Some days are just GOLD

This is one wedding anniversary we will never forget... not just because Alan and I are celebrating 27 years together but for the gift our son gave us... read on!!

Some days are just gold, but in this case, for Tim they are blue...

Today Friday 22nd October 2010 was school mock up day at Tim's school, which meant all the year 12 students would thank their school for all the years of memories (and hell) now coming to an end. It is tradition that on the very last day of High School the year 12 students cut loose and think up all sorts of mischief to inflict on unsuspecting teachers and fellow students, all in good fun and all in the name of Prosh Day!! According to Tim, some kids came in drag, some did pranks like glad wrap the toilet seats and others of the more sober persuasion contemplated exams to come and their life future without school... Tim however, painted himself blue.

By late afternoon the weather had changed and it began sprinkling and settled into a steady rain when we got a phone call from our beloved son...

Tim: "Mum, where are you?..." (Sounding somewhat perplexed!)

Me: "On our way home... why?"

Tim: "I can't start my car..."

Me: "Are you still blue?"

Tim: "Well if I wasn't earlier, I am now..."

Me: "Why so?"

Tim: "My key broke and I can't start the car... and everyone is looking at me..."

Me: "Why? What are you doing?" (forgetting momentarily it is peak hour traffic on Brighton Road and my son is looking like one of the Na-avi from Avatar!)

Tim: "Can't get my car started so I'm running around all blue in the face..."

Me: (trying not to laugh) "... call the RAA!!!"

Like I said, 'Some days are just gold' especially because we are so closely related to Murphy and his law!!!!

Gods Streuth!!!! Friday 24th September 2010

Gods streuth!!!! What a right mess tonight was....

Alan and I got dressed up and made it to the Restaurant by the appointed time of 7:00 pm... present in hand and expecting to see my friend Gail and all her family sitting there waiting for the fun to start... we were a tad late... the Restaurant was deserted save for a waiter and rows of empty well-set tables.

The non English speaking waiter approached us and kept trying to usher us to a table - any table but especially one by the window and it all went South from there... (Picture Manuel from Faulty Towers)

Manuel: "You want table?"

Me: "Errr... actually we are here for dinner - booked in for the Gill party at 7:00 pm"

Manuel: "Cee, you want to Gill dinner?"

Me: "Errr.... no I want to eat dinner not Gill it..."

Manuel: (Looking somewhat perplexed) "Cee, you have to Gill dinner then eat it..."

Me: "I'll Gill you if you keep this up..."

Manuel: "Que?"

Me: "Never mind where are we supposed to sit?" (Pointing to the nearest table setting).

Manuel: "Ah, You want zis table? ok I give you... what... four?"

Me: "Pardon???...I'll give you what for... where is the Manager?"

Manuel: "Ah Cee, You have dinner with Manager?... I go get him!!"

By this time I am about to pass out either from hunger, or confusion... which ever comes first!!!

I am also wondering if anyone spoke English at Pinochio's and what fun it will be trying to order from the Italian hymn list... thoughts of green spaghetti spring to mind !!!

Manager walks to bar... I tell him we are here for the Gill Party... Manager looks at me and says "That's tomorrow night..."

By this stage Alan is heading out the door.... my head hits the counter and I start making groaning noises... I GOT THE WRONG NIGHT!!!!!! Don't tell anyone!!!!

On my way home.

Having had a bad turn and not recovering enough from it PLUS missing the boys very much I decided that my best course of action will be to cut my trip short and head home.

So having re-booked my ticket and then confirming my flight I packed and just enjoyed the time with Sandy before my trek home.

Unfortunately I will not be seeing Rhonda and Kathy as I was looking forward to meeting them both but my health has had a major downturn and I need to get answers from the quacks that pose as Doctors so I am heading home.

This morning Sandy and I went for a drive to the famous beach where you are able to drive your car along it... I was a little apprehensive that we might get bogged and I would miss my flight but we managed to keep from sinking in the packed sand.

We headed off to the air port in plenty of time to catch my flight (or so I thought)... once I presented my ticket to the curb-side check in the attendant asked me to go inside check in there... well that should have been my warning that things were about to go bad...

Once I presented my information to the check in assistant she said that I have not been ticketed and I would not make my flight to Atlanta!!! There was over an hour to go and I could not see the problem but she spent the entire time on the phone getting a ticket from Virgin Blue and by the time I was all ticketed my flight had left.... Panic quickly set in!!!

The best she could do was to book me on a direct flight to LA but leaving from Orlando instead of Daytona... GREAT!!! ... instead Orlando air port was a good two and a half hour drive away.

Sandy saved the day by asking if there was a shuttle I could catch and promptly rang the shuttle bus to book me on the next departure... in an hour's time!!!!

So off we went to the Bus depot and another teary farewell... lemme-tell-ya I hate goodbyes and I am going to miss seeing these girls I have come to love and have a place in my heart for.

