What a day! From start to finish it has been nothing but drama. Well, drama in my book....
It has been raining for days. Feels more like weeks, but has really only been few days. Today, it DOWN POURED all day and the wind was blowing sideways. Umbrellas were abandoned on the street and in garbage cans, taxis were impossible to find and people were gathered in large groups under awnings and overhangs or where ever they could find a break from the rain. I haven't experienced rain like this since living in Chicago.
Of course, this in one of the days we have to go out and have to be somewhere at a specific time. Today, we had a vet appointment for Manzie at 10:00 am at the University of Sydney Vet School which is about 15 minutes by taxi or a bit longer by bus. I geared up the boys in raincoats and boots, shoved Manzie in our small, travel crate (necessary for all taxi rides) and headed out the door. I was, of course, already late because I had the time wrong, but I figured I will just grab a taxi out front and be on our way. HA! We got down to the lobby and looked out side and it was raining so hard it was like being in the shower. We waited out front for a taxi for about 10 minutes, but had no luck. We did, however, have a very nice gentleman stand with us for a bit of that wait and hold his umbrella over the boys. How kind! We decided to relocate to a different street to see if we had better luck with a taxi. We waited and waited and waited and taxi after taxi after taxi passed us by. One stopped, but told me he wouldn't take Tucker because he was under 3 and needed a car seat- baloney! The law is under 2 has to have a car seat. Then another kind lady came and shielded the boys with her umbrella for a bit before she had to take off to get her own ride. Finally, a taxi stopped. I asked the driver is he was okay with the dog in the crate and the driver actually had the nerve to ask me to put Manzie IN THE TRUNK! Not the way back of a station wagon or mini-van, but in the trunk of a 4 door taxi. I said, no and insisted on the ride anyway. I was done being patient and nice. The driver was a little crabby and made some comments under his breath, but I prevailed and we made it to the vet very soggy, but safe.
Once there the staff was so understanding as to why were late. The receptionist agreed with me that the driver was crazy to ask such a thing. We sat down to wait for our appointment and to calm down a bit from drama of getting there.
The doctors there are so wonderful. They are thorough, knowledgable and kind. After our discussion of what the doctors thought should be done, I asked for a quote for the care they suggested (Thank you, Dr. Kate for your advice). They very calmly came back with a quote of $635. YIKES! I very kindly replied, "Ok, so where can we make some cuts?" After a bit of a discussion, I managed to talk them down to $165. Phew! Even with that, I still have to give Manzie her injections at home and collect a urine sample from her. That should be hilarious. Will I take the soup ladle approach or the Chinese Take-Out container approach. Ah, you will have to wait and read more later.
Thankfully, on the way back, we got a nice taxi driver who had no problem with the dog. He did put her in the back SEAT, but that was fine. He was friendly and we chatted a bit on the way home.
I have not been that happy to be home in quite some time. We were all soaked from head to toe, Tucker had passed out in the pram (imagine that) and the air-conditioning was on in the apartment. I carefully changed Tucker's clothes and put him to bed. Coop and I changed into dry clothes as well and then snuggled up on the couch with a tv show so that we could warm up.
I have to say that I completely agree with Tucker when he starts to sing, "Rain, rain go away..."
Showing posts with label taxi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taxi. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2011
Rain, Rain Go AWAY! Far away!
What a day! From start to finish it has been nothing but drama. Well, drama in my book....
It has been raining for days. Feels more like weeks, but has really only been few days. Today, it DOWN POURED all day and the wind was blowing sideways. Umbrellas were abandoned on the street and in garbage cans, taxis were impossible to find and people were gathered in large groups under awnings and overhangs or where ever they could find a break from the rain. I haven't experienced rain like this since living in Chicago.
Of course, this in one of the days we have to go out and have to be somewhere at a specific time. Today, we had a vet appointment for Manzie at 10:00 am at the University of Sydney Vet School which is about 15 minutes by taxi or a bit longer by bus. I geared up the boys in raincoats and boots, shoved Manzie in our small, travel crate (necessary for all taxi rides) and headed out the door. I was, of course, already late because I had the time wrong, but I figured I will just grab a taxi out front and be on our way. HA! We got down to the lobby and looked out side and it was raining so hard it was like being in the shower. We waited out front for a taxi for about 10 minutes, but had no luck. We did, however, have a very nice gentleman stand with us for a bit of that wait and hold his umbrella over the boys. How kind! We decided to relocate to a different street to see if we had better luck with a taxi. We waited and waited and waited and taxi after taxi after taxi passed us by. One stopped, but told me he wouldn't take Tucker because he was under 3 and needed a car seat- baloney! The law is under 2 has to have a car seat. Then another kind lady came and shielded the boys with her umbrella for a bit before she had to take off to get her own ride. Finally, a taxi stopped. I asked the driver is he was okay with the dog in the crate and the driver actually had the nerve to ask me to put Manzie IN THE TRUNK! Not the way back of a station wagon or mini-van, but in the trunk of a 4 door taxi. I said, no and insisted on the ride anyway. I was done being patient and nice. The driver was a little crabby and made some comments under his breath, but I prevailed and we made it to the vet very soggy, but safe.
