G’day friends.
Yep, Edie and I are back in Brisbane and very, very happy to be reunited with great produce, beautiful days and most of all Tim, a.k.a. Dad, some refer to him as Dr…He can’t tell you what that growth is but if you want to know anything at all about foodweb ecology, he’s your guy!
So we had an excellent trip back to Canada during the month of August. Edie was an A-1 traveler and I wasn’t so bad myself. Traveling alone with an infant for such a long distance forced me to accept help from strangers, and you know what? Strangers aren’t so bad. I actually met a lot of really great people. They ranged from a nun who lives and works in Paupa New Guinea who had the pleasure of flying for 14 hours with Edie’s bassinette in her face (forcing her at times to crawl under the bassinette to the isle so that she could get to the washroom) to a lovely Asian woman who had to guard her food during meals so that Edie didn’t snatch anything off her plate, to a geologist who wouldn’t stop talking about the amazing properties of fault-lines. The geologist being the worst that I had to deal with made travelling on this trip easy, easy, easy. Unfortunately, Edie didn’t quite adjust to the time difference and unfamiliar surroundings in Canada, so it was a bit of a tough month sleep-wise for me and the family I was visiting once we finally got to Canada. Thankfully everyone we stayed with was able to get used to Edie’s pre-sleep and middle of the night scream-fests, and I can’t say for sure, but I think that maybe Nanny and Poppy J along with my family kind of miss those scream-fests. They somehow breathe life into a place. Oh, I got my first taste of flying first class for a short leg of the trip over (LA to Phillie), what another planet first-class is. Best $200 I’ve ever spent, definitely made the overall trip a gazillion times easier.
We basically visited friends and family in NB and NS for the month, and on the whole, it was a very relaxed trip. I’m glad we did it. A great highlight for us was a minivan road-trip that we took with my brother and his family from the Valley to Yarmouth, NS to visit our grandparents. Three kids in three car seats and three adults made for cramped quarters, but it was SO MUCH FUN. At one point I looked back at Edie and noticed that she had orange all over her face and chocolate all over her hands…Cousin Maddie was being a good girl and sharing her smarties with Edie. Given that Edie had never tried orange dye number 245, I was a little wary, but it was so darn cute to see those two interacting. It will be nice to be living closer to all of our family someday for those kinds of moments.
So, my sister Sarah came back with me to Australia. She’s here until the end of the month and it’s been amazing having her around. We’ve been doing lots of interesting stuff together, but the coolest thing so far was surfing. She really wanted to try it and I’d been looking for an excuse to do it, so last Monday we packed up the car and drove 2 hours north to Noosa. Tim took Edie for the afternoon and Sarah and I took surf lessons. It was awesome. There are no words to describe how cool it feels to ride a wave, nor words to describe how much harder it is than it looks. Neither of us could move the next morning but we both now understand how all surfers are cut (i.e. the epitome of fitness). The hardest work was getting out to the waves to actually surf, that alone left us exhausted, but then you had to get up on your board and try to ride. I can’t wait to take another crack at it, and I think that we might try our hand one more time before Sarah leaves. I might be hooked and I think I now have my carrot to dangle in front of Sarah’s face in order to lure her back (that is if we let her leave!).
Tonight we’re all going to a Broncos playoff game. What a life hey? The 6th seeded Broncos play the 1st place Dragons (who consequentially lost to the 8th seeded Eels last weekend) but what makes this a real nail-biter is that the new head-coach of the Dragons was the head-coach of the Broncos for the past 17 years and won 3 Championships during that time…For a lot of Bronco players it’ll be like playing against their dad, or maybe grandfather even. A very fun game to be attending I’m sure. Again, what a life!
Edie turned 1 on Sept 6th. We’ve basically been celebrating her birthday since the end of August and officially stopped celebrating last Sunday (the 13th) with a big backyard BBQ with our friends. It’s been fun. Edie’s been around for a year! That’s hard to get the head around. She’s now taking steps on her own and loves to repeat sounds that we’re making. The other day at the doctors office she said ‘doctor’ after I told her that’s who the man at the desk was (he even heard it and was impressed), she’s like a little parrot. She also likes to pick up the phone and pretend she’s talking on it (with one hand on her hip), stack blocks, and is quite keen on running her comb through her hair. She’s so much fun to be around and we just love her so much! She got a lot of books, blocks and dolls for her birthday and she’s having fun with all of them.
