Ski Instructors: It's Safe to Come Out Now

Domestic Goddess, Army Wife and I are such party animals. Our girls weekend away at Thredbo was marked with all night drinking binges and dancing to the wee hours. Not.

Seriously, we get four nights away from the kids and what do we do? Sleep. A lot. Firegazer had left a case of beer in the fridge at the lodge and I took down some really nice wine but we were happier with a cup of tea and a choccy bickie (AmE: Chocolate Cookie). Firegazer couldn't believe it. When I rang him one night he said "Oh, the poor wittle mummies are sitting around in their jammies and woolly socks". The sad thing was, we were.

However, it wasn't all tea and woolly socks.
















Two members of our ski party are pointing to the spot where we were caught in the worst weather I have ever experienced at Thredbo. We had just got off the Kosci Express and were heading down to the top of the Supertrail when WHAM! the worst combo ice storm/wind/white out hit us. Domestic Goddess managed to lie down in front of an overhang of snow but Army Wife and I took the full force of it.

When it was over we had a long recovery session involving schnapps at Black Sallees.

This is the same section of the Supertrail two days later looking all sweet and innocent.

After rough weather on the first day we had lovely sunny days for the rest of the trip. However, our ski instructor for days 2 & 3 may not have been having such a lovely time.

Domestic Goddess and I take private lessons on this w/e each year in the vain attempt to be able to keep up with our husbands, and now, our kids. Problem is I don't take to instruction too well. I really see the instructor as a paid tour guide and want him or her to take me to interesting bits of the mountain and show me how to ski them.

Poor Ales from the Czech Republic. He wouldn't take us anywhere interesting because he thought our short turns needed attention. They do, but I am an old dog and I hate new tricks. Ales was rewarded with much muttering under my breath and terse comments. So on day 3 I levelled with him and said I would be grumpy and surly if he continued to pick on my short turns. He said "excellent, bring it on". We saw eye to eye from that point on and I spent the rest of the morning attempting to listen to him. Grudgingly, I may have even learnt something.

***********

Things to love about Thedbo #1:
I love it that while most of the Alpine Responsibility Code signs are made of canvas and lashed to poles with rope, sign #9 is made of metal and bolted down.

9. Do not ski, snowboard, ride chairlift or undertake alpine activities if your ability is impaired by drugs or alcohol

This is the most coveted sign by uni students on scavenger hunts and many of these are known to decorate dorm rooms in Canberra.

Girls Weekend

Tomorrow Domestic Goddess, Army Wife and I are going to the

to do this:

While we are there we may have a few of these:

and, oh, one or two of these

Did I mention we are leaving these at home?

It will be hard to take. See you on Tuesday!

HP7 in progress: No Plot Spoilers Please

Shhhhh... Do Not Disturb. Plot spoilers will be punished.

YAY FINISHED! 11.50PM EST 22/7/07

8 Bags About Me

Inspired, partly by Stomper Girl's question about indulgences, and partly by BlueMountainsMary's admission that she too loves handbags, I thought I'd share my "collection" with you.

You need to understand that, while I love bags, I don't wrap them in cotton wool. I really use them - and they look like it. They have their own drawer but that's about as far as I go with the mollycoddling. So the bags in these photos are used, and in some cases, a bit abused.

Apart from sturdiness my bags need to fit one of three categories: 1. Day bag: fits an A4 sheet 2. Shoulder bag: fits purse, phone and A4 sheet folded in half or 3. Evening bag: fits credit cards, phone and keys.

1. Kate Spade. Birthday gift 2005. This is a "Sydney" summer bag. Fits an A4 sheet. Has nifty latch inside which holds car keys.

2. Oroton. Silent Auction purchase 2007. Pre-production sample. This bag is not going into production so this is IT.

3. Bally. 30th birthday gift (many many moons ago). Perfect for work as it carried not only A4 notepads but a laptop as well.

4. Oroton. Birthday gift 2006. Lovely soft leather. Everyday bag but I also wear it out to eg. theatre.

5. Olga Berg evening bag. Can't remember when purchased but have matching "Dorothy Shoes". Very slim line, size of DL envelope.

6. No name bag. Perfect evening bag; tiny, inexpensive, fits keys, cards and phone. Evening bags must have a strap or I'll lose them.