Once there the staff was so understanding as to why were late. The receptionist agreed with me that the driver was crazy to ask such a thing. We sat down to wait for our appointment and to calm down a bit from drama of getting there.
The doctors there are so wonderful. They are thorough, knowledgable and kind. After our discussion of what the doctors thought should be done, I asked for a quote for the care they suggested (Thank you, Dr. Kate for your advice). They very calmly came back with a quote of $635. YIKES! I very kindly replied, "Ok, so where can we make some cuts?" After a bit of a discussion, I managed to talk them down to $165. Phew! Even with that, I still have to give Manzie her injections at home and collect a urine sample from her. That should be hilarious. Will I take the soup ladle approach or the Chinese Take-Out container approach. Ah, you will have to wait and read more later.
Thankfully, on the way back, we got a nice taxi driver who had no problem with the dog. He did put her in the back SEAT, but that was fine. He was friendly and we chatted a bit on the way home.
I have not been that happy to be home in quite some time. We were all soaked from head to toe, Tucker had passed out in the pram (imagine that) and the air-conditioning was on in the apartment. I carefully changed Tucker's clothes and put him to bed. Coop and I changed into dry clothes as well and then snuggled up on the couch with a tv show so that we could warm up.
I have to say that I completely agree with Tucker when he starts to sing, "Rain, rain go away..."
It has been raining for days. Feels more like weeks, but has really only been few days. Today, it DOWN POURED all day and the wind was blowing sideways. Umbrellas were abandoned on the street and in garbage cans, taxis were impossible to find and people were gathered in large groups under awnings and overhangs or where ever they could find a break from the rain. I haven't experienced rain like this since living in Chicago.
Of course, this in one of the days we have to go out and have to be somewhere at a specific time. Today, we had a vet appointment for Manzie at 10:00 am at the University of Sydney Vet School which is about 15 minutes by taxi or a bit longer by bus. I geared up the boys in raincoats and boots, shoved Manzie in our small, travel crate (necessary for all taxi rides) and headed out the door. I was, of course, already late because I had the time wrong, but I figured I will just grab a taxi out front and be on our way. HA! We got down to the lobby and looked out side and it was raining so hard it was like being in the shower. We waited out front for a taxi for about 10 minutes, but had no luck. We did, however, have a very nice gentleman stand with us for a bit of that wait and hold his umbrella over the boys. How kind! We decided to relocate to a different street to see if we had better luck with a taxi. We waited and waited and waited and taxi after taxi after taxi passed us by. One stopped, but told me he wouldn't take Tucker because he was under 3 and needed a car seat- baloney! The law is under 2 has to have a car seat. Then another kind lady came and shielded the boys with her umbrella for a bit before she had to take off to get her own ride. Finally, a taxi stopped. I asked the driver is he was okay with the dog in the crate and the driver actually had the nerve to ask me to put Manzie IN THE TRUNK! Not the way back of a station wagon or mini-van, but in the trunk of a 4 door taxi. I said, no and insisted on the ride anyway. I was done being patient and nice. The driver was a little crabby and made some comments under his breath, but I prevailed and we made it to the vet very soggy, but safe.
Once there the staff was so understanding as to why were late. The receptionist agreed with me that the driver was crazy to ask such a thing. We sat down to wait for our appointment and to calm down a bit from drama of getting there.
The doctors there are so wonderful. They are thorough, knowledgable and kind. After our discussion of what the doctors thought should be done, I asked for a quote for the care they suggested (Thank you, Dr. Kate for your advice). They very calmly came back with a quote of $635. YIKES! I very kindly replied, "Ok, so where can we make some cuts?" After a bit of a discussion, I managed to talk them down to $165. Phew! Even with that, I still have to give Manzie her injections at home and collect a urine sample from her. That should be hilarious. Will I take the soup ladle approach or the Chinese Take-Out container approach. Ah, you will have to wait and read more later.
Thankfully, on the way back, we got a nice taxi driver who had no problem with the dog. He did put her in the back SEAT, but that was fine. He was friendly and we chatted a bit on the way home.
I have not been that happy to be home in quite some time. We were all soaked from head to toe, Tucker had passed out in the pram (imagine that) and the air-conditioning was on in the apartment. I carefully changed Tucker's clothes and put him to bed. Coop and I changed into dry clothes as well and then snuggled up on the couch with a tv show so that we could warm up.
I have to say that I completely agree with Tucker when he starts to sing, "Rain, rain go away..."
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Oh, Taxi!
