good company, good food, good fun

Kelly, Corina and Megan

Tracey and Corina

The "shack" on the Murray River

outdoor dining

could I be any more relaxed??

Was invited out Corina and Mark's "shack" (that's a camp for you back home) on the Murray River for the weekend. Had a great time and met some wonderful people. Good times, food and fun were had by all. We headed out Friday after work and drove for 2 hours through lovely horse and farm country. You could see by the "jetties" (docks for you back home) which ended in shrubs and grasslands how much the river has fallen over the last 3 years. Much of the water is being diverted for agricultural reasons before it reaches Adelaide and the surrounding areas, so the farmers in this area are really getting a raw deal at the moment. Many places up for sale which used to be on the "banks of the river" 3 short years ago, and now they are 300 metres from the river's edge. Very sad and frustrating.

After arriving at the shack we had a wonderful salad which Corina and Megan are famous for and relaxed over some nice SA wine. A very relaxing weekend was awaiting me which reminded me of Loon Lake. Friends and relative popped over during the weekend to water ski, hang out, eat with us, and basically just socialize. Everyone was very friendly and made me feel right at home...I really did feel as if I were just down the beach at someone's camp. We actually cooked "shrimp on the barbie" along with many other wonderful things. The BBQ's are different here...see photo in next blog (more like a flat grill with no spaces). I

Some friend's dropped by with a sea-doo, so I got to go for a ride on that to start with. The next activity was similar to tubing, but no hole in the middle. I think Mark thought I was 13 (the same age as my companion on the disk) as he tried very hard to get me off the disk by whipping us over the wake at break neck speeds (or perhaps that's just my age speaking...Sonia didn't seem nearly as concerned as me!) My bathing suit bottoms were luckily caught just above my ankles on 2 occasions!! For the next activity (water skiing) everyone thought it best if I wore wet suit bottoms, so as to not traumatize anyone and never be invited back again!

I had a great time and definitely paid for it with a few aches and pains on Monday and Tuesday! Everyone has been very welcoming and open to inviting me places even though they don't know me. Very much appreciated by me. I am going to celebrate Chinese/Vietamese New Years this weekend with a woman from staff who is vietnamese, and just found out today that the principal will be joining us. Should be a nice evening. I have also been invited to a staff members house for dinner tomorrow night....she has a friend who went to Canada. Finally, the Adelaide Fringe Festival starts this weekend and goes on for a month, along with many music events, and other festivals (it is the festival city after all). I may try to go to the opening parade on Friday night. Lots to keep me busy, though I do miss family and friends!

A heat wave (the 3rd this year for SA) is predicted to start this Thursday with temperatures predicted to be above 35c for a week or more. That is too hot, even for me!

Stay tuned for more photos from the weekend....I can only add 5 at a time.

Cheers mates!