7. Sentimental favourite No.1. This bag was given to me by a leather shop owner when I was 15 and lucky enough to be billeted in Besancon, France. A real '80s relic.

8. Sentimental Favourite No. 2. Purchased in Kuala Lumpur during honeymoon in 1993. Fits just about anything (camera, jumper, book).

I can stay up reading as long as I like

Firegazer has gone to Thredbo skiing for the weekend with his mate Snegri and has left me with the kids, and worst of all - his car. I'm all cool about the weekend away (I have a girls w/e in the snow next week), and I'm cool about having the kids, but the car - no way.

Y'see I drive a nice sensible car that fits all the kid stuff, is easy to drive and isn't precious; but Firegazer needed to take it to the snow because it has chains and a roofrack. His car is almost undriveable unless you are on the touring car circuit (wrap-around seats, low profile, touchy manual gearing). This car doesn't like to go under 100km/h which is a bit tricky in on narrow, windy, hilly Sydney streets.

Last weekend I had a "driving lesson" where the finer points of the touchy gearing were explained. KelpieBlossom was in the back seat covering her eyes mumbling "We are going to die, we are so going to die". Firegazer will be pleased to know that there is no damage to it yet, and the kids applauded when I safely parked at school this morning.

In other abandonment-related news, no sooner did Firegazer drive off yesterday than the following minor-mishaps occurred:

• the central-heating stopped working. After 15 panicked minutes (it's cold) I realised that it was just a flat battery in the control panel.
• a light-bulb in the kitchen exploded leaving half a singed-looking light-bulb stuck in the socket.
• the house-key broke off in the lock as I was rushing to collect the kids from school

Co-incidences? I think not. Just a little bit of sabotage to keep me on my toes, to point out that he is needed and to not get too excited about being able to keep the light on all night reading. It has backfired 'though. I managed to fix everything myself AND I can still leave the light on as long as I want.


PS HP7 tomorrow! Yay. Warning: I may not answer the phone from 9.01am tomorrow until further notice.

Now completely, utterly, officially finished

Yesterday I received a letter from Macquarie University confirming I passed Systemic Functional Grammar (with Distinction; seriously, the convenor must've been drunk when she marked my final essay).

I have therefore completed my course and qualify for graduation in September.

Yay.

What next? Well I think I might go and buy myself a little present and then I'll keep blogging until something comes to mind.

Can you spell "G-A-R-D-L-Y-L-O-O"?

Gardlyloo. (gär' dè lòò'). interj. (a cry formerly used in Scotland to warn pedestrians when slops were about to be thrown from an upstairs window.) [Anglicized form of F gare (de) l'eau beware of the water]

Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, © 1989 - Dilithium Press, Ltd.

Firegazer and I went to the Sydney Theatre last night to see a musical comedy starring Marina Prior and Magda Szubanski called The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Billed as:

"... six socially-challenged,philologically-industrious twelve-year-olds battling it out for glory: to be sole survivor in their local spelling competition".

It was excellent.

As STC subscribers we've been to a few great plays/shows this year but this was the first one where we felt the audience was applauding because they loved it and not because it was the right thing to do. There were no awkward should we applaud now? moments, instead the audience felt free to laugh, applaud and yell-out at any point they pleased - at times the actors has to motion for us to calm down.

Warning: possible spoilers ahead

This show has audience participation. Four (previously primed) members of the audience were called out to be spelling bee particpants. The idea was that they would be given a couple of easy words (cat, mexicans) then be gonged out a couple of rounds later on some ridiculously difficult words.

But this is live theatre so, of course, it didn't go like that.

The last audience member standing managed to spell "Gardlyloo" (pronounced Gar de loo) sending the whole cast into shock, and then fits of laughter, while they hurredly found a new more proposterous word.

I really hope this fun small-scale musical comedy comes to your city (it's been to Melb. already) - if it does make sure you get a ticket.

Happy 90th Birthday!

My paternal Grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday in Perth today. She shares her birthday with Rembrant (1606) and Iris Murdoch (1919).

Happy Birthday from the EasternMax family!

National Spelling Emergency: is it Maccas or Macker's?

The talented ladies at Do You Speaka My Language have unearthed a crisis in Australian spelling.

