Monday, October 26, 2009

It's all happening ...

How did I ever find the time to update my blog? So much is happening. Since the last time I updated my blog, I went to Sha's graduation day. That was fun!! I bought her a big bear. Sha's parents came around to stay at my house (I spent almost an entire week before that trying to tidy up) and Kate's family all came around to try their Chinese and help cook a BBQ. I then hired a car and drove Sha's family down to Kiama and back. What a wonderful trip. We saw the big potato. We also saw the rainforest near Kiama, drove down some very dramatic roads, the blow-hole (which was blowing) and had an exciting drive back up along the coastal road.

Oh dear, I think that my corn has just exploded in the microwave

After driving Sha's parents to the airport Sha and I went for a lovely drive and walk in the Botany Bay national park and saw Captain Cook's landing site.

Vikram came and stayed again at my house. I started a Chinese course!! I sat on the front row. It was very exciting. We all said "ni hao" to each other. The class was mixed between people who worked a lot in China and people who had a Chinese girlfriend!

On Saturday evening I played in a wonderful chamber concert. We got a standing ovation!! I played the slow movement from the Rachmaninov cello sonata, Tracey played the fast movement from the Mendelsohn violin concerto, we both played a Haydn trio with Maureen and finished with a renaissance quartet in which I played the recorder. Then we had lots of wine.

On Thursday, Sha and I are heading off to Tasmania. We having a holiday before she starts working next week. We're going to fly into Hobart and then drive up the East coast to see places like Wineglass bay. We get back on Sunday night.

Oh, I forget to mention that Sha and I went to Newcastle. We went to Newcastle. We played in the sand. We ate fish 'n' chips. We got wet. I got in trouble for reading the newspaper on the train ride home. We found a possum.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Back a few days

So much to write about! Sha's parents have been in Australia for a week and we've been showing them around. Last Sunday, we picked them up from the airport, took a taxi to Ashfield and then went into the city. We did the standard touristy things - went around to look at the opera house, walked through the botanical gardens (as wonderful as ever), went around Mrs Macquarie's chair, headed up to the art gallery, through the cathedral, Hyde Park, stopped for tea in the Queen Victoria Building and then kept walking (they have a lot of energy) to Darling Harbour. Sha and I treated them to a big steak meal (kangaroo for Sha's dad) and then we headed back through China town (BTW ... that was all the first day!).

The day before was also fun. First Stefan and his girlfriend turned up. They were meant to be in Chile, but missed their flight at Sydney and so stayed with me instead. On Saturday, Nicole and Vernon got married!! I played my 'cello and then stayed for the lunch.

More later about Watson's Bay and our fun drive this weekend. Today went well at work. I submitted two papers!

I'm shattered.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

What a drive


Lots more to come, but what a drive!!! See photo

Monday, October 5, 2009

Still alive










Sorry for the lack of blog posts. This one is just to say that I'm still alive, ready to sleep and will update my blog properly tomorrow. Here are some photos of the wonderful weekend!