Coop's latest favorite thing to do at the park is sweep. Yes, sweep. He likes to find branches with leaves that have fallen down and use them as brooms to sweep the leaves off the steps in the park. He has done it for two days now. He keeps trying to get me to help him, but I keep telling him that I get to do plenty of cleaning at home and don't need to do anymore at the park. :)
Tuck and I went out for an early morning walk today. We walked through the city on our way to pick up some nappies (aka diapers) at Woolworths. While waiting for them to open, we heard a bird screeching. I knew right away that it was a cockatoo- their call is very loud and distinct. Almost obnoxious. Anyway, I looked up and saw a cockatoo on the church across the street. Now, I know you are thinking, um, you are in Australia, there are cockatoos everywhere, but, come on! Seeing a bird we Americans normally only seen at a zoo or on TV in the middle of a bustling, city center-- it seemed surreal. So, of course, I photographed it. I even got one with his/her crest up! Pretty cool.
We visited a local bookstore this week. I love looking through the books written by Australian authors. Many of them- Mem Fox, Nick Bland- are authors whose books sell in the States as well, but many do not. I especially love the books about Dreamtime. Okay, here comes the teacher in me-- for those of you who do not know what Dreamtime is....
All the world's peoples have a concept of how the world was formed. The Australian Aboriginals believe that, in the beginning, the earth was featureless, flat and grey. There were no mountain ranges, no rivers, no billabongs, no birds or animals - in fact not one living thing. Then long, long ago came the Dreamtime. The Dreamtime was a time when giant creatures rose up out of the grey plains where they had been slumbering for countless ages. These mythical Beings looked like animals or plants or insects, but they behaved just like humans. They wandered across the vast grey wastes, digging for water and searching for food and as they searched, because of their giant size, they made huge ravines and rivers in the land. Thus the world took on the shape it has today. Aboriginal people believe that in the Dreamtime the traditional Aboriginal way of life was established by these mythical Beings: this way of life is still followed in traditional Aboriginal society today. They believe that their ancestors were taught about their tribal lands by the mythical Beings, and were told how they, as descendants of these Beings, should behave. This was their Dreamtime and this teaching is as important to them as the "Ten commandments were to the ancient Hebrews. The Dreamtime ended, no one knows how or why, and time and life, as we know it, began. For Aboriginal people the land has a very special meaning for all over the land there are features which are reminders of those giant Beings of the Dreamtime. When they see a mountain or river, a rock or a tree, they think of the mythical Beings that had a part in their own creation. The Aboriginals believe that they are directly descended from these mythical Being. When the Dreamtime ended, the people were left with a social and cultural heritage which came from their ancestors.
Okay, back to the bookstore. After browsing the books for a while (and deciding that $26 for a hardcover is ridiculous), we headed out. On our way to the escalator we saw the store's collection of Mr. Men books. Major weakness on my part. When I was in third grade, our teacher read these books to us and then we wrote our own versions- I wrote the book, Little Miss Preppy. Yes, it was the eighties. When I started teaching 3rd grade, I did the same with my students and every year after, this was one of the culminating activities of the school year. So I have been collecting these books. They were out of print for years, but have slowly been put back in circulation over the last 15 or so years. So, when I see one I do not have, I snatch it up! Also, Coop showed an interest so that made the purchase even better! These are the ones we found.
I bought some play Australian money some time ago and put it away for another day. Tucker loves money- kind of funny, huh? And Coop is finally starting to understand the meaning of money, so I thought this was a good time.
Cooper immediately decided that we needed to play taxi and use the play money to pay for our fares. He has been in a lot of taxis since we arrived here. We set up a taxi in his room- he was, of course, the driver and I would flag down the taxi, get in, tell him where I wanted to go and he would take me there. The fare was always the same- $69 and after he had collected all the money and I had none left, he decided he would pay me to take his taxi- not a bad deal, huh? At one point, the taxi broke down and he had to get out and repair it. He went under his bed just like a mechanic would go under a car and fixed it. You can see him in the picture below. Too funny.
Just about this time Tucker woke up from his nap and joined our game. He was in heaven! He would sit in the back of the taxi and hand the dollar bills and coins to Cooper. That was all he did and he was so pleased with himself.
Tucker finally said his first "Australian word" this week. He walked up to a pile of trash on the ground and said, "rubbish." Crazy to think of what is ahead.
Tonight he climbed into his rocking chair with his blankets, water with ice and a book (Jamberry) and read to himself. Then I read it to him while he sat in the chair. I loved being able to watch his face as I read. Usually he is in my lap so I cannot see his reactions. He studied each page so carefully- his eyes sweeping over the whole page- taking it all in. He would smile at some things and even laughed at others. He looked at all the berries on the last page and said, "mmmm." That is what Cooper said to him yesterday on that very page. A most precious and cherished moment. I cannot believe he will be two years old on Monday. Where has the time gone?
Oh, Taxi!