I also came home (Aussie home) in September to find that our soccer team (who just eeked our way into the playoffs in 4th place) had beat the 3rd placed team while I was gone, and the day after I got back from Canada was the semi-final game. We won that game as well (I played and paid dearly for it with crazy jetlag over the next couple of days). The finals were last Saturday against Beaudesert, the 1st placed team that lost only one of their regular season games. We lost 2-0 in probably the best game we’ve played all season. It was pretty exciting for all of us to play so well in the playoffs. The season starts up again in February and I’ll be playing in a 6-on-a-side league for the interim with a few of my teammates. I’m so happy to be back into competitive sports again.
And finally, it’s mulberry season here. Our landlord has a mulberry tree on his property that I’ve been raiding over the past two weeks. They are so good! The juiciest berry that I’ve ever tasted, also making them the messiest. Edie loves them but we pretty much have to give her a bath every time she gets into them by herself though we don’t really mind too much...It turns the bath water blue. We gorged on blueberries while in Canada because they just aren’t as good here, so having mulberries now is a nice compliment to the blueberry fest we had back home. Life is good.
With that, I’ll bid you a good day. Love to all.
Laura
Oh ya, in the spirit of lovin’ that this summer was, two good friends of ours got hitched in August (unfortunately we weren’t there to witness either event, but that seems to be the norm lately)- Congrats to Suz and Jason and Sally and Cheex! Long may your big jibs draw...together...
PS. It's now Sunday, the Broncos game was last night, the Broncos won 24-10 and it was AWESOME! It's a lot of fun to be in a crowd (50,225 strong) where the majority have a common and generally peaceful goal of seeing the hometown underdogs win.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
And......we're back!
The circle is once again unbroken, as all the Jardines (and one Sweeney) are under one roof. Laura, Edie and Sarah made the long trip from Bangor without incident, arriving on Friday. Since then we've been catching up on sleep and trying to get Edie back in the groove. Laura will bring you up to date on her trip to Canada before too long, but for now, I'll give you an update on my travels.
I spent three weeks in the bush during August, starting with ten days in Kowanyama and finishing in some new country for me, the Flinders River in northwest Queensland. The Kowanyama trip was great. We stayed at a guest house that is owned by the local council which meant we didn't have to camp. Camping is fun but it has its downside (for example, lack of showers and no electricity to power freezers that keep our samples from getting ruined). Plus by staying in town we were able to spend time with Viv (the manager of the Kowanyama natural resource office) and his wife, so we got plenty of fish and crocodile stories. Viv also took us to one of his favorite spots close to town, a waterhole where he camped when he first arrived in the community 30 years ago. We sat at this waterhole for almost two hours watching birds. There was a slight breeze blowing and the coolness of the late day was setting in, which made it a very comfortable (and its fair to say almost spiritual) experience. Definitely one of the nicest places I've seen in Australia.
At the site, we were treated to an aerial display by some rainbow bee eaters, one of Australia's most brilliantly colored birds. They do loop de loops as they chase after insects over the water. Even though I am the worst wildlife photographer of all time, I was still able to get a decent shot.
Later on in the trip we came across a bower. These are structures built by male bower birds. They consist of a nest-like assemblage of sticks and twigs with an avenue of eye catching items out front. The birds basically explore the forest looking for shiny or brightly colored items with which to attract the ladies.
The result is modern art - some might say it looks like a trash heap. This one had mostly aluminium foil and bottle caps. A colleague of mine recently lost an ocular lens (a small magnifying glass) while he was out in the field and a few months later it turned up in a bower! Yet another of Australia's interesting creatures.
From Kowanyama it was off to Normanton to meet Steve and Dominic to do work on the Flinders. Normanton is home of the statue of Krys, the largest crocodile ever measured (8.63 meters, shot in 1957). The statue is apparently estimated from Krys' actual dimensions. But many of us are skeptical (and frightened) that a croc could get this big. Judge it for yourself - the 2nd photo has my boot included for scale.
The Flinders flows through true savannah country, with very few trees except those that grow close to the river. The River itself is brown and muddy with steep banks, so it is not the most pleasant place to work.
However, there were plenty of interesting creatures turning up in our nets, including a small freshwater crocodile (pictured below).
This guy was not happy about being in the net. He was about a meter long and not too dangerous. Nevertheless, we happily released him without any handling and he dashed off into the water. This species of croc is very timid, it's rare to get that close to them.