Apparently there are two possible spellings for the Australian colloquial term for McDonald's Family Restaurants: "Maccas" and "Macker's". I always thought it was "Maccas" but perhaps you have a different view.

Vote for your preferred spelling here in the Do you speaka my language? online poll (poll is in the blog sidebar and is open until 9pm Sat 21 July).

Potter has put us on the Y List

When it comes to corporate invitations the EasternMax family are firmly on the Z list. This is not how I thought it would be when Firegazer moved from a financial services to a corporate role. After all his company does make beer. Loads of other families have a social life they couldn’t possibly afford due to the generosity of corporate Australia so why can’t we?

Tonight our social life improved when the whole family was invited to a corporate showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And how cool it was.

Held at the Cremorne Orpheum’s main auditorium we walked into a “Hogwarts Castle” complete with Hagrid and assorted wizards; the kids were treated to a pre-film magic show while we adults gulped down a drink; just prior to the movie show bags were handed out containing a drink, popcorn, and maltesers and then waiters walked around offering Drumsticks and Choc Tops. Even KelpieBlossom who earlier had decried "all the fuss" was impressed.

As the lights started to dim the Orpheum’s famous Wurlitzer Pipe Organ rose from the floor playing the Harry Potter theme music then trailed off and lowered back under the floor as the opening credits rolled.

Apparently this company have held this event here for each of the Harry Potter movies. They certainly do a great job. Following the movie we were each handed a box of “Every Flavour Beans” (Jelly Belly) and told to expect a copy of HP7 to be delivered to each family between 21-25 July!

Man-o-Man we may not get these invitations often but when we do they’re certainly a doozy! I think we’ve finally made it to the Y list.

Oh, and the movie was great. It was obviously hard to condense an 800 page book into 2 ½ hours, and we could argue all day whether the right bits were left in or left out, but it certainly captured the essence. Despite its M rating I thought it was less violent than HP4 but the themes were definitely more adult. Tonks and Luna were cast perfectly and Delores Umbridge was a crack.

Rating: 4 stars
Kids under 10?: take them if they’ve seen all the other movies and haven’t suffered from nightmares
Kids under 5?: won’t get it, too scary (unless of course you are my 3 1/2 year old fairy god-daughter who will not only get it but quiz us on it afterwards)

Visiting your old home town - the tricky part

I have lived in three cities, in three different states, and one country town. One of the perennial issues when visiting a former city is to decide: Is this a trip to catch up with friends or is this a trip to catch up with the city. It can be both, but both can be difficult to achieve.

Those of you who live in a different city from your family (and/or friends) will understand this. When you visit your home city it can end up being a string of home visits, sometimes two or three a day just to make sure you've caught up with everyone. Add in a few country relatives and your whole time is taken up leaving no time for catching up with your memories of your former home town. Going from house to house is no fun for the kids and if we did this everytime they'd hate the trip. There has to be a holiday element in there somewhere.

So we tend to divide trips into ones to visit the city and ones to visit the friends. This recent trip to Melbourne was largely a city visit. Our January trip to Perth will be a catch up with family and friends visit.

Even though Melbourne was a city visit we did catch up with a couple of friends.

• Fairlie, The Poolboy, Queenie and Impossible Princess were great hosts and tour guides
  
• S from TeamSAK is looking fabulous despite her illness this year. The kids enjoyed playing with Kingsley.
  
• Ahubby from TeamSAK brought around his new wheels (Firegazer was salivating, and NO he can't have one)
  
• I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to catch up with my friends in the No. 1 Melbourne Ladies Bookclub this time and
  
• Domestic Goddess's family was in Canberra, so we caught up with them on the way back to Sydney.

and to everyone else, I'd love to catch up with you next time I get a leave pass. Or perhaps you might like to come and visit us here...

*images from here and here

Plotting my next trip to the Great Southern City

I don't get back to Melbourne as often as I'd like so when I'm there I like to make sure I visit certain things. Y'know, to make sure they're still there.