I had plenty of time to catch my 6:00 pm flight which would get me to LA for my 10:30 departure... barring no more stuff ups!!!!! Met two great people on the plane which work in the entertainment industry; one as a camera man and the other as a sound man and they kept everyone entertained through out the flight!!!

Ok, now I know I am related to Murphy and his annoying law of when something goes wrong it does so at the worst possible time... The plane flight to Sydney was delayed by two hours, meaning I would not get to there in time to catch my connecting flight to Adelaide... all because... they had no flight crew!!!!!

At this point I was ready to scream except I was in an air port terminal with more security than the crown jewels so having a hissy fit would not help me... but I did think about it a lot!!!

Met this couple who are Cherokee and they chatted about all sorts of interesting things including knowing about my friend Colleen and her stand at Wounded Knee!!! Wooo hooo you go girl!!!!

Finally they found crew, we boarded the plane and were thankfully on our way back to OZ... I felt just ghastly and was not looking forward to the cramped 15 hour flight back home... so I watched movies and made the best of it despite the fact they had stuffed up AGAIN the dinner and gave me a regular meal instead of the gluten free one I had arranged...

Yes, getting into Sydney I missed the flight back to Adelaide... I am NEVER going to fly Delta Airlines again EVER!!!!

I rang Alan from Sydney and told him the time I would be arriving and when I finally touched down in Adelaide I was thrilled to bits to see him and to be home... but I felt as though I was a zombie with no sleep and jet lag and the fact I was not feeling well at all...

The experience was amazing... meeting my friends and sharing some very fun times, even though the whole episode with Delta marred the trip considerably but I take with me a lot of experience and the memories of those I met will be with me always...

Now I just need a few days to recover...

18.08.10 St. Augustines

With an early start to a little town of St Augustines, Sandy and I drove along the very picturesque coastal route for the two hour trek to our destination. This little town dates back to when the Spanish settled here and the fort on the shore line is a reminder of long gone days where Pirates were amongst the waterways along the Florida coast... very exciting stuff... Jack Sparrow would be proud!!!

Along the way I was surprised to see by the side of the road a loggerhead turtle trying to get off the scorching bitumen and onto the grass verge ... which incidentally all footpaths in the US have very steep curbs.

The town itself is just gorgeous and wandering the cobbled streets was fun and very hot so we cooled off in a little hotel restaurant for lunch where we received complementary Margaritas... (Gee I could get used to this... ) and very good service...

More sightseeing and bargain hunting followed and upon spotting a chocolate store that sold Gelato we indulged in the icy concoction... I sampled the rich dark chocolate ice desert and told the two girls serving behind the counter asked me how I liked the Gelato? My response brought for giggles from the two young ladies when I said: "You two girls must be angels because I had died and gone to heaven!"...

The drive back was enjoyable and having been a very hot and humid day Sandy took me to her favourite restaurant situated by the water and had a very Hawaiian influence from the way the waiters were dressed to the delicious menu.

I kept up the tradition started way back in LA for Margaritas except I first ordered a Pina colada... which was yummo!!! Then had a Margaritas... I think Margarita's and I are going to be firm friends!!!!

Having driven home after a fun day with Sandy I was a little sad that the trip was ending but looking forward to getting home and finding out what was causing this thing in my chest to suddenly flare up the way it does...

Last minute packing and farewell to all her many and varied pets including 5 snakes, 1 rat, 1 iguana (who is a major sook but very cute) an assortment of frogs and turtles and a tarantula called rosy... not to mention the many little lizards, squirrels and birds that come for a visit each day!!!

My time with Sandy was just magic and I loved being in such a richly diverse ecosystem with so much beauty and wildlife.. Thank you my darling for a wonderful experience...xxx

17/08/10 Washington / Daytona

Woke up to a lovely fresh morning and Tina and I packed the car up super early after making sure all the cases were packed the night before. It was still dark when we left the woodland setting Tina lives in and by the time we came closer to Washington it was light and already getting warm.

It was a tearful farewell and I was sad to leave her just like I had when I left Colleen... two very special ladies that made my life just wonderful... It was a special time and althought I was not feeling too well in the last day of Washington Tina looked after me very well.

The flight to Atlanta was uneventful but the scenery was lovely... In Atlanta there was a security scare when someone left a lap top case on the counter at McDonalds... Went and bought a coffee there and I noticed this case that was left behind from before I got there... about 15 minutes later I knew it had been left so I approached one of the staff and they prompltly told their manager who called security. This has happened many times before but each time they treat it with the seriousness of something threatening.

Unless you experience something like this first hand it looks like something out of a movie, both exciting and the potential to be frightening... within minutes there was a police woman guarding the case and she ushered everyone away from the object... then another officer with a German Shepherd came and sniffed the case thoroughlly until his handler were satisfied there wasn't a bomb about. The officer opened the case, looked inside then took the case away...

I was thanked by the female Police woman for being a good citizen and also by the Manager of McDonald's.... Woooo Hooooo!!!!

