This was another great day—the weather was beautiful and breezy and even though I didn’t get in a really good fast walk I did walk today around the CBD (central business district) a bit which was good.

Chris went to the Burdekin area today to the plant where they had the clarifier accident a week and half ago—-when he came home he had his orange hard hat and orange reflective vest on so he looked real official!!! He has uniforms ordered which will be really sexy!!! When they are in the mills they have to wear 100% cotton shirts and pants so it is easier to wear these uniforms and then their good clothes don’t get all torn up. Anyway, Chris had a long day but he said it was a good one—attended some safety meetings and met a ton of people and I think he is getting into the meat of the job now.

Since he was gone all day I did a little reading, ironing, laundry and you will be glad to know that my second load of laundry done in my cool washer/dryer combo only took half a day instead of a whole day. It is not the most effecient of machines, let us just say that!!! I will be glad for a real house with a real washer and dryer. Looks like we may seriously look at the manager’s house in the Burdekin that the company owns. We can rent it for some crazy amount like $150 a month and it comes with a mango grove……..and a lagoon…….I will let you know more when I see it. But since Chris will be spending a lot of his time there and it is about an hour from Townsville it might make sense to do that to begin with and then get something else later should we decide to. We will see! I can live almost anywhere I think but if it is too remote I might have a problem!!!

Whilst (see I am picking up the lingo here) I was out walking today I picked up a really pretty tea towel to take to Lorrae tonight as she and Mark (Chris’ boss) invited us for dinner. Lorrae loves tea like I do and this towel had pretty little teacups on it and it just looked like something she would like. As I was walking back over the Victoria Bridge ( I need to take a picture of it as it is famous for being a swing bridge for ships) I passed a group of indigenious Australians (aboriginal Australians) and I must have looked like an easy mark as they asked me for “money for a feed”. I kept walking. It is my gift I think to attract the needy but I just did not feel confident in handing money to them or getting too involved as there was no one else close around. Funny thing is that Chris’ boss told me just yesterday that they would not bother me—-they don’t usually approach the whites but I am sure I looked like I had “American tourist” written all over me and that is why!!! He was suprised tonight when I told him at dinner that I had been approached.

Chris did not get home till well after 7 and we took a taxi to their house and Lorrae had a wonderful meal of lasagna–yummy!!! Mark and Chris (sounds like I am talking about my brothers!) headed for the basement to watch footie and Lorrae and I talked and had tea!!! It was a really great night and we totally enjoyed ourselves and I think I make Mark laugh—I don’t think he quite knows what to make of me sometimes but in a good way. And this is the first night since we have been here that we have been able to stay up past 8 pm!!! It is now almost 11:30 and I am still wired so hopefully I will sleep through the night for the first time!!! I think the jetlag is gone though it really wasn’t bad.

Chris has another really long day tomorrow so I am going to find someplace safe to walk hopefully and do some walking and then relax on my little balcony and read, read, read. Oh and I did find a station that played Dr. Phil, Oprah and a bunch of other shows in the evening like House and NCIS!!! So there is a lot of America here even if it is a year old!!!

Will try to add some pictures tomorrow —-Word of the Day is battler—someone who is working hard but barely making it.