So as a minimum I

• Visit all the houses I've lived in. Happy to report that our first semi is looking great with a newly painted fence and nothing seems to have changed with our third house (but the neighbours are finally getting their reno done). KelpieBlossom remembers our last house but Padawan Learner doesn't, he was 3 when we left.
• Check out how the Children's Garden is progressing (great)
• Catch a tram (City Circle ride aborted due to cranky kids)
• Shop (just love the shopping strips in Melbourne - but I think Chapel St has gone off, too many chain shops now, or perhaps I'm just getting old)

Then I like to check out what's changed. Fairlie at Around the Traps has already posted about what we did so why don't you just visit here for our visit to the Eureka Skydeck and here for all the other stuff. Fairlie has great photos to check out, but here are some more:

Now must get back to plotting how to get a leave pass to go down for the Melbourne Writers Festival in Aug/Sept.

Farmdad's Apple Crumble

A few days ago Farmdad from over at Another Day on the Farm posted about an apple crumble he made. He even made custard. Yum.

When I asked him to post a photo of the crumble (and also of the pet lambs he has in the yard) he said he was having trouble uploading photos to his blog. Such are the issues facing the rural blogger. So there was only one thing to do. Being the helpful sister I am I decided to make and photograph the crumble myself.

Here is is. Yum. I made custard too. And while I was at it I threw a lump of icecream on the plate.



This is not the crumble recipe I remember making in Home Ec at high school. It has Weetbix in it. And it was delicious. Check out the recipe here. Like Farmdad, I doubled the crumble mixture.

Oh, and here is a picture of the gorgeous pet lambs.

Magic Happens Here

Those of you who know me will realise how biased I am when I say this but The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden is a must-see when you are in Melbourne. It is located within Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens near the Observatory Cafe.

Did you know:

• The Magic Pudding Sculpture, which forms the centre-piece to the gardens, is the only non-plant related sculpture inside the Botanic Gardens.
• This Sculpture is designed (engineered) to be climbed on by children. If your child is ever told off for climbing the sculpture I want to know about it.
• Likewise, the plants in the garden are designed for touching and climbing. It is a tactile experience for children.
• The garden is closed everyday at 4pm so that it can be repaired & rejuvenated after all that touching and climbing.
• There is a magnificent kitchen garden where vegies and herbs can be examined by children. There is also a sand-pit full of black sand for kids who like to get really dirty.
• Some of the water features are currently turned off due to water restrictions. The pond is still full.

This is a world class garden that our children just LOVE to explore. Take your children and let them discover the magic for themselves (and let them climb on the Magic Pudding Sculpture).

Syd-Mel-Syd Without Maccas

Those of you venture out onto the Hume with children will understand the allure of the McDonald's Service Centres. Clean toilets, a babychange area, a playground - all vital to a successful schlep between Sydney and Melbourne. But can you manage the drive without stopping at a McDonald's? We are certainly veteran McDonalds customers on these trips. Where else serves food for both adults and children, has clean toilets and a place to run amok for a few minutes?

On our recent drive to and from The Great Southern City we failed to stop at a Maccas - and survived. Here are my reviews of the alternatives:



The Jumping Jumbuck Cafe
Euroa, Victoria

We first stopped here attracted by the promise of a devonshire tea. We were not disappointed. This cafe served your favourite beverage with large scones and loads of jam and cream. Sandwiches can be made to order and there is a decent choice of homestyle cooking. Clean toilets, a car park but no playground - kids could run on the lawn in fine weather.




The Submarine (and Submarine Cafe)
Holbrook, NSW

This is Submarine Town. It's 4 hours drive from Sydney, there is no major body of water nearby... but still there is a submarine. Great place for the kids to play and now there is a cafe nearby.




The Dog on the Tuckerbox
5 miles from Gundagai, NSW
Famous NSW landmark. Rumour has it that the dog didn't "sat on the tuckerbox" - he actually "s*at on the tuckerbox" but that wouldn't make for a family friendly monument. The old kiosk here has closed down but a new place selling food, fresh fruit & veg and souvenirs has opened nearby. It's a little rundown but has plenty of places to run.

The Bakery of Goulburn

Goulburn Service Centre, NSW

This is relatively new. Co-located with Maccas and Subway it showed promise as a healthier alternative. I don't think they have the mix quite right yet (too many pies, not enough salads) but the Turkish Bread here is delicious. Great toilets but no playground. However, the kids were more than happy to jump on and off the low wall out the front and the Big Merino is over the road.

So, you see no need to stop at Maccas - unless of course you can't go two hours without an un-happy meal.

