A random post...

...about random things happening in our life...

1. We rented a Toyota Corolla last weekend and decided to take Jesse for a spin, to see how he fit in the back (Corollas have hatchbacks here, more like the Matrix in Canada). Anyway, he fit great! It would be SO nice to have a car like this, where Jes and all the dog hair are in the back! If we get a new car, we'd definitely consider getting one of these...Oh! AND! We found a Greek restaurant! The first one that I've seen since I moved here! Have I mentioned that I LOVE Greek food?! I was missing Montreal for the Greek grub but this new place was pretty good too! We got take out and drove home.

Jesse looking out from the back...

2. Jesse isn't allowed on the couch...he listens so well...This is where we find him every morning and every morning we boot him off. He knows he's not allowed (whenever he sees us, seeing him, on the couch, his ears go down), he just doesn't care! Little stinker.

3. There's a cool statue in the park by our house...well actually, there are 2 cool statues...I like the one about Canada and Australia being friends, but the snake one is just plain cool too...

This is the Canada one and this is what it says...click on it to make it big...

4. Speaking of Canada...I have officially realized that in many ways, Canadian winters are easier than Australian winters. Yes, I know that you are all going to argue with me that Brisbane only gets as cold as 8 degrees and that that's a whole lot better than -40. This, is obviously true. However...in Canada, once the temperature starts to drop in late Fall, we turn on our heat and relax in our cozy homes, wearing only light clothing. We do have to bundle up to go outside, but upon reaching our destination, we can undress and warm up. Not the case here. The temperature has been at about 8 degrees and there's been a chilly wind. Our house has NO insulation and the wind literally blows right through our home. As Steve has said, it's like living in a tent. So, we dress warm to walk to work and when we're outdoors, which is fine. I actually like bundling up. I love the feeling of rosy red cheeks when you walk in the cold, it reminds us of home. What I don't like, is that when we come home, take off our coats, scarves and gloves (yes gloves...it's been cold!), it's the same temperature in our house as outside! The floor is SO cold, because, seeing as you can look right outdoors, through the cracks, the wind comes straight through there and it's super drafty! Last night, when I got home, I had to put on a shirt, 2 sweatshirts and wear a scarf to stay warm...in my house! It reminded me of when the power would go out at home, in Canada and it would start to get cold in your house.

Since, every single one of you reading this probably thinks I'm being dramatic (after all it is Australia!), imagine, if you will, for a moment, what it would be like to live in a summer cottage, with no heat or insulation, in late Fall in Canada...chilly, right? Well, that's about what it's like here. I need to get some warmer clothes. I'm kicking myself for not bringing my sweaters with me! My boss even brought me a sweater and coat to wear, because I didn't have any warm clothes and she thought I needed them! She told me that she and her fiance wear fingerless gloves and hats in their house to stay warm!
You should have seen Steve and I last night...we brought a heater (one that just plugs in) but it's total crap. It doesn't heat very well. I think the problem with our house is that it's all very open, so we probably need a pretty big heater to actually warm the place up. Anyway, having said that we did put it in the bedroom last night and it helped a bit to take the super chill out of the air. Steve and I crawled into bed with a hot water bottle around 7:30 last night to get warm. This was after I baked muffins, so I had an excuse to turn the oven on and I stood by the oven for warmth! There is nothing worse than feeling cold in your own home! I woke up the other morning with the craziest neck pain EVER...it lasted for 2 days and I couldn't even wash my hair or put a shirt over my head, without crying in pain! My boss, who specializes in muscular skeletal, said it might have been caused from being cold in my sleep and holding my body tense during the night! Apparently, it's even colder in Sydney and Melbourne. Although, the girl I work with is originally from Melbourne and she said that it is just as cold here in Brisbane as it is in Melbourne, so maybe it's just an extra chilly year...? Anyway, enough about the weather...we only have 2 more months of not being able to sit comfortably on the toilet seat (it's so cold!) to go, so I shouldn't be complaining, right? Righteo. Whoa, number 4 was long....moving on...

5. Steve is a huge stud...he told me to add this one...(he does have his moments though!)

6. I started taking Chinese herbs. My one boss, who I've been seeing, does nutrition, while my other boss is an acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist. I've been doing the acupuncture for awhile...I've just started taking the herbs. The tasted so yucky when I first started drinking them but I'm already starting to get a taste for them. You just mix them in hot water and drink it like a tea. I think this, in combination with diet, is really going to get my digestion working properly...hopefully no more belly aches, once and for all! Oh and I had this done awhile ago but never posted the pic that Steve took. One of the practitioners at work did "cupping" on me...very effective but left some nasty bruises! Did I mention that I love where I work??

That's good for now! Off to make supper and try to warm up!