There has been some BIG news here in Bendigo. Very big! Every Sunday night, everyone from church gathers around in someone's house. We all chat and have a fun time eating and laughing and carrying on...as you do. But when it hits 7:30, the room is overcome by a silence as the familiar tune of Australian Idol is the only thing heard. For one hour every week, we all cheer or boo the singers who bravely take the stage, one of which was a Bendigo girl named Kate. Now, Kate has a good voice. But I didn't think it would take her as far as it did. On Monday night, Bendigo's own Kate DeAraugo was crowned Australian Idol. A controversial decision because she wasn't the best of the final two, by far, but none the less, big news for a little town. (Meg says Big!) I think she was front page three days running.
Friday now. It's coming to the point where I'm more in tune with what is going on in Calgary than in my own home town. I hear Calgary won against San jose, starting a new streak of two wins, because I listened to the game on Fan 960. I hear that although Tuesday hit a high of 20 degrees, the cold snap is coming in on the weekend with a high of -2 forecasted for Sunday. I hear that there was a scare of whether the police were going to be forced to write more tickets, although that rumour was squashed. I know the music coming out soon. I know Seinfeld Season 5&6 are available at Future Shop for $42.95. I know the movies coming to Calgary. I know which restaurants I want to visit. I know the roadworks, the shopping, the events...
Excited?? I think so...
Well, it's church tonight. The Finnish girls who have been spending this week in and around Bendigo will be in for a treat I think. They originally come from a Lutheran Church, so when they come in to the service tonight, with music cranked at 102 dB's (I know. I'm the sound guy) and the youth jumping...I doubt it will be like anything they've had at home.
Well, hope to hear from you all soon. I guess you can be excused if you live in Canada and don't write emails because we'll all see you soon enough anyways...
Friday, November 25, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
Monday Monday. So good to me!
Hey all
Well, I think for once, I’m glad to be at work on a Monday morning. Mainly because this weekend felt non-stop. So, compared to that, it feels almost relaxing to be here…almost.
On Saturday, we got up at 6:30AM to get ready for the day. We had organized a trip down to these new Factory outlets in Melbourne, the DFO. I think we had about 45 people come along for the trip, who all go to the church so we could leave at 8AM, which, in church time, means about 8:20. So we headed down there for a day of fun-filled shopping. Meg and I drove down in our car, while the rest of the shoppers took a bus we had hired. So, Meg and I got there about 9:45, when the shops opened up at 10, and I couldn’t believe my eyes as I entered the parking lot. Not only was it already a quarter full before anything was even open, but the swarms of people hoarding their way in was a sight to believe. But seeing as the place was so huge, it actually managed to contain what I’m sure was the population of an entire town Inasmuch as I’m not the most shopping-oriented person, I actually found myself having a good time. But that was mainly because we were counting down the minutes until we could drive into the city to catch the long-awaited Lion King.
Now, for those of you haven’t been…Go! It is phenomenal! The whole production from start to finish was brilliant. You know what’s going to happen but the way they do it all on a stage is just amazing. It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of paint and some fancy lights…I’m not going to tell you each little detail because it would just be overwhelming to try and put it all into words…The most amazing thing was just how they used a little stage to convey all the different scenes in the movie…very well done…I loved it
And then after that finished, we headed back to our motel for the night, because we had to up early Sunday morning, because we have a couple Finnish girls coming to our church for the next six weeks, and we had to pick them up…well, we volunteered for it because we got a night’s accommodation out of it. So, we were at the airport at 6:20 AM when the flight was supposed to arrive, but it was late and scheduled to arrive at 7:35…Typical Australian Immigration, the girls didn’t get out until after 9AM…and what made it harder, we had no idea who these girls were or what they looked like…just a couple of blond girls who looked Finnish…But that worked out OK.
We took them home, got them all cleaned up and sent them off the their billeted home and headed off to a first birthday party, and straight from that to home where Meg’s family came over to celebrate a Christmas dinner…I BBQ’d up a feast and we had a grand ol time, and crashed in bed at 9, not be awoken again until this morning…
So, it’s been a whirlwind weekend, but we made it out alive…just barely.