Greeks Bearing Gifts

The EasternMax family may be of Anglo-Celtic heritage but we are a bit partial to Greek Sweets. In particular we love Koulourakia (in our house we just call them Greek Biscuits). Traditionally made for Greek Easter these biscuits are neither hard nor soft and have just a touch of sweetness - perfect with a cup of tea.



Yesterday, on our way back to Sydney from Melbourne, the kids and I met up with Domestic Goddess, and her kids in Goulburn for lunch. They are currently visiting their (Greek) grandparents in Canberra. I was thrilled that Domestic Goddess's mum (Yia Yia) had been baking and was there to hand over this bag of Greek Biscuits:

See how the Koulourakia are wrapped up with ribbon? We Skips would hand biscuits over on a plate - and then ask for the plate back.

The EasternMax family doesn't beware Greeks bearing gifts - we open our arms wide and wait impatiently for the next visit.

Only in Melbourne: Scotchie Pants

If you live in Melbourne's private school belt and are aged 9-19 then there's a good chance that you've begged your mum to stop at traditional uniform supplier Dobsons

and buy these: the Scotchie Pant

They are so-named because, in red, they are the Scotch College track pant. Scotch College boys would lend/give their track pants to their girlfriends to wear; I guess as a token of "going together". And a trend started.

Note the correct footwear that our model (Queenie) is wearing (although to be totally correct they should be Havaianas).

Yes, I know they're baggy; Yes, I know they are not flattering for your bigger boned girl (our model is reed thin); but clearly love has no bounds and now a generation of girls are wearing them. They now not only come in school colours but in "fashion" colours as well (the fashion colours are more expensive).

Once you know about them you notice teenage girls wearing them everywhere. Horrifyingly, we even saw a mum wearing a coral-coloured pair at the Observatory Cafe, South Yarra, last week.

They are a best seller at Dobsons. I bet they can't believe their luck.

They look comfy, but would you wear these (in public)?

The Clock on the Silo Says 8 Degrees

As former residents of the Great Southern City Firegazer and I hold this famous local landmark in high regard. This is "the clock on the silo". Or the BTR Nylex sign. It lives on Punt Road next to Hoddle Bridge which connects Richmond with South Yarra.





Not long after relocating to Melbourne in 1996 we were driving up Punt Road after an AFL game at the MCG while listening to Paul Kelly's song Leaps and Bounds:

I'm high on the hill
Looking over the bridge
To the M.C.G.
And way up
on high
The clock on the silo
Says eleven degrees

As these lyrics blasted through the car sound system we looked up and saw that, like the song, the clock on the silo said eleven degrees... So Leaps and Bounds became our "Melbourne Song". Still is.

We are now Sydney-siders visiting our former town. So today as we drove along Alexandra Avenue we looked up at the silo and played Leaps and Bounds (loudly).

Only this time the clock on the silo said eight degrees. Brrr.

Welcome to the Blogosphere Farmdad and Jenborg

Are you curious about the day to day life of a family on an Australian farm (AmE "ranch") - from the farmer's point of view? Are you interested in how a young mum copes with MS while living in a rural area?

You might like to check out the thoughts of Farmdad and Jenborg.

Just wait until I convince them to post pictures of their gorgeous pet lambs!

Restaurant Review: A Certain* Club, Albury

Thinking of driving straight through from Sydney to Melbourne? But no! Stop for the night and treat yourself to the best that club food has to offer by taking the family to A Certain Club* smorgasbord in Albury.

As you swipe your driver's licence, and sign in as a visitor, you know that you are in an establishment that cares about your safety. Proceed up the stairs and line up to receive your own plate and cutlery wrapped in a napkin before settling the children and lining up for your food.

The gentleman announces over the PA: "Children under 12 must be served by an Adult".

A sign above the Bain Marie reminds you "PATRONS MUST USE THE SERVING CUTLERY PROVIDED". It's five star all the way.

I treated myself to a meal of roast meat (beef?), potatoes, peas and gravy followed by Chocolate (?) Mousse and what was reputed to be Cheesecake. I'll let Fairlie explain further, however one member of our party was heard to say "I just hope this is not my last meal, because that would be a tragedy".

Actually, it was more animated than that but I don't want to risk my G rating.


* real name hidden to protect the innocent that actually like this food