Coop's latest favorite thing to do at the park is sweep. Yes, sweep. He likes to find branches with leaves that have fallen down and use them as brooms to sweep the leaves off the steps in the park. He has done it for two days now. He keeps trying to get me to help him, but I keep telling him that I get to do plenty of cleaning at home and don't need to do anymore at the park. :)
Tuck and I went out for an early morning walk today. We walked through the city on our way to pick up some nappies (aka diapers) at Woolworths. While waiting for them to open, we heard a bird screeching. I knew right away that it was a cockatoo- their call is very loud and distinct. Almost obnoxious. Anyway, I looked up and saw a cockatoo on the church across the street. Now, I know you are thinking, um, you are in Australia, there are cockatoos everywhere, but, come on! Seeing a bird we Americans normally only seen at a zoo or on TV in the middle of a bustling, city center-- it seemed surreal. So, of course, I photographed it. I even got one with his/her crest up! Pretty cool.
We visited a local bookstore this week. I love looking through the books written by Australian authors. Many of them- Mem Fox, Nick Bland- are authors whose books sell in the States as well, but many do not. I especially love the books about Dreamtime. Okay, here comes the teacher in me-- for those of you who do not know what Dreamtime is....
All the world's peoples have a concept of how the world was formed. The Australian Aboriginals believe that, in the beginning, the earth was featureless, flat and grey. There were no mountain ranges, no rivers, no billabongs, no birds or animals - in fact not one living thing. Then long, long ago came the Dreamtime. The Dreamtime was a time when giant creatures rose up out of the grey plains where they had been slumbering for countless ages. These mythical Beings looked like animals or plants or insects, but they behaved just like humans. They wandered across the vast grey wastes, digging for water and searching for food and as they searched, because of their giant size, they made huge ravines and rivers in the land. Thus the world took on the shape it has today. Aboriginal people believe that in the Dreamtime the traditional Aboriginal way of life was established by these mythical Beings: this way of life is still followed in traditional Aboriginal society today. They believe that their ancestors were taught about their tribal lands by the mythical Beings, and were told how they, as descendants of these Beings, should behave. This was their Dreamtime and this teaching is as important to them as the "Ten commandments were to the ancient Hebrews. The Dreamtime ended, no one knows how or why, and time and life, as we know it, began. For Aboriginal people the land has a very special meaning for all over the land there are features which are reminders of those giant Beings of the Dreamtime. When they see a mountain or river, a rock or a tree, they think of the mythical Beings that had a part in their own creation. The Aboriginals believe that they are directly descended from these mythical Being. When the Dreamtime ended, the people were left with a social and cultural heritage which came from their ancestors.
Okay, back to the bookstore. After browsing the books for a while (and deciding that $26 for a hardcover is ridiculous), we headed out. On our way to the escalator we saw the store's collection of Mr. Men books. Major weakness on my part. When I was in third grade, our teacher read these books to us and then we wrote our own versions- I wrote the book, Little Miss Preppy. Yes, it was the eighties. When I started teaching 3rd grade, I did the same with my students and every year after, this was one of the culminating activities of the school year. So I have been collecting these books. They were out of print for years, but have slowly been put back in circulation over the last 15 or so years. So, when I see one I do not have, I snatch it up! Also, Coop showed an interest so that made the purchase even better! These are the ones we found.
I bought some play Australian money some time ago and put it away for another day. Tucker loves money- kind of funny, huh? And Coop is finally starting to understand the meaning of money, so I thought this was a good time.
Cooper immediately decided that we needed to play taxi and use the play money to pay for our fares. He has been in a lot of taxis since we arrived here. We set up a taxi in his room- he was, of course, the driver and I would flag down the taxi, get in, tell him where I wanted to go and he would take me there. The fare was always the same- $69 and after he had collected all the money and I had none left, he decided he would pay me to take his taxi- not a bad deal, huh? At one point, the taxi broke down and he had to get out and repair it. He went under his bed just like a mechanic would go under a car and fixed it. You can see him in the picture below. Too funny.
Just about this time Tucker woke up from his nap and joined our game. He was in heaven! He would sit in the back of the taxi and hand the dollar bills and coins to Cooper. That was all he did and he was so pleased with himself.
Tucker finally said his first "Australian word" this week. He walked up to a pile of trash on the ground and said, "rubbish." Crazy to think of what is ahead.
Tonight he climbed into his rocking chair with his blankets, water with ice and a book (Jamberry) and read to himself. Then I read it to him while he sat in the chair. I loved being able to watch his face as I read. Usually he is in my lap so I cannot see his reactions. He studied each page so carefully- his eyes sweeping over the whole page- taking it all in. He would smile at some things and even laughed at others. He looked at all the berries on the last page and said, "mmmm." That is what Cooper said to him yesterday on that very page. A most precious and cherished moment. I cannot believe he will be two years old on Monday. Where has the time gone?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
We Finally Got Our Groove
I am not sure if we should be flattered or freaked out, but all the taxi drivers in Blacktown (that is where we get off the train from Sydney and get into a taxi to the quarantine station) know us. One of the drivers told me I was "famous." Now when we approach a taxi, all the drivers know just where we are going and waits at the quarantine station until we are finished to drive us back to the train. I guess it is really nice to have all these gentlemen "watching out" for us or maybe they are just as bored as we were during out weekend in Blacktown. Who knows....
