Billabong Fiddling - Outpourings of an exuberant mind

The year in photographs - day 93

2009-04-19T19:49:00.002+09:30

Mocha having a bath - here she's waiting for the blowdrying portion of the treatment... not that she's spoiled or anything. :)

The year in photographs - day 92

2009-04-18T12:14:00.001+09:30

I spotted this print of one of my favourite paintings today... what do you think the chances are that I'll ever be able to afford the original? I've actually seen Mr Van Gogh's original at the MOMA in New York - breathtaking.

The year in photographs - Day 91

2009-04-17T23:11:00.001+09:30

My two cuties having a cuddle.

The year in photographs - day 90

2009-04-16T18:08:00.000+09:30

Such a beautiful sunset today!

The year in photographers - day 89

2009-04-15T22:03:00.004+09:30

The fun with wildlife segment of this year in photographs continues with today's guest star - a lizard I found in the backyard... he was huge! Not so bad as the snakes though, this guy was interesting rather than scary, and a huge hit with the dogs - Mocha and Bailey couldn't get enough of slowly edging their way up to the drain where this guy was curled up, looking over to see if he was still there, and then barking like crazy. Fun for all!

The year in photographs - day 88

2009-04-14T17:57:00.001+09:30

Martyn and Mocha having a 'chat' about the rights and wrongs of begging at the dinner table (apparently a refresher was required for them both!)

The year in photographs - day 87

2009-04-13T23:54:00.001+09:30

Took a lovely stroll along the Hallett Cove boardwalk with my friend Robert today - I love how close everything is here in South Australia! Just a few minutes from home one way and you're at the beach, a few minutes the other way and you're in the countryside... not a bad way to pass the time hmm?

The year in photographs - day 86

2009-04-12T18:13:00.001+09:30

Happy Easter everyone!

The year in photographs - day 85

2009-04-11T21:47:00.003+09:30

We decided to do a test run on setting up the tent (aka the 'Taj Mahal')... it went surprisingly well for such a large tent... bring on nature!!

The year in photographs - Day 84

2009-04-10T23:45:00.000+09:30

What does any good Australian male do with four days off? Fire up the barby! Not quite sure about the apron though...

The year in photographs - day 83

2009-04-09T23:55:00.000+09:30

Okay, so I realise it looks a bit like Martyn's somehow sucking out Mocha's brain, but I promise, they're just having a cuddle :)

The year in photographs - day 82

2009-04-08T23:03:00.000+09:30

Day 5 of the mascots - so it's now becoming a bit of an addiction, looking around my house for little figurines I consider 'mascots'. I picked up this one in Vietnam - her name is Aiko, and she watches over my books. I'm guessing she's hiding a samuri sword somewhere in there which can be whipped out at a moment's notice if anyone ever comes a'stealing...

The year in photographs - day 81

2009-04-07T21:13:00.002+09:30

It's rare the two of them settle down together like this so I'm always quick with the camera if I spot it happening! Course, it'd be nice if the orientation of the photo would work, but I guess you can't have everything :)

The year in photographs - day 80

2009-04-06T22:42:00.002+09:30

Another lovely 'PhD crowd' lunch get together at uni. This time we decided to go pot luck, so I got to sample some fantastic dishes - if anyone knows how to make a vegetarian lasagna like the one I had today, let me know! Yum! Sadly, the 'hey, look at me' photography approach didn't always work - managed to get some candid shots, but also a lot of closed eyes... Ah well!

The year in photographs - day 79

2009-04-05T23:37:00.000+09:30

Day 4 of the mascots - this little horse comes courtesy of our insurance company Mutual Community (not sure what plastic horses have to do with insurance, but it is cute...) My favourite part? The florescent green colour... very natural :)

The year in photographs - day 78

2009-04-04T23:30:00.001+10:30

Tracey and Milla scoping out one of the many tents we considered for our upcoming camping trip. We ended up going with a nine-person, three room tent that we've nicknamed 'The Taj Mahal' - not unreasonable for three people is it? :) Also fantastic - I can stand up in the tent we chose!

The year in photographs - day 77

2009-04-03T23:47:00.004+10:30

Caught up with my friend Naomi tonight and her beautiful children - Lachlan, Zach, Cassandra and Liesel. I can't believe she has four kids now - such a lovely family :)

The year in photographs - day 76

2009-04-02T22:46:00.000+10:30

Milla and Ollie having a cuddle - too cute!!

The year in photographs - day 75

2009-04-01T23:43:00.000+10:30

The gorgeous view from my lunch table - not bad hmm?

The year in photographs - day 74

2009-03-31T23:19:00.003+10:30

A study in Bailey and Jodie... and the obvious question - who's cuter? Hint: don't just be sucked in by all the fur, the little black nose and the big eyes :)

The year in photographs - day 73

2009-03-30T20:47:00.002+10:30

A cool framing effect created by the trees in my backyard... now if you care to join me... *clears throat* 'somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight, someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight... somewhere out there, if love will see us through, then we'll be together, somewhere out there, out where dreams come trrrruuuuuueeeee...' Beautiful hmm? :)

The year in photographs - day 72

2009-03-29T22:13:00.003+10:30

The spoiling continues - Tracey and Milla surprised me with flowers to celebrate my finishing the thesis - thanks guys!!

The year in photographs - day 71

2009-03-28T23:59:00.002+10:30

Sombrero anyone? I spent a lovely day 'road-tripping' around the southern suburbs with Tracey and Milla today, taking in garage sales (where we picked up these lovely hats for an absolute steal - jealous anyone?), running along the beach, celebrating Earth Hour, and having an impromptu karaoke session (one ipod, two earphones, non-stop fun!) :)

Enjoying some lunch at the Esplanade

Having fun in the waves at Brighton beach

The girls being classy *grin*

Celebrating Earth Hour - no electricity!

