Journal Entry #2

Well since I last posted I have taken a driving class, walked to the market several times, done some cooking and I have run several miles.

I will begin with the driving class...I drove for exactly one hour(I hate to tell these folks but a one hour driving lesson is not going to erase 41 years of right-handed driving-this is a very old dog they are teaching here and I must say this is going to be quite a trick for me to learn) Anyway, we went through several turns and round a bouts and even some straight aways-I've got those down pretty good. Daddy, you would have loved the car. The passenger's side had its own accelerator and brake. And I know you are not going to believe this but he did not have to brake ONCE, however, he did have to accelerate and grab the steering wheel a few times. He says, "Alvays revember the traffic is on your RIGHT!"(He was from Germany) At the end of the lesson he asked when I wanted to schedule my next lesson. I told him I was not sure if JD would pay for another. He said, "Oh the company pays?" He made quick call and suggested that I have another session. Not sure if this was due to my driving or to the fact that JD would give him another $65. Either way, I am sure I could use a little more practice on those round a bouts. I have my next session today @ 1:00.

As I said before this place is convenient to everything. I have walked to the market several times. But I must remember that the trip back is always much longer with several bags of groceries!!! Building those arm muscles. On Saturday when Norman and I went to the grocery store (Coles) I felt a bit overwhelmed and missed my Publix. But when I went on Monday I found Wooly's (Woolworths) which seemed to have pretty much everything you would need. No worries, if they did not have something there was a bakery, a meat market and a fruit and veggie stand right next door. I felt much better. Don't get me wrong - it is NOT Publix. I was at the deli getting some lunch meat and the lady asked me how much I needed-I told her about half a pound but that I had no idea what that was in kilograms(I mean grams)-she had no idea either so she said I will cut and you tell me when. This worked out great. I got about 300 kg(oops I mean grams again-someone just informed me that would be about 660 lbs of meat) so now I know for next time. I cannot imagine living in a country where you do not speak the same language!!!! It is hard enough with the different terms, measurements and driving!!!!! But I am NOT complaining. I do love it here and I am learning so much.

Every morning I go for a long run through a very nice park. Lots of people out walking their dogs-every kind of dog imaginable. Throughout the park they have little exercising stations.(see pictures above) When I am finished with my run I do 100 reps on most of these-except the butterfly press-barely 10-as you push you are lifting yourself up, same for the chair where you can sit in one and push up and the other chair you sit and pull down-there again you are lifting your weight-I AM HEAVY!!!!!! Love the glider, the hip swinger, stair-stepper and the rowing machine.

So far I have managed to cook two meals: 1) The first was chicken kabobs w/onion, bell pepper, and pineapple, served with roasted veggies and a salad w/balsamic/oil dressing(see pics above). Notice the touch of orange slices on the glasses. This was suppose to be done on the barbie however, after many tries of turning the knobs and hearing the clicking noise, I realized their was no propane bottle. Thus, I reverted to the oven which was like trying to set the clock on a VCR!!! You turn one knob that has these choices-light, conventional, gentle bake, grill, rapid, fan plus, fan grill. The other knob says 0, 100, 150, 200, 250 and then a square with 3 flames(I figured out this must be broil) Don't they know I only cook on high or off??? 2) The next meal was guacamole pizza w/onions, tomatoes, pineapple, chicken, and feta. This was served with broccoli and a watermelon/feta/balsamic vinegar salad(see pic above). The other pics are of Norman's breakfast-rasin bread/oats/orange slices. I am becoming quite the housewife making him breakfast every morning and fixing him a sack lunch. LOL

The other pictures are of the beautiful full moon out our back door-picture does not do it justice but the reflection on the water was beautiful!!!

Oh and we have Skinny Milk-wonder if that has a guarantee with it. And of course the "tasty cheese"???? As opposed to "un" tasty cheese??

Anyway it is time for my driving class so I had better go. Don't want to miss a minutes instruction. Miss you all and can't wait to have our first visitors.