What came first? The monotreme or the egg?

Please read my article for this week's Triblocal: Monotremes

How hard is it to find four walls and a roof?

Last August, I wrote an article about searching for an apartment in Sydney. The title, was: Apartment Searching is a Pain in the . . .

Well now, nearly a year later, Bob and I are once again embarking on the apartment search. So I can honestly say, after all we have learned, that apartment searching, is now a colossal pain.

With our current lease expiring we are frantically looking for a new home. Our weekends are not spent exploring the wonders of Australia, but the daggy apartments within our budget. 

Apartments in Sydney are only shown for one fifteen minute period per week. During that time you have to muscle your way past 40 other interested people, and hope that there aren't any extra fees hidden in the rent. Then Bob and I have a tough decision. Would we like the dark dilapidated apartment with a new coating of mildew? Or the bright yellow walls and florescent green carpet of a second floor flat? Well neither, so we're continuing our search. I'm anxious to find a place, if only to be able to do something worth writing about over the weekend. 

Unidentified Flying discs

Please read my article for this week's Triblocal: Unidentified Flying Discs

Life in a bubble

 Last night, while leaping high into the night air to block an opponent from catching the frisbee, my husband rejoined the ground and badly sprained his ankle during our ultimate frisbee game. Lucky for us, there was a doctor on the other team who saved us the need for xrays and a hefty hospital bill. And so I just want to say, that despite the usual hefty bills, doctors, are great.

I'm accident prone. 

Even when I was little I was always injuring myself. I think Band-Aids were a permanent accessory to my knees (though from the smug look of my twin in the picture, I find it more likely he pushed me down that time). I have sprained my ankles at least six times growing up, broken my left elbow while attempting to rollerblade, re-broken it a week later while filing papers at work, broken my wrist playing soccer, had my nose broken in college by a punch from my sensei, then a few weeks later while getting thrown into a wall in Canada, and once again just a few weeks ago in an odd accident involving an energetic yellow lab and a van door. My parents are used to calls from me starting with, "I'm fine, but . . ."

So I really shouldn't be surprised that yesterday my doctor confirmed that I had indeed broken my rib while attempting to surf a few weeks ago. This most recent injury, has made me appreciate once again how wonderfully lucky we are to have doctors. I mean, without their years of medical school, patience, and practice, I would likely resemble Quasimodo's ugly cousin. 

So I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the doctors that spend so much time putting perpetual klutzes like me  back together again.

Rice Krispies, Exotic Cuisine?

Please click the link to read my story for this week's Triblocal: Rice Krispies

The Valley of Kangaroos...and wombats...and echidnas..and

For Mom's last weekend Bob and I took her to Kangaroo Valley. The town is about 2 hours south of Sydney and . . . it's in a valley ... and has... kangaroos. Well it doesn't have a zoo, just a healthy wild kangaroo population. The town contains one main street with a couple of restaurants, a hotel, gift shops, and a lovely townie pub. But before we endulged in dinner and a few too many beverages, we took an evening drive down a country road.

Within an impressive twenty minute period, we stumbled upon an echidna:

kangaroos:

And a grumpy wombat:

We were all very impressed with the show mother nature put on. And the wildlife spotting, along with a few rounds at the pub, were a great way to end a fantastic visit.

July Jubilee

Here's a link to my article for this week's Triblocal: http://www.triblocal.com/Oak_Park_&_River_Forest/Detail_View/view.html?type=stories&action=detail&sub_id=78167