I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing about the Pugs, but caring for them right now is about all we seem to do. We have finally gotten our "groove." We found the express train which cuts off about 30 minutes from the trip. We found a "secret tunnel" as Coop calls it that takes us from one train to the next without running all over the station to find lifts to get us to the right platform. We bought an umbrella stroller so I can carry Tucker up and down stairs instead of using the lift all the time. We know where to get breakfast on either end of the trip and where to get cash to pay the taxi drivers. I finally took the plunge and bought a train pass- which, by the way, seems ridiculous because I have NEVER been asked by ANYONE to see our tickets. So the trip there is not quite as bad as it was at first. Coop's got it all down-- he says, "First a short train trip, then a long trip and then the taxi to the quarantine station."
Back to the dogs- When we arrived at the station today, the secretary informed me the "head" of the station wanted to talk to me before we left. All of the sudden I felt like I was back in school and the principal had called me into her office. I kept trying to figure out what the heck I could have done wrong! It turns out all she wanted to know was something about our schedule. I hadn't felt that way in a long time and do not wish to feel that way again for a long time!
The dogs are doing well. I so want to smuggle them back home in my bag. I cannot wait for the day we get to bring them back with us. I am going to give them a very long bath, tons of treats AND I am going to BURN my train pass and never, ever, ever, ever go back to Blacktown, New South Wales again!
I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing about the Pugs, but caring for them right now is about all we seem to do. We have finally gotten our "groove." We found the express train which cuts off about 30 minutes from the trip. We found a "secret tunnel" as Coop calls it that takes us from one train to the next without running all over the station to find lifts to get us to the right platform. We bought an umbrella stroller so I can carry Tucker up and down stairs instead of using the lift all the time. We know where to get breakfast on either end of the trip and where to get cash to pay the taxi drivers. I finally took the plunge and bought a train pass- which, by the way, seems ridiculous because I have NEVER been asked by ANYONE to see our tickets. So the trip there is not quite as bad as it was at first. Coop's got it all down-- he says, "First a short train trip, then a long trip and then the taxi to the quarantine station."
Back to the dogs- When we arrived at the station today, the secretary informed me the "head" of the station wanted to talk to me before we left. All of the sudden I felt like I was back in school and the principal had called me into her office. I kept trying to figure out what the heck I could have done wrong! It turns out all she wanted to know was something about our schedule. I hadn't felt that way in a long time and do not wish to feel that way again for a long time!
The dogs are doing well. I so want to smuggle them back home in my bag. I cannot wait for the day we get to bring them back with us. I am going to give them a very long bath, tons of treats AND I am going to BURN my train pass and never, ever, ever, ever go back to Blacktown, New South Wales again!
We Finally Got Our Groove
I am not sure if we should be flattered or freaked out, but all the taxi drivers in Blacktown (that is where we get off the train from Sydney and get into a taxi to the quarantine station) know us. One of the drivers told me I was "famous." Now when we approach a taxi, all the drivers know just where we are going and waits at the quarantine station until we are finished to drive us back to the train. I guess it is really nice to have all these gentlemen "watching out" for us or maybe they are just as bored as we were during out weekend in Blacktown. Who knows....
I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing about the Pugs, but caring for them right now is about all we seem to do. We have finally gotten our "groove." We found the express train which cuts off about 30 minutes from the trip. We found a "secret tunnel" as Coop calls it that takes us from one train to the next without running all over the station to find lifts to get us to the right platform. We bought an umbrella stroller so I can carry Tucker up and down stairs instead of using the lift all the time. We know where to get breakfast on either end of the trip and where to get cash to pay the taxi drivers. I finally took the plunge and bought a train pass- which, by the way, seems ridiculous because I have NEVER been asked by ANYONE to see our tickets. So the trip there is not quite as bad as it was at first. Coop's got it all down-- he says, "First a short train trip, then a long trip and then the taxi to the quarantine station."
Back to the dogs- When we arrived at the station today, the secretary informed me the "head" of the station wanted to talk to me before we left. All of the sudden I felt like I was back in school and the principal had called me into her office. I kept trying to figure out what the heck I could have done wrong! It turns out all she wanted to know was something about our schedule. I hadn't felt that way in a long time and do not wish to feel that way again for a long time!
The dogs are doing well. I so want to smuggle them back home in my bag. I cannot wait for the day we get to bring them back with us. I am going to give them a very long bath, tons of treats AND I am going to BURN my train pass and never, ever, ever, ever go back to Blacktown, New South Wales again!
I'm sure most of you are tired of hearing about the Pugs, but caring for them right now is about all we seem to do. We have finally gotten our "groove." We found the express train which cuts off about 30 minutes from the trip. We found a "secret tunnel" as Coop calls it that takes us from one train to the next without running all over the station to find lifts to get us to the right platform. We bought an umbrella stroller so I can carry Tucker up and down stairs instead of using the lift all the time. We know where to get breakfast on either end of the trip and where to get cash to pay the taxi drivers. I finally took the plunge and bought a train pass- which, by the way, seems ridiculous because I have NEVER been asked by ANYONE to see our tickets. So the trip there is not quite as bad as it was at first. Coop's got it all down-- he says, "First a short train trip, then a long trip and then the taxi to the quarantine station."
