Social networking...a forty year old dancing queen...a bus load of women...BABBA...here's to friends...cheers!

I've made some new friends already since being back in Bendigo! This has been really good for me. I'm fortunate also that the same loyal network of friends have stuck by me in my absence and I've managed to catch-up with most.

Over the past five years, I've become very much into social networking and have made many wonderful friendships online through blogs, twitter and expat forums. I know some think I use the Internet too much, but geez...while I've been a 'lady of leisure' (and a good one at that!)...I've had the time.

Another social networking media...facebook...has enabled me to connect, communicate and stay in touch with a diverse and wide network of my friends. facebook is my thing...I love it! Through facebook and commenting on known friends walls/updates I have also made/pinched/borrowed/met new friends.

Some of my new mates that I have made since being back in Bendigo have been made this way. When you use facebook as much as me, you kind of happen to get to know friends of friends, and they get to know me.

Since being back I have had the pleasure of befriending some new friends this way. I half joke with one friend that I seem to be borrowing her facebook friends, but it's not really a joke in that she's a great friend, she has great friends, why would I not want to hang out with these people?...her other friends, so I have...thanks Kylie! ;)

Monique is one of my 'new' Bendigo friends. We hung out on Kylie's facebook wall while I was in the USA and we became friends...so we added each other before meeting each other. Since being back home she picked up from one of my posts that I liked ABBA (well...OK...I have ABBA music fits at time) and invited me to her 40th birthday party...a bus trip to Mt. Macedon to see BABBA, an ABBA cover band.

I was flattered...Monique didn't really know me yet, but took 'a chance on me'. A bus load of ladies then headed off to see BABBA and we had a ball. Monique did not sit down for one song....she danced the whole bloody night! She was amazing!!

Thanks Mon (we're friends now, so I can call her that)...here's to new friendships....cheers! Oh and to Kylie's other friends who are now also my friends, that I haven't mentioned in this post...cheers to you too! Oh...I should mention too, that I have paid Kylie back so far with one dear Aussie friend in Texas, me mate Camille...they became friends too, via my facebook wall. Friends make the world go round! ;)

 

 

 

Kelsey's Grade 2 overnight camp at Koolamurt Park Scout Camp...

It's been so hectic around here with the kids' schools. November and December commitments are filling the calendar fast!

Kelsey headed off on her school's overnight camp recently. She's so independent and with only a little help from Dale, packed for it. Kelsey had a wonderful camp and a highlight for her was the Spring Gully bush environment. The local flora took her eye and she took about one hundred photos of trees and flowers. Red Faces acts were also a highlight, especially her principal's juggling act.

 

 

 

 

Mills' senior school house dinner...

Mills attended his first senior school dinner the other night, since being back at the school he left, as a primary school/junior school student to go back to the USA. His school is huge on the 'house' system for pastoral care as well as sporting and academics. It's a bit like Harry Potter and the school house rivalry at Hogwarts.

The Year 7-12 students from each house have their own dinner at this time of year. While the boys have to wear a tie, slacks and a business shirt...the girls go all out! Couldn't believe how dressy the young ladies were when I dropped him off and picked him up. Crazy! I mentioned that to Mills about the girls and he said he liked them dressing up...look out! Puberty is well and truly happening.

My son is so handsome! I love him dearly and can't (but can) wait until he brings a girl home to 'meet the parents'. 

Mustang Sally arrived from Dallas, TX...

Dale's girlfriend cleared customs and quarantine and was finally delivered. Mustang Sally is a 1967 Mustang Convertible. He's had his girlfriend for well over a year now and she came to her new home in our shipping container from the US.

I have one happy hubby that the shipping process went smoothly, and dare I say it, feel it won't be the last Mustang that he imports. A positive? Maybe we can do weddings!!!!

Darcey's junior school art show opening...

Darcey had her junior school campus art show opening last week. It was held the night prior to Grandparents' Day. Dale wasn't able to come and Kelsey was at camp, so the older two and I went. It was fun...they had wine! Any free pre-dinner red is a winner in my book. ;)

Darcey's art piece had been framed upside down, so she wasn't impressed, but with a glass of red in hand, I assured her this could be changed tomorrow...the world was good.

After the art show opening formalities I took them out for dinner at Clogs, a Bendigo pizza cafe institution, which is still as popular now as it has always been. When I was eighteen this was the place to hit to curb the 'midnight munchies' when the local discos closed, the meeting place for us to catch up with friends of a Saturday night to see what they had been up to.

 

 

Grandpa the Bushy...

My old man is a bushman! Bushy is the perfect Aussie word that describes Dad and his hobby, interest, sport in life and love of the Australian bush. Growing up he put so many meals on our family's table from his hunting. You name it...rabbits, ducks, fish, yabbies were staples for us. We even had the occasional meal of goat, kangaroo and even pigeon pie!

We lived off his bushy pastime, and what we didn't eat fresh, was whacked into the freezer for another day, and/or shared with his other siblings and his parents (God bless them both). Dad also goes fox shooting during the fox season with mates who then sell the skins.

My Mum also tells the story that she never got her driver license due to the fact that when Dad was teaching her to drive, he'd teach her on farmland and get her to stop whenever he saw a rabbit, then popped the rifle out of the car window, always the hunter. She gave up on the lessons!

As Mills has got older he has begun to go out the bush with Grandpa occasionally. Recently Mills went ferreting with Dad. A first for Mills, who I swear thought at first thought he was going to be catching ferrets, and he wouldn't have put it passed Grandpa.

Mills had a blast ferreting. I personally can't wait again for yabby season...love yabbies (similar to crawfish)...love my son going out the bush with Grandpa.

Grandparents' Day at school...

Both our girls have recently had Grandparents' Day at their schools. One of the hardest parts of living in the US, was the absence of our parents in our children's lives. Sure, we spoke by phone and came home for yearly visits, but it gives me (and them) great joy to have them part of our children's daily activities at school, in sport and really just being there for them as support. So good to be home!

My first ever guest post...

 

Today I published my first ever guest post! It was for a young US expat friend living in Melbourne, Australia. Nicole's blog is: Girl from Mih-nee-soo-tah and here's the link for my guest post..'A mum you have when you don't have your mom!'

Thanks Nicole for the opportunity...I had fun!

Hope you are having a great time in New Zealand!

Cheers! :) 

Cricket season has begun...

Mills has been busting to get back into playing cricket since we even mentioned that we were moving back to Australia. In 2006, he only got half a season under his belt before we left again to live in the USA, and he honestly missed it whilst living there.

He's playing for a local team which has lots of kids in from his school, so he was very happy about that.

Last weekend he made forty-two runs. His personal best batting score, which also was the highest of the match, so he was quite chuffed about that.

Bike riding in Rosalind Park...

The weather has finally picked up here and we've been having sunny days of around 20.C (68.F). About time I think, although everyone keeps saying we need rain, not me...but I haven't had an Australian summer for a couple of years. Ask me again late December and I might be agreeing with the locals once again. ;)

The girls and I went bike riding the other Sunday down to Rosalind Park. It was great to see so many people enjoying the park. It's looking wonderful and pleased that most of the park has survived the drought over the past few years.

Kelsey and I also rode our bikes to her school last week. It's a 4km ride, some of it is bike path, which is cool. Bendigo has some great walking and bike paths. We hope to ride to school more frequently, over the next few weeks, before it gets too hot.