Just a couple of things

Hello everyone!!! Heidi and I spent last week at Rubicon with 46 seventh through ninth graders from the school where she works. I have loaded most of those photos onto a web album that I've started so I will let you know how to find that soon.

Before we left for Rubicon I had a big week that I wanted to share with everyone. This first picture sets me in the hall in Woomelang where I was the international home brew beer judge. Yes, you read that correctly, I was selected to taste 16 different beers and select a winner. There were two categories, first was ale/lager (which had 13 different beers) and the second was a stout
category (three beers). Some of the home brews were amazing, others needed some work. In reality if it came down to needing a cold beer I would have taken any of the bottles!!!! Needless to say I'm getting into home brewing now!!! As reward for doing the taste testing I get a one on one training session with the winner. The community of home brewers has been great and supplied me thirty bottles to start my adventure!!!

The second picture is of my first clothes washing hanging on our line. Hardly any households in Australia have dryers, one because
it wastes energy, and two you can hang your clothes outside nearly all year long!!!!
The last photo is of our backyard, and the two tanks that hold our rain water. Because Australia has been in a major drought the last 10 years water is collected off every building and held in tanks. It is an amazing process. I'll have more to come soon!!!!!

1st picks from Australia

It has been a great couple of weeks in Australia. My posts are a little out of order, but I think the pictures are the most important part. The first one is of the house we are renting. The yard is about as green as it is going to get the rest of the year!!! The spider is completely harmless but big enough to make a grown man jump out of his sandals. Also below is a picture of the first kangaroo we found hoping around a local vineyard. The owner of the winery was kind enough to take us out in his ute to find kangaroos. We saw five total, but this one (and if you look closely you can see the Joey in her pouch) was the closest and best for photos. Finally we stopped at Lock 11 in Mildura to watch a boat pass through. IT has been a lot of fun. This weekend we attended Manangatag Cup Day (Horse Racing) I would describe it like the Kentucky Derby coming to a town of 500 people. Fancy dresses, big hats, suits, and all the beer you can drink. I'll have pictures for you soon. Oh yeah, I did bet, and won!!!!! Take care!!

It is official!!! I have a JOB!!!! I'm working for a company called AWB Grain Flow. For the most part I'm a general laborer for a company that stores grain for farmers. Today, on my first day, I filled six train cars full of barley that was destined to make BEER!!!!! Yes, I'm already making the world a better place!!!! It is going to be interesting when the temps reach 40-45 degrees C. Yes, you have to look up the conversion. I'm going to some horse races this weekend and hope to have a few more pictures for you later next week. Hope you are all well. God Bless and G'Day!!!!!

Camping

Camping at Apex Riverside Resort was a great time. It was a good thing I went to Boy Scout camp as a kid, where I learned how to cook over the coals of a fire. Tea (supper in Australia) consisted of steak, potatoes, and fresh veggies. I built and tended the fire while my sous chef (Heidi), prepared the food.