Back to the dogs- When we arrived at the station today, the secretary informed me the "head" of the station wanted to talk to me before we left. All of the sudden I felt like I was back in school and the principal had called me into her office. I kept trying to figure out what the heck I could have done wrong! It turns out all she wanted to know was something about our schedule. I hadn't felt that way in a long time and do not wish to feel that way again for a long time!
The dogs are doing well. I so want to smuggle them back home in my bag. I cannot wait for the day we get to bring them back with us. I am going to give them a very long bath, tons of treats AND I am going to BURN my train pass and never, ever, ever, ever go back to Blacktown, New South Wales again!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Random Thoughts
We have now been here a little over a month and I have done a lot of observing. I also have had a lot of time to think on all these long train rides (between peeling Cooper and Tucker off each other, putting Tuck back in his seat and keeping Cooper from licking the walls- yeah, gross I know). Anyway, here it goes!
Smoking
There is a shit load of smoker here. It is incredible! Especially coming from Tacoma where it seems like there are almost no smokers (I know there really are). It just amazes me that everywhere you look someone is smoking and throwing their butts into the street, or on the train tracks or anywhere they should not be. And, the age of the smokers- these kids I see cannot be more than 14 years old! That is crazy and honestly they look really stupid. I also see a lot of moms- even moms with babies- smoking.
Trains and Buses
The public transportation system here is really good. The trains and buses are clean, easy to find and navigate and they go virtually everywhere at least 3 different ways. Each platform has a sign that says which train is approaching, how far away it is and where it stops AND it has a little lady announcing all that as well. Maybe I have been away from the big city for a while, but this impresses me.
Taxis
We have been taking a lot of taxis lately. The taxi drivers here are actually HONEST! They do not try to scam you or cheat you. I even had one leave (to come back later) and he said, "Just pay me when I come back." The taxis also provide car seats for the bubs. Am I too easily impressed? :)
People
In general, the people here are very friendly. Their Australian accents make everything they say seem ten times nicer than it really is. I imagine when an Aussie tells you to "%$@# off," it would even sound nice! I cannot tell you how many times I have been struggling with the stroller and someone- male and female, old and young- have stopped to help. One man even carried our stroller down a flight of stairs for us!
Food
First off I will say all the Asian food here is incredible! I have not had a bad meal yet and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The produce here is really good as well. The fruit is delicious- except for the bananas- bad banana year here due to the typhoon. The rest of the food here leaves something to be desired. A burger here is really meatloaf shaped like a burger with some nasty cheese and salad, yes, salad on it. Don't even get me started on pizza because I have not found any that I like. Gonna have to work on a recipe of own... I cannot find plain, old-fashioned cheddar cheese here. I would kill for a piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese right now. Soda here is strange. I am pretty sure they use a lot less sugar than in the States and perhaps not all the "crap" that is in it there. I am getting used to it- slowly. Eggs- oh- they do not keep eggs in the refrigerator here! They are just on the shelf! Cereal is different here, too. Rice Crispies are "Rice Bubbles." They pretty much taste the same. Oh, cannot forget potato chips. There are some really good regular chips, but the flavors are so odd- burger flavor, chicken flavor, bacon flavor. Not my thing.
Grocery Shopping
When you go shopping here for groceries, you can go to a big supermarket and get all you need OR you can go to a butcher shop for your meat, a bakery for breads and sweets, a produce store for fruits and veggies and a seafood market for seafood! It is really fun.
I did find a Metro Market type grocery store here and they had Dr. Pepper, A&W Rootbeer and Hershey's bars. All of which made me so happy. They had a lot more foods from home, but I didn't really have a chance to browse with the boys,
TV
I really don't get TV here. Actually, I don't really watch it, but I have been trying to find kid tv here for the boys. We did find a great channel that had really good quality kid shows, but since we moved to our new place it has disappeared! Funny thing- all our favorite characters speak with either Australian accents or British accents. Imagine that! :) Something to get used to. Cooper hasn't noticed yet. He does, however, when talking about the shows speak with the correct accent! Amazing! It has been interested watching some of the news shows regarding the whole bin Laden ordeal. Australians do not really get the whole war on terror thing and the 9/11 thing is lost on them. It is quite sheltered down here.
I have rambled enough. Later folks!
Smoking
There is a shit load of smoker here. It is incredible! Especially coming from Tacoma where it seems like there are almost no smokers (I know there really are). It just amazes me that everywhere you look someone is smoking and throwing their butts into the street, or on the train tracks or anywhere they should not be. And, the age of the smokers- these kids I see cannot be more than 14 years old! That is crazy and honestly they look really stupid. I also see a lot of moms- even moms with babies- smoking.
