About Last Year

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?

Well, to answer Robert Burns's most famous question, I don't think it's a case of "should" for me any more. No, much more like "Can auld acquaintance be remembered?"

Either way, the year is ending and I have watched the last sunrise of 2010 from my home. That hasn't been the case for most of the year, as we traveled and visited -- partly because we had to wait to get into our new house but partly because we just love to travel and visit anyways. But in the end, as we walked into our house on Wednesday night, it was pretty clear to me that one of the great joys of traveling is getting home again.

As this is the last day of the year, it seems the right time to do the Year in Review that every other lazy site does. But, hey, it's the holidays so why work too hard? Anyhow, here goes:

The big news of 2010, of course, was moving house from Sydney to Hobart - along with all the disruptions that caused. But if there was any obvious trend this year, it was that for one year, at least, we became nomads.

For the year, we slept in our own bed 130 nights, which means we didn't sleep in our own bed for 235 nights - and 41 of those nights were aboard ships or ferries.

We went around the world twice. We boarded planes 34 times, embarked on boats 9 times. We took trains and subways and buses. And we drove on enough road trips to keep the oil industry in business.

We we were in 16 countries, five of them Muslim. We were in 5 Australian states and territories and seven US states.

We were in the desert in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. But mostly we were on water. Our travels included the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans. We were in the Andaman, Mediterranean, Aegean, Red and Dead Seas, as well the Gulf of Oman, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal.

And we were on islands. We started the year in Oahu and by year's end we had been on the South Island of New Zealand, Singapore, Phuket in Thailand, Mykonos in Greece, Malta, Vancouver Island in Canada and Orcas in Washington state. And oh yes, Tasmania and that big island to the north, Australia.

We saw lots of old things - Ephesus, the Pyramids, Carthage, Petra, the temples at Luxor (and even stayed at the Luxor in Las Vegas).

None of this could have happened without the generosity of our family and friends. We stayed (quite often) with Peg, Shirley, Bob and Deb, Walt and Terry, and Robert and Jaki. We were fed (quite well) by those folks, by Sandy and Dave,  my mother and father, and Jason and Lora.

And Caroline pitched in by taking care of Streak for us.

We have had the sort of year that few could even dream of. I do believe it even took care of LK's wanderlust - well, at least for a few months.

And now we are ending this amazing year in Kingston Beach, our new hometown. Yesterday a trio of brilliantly colored parrots landed in the tree outside our window and feasted on its flowers. This morning I peeked out the bedroom window just before first light. Sitting above the bay in the dark gray sky was the waning crescent of the moon and just below it was the brilliantly shining morning star. And this afternoon will be a sunny, warm summer day.

It's nice to know that even when we get home, we're still in a fantastic place.

Thanks to everyone for making our amazing year happen and for sharing it with us. Happy New Year to all.

The Battle of the Dyer Girls

Peg's eyes got just a little teary on Christmas Day as she told us that one of the greatest achievements in her 91 years was that her two daughters were so close and cared about each other so much. It would be only a few hours later that those same daughters proceeded to do everything they could to disabuse Peg of that notion.

For Linda and Sandy are not just Peg's kids. They are also Steve's kids. And from their father, these two women have inherited what may just be the world's most aggressive competitive attitude. When they play, they play to win.

The Battle of the Dyer Girls started out innocently enough. We had all decided to play a little Wii Bowling, and most of us had a go at it. While Sandy finished cooking the dinner, Dave, Linda, Jordan and I played. So far, so good. But then it was decided that after dinner it would be fun for Sandy to play Linda.

It was a match made in heaven (if you like fierce competition) or hell (if anyone thought the spirit of Christmas was going to linger by the fireplace while these two swung their Wii controllers). The scene was probably set when Jason called from Oz to wish us all a happy holiday.

While Sandy was on the phone with him he told her that if she really wanted to have a merry Christmas, she would let Linda win on the Wii. Which may have been good advice from his perspective as LK's son, but perhaps not such good advice when you've been LK's little sister for more than 50 years. Christmas cheer be damned, Sandy was not about to let her big sister win.

As sporting events go, it was a classic match. LK - very experienced at Wii bowling but coming off a long layoff - versus Sandy - the relative newcomer with the home field advantage.

The first game was all LK's. When she is in the groove, she can string strikes together like there's no tomorrow. By the last frame Sandy couldn't win and it was the visiting team with the W in their column, looking like an overwhelming favorite to win the series.