The year in photographs - day 70

2009-03-27T18:26:00.001+10:30

Day 3 of the mascots - this pied-piper hangs in my kitchen, playing tunes that perhaps only I can hear... this isn't necessarily a sign of insanity is it?

The year in photographs - day 69

2009-03-26T19:47:00.001+10:30

Martyn and Bailey having a cuddle... cuties eh?

The year in photographs - day 68

2009-03-25T22:34:00.000+10:30

Another piece of artwork I just love! I picked this one up in Southeast Asia - a symbol of Hope done in cherry wood that hangs in my kitchen to remind me that there's beauty in everything... even making tea.

The year in photographs - day 67

2009-03-24T17:58:00.000+10:30

Like daughter, like father hmm? This is a photograph (well, a photograph of a photograph) taken by my friend whose daughter did the art in yesterday's picture of the day. You can certainly tell the man was a professional photographer hmm? The question is... what do you see?

The year in photographs - day 66

2009-03-23T21:07:00.000+10:30

A beautiful piece of art done by the daughter of a friend of mine. You can't quite tell through the photo, but there is a layered effect that makes this such an interesting piece.

The year in photographs - day 65

2009-03-22T13:22:00.000+10:30

Whoo-whoo... here comes the money train (and it's worth at least two dollars...) :)

The year in photographs - day 64

2009-03-21T16:47:00.000+10:30

My first day off and it was great!! I spent the afternoon shopping (turns out the malls were still there, even though I hadn't visited in so long - who knew?) and then the evening at the Fringe - fun!

The year in photographs - day 63

2009-03-20T23:10:00.001+10:30

Martyn out in our front yard trying to find the leaking water pipe - looks like no showers this weekend *sigh* Nice foliage though :)

The year in photographs - day 62

2009-03-19T23:18:00.000+10:30

A wonderful surprise from my friend Karen! She hand-delivered this beautiful balloon bouquet to my office to say congrats on handing in the thesis - I was overwhelmed! Thanks Karen!

The year in photographs - day 61

2009-03-18T19:52:00.000+10:30

Sitting with my feet up for the first time in months... ahhhh, heaven :)

The year in photographs - day 60

2009-03-17T21:27:00.000+10:30

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I had planned to have a photo of something green at the very least, but as it turned out, today I submitted my thesis so it had to be this photo instead. Such a HUGE sigh of relief as I handed it over to my supervisors... 431 pages of my blood, sweat and tears... hope they like it!

The year in photographs - day 59

2009-03-16T22:16:00.003+10:30

A lovely evening spent with my fantastic friend Tracey! It was so great to catch up for a chat and add to our collection of gorgeous photos :)

So, this would be the gorgeous one... although it does go slightly downhill from here...

Tracey's apparently trying to push her eyeballs out of her head, I appear to be practising my 'wrestler face'

Well now, who doesn't love a couple of cross-eyed, disfigured tongue girls right?

So, presumably I've just finished sucking on a lemon, and Tracey is about to put her whole fist in her mouth

The year in photographs - day 58

2009-03-15T20:14:00.000+10:30

Day 2 of the mascots - these little bulldogs used to sit on my grandfather's television set back in Canada and I would play with them whenever I went visiting. Now they live with me and I'm still prone to having them converse in made up voices. Ahhh, adulthood :)

The year in photographs - day 57

2009-03-14T23:59:00.000+10:30

I have a couple of mascots that watch over my computer as I write - this guy sits atop my monitor. Depending on the time of night I stop working, he's been known to dole out some wise words of wisdom... tonight it was something about not wearing a tutu after Labour Day...

The year in photographs - day 56

2009-03-13T23:59:00.000+10:30

My current desktop image - a visual reminder of the type of town I'm writing about for the thesis - pretty hmm?

The year in photographs - day 55

2009-03-12T22:58:00.001+10:30

Mr Sheep pays his respects to Mr Sunset

The year in photographs - day 54

2009-03-11T22:23:00.000+10:30

One of the collages on my wall that helps preserve my sanity - any time I'm feeling overwhelmed with the thesis, I take a quick peek at my friends and remember the light at the end of the tunnel - thanks guys :)

The year in photographs - day 53

2009-03-10T09:42:00.001+10:30

The pile of papers I have to get through today... *sigh*

The year in photographs - day 52

2009-03-09T18:37:00.000+10:30

So, we had the day off today because of the Adelaide Cup - I have to say, I love a state (province) that gives everyone a day off for a horse race. But rather than watch the horses doing their thing, Martyn and I decided to take an hour out and go for a walk in a nearby national park. This little guy was having a snooze in one of the trees we passed under - quite the cutie hmm?

The year in photographs - day 51

2009-03-08T23:16:00.000+10:30

Today I finally managed to catch up with my friend Lisa from Canada and found out she's planning to come over for a visit later this year! Yah!! *party party party* Tacky tourist sights, here we come :)

The year in photographs - day 50

2009-03-07T21:49:00.001+10:30

Bailey having a cuddle with what used to be a toy rabbit. Now, well, how many limbs/heads can a rabbit lose before it's still a rabbit? What exactly gives a rabbit its rabbit-y essence? Okay, clearly I've been working on the thesis too long...