Well, I think for once, I’m glad to be at work on a Monday morning. Mainly because this weekend felt non-stop. So, compared to that, it feels almost relaxing to be here…almost.
On Saturday, we got up at 6:30AM to get ready for the day. We had organized a trip down to these new Factory outlets in Melbourne, the DFO. I think we had about 45 people come along for the trip, who all go to the church so we could leave at 8AM, which, in church time, means about 8:20. So we headed down there for a day of fun-filled shopping. Meg and I drove down in our car, while the rest of the shoppers took a bus we had hired. So, Meg and I got there about 9:45, when the shops opened up at 10, and I couldn’t believe my eyes as I entered the parking lot. Not only was it already a quarter full before anything was even open, but the swarms of people hoarding their way in was a sight to believe. But seeing as the place was so huge, it actually managed to contain what I’m sure was the population of an entire town Inasmuch as I’m not the most shopping-oriented person, I actually found myself having a good time. But that was mainly because we were counting down the minutes until we could drive into the city to catch the long-awaited Lion King.
Now, for those of you haven’t been…Go! It is phenomenal! The whole production from start to finish was brilliant. You know what’s going to happen but the way they do it all on a stage is just amazing. It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of paint and some fancy lights…I’m not going to tell you each little detail because it would just be overwhelming to try and put it all into words…The most amazing thing was just how they used a little stage to convey all the different scenes in the movie…very well done…I loved it
And then after that finished, we headed back to our motel for the night, because we had to up early Sunday morning, because we have a couple Finnish girls coming to our church for the next six weeks, and we had to pick them up…well, we volunteered for it because we got a night’s accommodation out of it. So, we were at the airport at 6:20 AM when the flight was supposed to arrive, but it was late and scheduled to arrive at 7:35…Typical Australian Immigration, the girls didn’t get out until after 9AM…and what made it harder, we had no idea who these girls were or what they looked like…just a couple of blond girls who looked Finnish…But that worked out OK.
We took them home, got them all cleaned up and sent them off the their billeted home and headed off to a first birthday party, and straight from that to home where Meg’s family came over to celebrate a Christmas dinner…I BBQ’d up a feast and we had a grand ol time, and crashed in bed at 9, not be awoken again until this morning…
So, it’s been a whirlwind weekend, but we made it out alive…just barely.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Australian Words & Phrases
This will entertain those of you who are not from Australia. Take some time to understand where I come from and the language I speak....It's funny when a Canadian is around it long enough to start saying some of it without noticing. ha ha!
Ace! - Excellent! Very good!
Arvo - afternoon
Barbie (Barbeque) - Like a cook out. Many people get together for a 'Barbie' in the warmer months. They are usually BYO (Bring your own) meat and drinks.
Barney - A fight or scuffle.
Beaut - Very good. Excellent.
Billy - Used for making tea in, usually over a campfire. The best billies are the old ones. They make better tea.
Block - Block has a few meanings but the more Aussie one is your head.
Bludge - Not doing anything or getting things off others.
Blue - A blue can be a fight or the nickname of someone with red hair.
Bush - Bush refers to somewhere in the country or away from the city.
Chuck - Chuck has a few meanings. It can mean to throw or to put in.
Conk - To hit someone.
Cow - As well as being the animal that gives us milk it also means anything that is difficult. Crook - Not feeling well or not going well.
Dag - A bit of a fool or not very well presented.
Dinkum - Genuine or honest.
Dob In - To tell (an authority) on someone.
Fair Go - Give some a chance or an opportunity to do something.
Galah - A fool or a silly person.
G'day - A greeting. It is the Aussie way of saying good day.
Grouse - Means excellent.
Gutzer - Some plans don't work out or to have an accident.
Hooly-Dooly - An expression of surprise.
It's gone walkabout - it's lost, can't be found
Kangaroos loose in the top paddock - Intellectually inadequate
Jackaroo or Jillaroo - A farm hand, usually on a cattle station (very large farms).
Lollies - Candy or sweets.
Mate - This usually means a friend but it can be used to talk about or to anyone - even a total stranger.
Mug - Either a fool or your face.
Owyergoin - A greeting. How are you going? Often used with 'Gidday' and 'Mate'.
