A Day in the Wine Country

Well, I went to LAW Review yesterday, a monthly outing held by the American Women's Club of Perth. I originally didn't sign up for it because it sounded boring (no offense to all my attorney friends!) but then found out it is not a lecture on the local statutes. LAW stands for Lunch And Wine!

My new friend, Veronica, drove me and Allie to the Twisted Vine Vineyards in the Swan Valley. I was supposed to navigate so we took a few wrong turns. You can't expect a Colorado native to know directions with no mountains! : ) We were still the first to arrive since everyone else got a little lost too.

Another small world story. Allie just graduated college in SC and is living with her boyfriend, who is working here. Her best friend from her hometown, New Orleans, is Veronica's friend's daughter so that's how they met. Veronica knows everyone. Her husband works for the Italian embassy so they've lived in New York, New Orleans, Greece, Australia, England, Italy and probably other places she hasn't mentioned yet. She's British but belongs to the club anyway because it's such a fun group of women. Anyway, I digress as usual!

The area reminds me of Tuscany with rolling hills and vineyards everywhere. It seems like there are hundreds of them but there are probably about a hundred. This vineyard is owned by a guy from Christmas Island and his wife. He was a diver who needed to find a new job as I guess diving regularly is very hard on the body. I didn't try any of the wines but the rest of the group seemed to like them.

Then we had lunch and it was simple but good. Our end of the table split a couple of platters - an antipasto platter with cheeses, meats, nuts, dried fruits, crackers and salad and an Asian one with lots of treats like Samosas, prawn toasts, eggrolls, and the like. My favorite thing was moneybags (guess George is rubbing off!), shrimp wrapped with marinated vegetable and rice noodle in a little wonton unit that resembles a money bag.



Here is a photo of the group. Most of these women are married to oil or mining executives and have lived all over the world. A few married Aussies and stayed here instead of living in the US. We also have Linda, our token Canadian - just kidding, eh?

I plan to go back to explore that area and to drag George along next time. It's an easy train ride from here. We stopped for strawberries at a farm on the way home and only made one wrong turn.

And They Say Mexican Jails Are Bad

Well, I've done it now! Here four weeks and already in jail. The cells are smaller than most American closets with four of us sharing the cell. At least I'm in good company with my new mates, Diana and Nancie. Our other roommate is a bit stiff though. His photo shows him in bed where he stays all the time. Minute amounts of light come in from our tiny vent at the top of the cell.

The food is indescribably bad and meager. We get half a loaf of white bread daily and one-half pound of salt meat on Sundays if we behave ourselves. However, we do get a weekly allowance of vinegar to prevent scurvy.

Boy, am I ever sorry I stole that pig but George was complaining so much about the price of groceries here that I couldn't take it anymore!


Seriously, these photos are of the first jail in Western Australia called the Round-house. It opened in January 1831 and was policed by civil servants who had basic quarters on site. The police used it as a lock-up until 1899.

One could be sentenced for mutiny, disobedience, breaking curfew, stealing, being a sick lunatic, consuming alcohol during a church service, or a host of other crimes. Only one person was ever hanged for murder. Sentences usually included public humiliation in the stocks or pillories. Pillories were used for short-term punishment but were much harsher. Prisoner were forced to stand hunched over with their heads and hands in the stocks. Their ears would be nailed to the boards to prevent them from turning their heads when missiles were hurled at them. That would be one solution to our prison overcrowding problems. However, I can tell you it's uncomfortable enough to sit in those stocks for even a few minutes!

Here are our new friends, the volunteers at the Roundhouse. These ladies are a hoot and we had so much fun with them that we didn't complete as much of our historical walking tour as we planned.


Left to right, you see Diana, me, Nancie and our new Aussie friends. Small world - Diana is from Denver and Nancie is a CSU grad who used to live in Loveland!


Above is the view to the city from the Roundhouse and below is the view to the sea from the tops of rampart walls. The walls are about 10 feet thick and made of limestone so prisoners had no hope of escape.


That's it for now! Whatever you do, don't get up the gum tree - that's like being up the creek without a paddle!

Home is Where the Suitcase Is

We are loving our temporary home but will only enjoy it another three weeks. We really should have a couple of children here to take advantage of all the amenities. Those of you with little ones, it's not too late to ship them off for awhile!

Here are some photos. Check out the light fixtures, switches, hardwood floors and other decorative touches.

Meet the Ozzies

No, not Ozzie and Harriet of the old 50's sitcom, but real live Australian friends. I met Toni, the mom, on the Internet looking for a way to get my glass fix while we're here. After months of emailing, I not only got to meet her but her husband, Gary, and their twin 5-year-old sons, Ryan and Adam.





