Friday, March 31, 2006
You know you've been in Australia for awhile when...
... you read the phrase "it looks like I got three mummies standing out there" and think it's talking about mothers. You have to read the sentence in context two more times to realize it's referring to actual mummies.
... you can effectively use "mmmm" to mean both "yes" and "no" in the same conversation.
Some more pictures are up on Webshots. A lot of them didn't turn out because I was using my kodak instead of my nikon (because it was rainy), because the lighting was no good, and because you can't stop mid-staircase to take pictures. I didn't take time to put captions on them and I don't think they're in order either.
Also, I remembered to make my pictures smaller, so know it's much easier to put them on this blog. So for those of you who complain that there are never any pictures of me in Oz...
(Sadly, my Saturday hike contributed to the first hole in these jeans. I have had them for over 6 years and they have served me well.)
Goodnight and have a great weekend.
-Mich
... you can effectively use "mmmm" to mean both "yes" and "no" in the same conversation.
Some more pictures are up on Webshots. A lot of them didn't turn out because I was using my kodak instead of my nikon (because it was rainy), because the lighting was no good, and because you can't stop mid-staircase to take pictures. I didn't take time to put captions on them and I don't think they're in order either.
Also, I remembered to make my pictures smaller, so know it's much easier to put them on this blog. So for those of you who complain that there are never any pictures of me in Oz...
(Sadly, my Saturday hike contributed to the first hole in these jeans. I have had them for over 6 years and they have served me well.)
Goodnight and have a great weekend.
-Mich
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Weekend of toned legs.
Hello, everyone!
Sunday evening are usually quiet and calm around our house. But this evening, everytime someone goes up or down the staircase you hear little groans and then giggling. Catie, Kristen and I have very sore calves because we just got back from a weekend of climbing stairs in the Blue Mountains.
We took two long hikes and you really need pictures, not words, to know about my weekend so I'll try and get them up on webshots soon. Here are some quick highlights:
-Spending time with Erika and Sam. Since I started work, I don't make it over to Unit 11 very often. Erika and I will always be special friends because we were "first" friends when we arrived in Oz. Sam is just 18 and I love her- she's a little sister in a lot of ways, and I think she knows it. =)
- My backpack. I bought an great Caribee backpack for my trip to New Zealand and it is my new favorite thing. It's so hardcore and perfect for hiking.
- Driving into the clouds. Saturday morning was rainy and the clouds were sitting on top of the mountains as we drove into Katoomba.
-Katoomba, the little town in the Blue Mountains, full of sporting stores, hostels, cafes, piano bars, and mom and pop hardware shops. You know it's a cute little town when there are lots of handwritten signs in the windows ("Custom frames made here", "Soup of the day...SOLD OUT", etc.) I had the most amazing salmon sandwich at a little cafe (another new favorite thing).
- The Great Staircase, the Three Sisters, Saturday's hike, treking through lots of mud, humungous trees, and riding the steepest railway in the world (literally).
-Live music in Katoomba Saturday night. Just a guy and his guitar playing for a lot of Aussie countryfolk locals.
- Sunday's hike. The scenery changed several times, from forest, to canyon, to rainforest. I think this was my first time to ever be in a rainforest and it was just beautiful! I've never seen the color green like I saw it today. It was a four or five hour hike- 3 down, and 1 up I think.
- A silent and relaxing 2 hour bus ride back to Sydney, coming home to a hot shower, clean kitchen (thanks Teya!), and leftover spaghetti. Now I'm going to make some coffee, eat some red cross buns, and have an evening of blogging and reading and writing for class.
This weekend made me even more excited about my trip to New Zealand in a few weeks. I loved hiking and being outdoors so I can't wait to be a backpacker in three weeks. I'm sad that I didn't make it to church, but treking through the rainforest today and through the variety of beauty God has so graciously given his undeserving children was really neat to see and think about.
A few more notes:
Felyn- No, the coins here don't have names. Funny you should ask because we were just talking about that last night!
Bethany- Thank you for the reassuring words. =)
Ames- Yes, I was waving my arms like I always do! Maybe that's why Teya looked so confused... haha.
Mrs. Springer- Thanks for leaving a message! It's been so great to see Jennifer lately- at the RUF conference and in Austin before I left. You might be surprised to hear that you often come up in conversation here- whenever people find out my first name isn't Michelle. =) Hello to Lisa M. and Aunt Michelle, also, if they are reading this!
Thursday night group- It's not that I don't do work, I just don't talk about it. That's the Aussie way.
Bailey- I was thinking today about how much fun it will be for you to have roommates when you go to college. I know you will love it!
Aunt Vicky- Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment and for all the news on Morgan and Benjamin- please tell them hello and I'll see you all in August!