Pester - Annoy or bother someone.
Ratbag - Someone who does not behave properly.
Raw Prawn - A lie or a con job.
Sack - To be fired from a job.
Scrub - Can be the same as the bush or mean areas in the country where there are not many trees.
Shoot Through - To leave or disappear.
Shout - Pay for someone else.
Sport - A more general way of referring to someone rather than a mate.
Streuth - An exclamation, often of surprise.
Thongs - Rubber sandals.
Togs - A set of clothes. More often used to refer to a swimming costume.
Tucker - Food. Australian schools call their canteens a 'tuckshop.'
Whinge - Complain and carry on unnecessarily.
Wog - An illness such as the flu.
Yakka - Work - usually hard work.
So next time I'm with you, you wont have to look at me as if I'm from another planet, rather understand the unique language I speak!
Ace! - Excellent! Very good!
Arvo - afternoon
Barbie (Barbeque) - Like a cook out. Many people get together for a 'Barbie' in the warmer months. They are usually BYO (Bring your own) meat and drinks.
Barney - A fight or scuffle.
Beaut - Very good. Excellent.
Billy - Used for making tea in, usually over a campfire. The best billies are the old ones. They make better tea.
Block - Block has a few meanings but the more Aussie one is your head.
Bludge - Not doing anything or getting things off others.
Blue - A blue can be a fight or the nickname of someone with red hair.
Bush - Bush refers to somewhere in the country or away from the city.
Chuck - Chuck has a few meanings. It can mean to throw or to put in.
Conk - To hit someone.
Cow - As well as being the animal that gives us milk it also means anything that is difficult. Crook - Not feeling well or not going well.
Dag - A bit of a fool or not very well presented.
Dinkum - Genuine or honest.
Dob In - To tell (an authority) on someone.
Fair Go - Give some a chance or an opportunity to do something.
Galah - A fool or a silly person.
G'day - A greeting. It is the Aussie way of saying good day.
Grouse - Means excellent.
Gutzer - Some plans don't work out or to have an accident.
Hooly-Dooly - An expression of surprise.
It's gone walkabout - it's lost, can't be found
Kangaroos loose in the top paddock - Intellectually inadequate
Jackaroo or Jillaroo - A farm hand, usually on a cattle station (very large farms).
Lollies - Candy or sweets.
Mate - This usually means a friend but it can be used to talk about or to anyone - even a total stranger.
Mug - Either a fool or your face.
Owyergoin - A greeting. How are you going? Often used with 'Gidday' and 'Mate'.
Pester - Annoy or bother someone.
Ratbag - Someone who does not behave properly.
Raw Prawn - A lie or a con job.
Sack - To be fired from a job.
Scrub - Can be the same as the bush or mean areas in the country where there are not many trees.
Shoot Through - To leave or disappear.
Shout - Pay for someone else.
Sport - A more general way of referring to someone rather than a mate.
Streuth - An exclamation, often of surprise.
Thongs - Rubber sandals.
Togs - A set of clothes. More often used to refer to a swimming costume.
Tucker - Food. Australian schools call their canteens a 'tuckshop.'
Whinge - Complain and carry on unnecessarily.
Wog - An illness such as the flu.
Yakka - Work - usually hard work.
So next time I'm with you, you wont have to look at me as if I'm from another planet, rather understand the unique language I speak!
Getting ready to leave the country
The count down is well under way and I'm just ecstatic about being able to spend my second Christmas surrounded by snow, espically snow falling on Christmas Day. Yes that's right, I'm speaking in faith here that there WILL be snow falling on Christmas day, it would be a dream come true, seeing as it didnt happen last time I was there.
It's what every little Australian girl dreams of at Christmas time because we see it played every year when the christmas movies are on TV. You cant really comprehend it when you're stuck in Australia and greeted by a 35 or 40 degree Christmas Day!
I dont think Jeremy will ever understand how excited I get at the thought of snow, snowman making, tobogganing, ice skating and the like because he's grown up with that his whole life. I seroiusly feel like a little kid (and Jer probably thinks I look like it at times too) jumping up and down at home with excitement about being back in the snow at Christmas!
