So I have been told in the past that I know everyone… I really thought that by moving to another continent in a different hemisphere that I could prove those people wrong… but alas, it is not to be true. I have come to learn through the power of internet and being unemployed for near two months that someone I went to high school (and college by the way) with lives here in Melbourne… The best part is , is it is someone really cool that I thought was pretty nice back in the day of Cheney High. John lives in St Kilda which is a suburb just south of the Central Business District (CBD). The CBD would be similar to downtown Seattle from about Pike to James from I-5 to the waterfront but on a river instead of a bay. Anyway, I sent a message to him not too long after I had gotten here but didn’t hear back for some time and I figured either he wasn’t still in the area, didn’t use MySpace much or didn’t want to talk to me. I figured option 1 or 2 were most likely because it wasn’t a very John-like thing to do to ignore someone on purpose. He finally got my message and responded. After the footy game on Monday the 11th Matt and I met up with him at Federation Square and we had nachos and drinks and caught up a little.
Let me tell you, it is great to have another American to relate to. He has been here for about 9 months or so and has settled in pretty well from the sounds of it, but he has noticed some of the same strange things as I have but he hasn’t been to the footy yet. I hope that he’ll come to a game or two with Matt and I so he can help Matt appreciate my confusion as an American thing and not just a me thing.
Matt’s dad just bought a new place and sold his house. On Monday the 11th (it was a holiday here—the Queen’s birthday) we went over to the new place to inspect. He had the painters out and is getting new carpet this week before he starts moving his stuff in. It’s a nice three bedroom unit with a lot of cupboards, double garage, ensuite (direct bathroom access from the main bedroom for you non-aussie speakers) and a good size kitchen and courtyard. He got the place for a reasonable price considering the land size and value of the house. He also sold his house for a fair bit and has been able to buy a new car with the proceeds. He is pretty excited and it got Matt looking at housing again. We found one in the same suburb online that has an inspection (open house) Thursday morning that I plan on going to just to check things out.
Oh---I need to tell you about the Mexican adventure… After watching Pirates of the Caribbean III on Sunday we went to dinner at Taco Bills. This Australia’s version of Azteca or Las Magheritas/Taco Bell combined. Taco Bills has sit down or takeaway and the menu was pretty complete. The best part was the drink menu. Magheritas. Now, they had the fancy flavours (strawberry, mango, watermelon etc) and extra shots of this or that, but how does their standard magherita stand up? Lemon, not lime flavour (and no—according to Aussie English I have not spelled flavor wrong) and really sweet. I drank it… and I had another, but definitely not the same as Las Magheritas (next to the Symetra office in Bellevue) by any means. What I wouldn’t give for Tequila Tuesdays on 8th Ave in Bellevue. :P
Working at the bakery is still fun. I have become “That American girl at the bakery” and have figured out most of the regulars. Everyone has been very nice still and they all like to try to complain about how cold it is here. Don’t worry. I don’t let them get away with that. They think 10° Celsius is cold… HA! That is nothing. Besides they keep sneaking in these really warm sunny days every so often. Nothing like the wet grey months of Seattle winters.
So far, no trips have come up that I’ll actually get to go on, but as soon as they do, you all will be the first to know. Hope you are enjoying your nice warm summer. I really miss summer. I don’t recommend two winters in a row to anyone… even though this is a mild winter, It is still dark way too early and the cold days are a bit tiresome when I should be thinking about Seafair, Hydro’s and the Milk Carton Derby at Green Lake.
Miss you all!
Cheers,