Lauren W.- Happy Birthday, dearest! You've changed so much this past year and I just want to say that I love you and am proud of you. (I thought of a million things to say after I got off the phone. Sorry I'm really no good at phone-talking.)
Walt- I'm listening to Big$Rich as I write and thinking of you. You should've been a cowboy.
Mom and Daddy- Wish you were here to see all of this with me. I love you. Rub Benny's ears for me.
Love to you all,
Mich
"The whole horizon is in flames... It tells me the Lord is in His temple and there's still a faith that can make mountains move and a love that can make heaven ring... And I know this thirst will not last long because it will soon drown in a song I've sung in vain. And I feel the thunder in the sky, I see the sky about to rain and with the prairies I am calling out Your name." -R. Mullins
Sunday evening are usually quiet and calm around our house. But this evening, everytime someone goes up or down the staircase you hear little groans and then giggling. Catie, Kristen and I have very sore calves because we just got back from a weekend of climbing stairs in the Blue Mountains.
We took two long hikes and you really need pictures, not words, to know about my weekend so I'll try and get them up on webshots soon. Here are some quick highlights:
-Spending time with Erika and Sam. Since I started work, I don't make it over to Unit 11 very often. Erika and I will always be special friends because we were "first" friends when we arrived in Oz. Sam is just 18 and I love her- she's a little sister in a lot of ways, and I think she knows it. =)
- My backpack. I bought an great Caribee backpack for my trip to New Zealand and it is my new favorite thing. It's so hardcore and perfect for hiking.
- Driving into the clouds. Saturday morning was rainy and the clouds were sitting on top of the mountains as we drove into Katoomba.
-Katoomba, the little town in the Blue Mountains, full of sporting stores, hostels, cafes, piano bars, and mom and pop hardware shops. You know it's a cute little town when there are lots of handwritten signs in the windows ("Custom frames made here", "Soup of the day...SOLD OUT", etc.) I had the most amazing salmon sandwich at a little cafe (another new favorite thing).
- The Great Staircase, the Three Sisters, Saturday's hike, treking through lots of mud, humungous trees, and riding the steepest railway in the world (literally).
-Live music in Katoomba Saturday night. Just a guy and his guitar playing for a lot of Aussie countryfolk locals.
- Sunday's hike. The scenery changed several times, from forest, to canyon, to rainforest. I think this was my first time to ever be in a rainforest and it was just beautiful! I've never seen the color green like I saw it today. It was a four or five hour hike- 3 down, and 1 up I think.
- A silent and relaxing 2 hour bus ride back to Sydney, coming home to a hot shower, clean kitchen (thanks Teya!), and leftover spaghetti. Now I'm going to make some coffee, eat some red cross buns, and have an evening of blogging and reading and writing for class.
This weekend made me even more excited about my trip to New Zealand in a few weeks. I loved hiking and being outdoors so I can't wait to be a backpacker in three weeks. I'm sad that I didn't make it to church, but treking through the rainforest today and through the variety of beauty God has so graciously given his undeserving children was really neat to see and think about.
A few more notes:
Felyn- No, the coins here don't have names. Funny you should ask because we were just talking about that last night!
Bethany- Thank you for the reassuring words. =)
Ames- Yes, I was waving my arms like I always do! Maybe that's why Teya looked so confused... haha.
Mrs. Springer- Thanks for leaving a message! It's been so great to see Jennifer lately- at the RUF conference and in Austin before I left. You might be surprised to hear that you often come up in conversation here- whenever people find out my first name isn't Michelle. =) Hello to Lisa M. and Aunt Michelle, also, if they are reading this!
Thursday night group- It's not that I don't do work, I just don't talk about it. That's the Aussie way.
Bailey- I was thinking today about how much fun it will be for you to have roommates when you go to college. I know you will love it!
Aunt Vicky- Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment and for all the news on Morgan and Benjamin- please tell them hello and I'll see you all in August!
Lauren W.- Happy Birthday, dearest! You've changed so much this past year and I just want to say that I love you and am proud of you. (I thought of a million things to say after I got off the phone. Sorry I'm really no good at phone-talking.)
Walt- I'm listening to Big$Rich as I write and thinking of you. You should've been a cowboy.
Mom and Daddy- Wish you were here to see all of this with me. I love you. Rub Benny's ears for me.
Love to you all,
Mich
"The whole horizon is in flames... It tells me the Lord is in His temple and there's still a faith that can make mountains move and a love that can make heaven ring... And I know this thirst will not last long because it will soon drown in a song I've sung in vain. And I feel the thunder in the sky, I see the sky about to rain and with the prairies I am calling out Your name." -R. Mullins