The year in photographs - day 49

2009-03-06T23:59:00.001+10:30

Tonight I finally got to my first Fringe event! For those of you not living in South Australia, the Adelaide Fringe Festival is an annual event, bringing to town all kinds of acts - cabaret, theatre, visual arts, and my fav, comedy! We went to see this gentleman tonight - pretty funny (although I'm not sure about an hour of stand up, it starts to take it out of you after awhile).

PS - Sorry about the orientation of the photo, I can't seem to make it turn...

The year in photographs - day 48

2009-03-05T23:57:00.000+10:30

Milla looking far too grown up for my liking - how can she already be nine?! Is it wrong to want to stunt a child's growth so they stay perpetually young? Perhaps I can do it through copious amounts of coffee... okay, no, I realise that's wrong. But how can I keep her little then? *sigh*

The year in photographs - day 47

2009-03-04T19:46:00.000+10:30

There's just something about the light in South Australia, the way the sun filters down through the clouds. I've talked with other people who aren't from Australia and we all feel the same - there are simply no words to describe how the sunlight moves and arcs here. Gorgeous.

The year in photographs - day 46

2009-03-03T18:16:00.000+10:30

The rains came!! Finally, some rain fell upon our poor scorched earth, and when I arrived home, a rainbow was waiting to celebrate. Pretty hmm?

The year in photographs - day 45

2009-03-02T22:07:00.000+10:30

So, my first day without a man around the house, and I managed to go head-to-head with a bee! The only problem is, my brilliant plan of trapping him under this can of spray didn't extend to how I would then kill him (I don't relish the idea, but I don't want him taking his anger out on the puppies). So now, under this can sits a bee that I'm guessing is getting more and more angry by the minute... HELP!

The year in photographs - day 44

2009-03-01T23:47:00.000+10:30

Martyn getting ready to head off to Mount Gambier for a little trip... man, I love that bike!! (and the guy on it of course *grin*)

The year in photographs - day 43

2009-02-28T21:32:00.000+10:30

Karen in front of the horse at the race hall. She promised to ride the horse, but the security guards standing just outside the shot here didn't seem too positive about that idea... shame, I would've loved to see it! As for race day success, we did not fare quite as well as last year - despite our TWO tri-factors, we came out with less than we went in with. Still, the day was a blast so no complaints! Thanks Karen!

Some other shots from the day...

The year in photographs - day 42

2009-02-27T23:18:00.000+10:30

Karen in front of the 'mall's balls' (such a fantastic name for a tourist attraction!) in Rundle Mall. We were busy shopping for dresses for race day tomorrow. Note the 'L' Karen is making, apparently she didn't think it was super cool to have her photo taken like this... crazy girl...

The year in photographs - day 41

2009-02-26T22:04:00.000+10:30

My cutie family :)

The year in photographs - Day 40

2009-02-25T20:54:00.000+10:30

More scary wildlife... I know it's hard to tell, but this is an inch ant (guess how big it is *grin*)... apparently everything's coming out because of the heat. Bring on the cold weather I say! Worst of all, when I was brave enough to kill this guy, his pinchers stuck in the bottom of my shoe and I had to pull them out with pliers! So, who wants to move to Australia?

The year in photographs - day 39

2009-02-24T23:40:00.000+10:30

Bailey and I were playing with this very cute (but very very dirty) toy when I accidentally threw it right at Martyn's head. I think one of the feet might even have landed in his mouth. Needless to say, he was not particularly amused, but I found it absolutely hilarious... I'm still laughing now! :)

The year in photographs - day 38

2009-02-23T23:59:00.000+10:30

Oscars night in Australia!! We spent the whole day avoiding the radio, television, internet and anything else that might tell us who had taken out the awards. Now, I don't want to brag, but I did guess the most correct winners... so next question, where's my oscar??

The year in photographs - day 37

2009-02-22T23:59:00.000+10:30

Sometimes they just beg to have their picture taken don't they?

The year in photographs - day 36

2009-02-21T23:04:00.002+10:30

This is awesome guys - you can create your own album cover! Just follow the instructions below... Now if only I could actually sing...

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random” or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations" or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days” or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

The year in photographs - day 35

2009-02-20T23:59:00.000+10:30

Tracey and I spent part of the evening trying to whip her office into shape. Needless to say, it was not so keen on the whipping. Still, we made some progress ... the paperwork may take a bit longer though. Tracey was brave and started in on that by herself the next day... you go girl! Don't let the room win!

The year in photographs - day 34

2009-02-19T21:33:00.004+10:30

Karen and I out for a night of shopping, trying to find dresses to wear to the races. Sadly, no success but we had a great time - and got these fun shots so I'm not complaining...

The 'snotty model' pose

The 'botox made me who I am' face

No comment...

The year in photographs - day 33

2009-02-18T20:32:00.001+10:30

The boys sharing a philosophical chat at lunch. Note the lunchbag though - cool hmm? :)

The year in photographs - day 32

2009-02-17T23:45:00.000+10:30

The amazing heights my hair can reach when left to its own devices after a day of curl... also, note the impressive 'arty-ness' of the shot :) It didn't come easy though... there were a few mis-steps before I found the angle I wanted...

The year in photographs - day 31

2009-02-16T18:10:00.004+10:30

Happy birthday Martyn! After many misfires, I finally managed to locate all the books he wanted for his birthday... guess he'll be busy for awhile!

The year in photographs - day 30

2009-02-15T18:06:00.000+10:30

In the midst of my never-ending study, there are certain images that help keep me going. Today, while reading cultural theory and formulating opinions on tourism as hegemony for the new petit bourgeois (jealous right?) this simple image of a winding road leading out into a field somehow gave me a bit of respite. Tomorrow, I think it'll be the picture of the fish eating the mouse... :)

The year in photographs - day 29

2009-02-14T18:00:00.000+10:30

Happy Valentine's Day!

