US Adventures Had with No Work to be Done!

Hi!

Well. First off, I have to apologize for checking in late – this was totally not my fault – turns out Optus, who I have my supposed high-tech fancy-pants wireless Internet with, they have been having MAJOR network problems over the last few days, to the point where I spent about 2+ hours last night trying to connect but every time it did it instantly disconnected. So hopefully it’ll work today now that it’s had a rest…. Modern technology. Harumph.

So anyways, back to my Sunday evening. A more relaxed weekend hasn’t been had in, well, months. Lovely. Enjoying the last days of spring before the muggy furnace of summer fires up. It even attempted to rain, something that hasn’t happened here in a few months. Cool, quiet, relaxing, and magically no naps were had – perfect!

So work, or the lack of (for better or worse)……. Interesting spot to be in for two reasons – 1) A couple of times I nearly lost track of the days and 2) No need to wake up early for work tomorrow, or ever (tho I still do out of sheer habit – curses)! I try to see the positives in a Sunday evening with no work to go to tomorrow – Don’t have to put on work clothes, commute by crowded public transport, eat lunch in a terrible cafeteria as punishment for neglecting to make my lunch, endure moronic conversations, commute home on crowded public transport, in painfully slow rush hour, in work clothes – huzzah for unemployment! But yes, there is an unpleasant flipside which the bank and anyone tied to it (including me) doesn’t abide. Am working on the work thing and these things take time it’s seems. I live in hope – so much so that I have two complete outfits ready to go at a moment’s notice if someone demands I come in for an interview!

So, in light of bank account lock-down, I’m left with not much to report on really….. Tho surprisingly, I did leave the house Friday evening for pizza and a very interesting board game with a couple of folks I used to work with (one who is also now in my unemployment boat – welcome sailor!). Was a fantastic evening – his homemade pizza is the best! Note to self when become gainfully employed: must buy pizza oven/maker.

And Saturday. Met Kim to go out to lunch in Roma Street Parklands (very lovely park, right in town) and to thank her for watching my little apartment while I was away. And then we went on a biiiiig walk around town, just to exercise and get some air. Was excellent. We agreed that the more we do these walks we’ll A) get fitter and B) explore more bits of town neither of us has discovered yet! It’s amazing the miles we can cover and the time w

e can pass just by walking and solving the problems of the world – excellent!

And Sunday. An extremely quiet yet very productive day (when the Internet worked). In amongst researching what other computer programs I need to learn in order to have more Mad Skillz, I managed to apply for 4 jobs – fingers crossed, and fingers crossed that the number of jobs that are worthy of applying for keep popping up, and any other fingers not crossed cross them that I get one of these jobs! The way I see it is, you throw enough cooked pasta at the wall, eventually one strand has to stick! Or so goes my theory………

Which brings me to my next installment

of The Big Trip…...!

Week #2 Sept7th – 13^th

7^th – So there we were in San Diego, a little ahead of schedule with a rental car at our disposal. Did a bit of random sightseeing (memory lane kinda stuff) when Katie invited us over to her house for a big family Labor Day BBQ – excellent! I haven’t caught up with her whole family since, I don’t know when, probably when we were in High School. So it was fantastic to catch up and hear her Mom’s tales of her numerous traveling adventures. G

ossip happily

caught up on, we headed back to Dad’s for more BBQ fun!

8^th – Today we conquered the San Diego Zoo! Every time I go there, which is every few years, they’ve changed it, added stuff, made stuff smaller (to fit more stuff in) and more modern, and it’s just cool and massive. I know there were things I didn’t even walk near because the place is so big. Though I was really very

happy to see that the Reptile House is exactly the same as it’s always been, my favorite. I somehow managed to get lost in their “Lost Forest” for a good 45 minutes or so; I kept walking past the same damn monkeys, much to their amusement, trying to find my way back to Katie and The Girls. By the time I escape

d, The Girls had gone sightseeing and poor Katie was sitting on a bench with an empty slushy cup waiting patiently for me to return. I hated that “Lost Forest”. After the Zoo Adventure, we headed back to Dad’s for dinner and a really bitchin’ evening trip to the beach for a bonfire and s’mores! I haven’t don

e that since I was a kid. A good time was had I must say!

