Thanks Given

Jeri writes:
It's Thanksgiving here, and I too feel especially thankful for all of our people at home. It is strange being down here where TG is not celebrated,
Especially as it is quite hot and humid. I like holiday too. Just
about pure gratitude! I love that. And food. We are missing the
food boat here today, I am frying chicken though, so it will be
pretty good, if not the norm.

We are all doing great. We went to the Australia Zoo a couple of days
ago, it was a 2.5 hour train/bus ride, but worth it. Really amazing,
almost as much like an animal conservatory. Big and beautiful. It is
Steve Irwin's (crocodile hunter guy, "She's a beaut") legacy. maybe
some of you have seen him wrestle crocs, he had a wildlife show and
died a couple of years ago due to a sting ray sting . He is
definitely an australian hero. We saw a pretty cool crocodile show
and the birds were really amazing too. All of it.

Taking the train to go anywhere is pretty cool. Takes alittle
figuring though, logistics of being on time, getting groceries, stuff
like that. But I think we will like it. Tomorrow we will leave for
Sydney for 4 days, and then head to Fremantle, where we should be
able to settle in.

Intersections are a bit of a stressor with the
left sided traffic. I am just not used to it and feel like cars are
coming out of no where, wondering what my problem is,and why I don't
just cross the street.

Have found people to be very nice here
overall.

John and the kids are out on the deck playing battleship, I think we
will head into town later and find someplace to swim and maybe go to
the science museum.

We have started just a little homeschooling.
Doing a math worksheets, reading and writing most days. Very little,
but I think they will get into the groove of it just fine until we see
if they will be able to go to a school that will start in Feb. They
will each make a scapebook too, which will be a big part their work.
But mostly we will explore and play.

Happy Thanksgiving.



This last photo of grant and the lizard: these things are running around everywhere. Grant is plotting the capture of one but hasn't worked up the nerve yet. They will bite hard!

marsupials

On Saturday (day2) we took a train to a boat to a koala reserve up the brisbane river. The lone pine reserve is one of the few place in the world where one can hold a koala. Lots of fun. We are all still jet lagged but it is getting better.

first two days

The Flight went well. Thats a relief. The idea of a fourteen hour flight with two young children was a bit daunting. We had melatonan tablet at the ready but in the end we didn't need them. I think we slept for 6 or 7 hours each. we went on Virgin Australia and everything was better than expected.


The weather is unusually hot here in brisbane apparently. After getting to our rental house in a distant suburb of Brisbane we started exploring the neighborhood. Right away we noticed the trees and birds were way different than we were accustomed to.

We were all in bed by 8:30 pm.

And awake by 4am.

At about 4:25 am I gave in to the idea that we werent really going to go back to sleep due to our screwed up clocks. The sky was just turning light so we decided to go for a walk. Wow, what a cochaphany of birds. There all sorts of large and small birds that we have never seen including groups of lorikeets. very exotic looking.

Ready... Steady.... Go!

It has been a long time coming. We found out that I had been selected for the residency in Fremantle back in mid February. We have been excited about it for the whole time since, but a family can only stay so excited for so long. Well here we are on the night before our departure. It is finally here. Things are a little hectic and nervous. Our dog definitely knows something is up and is upset. Jeri and I are having a hard time relaxing: Memories being jogged about things still to be done before going, lists to be completed. We don't know what to expect in the next days and months. We have, until now, been focusing on the deadline aspect of it all. Getting our lives in order to be gone for 6 months.

We have been blown away by the visits, letters, parties and wishes. I hope that everyone reading this blog feels at least half of the love and support that we have felt from the different friends and communities of which we belong.

Here is our itinerary for Nov 18:

We leave white salmon mid afternoon for a 5:30 flight to LA. by 10:30 pm we will be on a direct flight to Brisbane. We will stay there for a week then go to Sydney for four days. By the 1st of December we will be on our way to fremantle. In case you aren't familiar with it, it is a Victorian era city located on the Indian ocean just a few miles (kilometers?) from the regional capitol of Perth. Here is a map.


Double click the photo to see the whole thing. Brisbane is on the east side and fremantle is on the west.


Our flight goes diagonally over the pacific. We will be on the plane for 14 hours. It will all be at night. The flight should arrive at 6 am on the morning of 20 (somehow we miss the 19Th)

As for baggage we are just taking suitcases. Although I will be working there and making art I am not bringing any tools other than video equipment. We have a lot of baggage but I think it will be manageable. It is spring and soon to be summer in the southern hemisphere.

Grant: I am really scared cause I don't want the plane to crash. I am looking forward to finding a gecko and also getting a baby snugly wombat. It will fun to go the Australia zoo.