We also managed to catch a sawfish in our nets. In the spirit of the unusual hybrid species of Australia, this one takes the cake. It's basically a ray with a big saw for a nose. It slashes back and forth to wound its prey and then goes back and collects it. We took some video of us releasing it back to the water but unfortunately I don't have access to it at the moment. You'll see it in due time.
On the way back to Brisbane we stopped at a few outback towns, including Winton, the home of the Waltzing Matilda museum.
Apparently the song (which is now Australia's unofficial national anthem) was first performed at a local pub in the town. Winton is also in dinosaur country, as evidenced by the rubbish bins.
All in all it was a fun trip, and I returned to Brisbane in plenty of time to get things ready at home for the arrival of my girls. It's good to have everyone back together again.
Oh and congratulations to brother Jay and new sister-in-law Michelle, who recently tied the knot in Hawaii!
I spent three weeks in the bush during August, starting with ten days in Kowanyama and finishing in some new country for me, the Flinders River in northwest Queensland. The Kowanyama trip was great. We stayed at a guest house that is owned by the local council which meant we didn't have to camp. Camping is fun but it has its downside (for example, lack of showers and no electricity to power freezers that keep our samples from getting ruined). Plus by staying in town we were able to spend time with Viv (the manager of the Kowanyama natural resource office) and his wife, so we got plenty of fish and crocodile stories. Viv also took us to one of his favorite spots close to town, a waterhole where he camped when he first arrived in the community 30 years ago. We sat at this waterhole for almost two hours watching birds. There was a slight breeze blowing and the coolness of the late day was setting in, which made it a very comfortable (and its fair to say almost spiritual) experience. Definitely one of the nicest places I've seen in Australia.
At the site, we were treated to an aerial display by some rainbow bee eaters, one of Australia's most brilliantly colored birds. They do loop de loops as they chase after insects over the water. Even though I am the worst wildlife photographer of all time, I was still able to get a decent shot.
Later on in the trip we came across a bower. These are structures built by male bower birds. They consist of a nest-like assemblage of sticks and twigs with an avenue of eye catching items out front. The birds basically explore the forest looking for shiny or brightly colored items with which to attract the ladies.
The result is modern art - some might say it looks like a trash heap. This one had mostly aluminium foil and bottle caps. A colleague of mine recently lost an ocular lens (a small magnifying glass) while he was out in the field and a few months later it turned up in a bower! Yet another of Australia's interesting creatures.
From Kowanyama it was off to Normanton to meet Steve and Dominic to do work on the Flinders. Normanton is home of the statue of Krys, the largest crocodile ever measured (8.63 meters, shot in 1957). The statue is apparently estimated from Krys' actual dimensions. But many of us are skeptical (and frightened) that a croc could get this big. Judge it for yourself - the 2nd photo has my boot included for scale.
The Flinders flows through true savannah country, with very few trees except those that grow close to the river. The River itself is brown and muddy with steep banks, so it is not the most pleasant place to work.
However, there were plenty of interesting creatures turning up in our nets, including a small freshwater crocodile (pictured below).
This guy was not happy about being in the net. He was about a meter long and not too dangerous. Nevertheless, we happily released him without any handling and he dashed off into the water. This species of croc is very timid, it's rare to get that close to them.
We also managed to catch a sawfish in our nets. In the spirit of the unusual hybrid species of Australia, this one takes the cake. It's basically a ray with a big saw for a nose. It slashes back and forth to wound its prey and then goes back and collects it. We took some video of us releasing it back to the water but unfortunately I don't have access to it at the moment. You'll see it in due time.
On the way back to Brisbane we stopped at a few outback towns, including Winton, the home of the Waltzing Matilda museum.
Apparently the song (which is now Australia's unofficial national anthem) was first performed at a local pub in the town. Winton is also in dinosaur country, as evidenced by the rubbish bins.
All in all it was a fun trip, and I returned to Brisbane in plenty of time to get things ready at home for the arrival of my girls. It's good to have everyone back together again.
Oh and congratulations to brother Jay and new sister-in-law Michelle, who recently tied the knot in Hawaii!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
And the cheese stands alone
The cheese would be me, as Laura and Edie left today for their journey to Canada. And in case you're wondering, being alone here ain't all it's cracked up to be. So much for the return to bachelorhood. The house feels empty, there's no giggling baby, and I made too much for supper tonight without the other 1.5 appetites to help out. And it's only been 8 hours.
