Coffee Time

This morning Letetia called me to let me know she wouldn't me making it to meet after drop-off for coffee. Not a big deal, except she had said she was going to be there so she felt bad. I offered to bring her a coffee to her place since she said Anthea really wasn't feeling THAT BAD, Letetia just felt she didn't want to send her to school with a cough. So she said, yes, coffee sounded good.
As I dropped the kids off, I ran into Sophie and Emma who were debating running up for a coffee. I suggested meeting at Teesh's for coffee as she was home-bound. Sophie agreed and we ran to Schmooze for a quick take-away. Emma dropped Brodie the dog off at someone's house and met us at Letetia's. I sent a quick text to Teesh in hopes that she wouldn't appear in her jammie's (I highly doubted it, but wanted to cover my butt just in case!). Ran into Rachel and Sue up by Schmooze and invited them along. Gee, not my house, but thought, the more the merrier!!!
Letetia said she had a feeling more than just me would be stopping by. She made date scones, so we had coffee and scones while everyone chatted. I think she was very happy to have the company -- Again an example of how great the friends are. Dropping in like that is completely welcome. Coffee dates are great. And everyone just sits and chats. Emma, Sophie and Rachel took off for reading groups at 10.10 and Sue and I stayed until 11. We left, but Teesh would have had us stay for who knows how long! Just so friendly...

Lost and Found

We had barely gotten home from working on the platter at Shelley's house this afternoon when I received a call on my mobile phone. Since it was in the house, I could see who was calling -- problem was, in the house, my mobile doesn't work. So, I called Shelley back at the house. All I could make out from her was, "Freddy is missing..."
I told the kids to get in the car and we took off. They actually got right in -- no questions asked and quickly! Headed straight down out street. When we got around the round about, there in an LA County Jail T-Shirt in bright orange, was Freddy K. Told him to get in the car NOW! He looked at me, said he was going home. I said no! Get in the car NOW! His mom was frantic. I could tell he knew he was in big trouble and scared. He reluctantly got in and I raced the rest of the block home, honking the whole way to get Shelley's attention.
Found her shaking in her driveway on the phone with Matt, her hubby. He was heading home in a cab to help find Fred. UGH! The fear. The first place Shelley looked was the bottom of the pool. Then she started looking through the house in case he was hiding. The she called those of us who were over working on the platter in case he snuck home with us. No luck. That is when I hopped in the car since I am just 2 blocks up the street...
Fred was OK, grounded till death I presume, but OK. I took this time to use it as a little bit of a learning opportunity for the kids. Explain that they should never go off even if they are mad at me -- they could see how scared Shelley was -- and what trouble Freddy got into. I also explained to them how friends help and look out for each other and that is why when Shelley called, I dropped everything and got everyone into the car and started looking for Fred. Because that is what friends do and she would do it for me.
I have been very blessed, yes blessed, to have found such great friends in less than a year of moving to Australia. We have made friends that I know I can call in the middle of the night if the kids are sick or something is wrong (which I already have), friends I can call if someone is hurt or missing (which I hope never happens) and friends that I can call to share the good times and the bad times with. That truly is more that I hoped for. I hoped and expected to find a few people to maybe get along with, but not form a good bond with. This group of friends is making life here so much better!

Platter Time Again

Its time to paint platters again. We are doing another large ceramic platter again. But this time its for Emmalee's teacher.
Technically I am not the class parent for Emmalee's class, but since I know what I am doing (?????), I am helping Shelley out. So, this afternoon, I supervised six first graders on the task of transferring their self image to a platter in paint. It was fun... until it rained. Then we got to run for the golf umbrella and hold it over the budding arteests.
So, seven down (counting Emmalee) and sixteen to go. Then I get to go in and trace over their names, sponge in the background and write their names on the front. Then I think I will have to officially get a divorce from the year 1 work. And think about a separation from the Kindy group.

Are you smarter than an AVERAGE American?

Studies are saying that American's don't know much about the world around them. And based on the friends we have met here in Australia... we are proving the point. The Aussie's we have met are very up on the world around them including a keen knowledge of US History and US Geography.
I would truly have to say, I know hardly anything about Australia and feel like I barely know more than that about the world. Jim on the other hand seems to have a pretty good handle on that sort of stuff. We know who will be the go to man when it comes to that part of homework in the future.
Want to test your skills? A new quiz every day...

National Geographic Daily Quiz

Watching the Birds

Andrew, Emmalee and I sat on the steps of the deck tonight and watched the birds for about half an hour. We had finished supper and Andrew had a bit of bread left over, so he tore it up and threw it into the back yard to feed the birds.
We waited patiently for them to show up to eat for us.
The temperature was perfect -- about 72 degrees, slight breeze. The sun was still in the sky, but not too bright.
So we just sat there and watched nature. Listened to the trees rustle in the wind. Watched the birds scrap over the pieces of bread. We heard Mike the kookaburra in the palm tree above us laughing with the lorakeets.
It was a very peaceful way to end a weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving

As I sit here at 9.15 pm, we have officially survived our first Thanksgiving away from home. Our first Thanksgiving as the Rhomberg family where we had to cook our own meal AND carve our own turkey.

