The arrival of the Schoolies in Surfers Paradise!

We had our first hint that something peace threatening was in the works when we saw the young families and retirees heading out of town on Friday morning in droves... (in your mind, here would be a good time to start playing the theme song from Jaws, softly as a background ...);
Then we heard the term "Schoolies" for the first time (like any remarkable event in History, we remember where we were and what we were doing at the time!), from the ladies at the reception desk at the Ocean Royale and since we did not wish to sound totally clueless and uninformed(I don't know why we were not forewarned by our Guru, Anthony!), we returned the same look as they gave us...(the O.M.G.! look of impending disaster simmering in the air!). So this drove us to pull out our :"Living and Working in Australia" our handy, dandy Guide of 2009 and look up the term, but not a mention was made of this event that soooooo appeared to strike fear in the hearts of Queenslanders! Was this a conspiracy or simply a mistake in the edition of the Tourist Guide that I purchased?
Could it be a "school" of poisonous fish heading for our parts that would force the population out of the Ocean?
Then on the Friday evening news, we got our first look at the legendary threat descending upon us! The dreaded "Schoolies"! (the background theme music in your mind should go up a notch here); they are the grade 12, High School Graduates from all over Australia that head out in droves like Locusts to the Gold Coast to celebrate the end of their life as High School Students. How bad can that be ? They looked harmless enough in their starched white shirts and blouses and grey slacks and skirts!
The first order of business upon their arrival (right after checking into their hotels, motels, backpacking hostels, etc...)and buying beer, is to collectively walk into the Ocean in their School Uniforms and abandon their clothes to the waves...
After that's it's two weeks of drinking, dancing, drinking, singing, drinking, general rabbelrousing, sex on the beach (no, not the cocktail!), more drinking) and other assorted shenanigans that are a Right of passage for every Australian Youth!
The parents, who actually deliver the fruits of their wombs to the Gold Coast in the family vehicle, appear as excited as their teens for this event. This year, local law enforcement decided to impose fines on parents caught supplying their underage teens with alcoholic beverages. One father who was caught by the Police was told they would not impose a fine (ahhhhh, they felt sorry for dad!) this time but would simply confiscate the alcohol. Upon seeing the disappointed look on his son's face, dad said to his son (in front of the Police officer no less!); "Don't worry son, I'll just go buy you some more". The Police officer then imposed a $700.00 + fine on dad!(Brutal... no more Mr. nice guy for you!).
Other than waking up with hangovers, light deprivation (on the Gold Coast!), sunburns, or to unexpected (as in no memory of having it done!) Tattoos and piercings as well as strange charges on their credit cards and cell phones, the "Schoolies" do not appear to be the biggest worry as somewhere around daybreak, they run out of steam and sleep until sun set! What they attract is not so tame. (Now would be a good time to have the full volume on the Theme of Jaws!)
O.M.G. the dreaded Toolies!

Toolie (two-lee): Name, masc., dangerous predator lurking on the Beaches of the Gold Coast, annually reliving their own "Schoolie" experience and preying on the young, clearly chemically impaired female Schoolies that are easily identified by their bright yellow arm bands (it gives them the opportunity for reduced prices at the local pubs, restaurants and stores) or their tight Tee Shirts boldly and proudly emblazoned with the word: "Schoolies 2009".
Talk about a parent's worst nightmare!
We went to Surfer's for a look-see, but hung out mainly back at the Ranch at Ocean Royale. Thank God we will also be evacuating next Friday when the reinforcements will descend on the area for another week in Paradise!

The Paradox of our time

I read this message today by the comedian George Carlin. I think he has become after all the years of looking through a comedic lens, quite a philosopher ...

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;

wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints;

We spend more, but have less;

we buy more, but enjoy less;

we have bigger houses and smaller families;

more conveniences, but less time;

we have more degrees but less sense;

more knowledge, but less judgement;

more experts, yet more problems;

more medecine but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get too tired, read too little, watch TV too much and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor."

I have a lot of faith that the current young generation will change that...our grasshoppers will become the Masters. We have much to learn.

H2O

"A lifetime without Love is of no account;

Love is the Water of Life;

Drink it down with heart and soul"

Rumi

What is this?

Guess what this animal is?

It's as big as a pig and lives in South Eastern Australia and in Tasmania.

It's a Marsupial with an inverted pouch, because it's a digger...

It's a herbivore with a very slooooooooow metabolism... it takes 14 days for it to complete digestion! It has a big brain...it's very smart and moves slowly (all that weight on those short legs!).

It's butt (posterior) is made of cartilage, so when it's attacked by a Dingo or a Tasmanian Devil, it burrows into a nearby tunnel and presents his impenetrable posterior; and kicks their preditor's head in with those stubby but poweful legs!

At times they are feeling crabby or in a bad mood.

It's rarely seen in nature , as it's a nocturnal animal, but it leaves distinctive cubic faeces in it's path.

It's name starts with a "W" and rhymes with Wazzat!