We parted ways at the new international terminal at Brisbane airport, as she and Edie were flying to LA with Qantas. Departing travelers leave their families at the top of a set of stairs and walk down to clear customs and go through security. The people who have seen them off can then get another glimpse of them from the upper floor through large windows overlooking the departure gates (same as Moncton airport if you've been there). So after saying our goodbyes, rather than leave straightaway I decided to check if I could see them going. So I hustled over to the window but realized I may have missed them go by since people traveling with infants often get sent to the front of the queue.
Ten minutes passed and no sign of them. I was convinced that I had missed them but since the plane was boarding in 15 minutes I figured I would wait until it left, just to be sure there were no delays or anything. Another 15 minutes of scanning for them and by now boarding had begun. I tried to imagine what they were up to, perhaps already on the plane, readying for the 14 hour flight. Yet a small part of me was thinking that maybe they still weren't there. After all, the Sweeney genes code for lateness - not outright lateness - but more like cut-it-closeness like no Jardine possesses. And sure enough, with about 10 minutes left to board, she appeared, a bag slung over each shoulder and Edie strapped into the Baby Bjorn on her front. They were in enough of a hurry that they didn't look up and see me there.
Watching her walk away today reminded me that she is my hero. Ever since she fought through that difficult labor, almost a year ago now, and pushed Edie out like a champion, I've been in complete admiration of her. And it doesn't stop there. There's the way she's given up her short-term career goals to stay home and raise Edie, and doing it so far away from her family who she cares about so much. And now this crazy cross-planet journey with a squirmy 11-month old. Right now, they are somewhere over the Pacific, hopefully catching some zzz's after a good supper. They still have 16 hours to go (via Philadelphia and Bangor), so if you're the praying type, send one up for her and Miss Edie. If you're the wishing type, we'll take all the shooting stars, birthday candles, and wishbones that you've got.
The payoff? A month at home with two eager sets of grandparents and other family members and friends. That's followed by Edie's Aunt Sarah making the return trip with them and staying here for a month. More visitors! It should be great.
In the meantime I've got three weeks of field work scheduled up north. I'm trying to get as much done as I can while I they're away. It'll be fun and it'll be warm, but I'll still be looking forward to the return of my girls.
We parted ways at the new international terminal at Brisbane airport, as she and Edie were flying to LA with Qantas. Departing travelers leave their families at the top of a set of stairs and walk down to clear customs and go through security. The people who have seen them off can then get another glimpse of them from the upper floor through large windows overlooking the departure gates (same as Moncton airport if you've been there). So after saying our goodbyes, rather than leave straightaway I decided to check if I could see them going. So I hustled over to the window but realized I may have missed them go by since people traveling with infants often get sent to the front of the queue.
Ten minutes passed and no sign of them. I was convinced that I had missed them but since the plane was boarding in 15 minutes I figured I would wait until it left, just to be sure there were no delays or anything. Another 15 minutes of scanning for them and by now boarding had begun. I tried to imagine what they were up to, perhaps already on the plane, readying for the 14 hour flight. Yet a small part of me was thinking that maybe they still weren't there. After all, the Sweeney genes code for lateness - not outright lateness - but more like cut-it-closeness like no Jardine possesses. And sure enough, with about 10 minutes left to board, she appeared, a bag slung over each shoulder and Edie strapped into the Baby Bjorn on her front. They were in enough of a hurry that they didn't look up and see me there.
Watching her walk away today reminded me that she is my hero. Ever since she fought through that difficult labor, almost a year ago now, and pushed Edie out like a champion, I've been in complete admiration of her. And it doesn't stop there. There's the way she's given up her short-term career goals to stay home and raise Edie, and doing it so far away from her family who she cares about so much. And now this crazy cross-planet journey with a squirmy 11-month old. Right now, they are somewhere over the Pacific, hopefully catching some zzz's after a good supper. They still have 16 hours to go (via Philadelphia and Bangor), so if you're the praying type, send one up for her and Miss Edie. If you're the wishing type, we'll take all the shooting stars, birthday candles, and wishbones that you've got.
The payoff? A month at home with two eager sets of grandparents and other family members and friends. That's followed by Edie's Aunt Sarah making the return trip with them and staying here for a month. More visitors! It should be great.
In the meantime I've got three weeks of field work scheduled up north. I'm trying to get as much done as I can while I they're away. It'll be fun and it'll be warm, but I'll still be looking forward to the return of my girls.
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