The year in photographs - day 28

2009-02-13T22:18:00.000+10:30

One of the joys of living in Australia - our friendly neighbourhood Hunstman spider, out for a stroll. This bad boy was hanging out in front of the laundry room, and was about the size of my palm. Oh, for the days of squealing when a spider the size of a quarter crossed my path! As an aside: how brave was I to get the shot??

The year in photographs - day 27

2009-02-12T19:39:00.000+10:30

A true meeting of the minds... Bailey going mono-a-mono with her favourite toy. I'm guessing they're discussing high finance, world peace or something similar... any suggestions?

Mocha takes a different approach - when you can't agree, simply start chewing on your opponent's ear. Works every time. :)

The year in photographs - day 26

2009-02-11T21:40:00.002+10:30

My cutie husband 'relaxing' whilst reading a computer science book. Personally, not my idea of a great time, but I love that he's such a smartie :)

The year in photographs - day 25

2009-02-10T20:14:00.006+10:30

Today's picture isn't one I've taken, but I wanted to reflect what has been foremost in my mind today - the Victorian bushfires. Raging now for several days now, these bushfires are the worst natural disaster in Australian history, killing 181 individuals so far, although experts suggest the death toll will be much higher once emergency crews can safely investigate the sites of devastation. Communities all over Australia have been mobilised by the relief effort - here in South Australia we've raised several million dollars and are in the midst of filling a huge showground full of goods for victims. There are no words you can really offer during a time like this, but my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected.

The year in photographs - day 24

2009-02-09T21:07:00.003+10:30

So the question is - who is more of a biker chick than me? *grin* This is my beautiful helmet, notice the dragon on the side? It gives rise to my wilder side...

The year in photographs - day 23

2009-02-08T23:35:00.000+10:30

The cake says it all, hmm? Happy birthday buddy - hope you had a great time!

The year in photographs - Day 22

2009-02-07T23:02:00.000+10:30

Celebrating my 31st birthday - first with swimming and then a delicious dinner at Beyond India - a wonderful treat, thanks guys!

The year in photographs - day 21

2009-02-06T23:28:00.000+10:30

Feet, feet, feet... when I was younger I used to take pictures of feet all the time (not sure why), so now that I'm back taking photos so often, it seems only right to capture a few foot shots. This one was taken after our Movies in the Park night (Get Smart sadly not so great) - nice hmm? Well done with the toenails Karen!

The year in photographs - day 20

2009-02-05T22:13:00.000+10:30

A wonderful surprise Valentine's Day card from my fantastic momma!

The year in photographs - day 19

2009-02-04T19:59:00.003+10:30

Bailey's before photo - she's a cutie hmm? Then we whisked her off to the groomer's...

Bailey's after photo - trust me, she's still really cute... she always seems so tiny after she gets a haircut (except for those loooooooooooong legs)

The year in photographs - day 18

2009-02-03T21:45:00.000+10:30

My humble office. Well, one of those windows is mine anyway. Okay, actually, my office is on the other side, but you get the idea :) Such a beautiful place to work - trees, grass, river (when there's water), quiet, and every once in awhile, a koala thrown in for good measure. Does it get any better than this?

The year in photographs - day 17

2009-02-02T23:02:00.003+10:30

The girls! Sam and Karen surprised me with a lovely dinner out tonight in North Adelaide. It was great to get dressed up and feel a bit fancy, and I always have such a blast with these two - laughing, joking, and talking 'bout boys! =] Thanks girls!

The year in photographs - day 16

2009-02-02T00:51:00.002+10:30

My cutie puppy Bailey, waiting in her normal spot for me to arrive home. My favourite look is when the net curtain drapes across her forehead and she is transformed into a puppy bride =]

Day 6 - Luang Prabang

2009-02-01T11:02:00.003+10:30

Unfortunately, today Milla wasn't feeling very well, so we decided to lay a bit low. Our morning started with the wonderful 'Morning Glory' Cafe find - it's amazing! Western and Lao cuisine at its finest just two minutes from our hotel, although it does mean that Tracey has taken to eating Tom Khagai (a curry soup) for breakfast. This a concept my stomach cannot understand at all, being more of the 'egg and bacon' variety myself, but I'm happy she's happy.

After breakfast we decided to do a little exploring, looking down side streets and walking around temples. It's always a little awkward going into the temples - we're often the only Westerners around the place and we're never sure where it's okay to take pictures, to stand, to go inside, so basically, we just fold our hands respectfully and make 'mmm-hmmm, beautiful' noises and hope we're not offending anyone. The temples are amazing though, gilded with gold leaf and so intricately carved.

We also did a 'little' exploring of shops (again, trying to keep the gluttony down to a minimum - thus far, failing miserably) and there we found my necklace!! Last night we stumbled across one of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery I have ever seen in a little boutique store, where the very conceited French owner explained that it was so expensive by necessity (rather than as a hugely obvious run for profits), because his taste was so popular that they had trouble keeping stock in the store. Well, success Monsieur, because I bought it from a lovely Lao woman who was actually interested in selling her stock! Tracey also found a beautiful necklace of silver and blue round stones. We are very happy girls!!

The rest of the day was pretty quiet - we had a quick drink down at the river (so beautiful!) and then headed back to the room to give Milla a chance to lie-down. Dinner was a bit of a let-down though, reminding us of the cuisine we had that first night in Vietnam last time (where I'm pretty sure I ate dog!). This time around, I think we avoided that particular horror, but I don't think there's much chance the meal could be classified as food. Thankfully, Pringles are readily available, so we spent a very contented evening munching on chips and playing cards. Sometimes such relaxation is exactly what's needed.