But the second game showed why you should never bet the house on a sporting event. Epecially when the one you're betting on has a Wii controller in one hand and a Johnny Walker Black Label in the other.

Suddenly LK's strike ball was coming in a little high while Sandy found the mark and started stringing strikes together herself. The hometown crowd started shouting "Yeah, baby!" as she built up a big lead. When LK missed a spare in the 7th frame, Sandy punched the air in triumph and let out a "Yeah, baby!" of her own. The match was tied.

And Peg was starting to get a look on her face that said "It doesn't seem fair that I am about to lose one of my proudest accomplishments on Christmas Day!"

As entertaining as Wii Bowling is to watch (well, as entertaining as it is to watch while drinking vodka), there does come a point to set a finishing time. Which is to say, some of us could see the sisters swapping wins as the contest moved from Best of 3, to Best of 7 to Best of 25. It was agreed the third game would be the decider.

The tension showed in both bowlers. Strike balls were just a little too high on the head pin. Spares were made by the narrowest of margins. Scores were down. Even the crowd was reduced to only a few "Yeah babies" as the sisters duked it out.

Slowly Sandy built up a slight lead and by the 9th frame, she had a chance to to take an insurmountable lead if she could strike out. She only made a spare. LK made a strike, but victory was still within Sandy's grasp with a strike or a spare + 9 in the last frame. She missed her spare.

The room gasped. An LK fan considered yelling "No, baby!" but decided I might be hit in the head with a Wii controller, so I reverted to sports commentator instead. "Linda needs a strike or a spare + 8 pins to win."

LK made her spare. The room grew quiet. Peg seemed to close her eyes. Sandy turned away.

LK needed 8 for a win, 7 for a draw. Anything less was a loss. She started the ball rolling down the alley. It was clear right away that it was not a strike ball. Would she get enough pins for victory?

In 1953 Eddie Erdelatz, the coach of the Navy football team uttered a line that has gone down in history. His team was playing Duke that day, and neither side scored during the entire game. "A tie is like kissing your sister," he said.

And so it was that on this Christmas Day, the Dyer Girls gave each other a symbolic kiss. Unlike Erdelatz, both sisters declared the tie was the perfect ending for the Christmas Day match. Peg smiled, secure in her family's harmony for one more year at least.

Holiday Cheer

What a great holiday! Christmas Day itself was wonderful - LK, Peg and I drove over for gift-giving and breakfast with Sandy, Dave and Jordan, then back to Peg's for a couple of hours so LK could start packing for our departure on Boxing Day. You know, stuff like underwear, shirts, two rugs, rug pads and curtains for every window in our house. We are traveling light this time.

Then back last night for a gourmet feast. LK made the soup, and Sandy outdid herself with a roast tenderloin, super yummy brussel sprouts, potatoes that would make Dr Agatston blanch. Dave made very large martinis to start and we drank some great wine - barolo and brunello de montalcini. It was all so good, but I am still trying to figure out why I have this newfound love affair with brussel sprouts.

The evening was capped with a great sporting event. No, not the Heat beating the Lakers - and we won't even mention the Celts losing to the Magic. Nope, this event was the Dyer Girls going one-on-one in Wii Bowling. But that is worth another post.

And the very best part of this Christmas was that we talked with so many people we love. Over the two days we connected with Ben, Tom, Matt, Jason, Lily, Rachael and of course my folks in Rutland. Gotta love this time of year.

Today we are scheduled to fly back to Oz. The only problem is that we are set to fly into Washington for our connection, and it is on the edge of what is shaping up to be one monster blizzard. We keep monitoring the situation, and it looks like we can get in and out. But in a winter where Team Mother Nature has built up a huge first quarter lead, I am not sure our side can rally.

Let's just say that if we do get in and out of Washington, we should make our LA flight. In which case, no more posts for a day or two.

And if we get stuck in some airport for the better part of a day, then expect a post only slightly shorter than War and Peace as I cope with the grinch of winter weather. It is a case where no news will be good news.

Johnny Has Left the Building

It's nice to know we can make a difference.

The latest proof comes from two different news stories. In Australia - which we left on November 10 - the retailers are reporting a sharp decline in holiday spending. In the US - where we arrived three weeks ago - retailers are reporting a strong surge in holiday spending.

Coincidence? I think we all know better.