A day in the life

This is me, in my blogging corner of the apartment on Monday morning. Regent caught a nasty cold at the office last week sitting under an air conditioning vent (I cant leave him alone for a minute!), one of those nasty "Men colds" that are so much more intense than the ones we women get! Kidding aside, it was really quite bad, enough that I was seriously worried for his well being. However, since he has no time right now for something as frivolous as a cold, no matter the seriousness, by sheer force of will and pigheadedness he mindfully cured himself of his cold and left for work this morning in great form! I am truly married to a Superhero! Now if I could only bottle that ... I could make a fortune on Ebay!

Reading on the beach on Sunday afternoon. Yes kids...that's your dad reading a B-O-O-K!

On Sundays mornings, by force of habit, we still rise before our 07:00 alarm. By this time the Sun is already screaming in the sky and the area is teaming with people walking, running, bicycling, doing laps in the pool, surfing, etc...I realize why that is as we used to tell the kids this when we took them on vacation with us: " You guys can go to the disco, the show or whatever in the evening, but by 07:00 we will all be up, wide eyed and bushy tailed having breakfast in the dining room so that we can join in on all the activities at the resort during this week of vacation. So the first couple of days,

they would have a great nightlife and actually believed that we would forget about them in the morning and let them sleep in :ahhhhhh, the optimism and fantasies of our youth...these were quickly shattered by their dad's call to revelry at the crack of dawn and by the third day they would actually crash before us from sleep deprivation! Then the real family vacations could start, the ones we have such great memories of!

This Sunday we had a typical Sunday in Queensland for us. We got up bright and early as previously discussed, had breakfast ...pancakes, ('cause we found some Canadian Maple Syrup here that actually cost more than a good bottle of Wine but was worth every penny since it reminds us of home!). We then walked over to the arts and crafts market near our place that occurs every second Sunday and is simply fascinating for the collection of wares on display! All kinds of lotions and potions, teas, candles, jewellery, snake bite ointments, crystals, shells, wood carvings, furniture, fruits (tiny little bananas that taste like banana heaven!), veggies, baking, fortune tellers, Outback
chapeaus, tye die clothing, etc... really entertaining!

We then bring back our treasures to
our apartment and get the car to head
out to our Pizza Hut to pick up our lunch of a Large Super Supreme Pizza, (hold the mushrooms) for

$6.99 AU and a case of beer next door at the Bottle Shop! At the Pizza shop we are known as Mr and Mrs Smith as explaining our family name is just too much of an effort!

Then we pick up our fruits and veggies at our favorite Veggie stall

just down the road from the Pizza place.

Once home, we have our very Yin and Yang lunch (A nice cold beer and a nice hot Pizza!). Yummmmm!

Bon Appetit!

The remainder of the day is usually spent either reading on the beach or the balcony... just like being on vacation!

No worries mate!

Vendredi le 13 novembre 2009 Un jour important au calendrier

1. Fete d'Alicia 2006 St. Marthe
2. Colombie Brittanique Ete 2007

3.Chez Stephan en hiver 2008

4. Orlando, Floride Novembre 2008

5. Alicia, Superstar en Ontario!!!


6. Bebe Alicia

La legende d'Alicia Lebel

Il etait une fois, dans un Royaume eloigne et exotique qui porte le nom de St-Eustache, qu'une extraordinaire petite fille, qui se nomme aujourd'hui Alicia, est nee un vendredi le 13 novembre 1998 relativement (pour le mois de novembre!) bien ensoleille.

Et voici qu' aujourd'hui, en ce vendredi le 13 novembre 2009 elle fete ses 11 ans (deja!!!) au Royaume de la Pomme.

Depuis le jour de sa naissance, les vendredi le 13 nous representent, a tous ceux qui ont le plaisir de faire ou d'avoir fait sa connaissance, les jours les plus chanceux de l'Univers!

Alicia est toujours aussi miraculeuse, precieuse et speciale aujourd'hui a 11 ans, qu'elle etait le jour de sa naissance en 1998 quand ses quatres grandparents, oncles, tantes, parents et amis, l'ont admiree bouche be et emerveilles pour la premiere fois! ... La legende dit que le jour de sa naissance, elle semblait regarder les gens qui l'entourait curieusement en se disant : "C'est qui cette collection de gens bizarres qui me font des grimaces et des goo goo, gaga?!!! Ne savent t'ils pas que j'aimerais bien me reposer apres avoir effectuer tout ce travail de naitre!!!"

C'est evident qu'elle est nee avec un air relativement plus serieux et raisonnable que nous les adultes!

Par contre, malgre le choc initial de faire notre connaissance, Alicia semble s'etre bien adjuste a l'attention de ce groupe d'ancetres plustot curieux et ne cesse de leurs accorder toute son attention, respect et un amour qui semble etre sans limite!

Aujourd'hui a 11 onze ans, Alicia est une grande soeur qui prends sa petite soeur Joanie et Alexandre sous ses ailes quand ils necessite sa protection. Elle est une fille genereuse qui assiste ses parents quand ils ont besoin d'aide. Alicia est une etudiante interessee et motivee a reussir, et reussie tres bien d'ailleur aisement! Alicia est une jeune fille artistique, interessee dans les sports, qui aime la nature, les animaux, sa famille et ses amies. Un rayon de soleil pour nous qui sommes assez chanceux de l'avoir parmi nous (par minou?) !