Day 5 - Siem Reap - Luang Prabang

2009-01-31T22:36:00.009+10:30

Today was a day for travel, so after a very relaxing head massage as a goodbye treat, we climbed into the minivan, said some sad goodbyes to Palm Village (we definitely didn't want to go!) and headed off to the airport. It's always bittersweet visiting several different countires in one trip - just as you settle into really loving one, you have to leave for another, but then the next always seems to hold its own joys, so you're still glad you came... ahh, the terrible joys of holidays. Luckily, I was able to console myself with an unexpected treat at the airport... Dairy Queen! Ahhh, banana split blizzards...

Following such a lovely reminder of home, we boarded the plane to Luang Prabang and made our way across some amazingly mountainous regions into Laos, our second destination. At first I was a little unsure as we made our way into Luang Prabang's town centre - it all seemed much more rural than we were expecting, and though I do love the sense of adventure travel provides, I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of really roughing it. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't want over-the-top hotel suites and chauffeured limos, but I do enjoy the comfort of basic things like infrastructure, motored transport, etc. Luckily, once we got downtown things started to look a more promising - there's certainly a very strong French influence here, creating a strange hybrid of the European cosmopolitan atmosphere and the traditional Southeast Asian culture.

After only a few minutes, I was hooked - I love Laos!! Our hotel is lovely (all dark wood and panelling) and the town is small enough that it makes exploring on foot fairly easy and comfortable.

After dropping off our stuff in the room, we decided to head out to Main Street, our first port of call the riverside café where we sat and had a drink, marvelling at the amazing scenery and the monks who were consistently falling out of the boats as they tried to cross the river. We weren't sure whether to laugh or not, given the strong-ish current, but as their laughter floated up to where we were sitting, we decided such tumbles were probably fairly frequent, and a smile or two at their antics would probably be safe.

After a refreshing drink, we headed off to the markets! We were determined not to spend the whole time shopping (such a temptation given how beautiful and inexpensive everything is!), but, good news, our guilty resolution was unnecessary, since in Luang Prabang, much like many of the places we've visited, the markets seem to be where much of the culture is... children playing, people chatting, life swirling all around us. And these markets (Hmong night markets) were fantastic - beautiful items, beautiful people and a very friendly atmosphere. I can't believe how much I bought! Love it!

The year in photographs - day 15

2009-01-31T22:25:00.002+10:30

One of the many reasons I had such a fantastic birthday! My wonderful friend Tracey made me this beautiful painting of some of our greatest memories together - love it!

Not to be outdone - here's the beautiful painting that Tracey's daughter, Milla, did for my birthday. Thanks Milla - it's gorgeous!!

Playing catch up!

2009-01-31T21:49:00.008+10:30

The year in photographs - Day 14 - January 30th

The TE Building crew from work out for a goodbye/celebratory lunch - new jobs and scholarships abound - well done guys!

The year in photographs - Day 13 - January 29th

I bought these boots in the hope that they would make me more lady like - so far, not really working, but they look nice (especially with the pajamas hmm?)

The year in photographs - Day 12 - January 28th

The cookie that kept my friend Robert going through most of the PhD, known as the 'supa dunk chunk funk' - may or may not be its real name =]

The year in photographs - Day 11 - January 27th

The man with the painted toenails - some nice artistry there hmm?

We're back baby (albeit a little less data friendly)

2009-01-31T14:22:00.006+10:30

Well, the last few days has been a pretty fun ride... thankfully my wonderful husband was able to save most of my data after the hard drives karked it, although some was lost to data heaven... *sigh* Remind me why we need computers again? Oh, that's right, so I can do fun stuff like this. Okay, the computer is officially forgiven, but I'm now off to do another back up. Not taking any chances this time around!

Service Interruption

2009-01-28T10:17:00.000+10:30

Hi everyone, apologies for not posting a photograph of the day yesterday (or even for the next few days unfortunately). My harddrive has decided it's not a fan of the 45C heat (I can see it's point!) and has given up. Mad searches for lost data are happening as we speak, so I'll be busy with that over the next few days. More to come soon though I promise!

The year in photographs - Day 10

2009-01-27T00:58:00.003+10:30

Happy Australia day! At 35C, the beach was the perfect way to celebrate so off we went to Aldinga, along with about 2000 others...

But today was not without its controversy, with the Australian of the Year, Mick Dodson, declaring that Australia Day (commemorating the arrival of the first fleet) should be moved to a different date, to avoid offending the Aboriginal peoples. This makes sense to me, coming from Canada, where Thanksgiving commemorates the first Europeans making it through the winter thanks to the help of the First Nations peoples, who the Europeans subsequently persecuted and killed in large part. Although I love the spirt of the day ('we love our country'), it doesn't seem right that celebrating the country has to coincide with the date when one power arrived to subjugate another....

Controversy aside, woo hoo, go Australia! Gotta say, I'm loving this dual citizenship thing - I get to party this way twice a year! And now, my birthday is followed directly by a holiday - life is good!

The year in photographs - Day 9

2009-01-25T22:49:00.004+10:30

Today marked the start of my 31st year on this planet, and thanks to these two beautiful girls, my lovely husband and other wonderful friends, it was a fantastic start to what's shaping up as a very adventurous year. The spoiling came fast and furious with a trip to the circus (seriously, the way some people can bend, they must have been born without bones), two beautiful paintings, and then out to dinner at a great Mexican place - yummy! So the next obvious question...who do I have to negotiate with to make it my birthday everyday?