Even at the local level we can see our impact. Monday I went to Mendon Liquors, the bottle shop we have been using, and scoured the shelves for Johnny Walker Black Label, LK's brand of choice. When I finally asked the guy at the register, he told me that there had been unusually strong sales of this brand and they were temporarily out of stock.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

Actually, that stop at the liquor store was the last errand on a quick trip. First I went to the supermarket to pick up some crusty bread and bread crumbs since LK was making Italian wedding soup for dinner. That's the one with lots of little meatballs.

At the store, I saw that crackers were on sale, so I got 2 for $5 and went to the checkout. Bread, bread crumbs and two boxes of crackers. Hmmm, I said to the kid at the checkout, looks like I'm not on the South Beach Diet this week.

"Nobody should ever have to be on that diet," she said. Then she looked at me, and we both knew she was thinking she may have spoken too soon.

Anyhow, the market was the first stop. I walked out, put the grocery bag in the car and then drove half a block to the service station. There I went inside and paid for a bag of ice we needed. Then I got in the car and drove to the liquor store. And then I got back in the car and drove to another liquor store where I could get Johnny Walker Black.

That sounds normal, I suppose, but those of you who paid close attention may have noticed a slight hiccup in that routine.

I didn't even realize it until I got back to Peg's. I brought in the grocery bag and then LK asked me where the bag of ice was. It was only then that I realized that I had indeed walked into the service station and paid for the ice, but I had then just driven off, walking straight past the ice freezer without grabbing a bag.

Over 60. Drinking Mendon dry of Johnny Walker. Paying for items and forgetting to take them.

Coincidence? We all know better.

Naming Rights

What is it about the common cold that makes us spend so much time tracing its lineage, assigning ownership and blame?

Now that LK has discovered the joys of sneezing and wheezing and coughing, she has declared to me and anyone else who will listen, "Don gave me His Cold."

I have reminded her (gently, for she was not feeling well) that I would never "give" her something so vile as a bad cold. She must have taken it from me. In fact, probably while I was asleep.

I don't think my arguments are having much impact, though, for later in the day I heard Peg on the phone telling her sister that LK had "Don's Cold." Seriously, it's not mine. I only borrowed it for a while. From Walt.

Even LK saw that when I first became ill, telling me that I must have caught Walt's Cold. So, let's stop this Don's Cold stuff and keep this ownership issue straightforward:
1. The cold is Walt's, not mine.
2. I didn't give it to LK. She took it.

There is one other thing. If Peg, Sandy, Dave or Jordan starts feeling a scratchy throat or noticing a runny nose this week, they should know. It's LK's Cold they have caught, and they should feel free to tell everyone that Linda gave them her cold.

I mean, it's not like they've seen Walt lately.

Christmas Presents

Thursday we continued a tradition. Every time we visit Peg's, we also make another visit - to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store to get our Apple laptops repaired.

In this case, it was LK's 16-month old Macbook Pro which made itself more or less a decorative item when the trackpad became insensitive to touch and the cursor would not move. While we were in Vermont, the laptop was repaired and once back in town we went to the mall to pick it up.

At the mall, we pretty much followed our normal routine. First we bought a couple of duffels to take home the stuff LK had bought here in the States. Then, after a brief (but not brief enough) visit to the Pandora shop, LK made what for her amounted to a surprising tactical error. Because she wanted to go to another store to check out fabric colors, she gave me the receipt for her Apple laptop and asked me to pick it up for her.

And that's how I ended up alone in the Apple Store.

Now, given that most of my trips there have been to fix broken Apple products, you might think that would discourage me from buying more. But if you think that way, then you are obviously immune to the power of Apple marketing, for this is a company that has perfected the art of getting you to forget how crappy their stuff is that you've already bought and instead focus on how cool and wonderful is the stuff that you are going to buy next.

Fortunately my Macbook Air was working this time so I was not in the least interested in swapping it for a new one. You cannot play online poker on the iPad, so that is off the wish list, and having to pick up a Macbook Pro that wasn't built to last kind of killed the urge to look at one of those.

But this is the holiday season, and what better time to buy great gifts for that someone special.

So I bought Apple TV for myself. 

Despite its name, this is neither a TV  nor an Apple, but a tiny black hunk of electronics that hooks to your TV. You can buy or rent movies and TV shows from iTunes with it, or use it to wirelessly play stuff on your computer on the bigger screen. So cool and yet under $100!

