adjusting

its been an odd few weeks being back here in oz.

we have moved ourselves to Bar Beach in newcastle...it has rained almost constantly-which i am really trying to take as a good sign (cleansing) - and everything we own smells. the only upside being that, although we do have three sets of kitchen stuff, we dont actually own much. still, it hasnt stopped me from buying incense, scented candles, etc and running about like i am trying to exorsize bad smelling ghosts - which, i guess, is partly what i am trying to do.

ghosts of ainslie past are leaping out of boxes all over the place. it has been quite unnerving and emotional - all the little things i have kept over the years - reminders of good times and not so good times. i have said goodbye to most of it.

rohan has started working, i have taken on the house-fiance role & i wont say with relish - i really dont have a natural flair for housework - although i have discovered i do a mean zucchini fritter. i will be very happy when someone employs me.

but in between the seemingly endless loads of washing (still not done) we have indulged a bit in the great food and wine australia has to offer - we went to a festival in the hunter valley the first weekend we were back, had dinner at tetsuyas (one of the top 10 restaurants in the world (according to someone) and definitely the highlight of my life, as far as food goes, so far), my family in aus has come over to visit, we caught up with old friends at a low key sydney welcome home/engagement party & got to hang out with lee for a bit before he took off to canada. so there are things that make me happy to be back . triplej has also been keeping me company and while it is not perfect (if i hear that rolex song again!) it is pretty damn good. i am also looking forward to visiting adelaide in the next few weeks.

i havent been able to bring myself to post the last of our holiday photos yet but here goes...

the attraction between man and donut has never ceased to amaze me. the candy apples (background) looked pretty but also pretty inedible. seattle public markets

ooooh - a monorail. rohan was fascinated by this (?). the funky looking wall is part of the 'ultimate music experience' building

seattle from the top of the space needle - built for the world fair.

a man and a wall

lake quinalt. olympic national parkthe lovely, old fashioned accommodation at lake quinalt. the fire at the bottom of that chimney was massive and very welcome.slightly lower brow accommodation the next night in astoria. although with a view of the rather impressive astoria bridge - not that it looks it in this photo (look, even non engineers would be impressed with this bridge i promise) i kept thinking of henry and annie (my cycling cousins - see side bar) as we drove over because this bridge is very steep...but of course it is nothing compared with what was to come.there was alot of this kind of action for the next few days and not much interesting inbetween (that is a dam in the background though i might point out) we were both sick as dogs aswell so it was a bit drive (navigate)/crash/drive(navigate)/crash for a few days all white and pretty - on the way to jacksons hole andthe breathtaking grand tetons. tetons apparently is french for breasts!..but i dont really see the resemblance . we attempted a little walk through the snow (the actual park was closed) but kept dropping through the snow up to our waists...i let out a yelp everytime i fell cos it was such a shock - which was all rather amusing for rohan who (distressingly) fell alot less than mea moose!

a few more days drive and we were in the desert and bryce canyon national park.

descending (that is actually icy - i slipped!)

the bottom looking up

ok -that is enough for now! we have a super slow internet connection -well, actually someone else has a superslow internet connection that we are borrowing...so this has taken a very long time!

i hope everyone is doing fine

xxx