Dingo Days: December 2009

This past weekend I went to Adelaide to visit The Chapmans; Doug, Ruth, Max and Thomas. Doug is one of the owners of the Sea Ray dealership in Adelaide, and we became friends before I left the company. As there is a lot of laughter constantly surrounding Doug, I made it a point to get to SA as quickly as possible for a weekend. Unfortunately my camera was dead for most of the weekend as a result of some very poor planning, but I do have SOME photos.

I arrived on Friday, and went with Doug to the pub for a late lunch and some wine tasting. The whites in SA are incredible, and their Sauvingnon Blancs are regarded almost a highly as those from New Zealand.

On Saturday, I went to the Adelaide Oval for day two of the 2nd test match between Australia and West Indies. Doug and Ruth are members, which I guess is a big deal. I don't understand crickets at all myself, but we had a really great time. I was very close to Ricky Ponting, one of the world's best cricketeers, and enjoyed the sun and Pimms for the afternoon. After each over, little kids come out and play on the oval.

Cricket at the Adelaide Oval

After the cricket (and a nap), we went to meet some of Ruth and Doug's friends for dinner. We had a great meal at a local Korean restaurant, and then headed out for some karaoke. I'll spare you the video.

Doug has always told me about the koalas in his yard, so I was very excited when Max, 8, jumped up from the breakfast table to alert us that there was a koala in the big gum tree behind the house. After that, Sunday was a lazy day spent watching A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Friendly neighborhood koala

Me and Bertie Chapman

Thomas,5 and Max, 8

On Monday, I went to work with Doug at his family's marina to help with some Compass and warranty training for Sea Rays. On the way home we stopped in Handorf, a little German village in the Adelaide hills for a couple of beers and then home for dinner. I flew into Perth on Tuesday morning and took a taxi straight to work! And it has been a VERY crazy week.

Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. I really like turkey, and, although I don't particularly like the feel after I gorge myself, I look forward to next year on Black Friday. Despite a snag in the plans for this year, I had a great Thanksgiving, and cooked a full meal for 8 Aussies! We had turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, angel biscuits, corn on the cob, green beans, brussell sprouts, pumpkin pie and whoopie pies. Everything was delicious, everyone ate too much, and Stephen and Aileen even came back for lunch the next day! The event started on Friday when I went grocery shopping with the Wren girls! Here are some photos of the weekend!

Caitlin and the shopping list