Now that I was in the spirit of the season, I thought I would do even more shopping for the one I love. This time I bypassed the Apple logo and bought myself an accessory from Jawbone named the Jambox.

No, I have not painted my nails gray. This picture of the Jambox is from Jawbone's website.

And what is that, you ask. Well, it's simply the smallest, best sounding wireless speaker and speakerphone on the planet. Those are the company's words, mind you, but I can confirm they are accurate.

I can confirm it, of course, because I tried it out when we got back to Peg's.  Super small, no wires, enormous sound with great clarity playing the songs from my iPod which is across the room from it.

If I hadn't been so eager to check my new gifts out, I could have looked like a great guy and given them to LK as Christmas gifts, but now they have to go on the list as my gifts to myself.  Watching me open them up and fool around with them, LK obviously thought of the things she had chosen for herself at Tiffany a week ago.

"At least I haven't opened one of the boxes my presents came in," she sniffed.

I suppose she's right, but since I bought them myself it's not like I'm ruining my Christmas morning surprise. Besides, it's that time of year. What kid, no matter how big, wouldn't open up their gifts early if they could get away with it?

Post Scripts

Yo, LK! What's for dinner?

Last night it was chipped beef on toast - a cream sauce with dried beef ladeled over toasted white bread. It's also known as SOS in the armed services.

My Aussie friends probably don't know about chipped beef, since it isn't sold there. So allow me to explain using the Chipped Beef page in Wikipedia. (Yup, chipped beef has its own page.)

Chipped beef is very thinly sliced dried beef. And it is verrrrry salty. Probably the most telling part of the Wiki information is this statement from Hormel, which makes chipped beef. They describe it as "an air-dried product that is similar to bresaola, but not as tasty."

Which does make you wonder why you wouldn't buy bresaola instead. But that's another issue. Anyhow, when the grocery store didin't have all the ingredients LK needed for the dish she intended to make last night, she shifted gears and made chipped beef on toast - an American classic that we hadn't eaten in more than 20 years since we moved to Oz. And it may not be the most lovely dish in the world, but it is tasty and even saltier than I recalled.

But no, this is not becoming a food blog, although it surely would be more popular if it did. The heading, picture and description of our dinner is an affectionate allusion to LK's cousin Jo who does write a food blog. LK is hooked on it and on more than one occasion she has been known to get friends to sit and look at page after page. Caroline even said she was going to bookmark it.

And speaking of Caroline and blogs, yesterday LK got an e-mail from our friend who wrote that she had been reading my blog. And she couldn't resist adding, "Let Don know ... he needs to stop whining about the cold!"

Gee thanks, Caroline. I appreciate this constructive criticism. Could you let me know if you mean the cold temperatures outside or the head cold I have. I have been whining about both, and I will stop whining about whichever you are referring to.

I also got a little kick in the blog pants the other day when Judy commented on my post after I hadn't written anything for four days. "Thank god!" she wrote. "A new blog. Was starting to wonder if you' died."

So now Jude has joined my mother and wife as people who try to guilt trip me if I don't post often. But I know what they mean. I get frustrated when my favorite bloggers don't post for a while.

Lately, I've been reading the new blog of my friend AB and I was starting to wonder when the next post would appear after he skipped four days. Not-so-creatively titled "My Blog",  I enjoy keeping tabs on him and his family. And unlike certain people I know, I would never dream of suggesting to Andrew that he stop whining about his diet. No, Caroline, I would never do that.

But since this has been one of those dreaded blogs about blogging, I guess I should end by adding one more wonderful thing about Judy. I was looking at her Facebook page the other day and discovered that she obviously had heaps of spare time and had just completed a 4Q Marathon:

I have just spent the last couple of days reading a friends blog. . . This is one of the funniest, most heartwarming stories I have ever read. We have learned so much about this warm, funny man, his wonderful, practical wife and amazing family and friends. Thank you, Don, for allowing us to be part of your story.

Well, if that doesn't make me go all gushy and gooey. And it certainly earns Jude the right to nag me about posting any time she wants.

But I couldn't help noting that after she wrote that entry on Facebook, one of her Facebook friends started this exchange with Judy:

Georgia: "You write lots of words"
Judy: "Would have written more, but they have a limit."
Georgia: "Hahah aw that's sad."

See Jude, once you write online, everyone becomes a critic.