Downunder Diary
by Guest Author
September
We invited some friends around for a Thai curry dinner which Bianca catered for using the local restaurant menu. A great evening was had by all with the delicious food being flushed down with vats of wine.
Early the next morning a couple of mates joined me at the Bulimba creek to paddle the 12km canoe trail to Minnippi Parklands where the moms and kids were waiting. The initial adrenaline rush soon passed way, and I found myself doing some strenuous paddling.
As the sun reached its hottest my arms ached, my bum burned, the sweat stung my eyes and the red wine made me feel like grapes were being trampled in my head. Eventually we found a safe place to portage and waited for our seconds to come and find us. The feeling in my body slowly returned as I lay slumped in my camp chair replacing the much needed fluid.
Things have been turned upside-down at home as Bianca is working full time. The boys and I have now been lumped with having to make our own beds, pick up our washing and even vacuum from time to time.
I attended my first bachelors or bucks party in Australia down at the Manly Hotel. The guests were of a more mature age so the usual ball-and-chain antics and live entertainment didnt feature. The one thing that wasnt different was the speed at which the liquid refreshments disappeared. We started off quite civilized with a surf-and-turf dinner, but things deteriorated dramatically after that.
October
I never thought it would happen in Australia, but when you drop your guard and start to feel safe this is the time you are most vulnerable to crime. It happened over the weekend while we were away on the Gold Coast for a wedding. Some low life scum of the earth walked onto our property and stole my bicycle, which was leaning up against the house, and also my helmet, which was hooked over the handle bars.
So when I went outside the next morning to ride to the station I found that it was gone and I had no choice but to trudge up to the station. When I reached the station I couldnt believe my eyes. The thief had actually cycled to the station and locked my bike up on the bike rack using my lock and chain. Then it dawned on me that I had taken a taxi home after our office cocktail party on the previous Friday night and had forgotten my bike at the station all weekend.
Bianca is working her mielie off this week and getting up early most mornings to prepare for parent teacher interviews. She is also using her newly acquired teaching skill to boss us boys around at home. We now have to rinse our own plates after eating and pack them into the dishwasher. I have even had to clean the stove. I really miss Precious.
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