Refreshment

Scott and I have made sure we stay hydrated and cool in the hot weather. Lots of water, Popsicles ("Icy Poles" here) and slushy cocktails, like our version of Cosmopolitans, Piña Coladas and the yummy Rose Porteous have been consumed!
We're also trying very hard to maintain our running schedule in the heat.... It will get easier when the temperatures drop a bit!

Valentine's Day happened too

....and there was chocolate!

Oh yeah, Australia Day

...the day where everything is red, white and blue and yellow and green! Check out the Australia Day wares at the local Woolworth's!

Back into the Swing of the School Year

So, school has been back in session since the week after Australia Day. This year I am teaching full time Drama to students years 7-11. It is a lot of fun! I thought it might be hard going back to full time after a 5 year hiatus, but it felt very much the same way it sometimes feels when you go back to school after summer holidays: like you never really left!

Teaching in Melbourne in the first term has challenges quite different from the ones I was used to when I taught back in Canada...
Case in point: the exceptionally warm weather Australia is experiencing this summer and autumn. Records all over the country are being set for heat. Meteorologists have had to designate new colours on the heat radar to describe heat over 50 degrees Celsius.

It's not that hot here, but we are in the middle of a heat wave (9 days in a row with temps over 30!) Surprisingly, some rooms in the older buildings on our school campus just have ceiling fans for air conditioning. At these temperatures, those rooms can be fairly unpleasant to teach and learn in.

Beach Time with Canadians

We drive down to join the Canadians on the beach at Mt Martha in the afternoon on Thursday in the 39 degree heat.
Glenn was at the tennis, but the rest of us hung out in the still waters of the bay with Jacqui, Andrew, Georgina and Sheila, Sue, Finn and Trin.

Typical Aussie dinner on the beach: Flake, Potato Cakes, Chips and Dim Sims. 

The Whitney-Ten Hoves come to Melbourne

It's always VERY exciting when friends and family are able to travel the long long way to come to Oz for a visit!
So.... When friends like Jacqui, Glenn, Andrew and Georgina are already halfway around the world on a massive international year of Awesome Adventure, it's fabulous when they can pop 'round and visit for a couple weeks.
Their mate Kim is also along for the Australian leg of the trip, and it has been a great time hanging out with them all so far.

Andrew rocking out with Scott's Les Paul gold top, and below at a guitar shop in the city.

Georgina and Jacqui walking along Southbank. 

Andrew didn't think that there was anything intrinsically wrong with the Australian interpretation of pancakes for breakfast. (Aussies serve them with ice cream, not whipped cream.) However, he did say he missed having bacon with it.

Jake and Kim in the Stickhouse, a piece of public art in Fed Square.

Scott and Glenn, looking curiously twin-like in this photo. 

Some graffiti in Hosier Lane, one of Melbourne's laneways covered in street art

Andrew celebrating  his birthday. 

Andrew, Georgina, Finn and Trin

Happy 2013!!

2012 has been a big year! I'm grateful for all the challenges, lessons, discoveries and joys I've experienced this last year, and I am SO looking forward to living every single day of 2013.... Bring it on!!

We celebrated New Years Eve with an erupting volcano, a barbecue in the park, fortune cookies and sparklers.