The year in photographs - Day 8

2009-01-25T01:57:00.004+10:30

A beautiful day spent down at the river - loving South Australia!

The year in photographs - Day 7

2009-01-23T23:48:00.001+10:30

My very cute little puppy looking completely unimpressed as I wake her to take this shot!

Day 4 - Siem Reap, Cambodia

2009-01-22T22:31:00.009+10:30

Happy birthday Milla! Today started bright and early with two little voices whispering 'softly' to each other about the likelihood that Jodie was awake, tip-toeing past repeatedly and giggling all the while, until finally I cracked and admitted I was, indeed, awake. How could I resist? Milla's birthday celebrations were waiting to begin! After a fun treasure hunt all around our bamboo room, Milla sat down to open her many presents (lucky girl!), and then we were off to see Siem Reap, the town!

Because our forays into Siem Reap had only consisted of temple visits thus far, I wasn't sure what to expect, but town was great! It was incredibly busy, with people roaming around every free inch, and making our way into the markets, we were suddenly engulfed by the masses, drawn into an endless sea of goods and faces. Some of these goods were, unfortunately, not particularly appealing - the squirming fish, raw chicken and broom handles certainly didn't get my vote, but the dresses, silks, wall hangings and bags were gorgeous! Needless to say, I bought far too much (a very gluttonous, although satisfying feeling). The people at the market were lovely, calling out friendly greetings as we passed. Making eye contact often proved dangerous however, an easy smile quickly turning into a call to buy and the pressure is enormous. Still, we managed to dust off our bartering skills and get away with some real bargains.

After taking in all the markets had to offer, we decided it was time to head off in search of a restaurant for Milla's celebratory birthday dinner. Eventually we found our way to Cool Corner Bar, a restaurant serving both Western and Khmer dishes - perfect! Although I'm sad to see our influence so heavily in a country whose own traditions are so beautiful, there is a certain kind of charm to the Cambodian take on Western 'ambience'...

Then, having refreshed ourselves for a bit, we made our way off to the night markets, wandering down the well lit streets between tuk-tuks, masses of people, and small animals runing to and fro. We detoured briefly at a very Western ice cream parlour (closest we could get to birthday cake) and then wandered down a very well lit street, sight-seeing and shopping as we went. All in all, a great day. I would love to see more of Siem Reap, but tomorrow we're off to Laos. Ah well, we'll just have to come back for another visit very soon!

The year in photographs - Day 6

2009-01-22T22:27:00.003+10:30

Sam trying on one of the many swimsuits that caught our eye during our shopping expedition tonight - what do we think? *grin*

The year in photographs - Day 5

2009-01-22T00:34:00.002+10:30

And finally, after eight years of darkness, a new dawn of hope... I couldn't be in Washington in person, but this man definitely has to be the photo of the day (even via the television screen).

Day 3 - Siem Reap, Cambodia

2009-01-20T23:01:00.009+10:30

Today was an early start! We were up before the crack of dawn, at 4:30am to be exact (although there is some conjecture that it was actually 4am due to some watch discrepancies - at any given moment the time was proclaimed to be on the hour, the half hour after, the half hour before, or the next hour according to the clock at the resort, Tracey's watch, Milla's watch and my own) - anyway, point is, it was EARLY!! So, into the pitch black we trundled in our tuk-tuk, driving over pot-holed roads and bouncing around like popcorn, all in order to see Angor Wat at sunrise.

After climbing out of the tuk-tuk we headed up to the gates and the sea of smiling security guards, although the smiles slipped a little as we fought to prove that Milla was in fact nine years old (apparently she looks like Tracey's thirty year old sister). Still, even though she's taller this time around, the people of Southeast Asia still love Milla, the women at security giving her a cuddle as we waited.

Then, suddenly, we were in, stumbling around in the 5am blackness, experiencing distinct feelings of torch-envy (flashlight-envy for the Canadians) as tour after tour went past, their path well-lit by the guides. After a few comments like 'wow, I bet this is stunning when you can actually see it' and 'now, was that furry animal that just ran past a cat or a rat?', we decided it would be best to follow the tours which all seemed to be congregating in one spot over by the lake. As it turned out, this led to prime viewing of the sunrise over the temple (see? sometimes it does pay to follow the crowd Mom!). Words just can't do it justice...the whole thing was breathtaking...

Some information on Angkor Wat (as your official tour guide for this blog) - it is the world's largest religious monument, the symbol of the Khmer Kingdom at its peak, and the heart and soul of all Khmer people apparently. The temple itself is more than one square kilometre and is surrounded by water. The walls of the temples are covered by carvings depicting stories and characters from Ramayana and historical wars. All in all - awesome!

We then headed off to Angkor Thom, via Bayon, or the four-face towers, which apparently stands for the four qualities of Nirvana - compassion, humility...and two others that I sadly cannot remember - something deep though certainly =] Making our way to Angkor Thom we decided to ditch the tuk-tuk and opted for a slightly different mode of transport...

I was unsure about the elephant riding at first, but after feeding them turned out to be such a blast (bananas surprisingly) , and Tracey and Milla did a lot of fast talking about bravery, adventure, and missing out on the fun, I decided to suck it up and on we climbed. It was fantastic! Like riding a very tall, very wobbly horse =] Our destination, Angkor Thom, was amazing, a sea of faces carved into stone. And there we met a very friendly police officer who decided to double as a tour guide and took us on a personal tour of the temple, telling us about the symbolism of the different carvings, religious symbols, and signs of war (one bullet hole was particularly striking). He also took some great pictures!