Trains and Buses
The public transportation system here is really good. The trains and buses are clean, easy to find and navigate and they go virtually everywhere at least 3 different ways. Each platform has a sign that says which train is approaching, how far away it is and where it stops AND it has a little lady announcing all that as well. Maybe I have been away from the big city for a while, but this impresses me.
Taxis
We have been taking a lot of taxis lately. The taxi drivers here are actually HONEST! They do not try to scam you or cheat you. I even had one leave (to come back later) and he said, "Just pay me when I come back." The taxis also provide car seats for the bubs. Am I too easily impressed? :)
People
In general, the people here are very friendly. Their Australian accents make everything they say seem ten times nicer than it really is. I imagine when an Aussie tells you to "%$@# off," it would even sound nice! I cannot tell you how many times I have been struggling with the stroller and someone- male and female, old and young- have stopped to help. One man even carried our stroller down a flight of stairs for us!
Food
First off I will say all the Asian food here is incredible! I have not had a bad meal yet and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The produce here is really good as well. The fruit is delicious- except for the bananas- bad banana year here due to the typhoon. The rest of the food here leaves something to be desired. A burger here is really meatloaf shaped like a burger with some nasty cheese and salad, yes, salad on it. Don't even get me started on pizza because I have not found any that I like. Gonna have to work on a recipe of own... I cannot find plain, old-fashioned cheddar cheese here. I would kill for a piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese right now. Soda here is strange. I am pretty sure they use a lot less sugar than in the States and perhaps not all the "crap" that is in it there. I am getting used to it- slowly. Eggs- oh- they do not keep eggs in the refrigerator here! They are just on the shelf! Cereal is different here, too. Rice Crispies are "Rice Bubbles." They pretty much taste the same. Oh, cannot forget potato chips. There are some really good regular chips, but the flavors are so odd- burger flavor, chicken flavor, bacon flavor. Not my thing.
Grocery Shopping
When you go shopping here for groceries, you can go to a big supermarket and get all you need OR you can go to a butcher shop for your meat, a bakery for breads and sweets, a produce store for fruits and veggies and a seafood market for seafood! It is really fun.
I did find a Metro Market type grocery store here and they had Dr. Pepper, A&W Rootbeer and Hershey's bars. All of which made me so happy. They had a lot more foods from home, but I didn't really have a chance to browse with the boys,
TV
I really don't get TV here. Actually, I don't really watch it, but I have been trying to find kid tv here for the boys. We did find a great channel that had really good quality kid shows, but since we moved to our new place it has disappeared! Funny thing- all our favorite characters speak with either Australian accents or British accents. Imagine that! :) Something to get used to. Cooper hasn't noticed yet. He does, however, when talking about the shows speak with the correct accent! Amazing! It has been interested watching some of the news shows regarding the whole bin Laden ordeal. Australians do not really get the whole war on terror thing and the 9/11 thing is lost on them. It is quite sheltered down here.
I have rambled enough. Later folks!
Random Thoughts
We have now been here a little over a month and I have done a lot of observing. I also have had a lot of time to think on all these long train rides (between peeling Cooper and Tucker off each other, putting Tuck back in his seat and keeping Cooper from licking the walls- yeah, gross I know). Anyway, here it goes!
Smoking
There is a shit load of smoker here. It is incredible! Especially coming from Tacoma where it seems like there are almost no smokers (I know there really are). It just amazes me that everywhere you look someone is smoking and throwing their butts into the street, or on the train tracks or anywhere they should not be. And, the age of the smokers- these kids I see cannot be more than 14 years old! That is crazy and honestly they look really stupid. I also see a lot of moms- even moms with babies- smoking.
Trains and Buses
The public transportation system here is really good. The trains and buses are clean, easy to find and navigate and they go virtually everywhere at least 3 different ways. Each platform has a sign that says which train is approaching, how far away it is and where it stops AND it has a little lady announcing all that as well. Maybe I have been away from the big city for a while, but this impresses me.
Taxis
We have been taking a lot of taxis lately. The taxi drivers here are actually HONEST! They do not try to scam you or cheat you. I even had one leave (to come back later) and he said, "Just pay me when I come back." The taxis also provide car seats for the bubs. Am I too easily impressed? :)
People
In general, the people here are very friendly. Their Australian accents make everything they say seem ten times nicer than it really is. I imagine when an Aussie tells you to "%$@# off," it would even sound nice! I cannot tell you how many times I have been struggling with the stroller and someone- male and female, old and young- have stopped to help. One man even carried our stroller down a flight of stairs for us!