I'm also very excited about seeing "my" family...he he...see, I can say "my" now cause I'm a Dyck and proud to be one too! Cant wait to see everyone again and annoy the daylights out of my "little brother" because after all that's what sisters are for right!?
Jer's been checkin out the in-flight movies with Singapore Airlines and they look pretty good. So between watchin movies and playin the nintendo we should have a fun flight. Well me anyways cause I can sleep on a plane, unlike Jeremy.
Cannot wait till we touch down in Calgary for an amazing 5 week holiday!
Love to everyone who's reading this, please drop us a line :)
It's what every little Australian girl dreams of at Christmas time because we see it played every year when the christmas movies are on TV. You cant really comprehend it when you're stuck in Australia and greeted by a 35 or 40 degree Christmas Day!
I dont think Jeremy will ever understand how excited I get at the thought of snow, snowman making, tobogganing, ice skating and the like because he's grown up with that his whole life. I seroiusly feel like a little kid (and Jer probably thinks I look like it at times too) jumping up and down at home with excitement about being back in the snow at Christmas!
I'm also very excited about seeing "my" family...he he...see, I can say "my" now cause I'm a Dyck and proud to be one too! Cant wait to see everyone again and annoy the daylights out of my "little brother" because after all that's what sisters are for right!?
Jer's been checkin out the in-flight movies with Singapore Airlines and they look pretty good. So between watchin movies and playin the nintendo we should have a fun flight. Well me anyways cause I can sleep on a plane, unlike Jeremy.
Cannot wait till we touch down in Calgary for an amazing 5 week holiday!
Love to everyone who's reading this, please drop us a line :)
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Saturday...at work!
It's Saturday morning here, and I'm stuck at work...unbelievable! If there is a worse way to spend a Saturday, it would probably have to involve paper cuts and lots of lemon juice.
Just a quick one here to tide you over to when I can get a full post again. So, I'm going point form from here
-Thursday night. Drove to Melbourne to the coolest cafe in an alley for dinner. Held for leaders of young adults around Melbourne and surrounding area. Great mingling. Cool ideas. Renewed passion for seeing our young adults go further. Got home at midnight, woke up next morning at 5:45 to be at work at 7. That part not so fun
-Friday night. Victory church goes all out to get in international speaker. Very funky, cool, good-looking guy. Me. Lots of fun had. Good speaking, used a bit of lighting and drama for effect. Relieved it's now over though.
-Saturday night. Friend of mine has the first 4 episodes of season 2 of Lost on DVD. Plan to watch all of them, one after another, no doubt to end in another outburst of "THAT'S how they end it?!!?!!"
I think those were the highlights of what's been happening. We now are only one week away from the Lion King. Excited? Oh yes!
And as I sit here, looking at the live webcam from Sunshine (I hear the best start of season for 16 years), it just remnds me of how much I can't wait for some snow again! Yes! And all in only a matter of a few weeks. And I hear the Farmer's Almanac says we are in for a stormy, snowy Christmas day...so maybe Meg will get her wish after all
See ya later!
Just a quick one here to tide you over to when I can get a full post again. So, I'm going point form from here
-Thursday night. Drove to Melbourne to the coolest cafe in an alley for dinner. Held for leaders of young adults around Melbourne and surrounding area. Great mingling. Cool ideas. Renewed passion for seeing our young adults go further. Got home at midnight, woke up next morning at 5:45 to be at work at 7. That part not so fun
-Friday night. Victory church goes all out to get in international speaker. Very funky, cool, good-looking guy. Me. Lots of fun had. Good speaking, used a bit of lighting and drama for effect. Relieved it's now over though.
-Saturday night. Friend of mine has the first 4 episodes of season 2 of Lost on DVD. Plan to watch all of them, one after another, no doubt to end in another outburst of "THAT'S how they end it?!!?!!"
I think those were the highlights of what's been happening. We now are only one week away from the Lion King. Excited? Oh yes!
And as I sit here, looking at the live webcam from Sunshine (I hear the best start of season for 16 years), it just remnds me of how much I can't wait for some snow again! Yes! And all in only a matter of a few weeks. And I hear the Farmer's Almanac says we are in for a stormy, snowy Christmas day...so maybe Meg will get her wish after all
See ya later!