Bonne fete cherie! Nous serons bientot (d'ici vingt ans environ!) a te souhaiter un prince charmant, mais je crois qu'en ce moment de ta vie tu aime encore ta famille et tes amies bien plus que tu apprecie l'attention des jeunes garcons. Nous en profitons donc encore un petit moment d'etre les vedettes les plus aimes de ta vie!

On te souhaite alors beaucoup de bonheur et tout ce dont ton coeur desire! XXXOOOXXXOOO

Still living and breathing in Queensland

I suppose that I have been slacking off lately on my Blog postings, this is to be expected I suppose once one settles into a comfortable routine anywhere...and we are people who love; no

I will rephrase that, Regent and I LOVE an established routine! We rejoice in structure even while attempting to be spontaneous! When we spend a week in an all inclusive resort in the Caribbean, the first order of business will be staking out our place on the beach, the restaurants, the show place, the markets, etc...and then we can have a great time and just relax...because we went there to get away from our daily routine! The one we had in Canada, not the one we put in place on vacation!

A lot of things (good and bad) that we have no control over have been happening in Canada, so our hearts have been torn in this regard. Was it not John Lennon who said that "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans". How very true...

Right now Regent's project is demanding a lot more of his attention, so weekends are mostly spent resting up for the week to come. The great thing here is that a two hour walk on the beach to the sounds of the Ocean is truly the best medicine for whatever ails ya and does lead to much meditation and soul searching and planning for the future... ahhh, the luxury of downtime.

At my favorite second hand bookstore, I picked up a collection of Poems (Poem for the Day-

that contains 366 poems, one for each day of the year (including one for leap years). The person who compiled the collection suggests that memorizing poems is immensely valuable for times that might scare you (like when the plane takes off or the dentist drills into your tooth), one can close ones eyes and silently recite something.
I have never really delved into poetry since my school days; when we had to learn them by heart or suffer the dire consequences! So with this book I realised that not all poems are stuffy and inexplainable, but rather a piece of literature that is very much open to interpretation. The same poem may mean to the same person something different on any given day depending on how you are feeling in your heart and soul.

So I would like to share my favorite "specimen du jour" that I have found with you for your enjoyment! Feel free to memorize to your hearts content:

Warning, by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension money on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

By Jenny Joseph (May 7th, 1932- )

Scary...but I have hoarded pens and pencils my whole life!

This one is for my dear sister-in-law, Noreen

New Every Morning

Every day is a fresh beginning,

Listen my soul to the glad refrain.

And, spite of old sorrows

And older sinning,

Troubles forecasted

And possible pain,

Take heart with the day and begin again.

Susan Coolidge (January 29th 1835 - April 9th 1905)

Love you and cant wait to be picking out red hats and purple frocks together!

Raspberry & Mixed Berry Muffins

Made these Aussie muffins for Regent and now he loves me dearly!

Try them, you'll like em too!

The Melbourne Cup

This is Australia's most famous Tuesday...aka the day that stops the Nation! At 3 p.m. Melbourne time, on the first Tuesday in November, Australians everywhere stop for one of the Worlds most famous horse races. Since 1877, Cup day has been a public Holiday for Melbourne ... and the rest of the country just appears to take the day off (chuck a sickie!) to flock to the track. People from all over Australian states usually take the time off to stop what they are doing and watch the race to see if their "flutter" has paid off. This includes many schools, which wheel televisions in to the assembly hall for the children to watch!

Then there is all the pomp and pagetry of the race. People take a year to find that perfect outfit (usually something vintage from the 40s or 50s and the most extravagant plumed, flowered and netted hats you have ever seen for that cup party or bar attendance! Just fabulous to watch! This year Olivia Newton John sang the National Anthem and the winning horse was named "Shocking Crime Scene"!

On Saturday night we went into town for dinner, ahhh a nice Aussie steak dinner, since it was Halloween night. The children in town were costumed, the girls as princesses and the boys as pirates (did they call each other or what!). We asked our waitress to guess what our costumes where (we just looked like everyday) she said she could not guess...so we told her in a loud voice that we where dressed as American Tourists! So our Kiwi waitress said she was costumed as an Aussie waitress! Very imaginative...she really looked and sounded Australian!

On the centre stage in town there was a presentation of Bollywood dances by the Australian Bollywood dancers (who did not appear to have ever set foot in India!). These Aussie ladies take dancing lessons at their Yoga school and present their repertoire in public every couple of months. The choreographies are very complicated and just the setting up of each dance would take the Master of Ceremonies (whose clear british voice could have been used in mystery films or a butler for Count Dracula!) a few minutes as the plots of Bollywood movies are always so complexe and lenghthy! The ladies danced for 2 hours without any breaks and had many costume changes! Very impressive! A most excellent weekend that added to our cultural knowledge of the country!