Food
First off I will say all the Asian food here is incredible! I have not had a bad meal yet and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The produce here is really good as well. The fruit is delicious- except for the bananas- bad banana year here due to the typhoon. The rest of the food here leaves something to be desired. A burger here is really meatloaf shaped like a burger with some nasty cheese and salad, yes, salad on it. Don't even get me started on pizza because I have not found any that I like. Gonna have to work on a recipe of own... I cannot find plain, old-fashioned cheddar cheese here. I would kill for a piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese right now. Soda here is strange. I am pretty sure they use a lot less sugar than in the States and perhaps not all the "crap" that is in it there. I am getting used to it- slowly. Eggs- oh- they do not keep eggs in the refrigerator here! They are just on the shelf! Cereal is different here, too. Rice Crispies are "Rice Bubbles." They pretty much taste the same. Oh, cannot forget potato chips. There are some really good regular chips, but the flavors are so odd- burger flavor, chicken flavor, bacon flavor. Not my thing.
Grocery Shopping
When you go shopping here for groceries, you can go to a big supermarket and get all you need OR you can go to a butcher shop for your meat, a bakery for breads and sweets, a produce store for fruits and veggies and a seafood market for seafood! It is really fun.
I did find a Metro Market type grocery store here and they had Dr. Pepper, A&W Rootbeer and Hershey's bars. All of which made me so happy. They had a lot more foods from home, but I didn't really have a chance to browse with the boys,
TV
I really don't get TV here. Actually, I don't really watch it, but I have been trying to find kid tv here for the boys. We did find a great channel that had really good quality kid shows, but since we moved to our new place it has disappeared! Funny thing- all our favorite characters speak with either Australian accents or British accents. Imagine that! :) Something to get used to. Cooper hasn't noticed yet. He does, however, when talking about the shows speak with the correct accent! Amazing! It has been interested watching some of the news shows regarding the whole bin Laden ordeal. Australians do not really get the whole war on terror thing and the 9/11 thing is lost on them. It is quite sheltered down here.
I have rambled enough. Later folks!
Smoking
There is a shit load of smoker here. It is incredible! Especially coming from Tacoma where it seems like there are almost no smokers (I know there really are). It just amazes me that everywhere you look someone is smoking and throwing their butts into the street, or on the train tracks or anywhere they should not be. And, the age of the smokers- these kids I see cannot be more than 14 years old! That is crazy and honestly they look really stupid. I also see a lot of moms- even moms with babies- smoking.
Trains and Buses
The public transportation system here is really good. The trains and buses are clean, easy to find and navigate and they go virtually everywhere at least 3 different ways. Each platform has a sign that says which train is approaching, how far away it is and where it stops AND it has a little lady announcing all that as well. Maybe I have been away from the big city for a while, but this impresses me.
Taxis
We have been taking a lot of taxis lately. The taxi drivers here are actually HONEST! They do not try to scam you or cheat you. I even had one leave (to come back later) and he said, "Just pay me when I come back." The taxis also provide car seats for the bubs. Am I too easily impressed? :)
People
In general, the people here are very friendly. Their Australian accents make everything they say seem ten times nicer than it really is. I imagine when an Aussie tells you to "%$@# off," it would even sound nice! I cannot tell you how many times I have been struggling with the stroller and someone- male and female, old and young- have stopped to help. One man even carried our stroller down a flight of stairs for us!
Food
First off I will say all the Asian food here is incredible! I have not had a bad meal yet and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. The produce here is really good as well. The fruit is delicious- except for the bananas- bad banana year here due to the typhoon. The rest of the food here leaves something to be desired. A burger here is really meatloaf shaped like a burger with some nasty cheese and salad, yes, salad on it. Don't even get me started on pizza because I have not found any that I like. Gonna have to work on a recipe of own... I cannot find plain, old-fashioned cheddar cheese here. I would kill for a piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese right now. Soda here is strange. I am pretty sure they use a lot less sugar than in the States and perhaps not all the "crap" that is in it there. I am getting used to it- slowly. Eggs- oh- they do not keep eggs in the refrigerator here! They are just on the shelf! Cereal is different here, too. Rice Crispies are "Rice Bubbles." They pretty much taste the same. Oh, cannot forget potato chips. There are some really good regular chips, but the flavors are so odd- burger flavor, chicken flavor, bacon flavor. Not my thing.
Grocery Shopping
When you go shopping here for groceries, you can go to a big supermarket and get all you need OR you can go to a butcher shop for your meat, a bakery for breads and sweets, a produce store for fruits and veggies and a seafood market for seafood! It is really fun.
I did find a Metro Market type grocery store here and they had Dr. Pepper, A&W Rootbeer and Hershey's bars. All of which made me so happy. They had a lot more foods from home, but I didn't really have a chance to browse with the boys,
TV
I really don't get TV here. Actually, I don't really watch it, but I have been trying to find kid tv here for the boys. We did find a great channel that had really good quality kid shows, but since we moved to our new place it has disappeared! Funny thing- all our favorite characters speak with either Australian accents or British accents. Imagine that! :) Something to get used to. Cooper hasn't noticed yet. He does, however, when talking about the shows speak with the correct accent! Amazing! It has been interested watching some of the news shows regarding the whole bin Laden ordeal. Australians do not really get the whole war on terror thing and the 9/11 thing is lost on them. It is quite sheltered down here.
I have rambled enough. Later folks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)