Monday, November 07, 2005
An Informative and witty post
Ha!
Now that I've sucked you in with that misleading title, you're now stuck on reading this blog.
This week has been pretty much uneventful, which is why we haven't had a post since last weekend. Sorry about that. Of course, if you're looking to our blog to give your only source of entertainment...my friend...it's time to start looking elsewhere.
Meg's Great-grandma (Meg's dad's Grandma) died last Tuesday. It was coming for a long time, so everyone was pretty much prepared for it. She's had Alzheimers for quite a while, so at least she wasn't in too much pain and she was at peace. The funeral is tomorrow morning at 11AM. So, it's a good thing I'm not working tomorrow, because I have to jet down to Melbourne right after the funeral, because I have to put the sticker in my passport that will let me back into the country...apparently, you can't get EVERYWHERE on good looks like mine. I have to get the sticker that says I'm a temporary resident, which I've been for about a year now, but haven't needed to get the proof of it...until now that is, when in a few weeks time, we head off to Canada. WOO!
I think we're also going to try and find some Christmas presents while we're down there. I think we've been drawn the names of...oh wait....can't tell you...never know who's reading these things nowadays...
Christmas...I think it's about 7 weeks away...that's right...if you don't count Sundays...that's only 42 shopping days left...get cracking! You know, for all my years of having Christmas in winter, I can't honestly tell you the last time it actually snowed on Christmas day...not just had snow on the ground..that happens all the time...but actual snow falling from the sky on Christmas morning...Meg is convinced that it will be...even if it doesn't snow, I think I'm going to have to get up on the roof and push snow down over the window so Meg can see snow falling. But she lives in hope!
Hey, it's been good to get some emails from some of those people who we haven't heard from in a such a long time...especially those Calgary people that we'll get to see in a few short weeks. A few weeks...doesn't seem real at all. Oh, and update on the ticket fiasco. They have admitted it was their mistake, which I hope turns out to mean that we get First class seats all the way back...well...I'd settle for business class...
Another update done...I hope to write one later this week. So, keep posted...same Bat time, Same bat chan...umm...Bat website!
see ya!
Now that I've sucked you in with that misleading title, you're now stuck on reading this blog.
This week has been pretty much uneventful, which is why we haven't had a post since last weekend. Sorry about that. Of course, if you're looking to our blog to give your only source of entertainment...my friend...it's time to start looking elsewhere.
Meg's Great-grandma (Meg's dad's Grandma) died last Tuesday. It was coming for a long time, so everyone was pretty much prepared for it. She's had Alzheimers for quite a while, so at least she wasn't in too much pain and she was at peace. The funeral is tomorrow morning at 11AM. So, it's a good thing I'm not working tomorrow, because I have to jet down to Melbourne right after the funeral, because I have to put the sticker in my passport that will let me back into the country...apparently, you can't get EVERYWHERE on good looks like mine. I have to get the sticker that says I'm a temporary resident, which I've been for about a year now, but haven't needed to get the proof of it...until now that is, when in a few weeks time, we head off to Canada. WOO!
I think we're also going to try and find some Christmas presents while we're down there. I think we've been drawn the names of...oh wait....can't tell you...never know who's reading these things nowadays...
Christmas...I think it's about 7 weeks away...that's right...if you don't count Sundays...that's only 42 shopping days left...get cracking! You know, for all my years of having Christmas in winter, I can't honestly tell you the last time it actually snowed on Christmas day...not just had snow on the ground..that happens all the time...but actual snow falling from the sky on Christmas morning...Meg is convinced that it will be...even if it doesn't snow, I think I'm going to have to get up on the roof and push snow down over the window so Meg can see snow falling. But she lives in hope!
Hey, it's been good to get some emails from some of those people who we haven't heard from in a such a long time...especially those Calgary people that we'll get to see in a few short weeks. A few weeks...doesn't seem real at all. Oh, and update on the ticket fiasco. They have admitted it was their mistake, which I hope turns out to mean that we get First class seats all the way back...well...I'd settle for business class...
Another update done...I hope to write one later this week. So, keep posted...same Bat time, Same bat chan...umm...Bat website!
see ya!
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