The boys had a blast in our current backyard - Heaven on Earth for children - with a swing, money bars, playhouse, sandbox and trampoline on which to enjoy being a kid. It gave the adults (I am counting myself in this group, don't laugh!) a chance to visit. Check out the fun tire swing above. I wish my little friend and neighbor, Laura, in Fort Collins could come and play here.

Housing prices in this area have skyrocketed, giving Gary and Toni a chance for a new life. Gary had been traveling extensively for his work and missed spending time with the family. Inflated housing prices allowed them to sell their home, pay off their mortgage, build a new home and still have some left over on which to live. They have time now for their boys and for another passion. Both are committed to environmental issues and Gary has even met Al Gore.

Of course, there's always a small world story to be told. I played bridge with her mother-in-law last Saturday.

I am looking forward to seeing them all again and creating glass art with Toni!

Freo Hospital Free-for-all

Well, George lasted a week before working a double-shift. Those of you who know him well are not at all surprised. He just couldn't resist time-and-a-half for the first three hours of the second shift plus double-time for the rest. Nurses also get time-and-a half on Saturdays and time-and-three-quarters on Sundays so he won't mind working weekends. The ultimate carrot for George is one-to-ones, that pay triple time!

So far, he mostly enjoys his job despite the disorganization of the so-called organization. When he showed up for his first day of orientation, they weren't expecting him. For some reason, they thought he was coming two weeks later so he was sent to the floor to begin orienting there for two weeks. After the first day, they decided he should just start working. I can't decide if it's because he's a superstar or if they're just desperate for help!

After two weeks of work, George is now in the midst of the hospital orientation. When he asked his new boss about the agenda for the training , the supervisor's reply was, "NFI!" NFI, another Aussie abbreviation - no f**** idea! His biggest adjustment is going back to manual systems of charting and medications. However, he can wear shorts to work so he leaves for work with a big smile on his face despite the fact that it's 6:45 a.m.

For those of you looking for a cushy nursing job in a warm climate, he says work is harder here than in New Zealand but not as hard as at PVHS. You also can't beat a hospital that's two blocks from the ocean! And for those of you who were grossed out at the squalor of TWA in the Hutt, George says it's squeaky clean.

Welcome to Oz

Toto, we're definitely not in Kansas or even Colorado! George and I have been here three weeks now and it is different than the US or New Zealand.

Freo - Estes Park by the Sea

Fremantle, or Freo, as it's known by the locals, is a charming and historical town and home to the first prison on the West coast. You can actually stay there overnight if you're so inclined. The town is brimming with cafes, art galleries, shops and the occasional Hungry Jack (Aussie Burger King). People are friendly but not as friendly as the Kiwis. No one's even invited us to dinner yet! However, we did get a free ride home in an ambulance our first night here so they are accommodating.

I find it easy to get lost here because nothing is built on a grid and streets change names frequently with infrequent street signs. When I was asking directions for the umpteenth time, a shopkeeper explained it's because it was designed after Glasgow because many of the first immigrants were Scottish. Luckily, they usually think we're tourists and are very patient when giving directions.

Carless and Loving it Most of the Time

We decided to try living without a car and are managing quite well due to the efficient mass transit. There is a free CAT bus that comes every ten minutes and goes in a figure eight pattern throughout the town. Our first place is about a half mile from the bus stop but we'll be a block away when we move. We can get all around Freo on the CAT bus or walking and Perth is only a half hour away by train.

Hood Ornaments and Hoons

I am proud to say we are not yet hood ornaments! I've got to remember to look the other way when crossing the street and to watch out for the hoons. Yes, hoons! This is a term peculiar to the Aussies that's short for hooligan. We've learned all about them in what seems like a million political commercials. (And yes, those ads are almost as annoying here as in the States.) Anyway, I digress. A Hoon is a person (usually a young male) who speeds dangerously. They want to enact new laws here like those in New South Wales where hoons' cars are confiscated and destroyed on television for all to watch. Presently, they are just fined.

Hoon control is one of the main hot political issues in the Western Australian election. Others include longer shopping hours and some of the usual ones we worry about - welfare reform, health care, and the like. We find it interesting that this election was called early by the incumbent premiere (governor) because he feels the timing is good for his party. My new friend I met online, Toni, is running for the lower house on the Green ticket so I have learned a lot about their system already. The lower house does all the research and drafts bills and the upper house decides which bills to adopt. Anyway, enough politics - you probably want to hear about the fun things!

However, it is late and my little brain is still jet lagged so I will post this and leave the rest for tomorrow. I promise I will post photos soon!