9^th – Today we headed out bright and early for Road Trip #2 – bound for Tucson! Much like Highway 5, it’s brown, flat and really really boring, and just a pain in the butt to drive, so much so that I got a little excited with the gas pedal and netted myself a speeding ticket! GASP! Only the 2nd time I've been caught, haven’t done that in yeeeears! Against my smarter side, I decided to argue with the cop as to how fas

t I thought I was going – apparently he clocked me at 86 and I laughed and said I don’t think so, more like 75…. Long story short, I got the ticket but it was only for 75 (in a 70 zone), still tho, that’s $200 some bucks I won’t see again…………. Stupid empty desert with hidden cops! But happily the rest of the trip was ticket-free and we arrived safe, happy and dusty!

10^th – Today we took in the sights around Tucson. Starting off with a tour of my old theatre and a quick catch-up with some of my old work folks. I love that theatre, Centennial Hall. Then we continued

on to 4^th Avenue for a stroll around the shops (always quirky) and some lunch at Bison Witches – my favorite sandwich shop.

Then we continued the tour to Downtown, that was quick, and had a last stop into Hotel Congress for iced coffee and cheesecake. Sigh, I love how some things just don’t change and Hotel Congress is one place that will always be cool and hip and groovy.

11^th – Today’s adventure was the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum! We managed to time it just right and got to join a little guided tour, which was quite good considering

the number of times I’ve been to the Desert Museum and never did a

tour – fantastic because you actually learn stuff! Cool. But it actually wasn’t so cool and 97% of the animals were buried under shade where the sun or we couldn’t see them. Either way, is always a lovely day spent in such a beautiful area of desert.

12^th – Today we had big plans to tour Tombstone and perhaps take in a bit of target practice at the local gun range (for the tourists to experience, you see), but alas, plans were put on hold while one of The Girls had to go visit a doctor for not feeling too well. So whi

le waiting, we caught up on laundry, emails, packing and rest. Finally, suitably diagnosed, we headed off with my friend David to go tour the San Xavier Mission, the “White Dove of the Desert”. Lovely. I was sorry to see the quirky little cafeteria had closed (where to buy Authentic Indian Fry Bread now??) but thankfully the locals set up little tables in the shade just near the Mission parking lot, where you can not only buy Fry Bread in numerous flavours (plain, butter, honey, powdered sugar, etc) but you can also get some pretty good Mexican/Indian food and the money goes right to the person who cooked it for you. Mmmmm. I can’t go there withou

t getting Fry Bread tho. Mmmmmmm honey! Then we headed over to my

Uncle’s house for a real Chinese dinner – his wife and her daughter cooked up a massive spread, well over 6 different dishes, so much food it didn’t even all fit on the table! Ahhhhh but man it goooooood!

13^th – Today was a very relaxed day. Ran some errands and even stopped by the local fire station (Northwest Fire District) to say hi on behalf of the QFRS and to trade t-shirts and patches (something fire people do the world over). We intended to st

op by, shake hands, swap and leave them to it – oh no, we were there over an hour while the guys talked to us about everything, including the new truck, which they just had to fire up (no pun intended) and get out of the garage so The Girls could sit and

have photos in. Ahhhh the guys were pretty nice and easy-going, I think they quite liked the break in the monotony. Was nice to stop in and say hi and to learn how fire departments work in other cities. Once home tho it was straight to work to get the house and food ready for a big BBQ! Ahhhhh so many people to catch up with, so little time. The evening was so good and went by so fast I never even had a chance to get my camera out. Was such a good night. Was a fantastic way to end ou

r visit in Tucson as the next day we were to head out bright and early to conquer the Grand Canyon! Watch this space for next week’s installment of The Big Trip – Week #3!!!!

So there you have it. Adventures were had, sights

were seen, much good food eaten, families and friends caught up with, just an excellent trip so far!

Hope you’re all well up there. I think I’ve fixed the ‘comments’ section to where you can post comments easily and not have to sign up and commit to anyth

ing, so if anyone is keen to try, let me know if it works or not, and if it does, feel free to drop a line!!!!!!

BYE!

J!