The time soon went along and I caught my flight to Daytona where I was greeted by my dear friend Sandy with a Clash of the Titans poster... Woooo Hooo!!! What a scream!!! Loved it!!!!... Only the MMIFFS possums will know what this means!!!!

We drove home, I freshened up then we went to the beach for some yummy food in one of the many sea side cafe's and we had Martini's... Woooo Hoooo!!!! Sooo Yummy!!!!

We walked along the beach and saw the sandpipers dancing and running away from the waves... too gorgeous!!!!

Later we went to the supermarket and I can not get over the fact they have food, liquor and pharmacy in the one store!!!! Sooo amazing...

Home to bed as we were both tired and ready for another day of sightseeing... Still feeling very unwell so I talked over the options with Sandy and I decided that I need to cut my trip short and head back to Australia...

So tomorrow will be the last day in Daytona so will phone Rhonda and Kathy to let them know.

16/08/10 Washington DC

The Washington Monument and me at the White-house!!

Tina and I saw the beautiful city of Washington and the many historical and Monumental attractions... Loved the Lincoln Memorial (below) and the Newer World War II Memorial. The whole city is just beautiful... saw my first squirrels and went completely loopy!!!!

These two ladies walkingt past gave me the strangest looks until I explained that we do not have squirrels in Australia and a conversation blossomed!!

We had a very long day sightseeing in the heat but Tina looked after me very well and made sure I drank lots of water... but by the end of the day I was not feeling very well so we made our way home and some well earned rest.... leaving for Daytona tomorrow so need to be up very early... 4:30 in the morning for the long drive into DC.

Feeling very sad that it was the last day with Tina just like I felt when I left Colleen as I have made some very close friends and love these two ladies dearly. More tomorrow so Bye for now!!!

Williamsberg 15/08/2010

Bright and early Tina and I were off to Williamsberg...

Here's Tina sitting on one of the benches where the leafy lane leads to the river.

What a great town and very historical... so much happened at this town which is kept as it was back in the days of Thomas Jefferson.

We went through the town and saw many of the houses that people in those days used to live in and still today they have kept them in original condition... the unusual thing about the town is that in one house you enter it might be 1876 and then in the afternoon the same house may be two years later depending on what happened in that year.

We later went for a horse drawn carriage ride through the town and it was just gorgeous!!! Loved the whole experience... the only bugger was my bag broke AGAIN!!!! I had a bag strap break on me in LA and now this other bag broke on me in Williamsberg!!!! I now have to look for a decent bag with a sturdy strap!!!... something industrial strength perhaps!!

We are soon to head home as I am writing this in a quaint little coffe shop / bookstore so we have a two and a half hour car drive home with looming rain clouds on the horizon...

Hope you are all safe and well... I miss my boys and little fur angels and miss Colleen lots... Love you all... off to Washington DC tomorrow...xxx

Fredricksberg: Saturday 14th August 2010

The first thing that hit me when I stepped out of the air port in Washington was the humidity and today was no exception. It was a bright sunny day but a little humid; not uncomfortably so but enough to make it sticky. Here I met Tina for the first time and she is an angel... so much fun and likeable with a great sense of humour...xxx

Well, today Tina took me to Fredricksberg and surrounding district and I have never seen such a picturesque and beautiful town. Every house is splendid with old colonial charm, which adds to the character of this old Southern quarter.

The streets are lined with greenery and the people are very friendly but it is the history of the place that really impacts you from the Civil war sites themselves to the Old shops selling civil war paintings and sketches... everything in the town revolves around that period wher this nation was divided. Below is an auction block where slaves were perched and exhibited.... one can not help but be saddened by the tragedy of families being torn apart and each member was sold off to different owners... truly sad.

The bank's steps where Tina and I am standing are famous because both President Lincoln and General Lee stood to make an address... although not at the same time so even this bank is steeped in history.

We went to one of the old Civil War sites and watched as a group of volunteer soldiers from the Confederate Army, all dressed in authentic Confederate Uniform go about priming and then loading an old brass cannon then upon the signal fired it... There was not one person in the crowd who did not levetate when the thing went off!!!! It was not until you actually heard the deafening explosion from the cannon that you realise just how terrified those soldiers must have been to face a battery of cannons go off in succession.

We saw a church with two cannon shot still lodged in its fascade and I could not help but wonder how those people at the time praying within coped with the enslaught and the futility of it all until I saw the slave block on a corner and I was reminded just why the North and the South was so divided.

This is a famous battleground at Charlotsville where the eerie light of dusk adds to the sombre atmosphere of the place... a row of cannons look out over the fields where countless lives were lost and the fight for freedom shaped a nation.

Tomorrow is an early start for Williamsberg and more things to see...taking a lot of pictures and video so will have fun putting it all together when I get back.

I still miss my sweetheart Alan and my never-home Tim... and of course the angel cats so just as well I bought pictures with me to pine over!!! I rang Colleen today and it was wonderful to hear her voice...miss you babe and Buster...*Big Hugs*

Will write more tomorrow about this fascvinating part of the world so bye for now and thank you for visiting.