During the afternoon we took in a few more temples (much like the Louvre, the majesty started to wear off sadly, perhaps there's simply a human threshold for awe-inspiring sights so that once crossed, the individual is simply unable to work up any kind eye-widening wonder...), then finished off our day with Ta Prohm, one of the few temples that hasn't been restored and is slowly being reclaimed by the jungle (you may recognise it from Tomb Raider...)

All in all, an amazing day! The temples were breathtaking and gave a real sense of peace (when we weren't being followed by aggressive market sellers going 'Lady, lady, you buy? you buy?' that is). The only downside to the day was when we lost our tuk-tuk driver - he had been amazing all day - no matter how far afield we wandered, he always managed to find us again just when we needed him but at the very last temple, we had to hunt. Not really a huge problem, but the hour of walking in, out and around the temple, in the rain that started falling about five minutes into our search was just not a great way to end the day. Finally we found him though and it was back to the resort after nine and a half hours of temple exploring. So now, time for a bit of relaxation and getting ready for the big day - tomorrow is Milla's birthday!

The year in photographs - Day 4

2009-01-20T22:31:00.007+10:30

A study in Tracey and Jodie

The year in photographs - Day 3

2009-01-19T16:38:00.003+10:30

The sky, as it appears on a 37C day... oh winter, where art thou?

Day 2 - Singapore - Cambodia

2009-01-18T23:31:00.000+10:30

Today we set off bright and early to the first official stop in our fantastic holiday - Cambodia! The lovely taxi driver from last night kindly agreed to take us to the airport this morning so we were treated to another unofficial tour as we drove. I have to admit, I'm still not the biggest fan of Singapore, but I was looking forward to making the best of it by scoping out some bargains at the newly built Terminal 3 of the airport, a terminal that puts many, many others to shame. Unfortunately there was no time before our flight out, but we've got a long layover on the way back so we should find a few minutes to have a look around.

The flight to Siem Reap went very well - no turbulence and very friendly staff, although we weren't quite game to ask if we could pinch the empty seats up in first class. I wonder what they would have said! Landing in Siem Reap was by far the best part of the journey though. Everywhere I've been in the world, the airports are always only slight variations on the large concrete theme - no life, no individuality, no warmth. Not so in Siem Reap. Here the building resembled a temple and inside, somehow everything felt very serene, a strange feeling for an aiport. The picture below doesn't quite do it justice, but you get the idea...

In keeping with the theme of welcoming simiplicity, happily, customs was a breeze, and as we walked out of the building, there stood a man holding a sign with our names on it (met at the airport by a driver - luxury!). The drive from the airport to Siem Reap was a quiet one though, as we drove past large, opulent hotels situated right next to poor, ramshackle huts. Apparently the tourism boom has been useful in terms of employment, but has sent property prices through the roof, and no surprise, pay rates have not kept up. The poverty was difficult to see and, as always, I wish we could just re-distribute the world's wealth appropriately, but I acknowledge that my holiday journal is not the place to whip out my soapbox, and I recognise the hint of hypocrisy since I was there on a luxurious holiday, so I'll leave the ranting there, promise.

Arriving at our resort, Palm Village, was fantastic! The entire place is made of natural materials and set in the midst of a leafy jungle, creating a very peaceful and welcoming atmosphere. The staff were also incredibly friendly and the pool was great (most of the day was spent there, enjoying our first chance to really relax). The room, well, nothing short of bamboo heaven... all in all, a great first day in Siem Reap!

The year in photographs - Day 2

2009-01-18T23:03:00.003+10:30

Today begins a new chapter in the story of my cooking career... apparently I have been missing out on the wonder that is a slow cooker, so a friend has very kindly agreed to lend us hers so we can now truely start to live as God intended... with roast that's falling off the bone! =] I'll let you know how we go...

Intermittent dedication

2009-01-17T23:59:00.000+10:30

Well, my promise to write to this blog everyday has obviously failed miserably (unless on some alternate universe a year and a half can be considered a 'day'), but as always, I am inspired by my friend Lisa, the most dedicated and interesting blogger I know, so after a jaunt over to her site tonight, I am once again back on the bandwagon, and this time, with two points of inspiration.

The first is entitled 'A year in photographs' and as you can probably imagine, involves taking at least one photo every day to commemorate the things going on in your life over the space of 365 days. Now, the obvious problem here is that it is January 17th rather than January 1st, but rather than consider that a loss, I will instead pretend it is a purposeful attempt to buck convention, and so, my year will run from January 17th, 2009 to January 17th, 2010. Now, this requires a very HIGH level of dedication - one post everyday for a year. But, as the thesis draws to a close, I think some kind of commitment to creativity is probably a good thing, and will hopefully help me maintain some level of sanity, after I have finished reading the same sentence seventeen times in a row and edited not even a word.

The second source of inspiration comes from my late 2008 overseas trip with the girls (Tracey and Milla); once again I will be posting the journal I kept while away - we added Cambodia and Laos to the itinerary this time around so it should make for interesting reading.

So, without further ado...

The year in photographs - Day 1

2009-01-17T23:52:00.007+10:30

Unfortunately, this first day has not been the most eventful, although it does give an accurate indication of what I've been up to, not only today, but over the past few weeks... working on the thesis and looking at my cutie puppies when I think I can't take anymore. Remind me again who thought the thesis was a good idea? =]

Day 1 - Singapore

2009-01-17T23:13:00.007+10:30

Well, it's official! The trip has finally begun! It seems like we've been counting down the days forever now, and then suddenly, it's time to go. Everything began again at the Adelaide Airport, with Tracey and Milla waiting to herald our arrival by jumping out with wide grins as Martyn and I stepped off the elevator. Apparently they had inadvertently managed to scare a few strangers with this excited welcome before they spotted us - I'm guessing they won't be up for the position of airport ambassadors anytime soon, although if there are points for enthusiasm, they may be in with a chance *grin*.

