and grand kids. I understand he was not an easy man to be around but the fact that he is gone is still sad. I remember when I was a teenager thinking he was my favorite uncle. He was always very nice to me even when he didn't get along with my dad. I have fond memories of him and know they will always stay with me. I know he is in a better place, and was welcomed there by my dad and his other siblings. Rest in peace Carl.
Until next time,
Cindy
This morning I was awaken early with a text message from my sister saying that my uncle died. I knew that he had been sick but was surprised to hear of his death. My heart goes out to his kids and grand kids. I understand he was not an easy man to be around but the fact that he is gone is still sad. I remember when I was a teenager thinking he was my favorite uncle. He was always very nice to me even when he didn't get along with my dad. I have fond memories of him and know they will always stay with me. I know he is in a better place, and was welcomed there by my dad and his other siblings. Rest in peace Carl.
Until next time,
Cindy
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Melbourne Cup
Hello Everyone,
Sorry that I have not written much in the last week. I can't even use the excuse that I have been busy. I have not been. I have still been looking for a job but have still have no luck. I have never had any trouble getting a job before. I have decided to look into going to Tasmania for awhile. Then I might come back here before I move on.
Yesterday was the Melbourne cup. Apparently it is the race that will stop the nation. It is even a state holiday in Victoria. My roommate, Diana and her co-worker, Lucy went to the race yesterday. Lucy came over at 8:30am for a champagne breakfast. Then the girls spent an hour dolling them selves up for the race. Diana even wore a fasinator. Lucy did not due to the irresponsibility of her sister who lost hers. It is very common for the ladies to wear hats or fasinators to the races. Helen then drove Lucy and Diana to the train station to catch the train to the track. Then Helen and I went to Mount Dandenong to check out the view. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy/smoggy which did not allow me to get a good picture with my camera. Still it was a beautiful view of the city. We then went into a garden maze, which was not very challenging but still fun. We then headed back into the city and near the water. I was informed I needed to try an Australian hamburger. So we ate our hamburger with a view of the water. On this hamburger there was beef, of course, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, egg, cheese and a bunch of other things I would never put on a hamburger. We had to make sure there was no pineapple on mine so that I didn't end up in the hospital with an allergic reaction. Apparently it is very common for these burgers to have beats on them, but luckily this one did not. It was very big and tasted alright. We sat near the ocean and watched the water. We then decided to drive around the area and look at the houses. They weren't that big but worth more than I could imagine because of location. Helen and I then went home. As we were discussing what to do next Diana called and asked if Helen could pick her up from the train station. Since the girls had been drinking most of the day the train was not very good for Diana. Lucy's hand bag unfortunately got the worst of it and had to be thrown away. The girls were very entertaining for the rest of the evening. Lucy made friends with 3 telephone operators and 1 pizza dispatcher. This was fun to watch. Diana headed to bed almost immediately after she arrived home. Lucy went to bed shortly after her pizza arrived. Helen and I watched a movie and made sure the girls were okay. So that was my first experience with the Melbourne cup although I did not place any bets. I couldn't even tell you who won. Hopefully, I will have some more interesting news next time I blog.
Until next time,
Cindy
Sorry that I have not written much in the last week. I can't even use the excuse that I have been busy. I have not been. I have still been looking for a job but have still have no luck. I have never had any trouble getting a job before. I have decided to look into going to Tasmania for awhile. Then I might come back here before I move on.
Yesterday was the Melbourne cup. Apparently it is the race that will stop the nation. It is even a state holiday in Victoria. My roommate, Diana and her co-worker, Lucy went to the race yesterday. Lucy came over at 8:30am for a champagne breakfast. Then the girls spent an hour dolling them selves up for the race. Diana even wore a fasinator. Lucy did not due to the irresponsibility of her sister who lost hers. It is very common for the ladies to wear hats or fasinators to the races. Helen then drove Lucy and Diana to the train station to catch the train to the track. Then Helen and I went to Mount Dandenong to check out the view. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy/smoggy which did not allow me to get a good picture with my camera. Still it was a beautiful view of the city. We then went into a garden maze, which was not very challenging but still fun. We then headed back into the city and near the water. I was informed I needed to try an Australian hamburger. So we ate our hamburger with a view of the water. On this hamburger there was beef, of course, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, egg, cheese and a bunch of other things I would never put on a hamburger. We had to make sure there was no pineapple on mine so that I didn't end up in the hospital with an allergic reaction. Apparently it is very common for these burgers to have beats on them, but luckily this one did not. It was very big and tasted alright. We sat near the ocean and watched the water. We then decided to drive around the area and look at the houses. They weren't that big but worth more than I could imagine because of location. Helen and I then went home. As we were discussing what to do next Diana called and asked if Helen could pick her up from the train station. Since the girls had been drinking most of the day the train was not very good for Diana. Lucy's hand bag unfortunately got the worst of it and had to be thrown away. The girls were very entertaining for the rest of the evening. Lucy made friends with 3 telephone operators and 1 pizza dispatcher. This was fun to watch. Diana headed to bed almost immediately after she arrived home. Lucy went to bed shortly after her pizza arrived. Helen and I watched a movie and made sure the girls were okay. So that was my first experience with the Melbourne cup although I did not place any bets. I couldn't even tell you who won. Hopefully, I will have some more interesting news next time I blog.
Until next time,
Cindy
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