Since we aren't even in America, we still chose to celebrate it. We invited the Bartons and the Fords over. Letetia didn't end up coming because she has tonsititis for the 3rd time in 2 months and is completely wiped out. We really missed her! But we did get to initiate two Australian families into a new American tradition. They had never had turkey cooked that way -- or stuffing -- or real gravy -- or jello salad -- or cranberry dessert -- or chocolate pecan pie! So it was a night of firsts for them.

Everything came together perfectly. I ordered the turkey well in advance. Found a free-range, hormone free turkey. Paid through the nose for it. Evidently since Aussie's don't eat whole turkeys, the prices are a premium -- like $13.99 per kg. So, 4.75 kg of a turkey came home with me yesterday. You can't find stuffing mix, so I bought sliced bread and made home-made today. Turned out GREAT. Won't find me making that from boxed again. The buttermilk mashed potatoes were awesome. Num Num. Sophie brought mashed sweet potatoes to keep with the theme (she knew I wouldn't eat them, but she likes them!). Can't find cherry pie filling here either, so I had to make my own for the jello salad, which turned out OK, not perfect, but the kids still loved it.
When it came to cooking the turkey, I brined it. That worked great - except instead of the 3 1/2 hours to cook it said, it cooked in 2 1/2 hours and was definitely over temp. ARGH! Stuck a thermometer in at 2 1/2 hours and the temp soars over 170! Whoops! So, turkey came out an hour earlier than I planned, but still tasted fine.

Gravy was awesome. A bit salty, but Sophie almost licked the gravy boat clean while clearing the table, so I would say it was good. Not much left, either.
Gathered everyone around the table. Said Grace and then went around the table to say what we are thankful for. It was really nice. Then we just shared a great meal. The Bartons and the Fords have become like a 2nd set of family for us here. It has helped us to not feel so far away from everyone and I think they enjoyed sharing our holiday and a little tradition with us. Especially when it comes to food!

Hello... is anyone out there???

I know that is what everyone is thinking. Its been a rough couple of weeks since I got back from Hawaii. Andrew was sick. I am sick. I have practically been living at school. In fact this week alone I have been there no less than 3 times a day. UGH! I am going to need a divorce (from the school) before this term is over.
And then the headmistress asks if I would mind being the good-will ambassador to a new family moving to Northbridge from Sweden in 2 weeks and joining Kindergarten. Evidently Miss Jowett (Andrew's teacher) thinks I have assimilated well into our transition here and would be helpful with this new family. And of course I couldn't say no. If there wouldn't have been helpful and friendly people here, our transition wouldn't been so nice once school started!
So, bear with me while I pick up the pieces of my tired, worn out, dragging along life and try to catch up since Hawaii. It may take a while, but I WILL catch up! (I promise Steve O. and Cindy B.)

Thanks Teesh!

I picked out the beads before I left for Hawaii and Letetia made me this!!!

If I Don't Return...

...that's because the spiders got me. Or the snakes. Or the blue-tongued lizards. Or one of the other seven of Australia's deadliest creatures. Or something new that hasn't even been discovered yet.
You see, Emmalee is going on a bush walk with her school class around Northbridge and is absolutely insistent that I go along. To the point that she was in tears this morning before school when I said I wasn't going to go. I said "Why not?" and she said, "Because I love you so much!". Now how can I argue with such logic???
So, if there are no more posts after this one, then one can only wonder which of the creatures really got us...

Kool-aid...Corrupting Kids Around the World

Emmalee had Stephanie and Emma over for a play while Andrew was over at Brian's house. The girls enjoyed a little female time ALONE with no annoying little brother around. This called for pink lemonade cocktails with strawberries on the straws! (Nothing like Kool-aid to impress your Aussie friends who have never had that OR pretzels!!!! I mean, what sort of place doesn't have Kool-aid or pretzels??? Ok, they have pretzels, Emma just had never had them before. But you can't buy Kool-aid, here except at import shops for $1AUS a packet. UGH!)

Travelling Woes

This pretty much explains my feelings about travelling with luggage and United on our last trip to the US. Luckily, JetStar to Hawaii and back was much better. In fact, if they flew to Chicago, I would definitely choose them. Must be because they are the little sibling of Qantas...

Thanks to Bill Dermody (and his brother I think) for passing this on. I was laughing so hard because it is truly just about true -- all of it!!!!! Poor guy. At least I was waiting till I got to Illinois to go shopping!

Spring Has Sprung

Toast to Sandi/Mom/Grandma