Note: imagine a picture of the girls at the airport here, sadly lost to data heaven due to the faulty memory card I was given as an extra when I purchased my camera...thanks Teds Camerahouse!

After saying goodbye to Martyn and Marc (the lovely boys who happily escort us to the airport each time we go away), we were off. As always, Singapore Airlines was a joy to fly with - warm face cloths, blankets, service with a smile - it was heaven. Well, as heavenly as a long metal tube packed to the gills with an uncomfortable human mass can be of course.

After a fairly uneventful flight (well, except for the turbulence right before landing, during which Milla insisted on singing 'Roller coaster, roller coaster, heading for the wall...SMASH!' over and over again, much to my delight), we made our way out into Singapore, a place that has thus far failed to impress during any of the numerous stop-overs I've experienced there. I'm fairly sure this isn't due to any sort of traveller snobbiness on my part - usually just point me in the direction of something novel and I'm happy, but the visual monoculture of Singapore is, well, disturbing - it's just soooo clean and orderly. I need some chaos, something to prove to me that humans actually live there. Thankfully, although I was still not overly charmed this time around, the place finally managed to instill a small glimmer of hope...

Let me explain.

When booking our hotel, we had unwittingly chosen the seedy part of town - Singapore's equivalent of Hindley Street for my Australian friends, Hollis Street for my Canadian friends...nice sense of continuity there hmm? It seems everywhere has a seedy side. But because this was Singapore, even the seediest of places is still fairly safe and clean, so rather than feeling nervous, we headed out in an air of excitment, and joy of joys, were treated to the very lively side of Singapore - colour, atmosphere, music, laughter, it was all there.

It began with a very friendly taxi driver who gave us a bit of a tour of the sights on the way to our hotel, telling us the different histories, housing arrangements and neighbourhoods, and continued with our arrival at The Fragrance Hotel (slightly scary name admittedly) - $105 a night for the equivalent of a slightly luxurious jail cell. Then, in the space of only an hour we managed to spot thirteen feral cats, be served by one rude lady and two lovely men, eat the spiciest fried rice known to man, send Tracey to heaven on a bowl of noodle soup, meander through a market, buy some cushion covers, see more 'short shorts' than has been seen in one place since the 1960s, and get hit on by two fairly questionable men - one of whom blew me a kiss.

Eventful hmm? Well done Singapore.

And now, as I write this, we have arrived back at the hotel, ready to fly to Siem Reap tomorrow and officially start our holiday! Can't wait!!

The Flash

2007-10-01T22:45:00.000+09:30

My apologies, I know it has been far too long since my last post; I have been lucky enough to attend a friend's wedding in Canada, and have simply been playing catch up since I got back. But for some time now I have been meaning to put fingers to keyboard (not quite so poetic as pen to paper, but nevertheless...) and failing, until tonight. And the reason I write now is, unusually, thanks to a television program.

Regarding television, I am of two very distinct minds. One part of me loves it (the very naughty part I generally keep subdued with ice cream and trashy romance novels); I love the escapism it offers, the mindlessness, the sheer pleasure of entertainment that requires no effort on my part other than simply listening, and sometimes even very little of that. But of course, the writer in me is generally appalled by television. It is so very mindless. It is crass. It is ugly. It glorifies in the worst part of ourselves, taking us to such levels of mediocrity that it is impossible to imagine that we could sink to any lower levels of apathy.

And yet, every once in awhile, something stirs, something redeems, something inspires. Tonight, I was watching Andrew Denton (a brilliant Australian interview) speak with Miriam Margolyes (perhaps best known as Prof. Sprout in Harry Potter). I had only a passing acquaintance with Miriam's work, but was caught up in the interview from her very first sentence as she sang the praises of Charles Dickens' female characters and contorted her face beyond recognition to impersonate one of them. From there, she spoke of her parents, her acting, her weight, her partner, her losses, her joys, and for not one moment did my mind stray from what she was saying. She had a gift of expression that was, simply put, breathtakingly beautiful.

And she reminded me once again of the beauty in words. For me, above any other medium, they can create such feeling. And of course that feeling can be of any sort of variety, but to be able to say it, to express it in a way others can understood it - that is a gift.

And all of this reminded me tonight that even as a grown up, I can still be blessed by what Emily Starr 'the flash'. (Note: Emily is my favourite L.M. Montgomery figure - sacrilege to Anne fans I know, of which of course I am one, but give Emily a try, I know she will enchant you.) For those of you who have not read Emily for awhile here a reminder:

'It had always seemed to Emily, ever since she could remember, that she was very, very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain; she could never draw the curtain aside-but sometimes, just for a moment, a wind fluttered it and then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond-only a glimpse-and heard a note of unearthly music. This moment came rarely-went swiftly, leaving her breathless with the inexpressible delight of it. She could never recall it-never summon it-never pretend it; but the wonder of it stayed with her for days. And always when the flash came to her Emily felt that life was a wonderful, mysterious thing of persistent beauty.' (Emily of New Moon)

Tonight I have been visited by 'the flash' and I will glory in it, even if it means I become far too sentimentally verbose (even more so than usual that is). And my wish? That you would experience the same.

And to help you in that goal, perhaps a little Miriam Margolyes... http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/