Last Wednesday, Nathan and I hosted an orphans' thanksgiving for the North American vet students at Murdoch. All of the Americans and Canadians who had no place to go were invited to our house for a thanksgiving eve celebration. Nathan and I would provide the turkey, each student would bring one of the side dishes. I sent around an email, and quickly had 30 hungry, stressed vet students signing up to bring their traditional side dish. It only seemed fitting we'd host these North Americans in our house on Pilgrim way.
As a party it sounded pretty easy...I'd clean the house, Nathan (who had Wednesday off) would throw the birds in the oven, and a thanksgiving feast would magically appear.
Well, first you have to find a turkey. For a while, Nathan and I were cruising the supermarkets and butchers to try and find a decent size turkey. (Particularly unusual for our vegetarian Nathan). But all we could find were 5-6 lb birds--the turkey equivalent of a cornish game hen.
As the week before the event approached, we began worrying that we would be serving cold cuts or those pressed turkey breast slices that you get in Swanson meals and school lunches. Luckily, Aussie carry on the English tradition of planning for their holidays a long time in advance and the Christmas turkeys started arriving the Sunday before thanksgiving. We snatched up 2 15 lb turkeys.
Since we didn't ship any of our household items (just stowaways with a couple of bags), Nathan faced the daunting of trying to find meat platters, a turkey baster, and a gravy boat. Let's just say there isn't as much on offer in the kmart, target, walmart range of shopping here, and Nathan had to head to the gourmet cooking shop on the day of our party to find the items we needed. Just what he wanted to do on his day off--buy a gravy boat!
When he returned, he faced the dilemma of cooking 2 turkeys. We have a European size oven (read tiny), and an Aussie size BBQ (read enormous) so we cooked a turkey in each place. Nathan monitored them carefully since we had no idea how they would and he turned out two gorgeous Martha Stewart-worthy turkeys that had our guests oohing and aahing. We used Tim Carnahan's suggestion of cooking them breast-side down for part of the time, and everyone had compliments about how our turkey wasn't dry like their mother-in-laws! My job was to turn out the gravy, and I can't testify to the quality but we definitely had quantity...I made almost 2 liters.
Guests started arriving, bringing dips, deviled eggs, olives and cheeses, home-made corn fritters, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, roast veg, broccoli salad, green salad, rolls, chocolate mouse, lemon cheese cake, and lots of pumpkin pie. It looked beautiful--but I was heartbroken--no green bean casserole. It's my favorite--green beans, mushroom soup, and Durkees fried onions. I had lobbied several of the American students knew to bring it, but no one could find the Durkees fried onions. Just when we had gotten ready to give thanks for our food, there was a knock at the door. Christina Webb (one of the 3rd year students with whom I've been working on a few projects at the Vet School) showed up with a small precious dish of green bean casserole. She knew it was my favorite, so she made the Durkee's fried onions.....from SCRATCH! For friends like these--you have to give thanks.
It was a great way to spend our first thanksgiving away from home in long time. As thanksgiving isn't a holiday in Australia, it would have been difficult to head into work knowing our friends and family were celebrating far away without us. Several of the students said the same thing. Somehow sharing turkey leftovers with my coworkers for lunch on Thursday made it seem like home.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Remember, Remember the 5th of November
Okay. I know I missed the boat, but after I posted our update (and list of excuses) I realized that it was Guy Fawkes Day (the guy who tried to blow up parliament for because of religious oppression in England). and I just want to say the movie V for Vendetta rocks.
In Australia, remember, remember, the 6thof November.
The other thing I want to say is that they don't celebrate Guy Fawkes Day here, because its so close to the MELBOURNE CUP. Its a horse race that is sort of like the Kentucky Derby. Except for this year it was on a Tuesday. And everybody watches it. I mean everybody! In Victoria (where Melbourne is) its an official holiday--banks close.
We shut down our emergency hospital (okay some people had to stay and save the animals but like 1/4 of the usual staff) so that the hospital staff could watch the race. Just like in My Fair Lady the tradition is formal attire, with big hats. We had a few people dress up, but mostly people made hats out of X-RAY film, those big cones that dogs wear, and gauze. We bet on our horses, cheered the race on the big screen TV in the equine hospital, and then toasted the winners of the betting--yet another obscure fun tradition.
In Australia, remember, remember, the 6thof November.
The other thing I want to say is that they don't celebrate Guy Fawkes Day here, because its so close to the MELBOURNE CUP. Its a horse race that is sort of like the Kentucky Derby. Except for this year it was on a Tuesday. And everybody watches it. I mean everybody! In Victoria (where Melbourne is) its an official holiday--banks close.
We shut down our emergency hospital (okay some people had to stay and save the animals but like 1/4 of the usual staff) so that the hospital staff could watch the race. Just like in My Fair Lady the tradition is formal attire, with big hats. We had a few people dress up, but mostly people made hats out of X-RAY film, those big cones that dogs wear, and gauze. We bet on our horses, cheered the race on the big screen TV in the equine hospital, and then toasted the winners of the betting--yet another obscure fun tradition.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Time Flies! So does Gretchen
Wow. Okay, its been a month since our last blog, but its been a jam-packed month.
Sept 28--Jaymi flies to MN,
Sept 30-- last blog post.
Sept 30-Oct 1 Nathan works last weekend at Murdoch (really this time he means it!)
Sept 30-Oct 1 Kristin and Gretchen attempt to take a ferry to Rottnest Island, but are attacked en-route by a crazy Magpie which leaves Gretchen bleeding, shaken, and not really in the mood to cycle past the magpie on the way home.
Oct 2-5 Nathan starts new contract position 45 minutes from home. Kristin continues to work like crazy. Nathan and Gretchen explore around Perth--like Wave Rock, and the Wildflowers of Western Australia.
Oct 5-7 Drive to Cervantes for the weekend. See some amazing coast, are attacked by swarms of Australian black flies, and then are awestruck by the Pinnacles desert. p.s. For those of you who do not realize black flies here don't bite, but do enjoy climbing in your ears, up your nose, into your eyes, onto your tongue etc. Everyone thinks Australians are so friendly, mostly they are just waving away the flies.
Oct 8-12 More work, Gretchen the house elf, weeds the garden, cleans the house for the upcoming home inspection, and cooks more lemon curd and pavlova (yummy!).
Oct 12--Finally trip to Rottnest Island! We head out to the beach to check out the snorkel trails (underwater guided tours of the local reef). Camera dies (again, this time permanently!). The morning isn't very warm. Nathan and Kristin snorkel for 20 minutes, battling hypothermia. Gretchen wisely waits for warmer waters. In the afternoon, we travel to another beach where the snorkelling conditions don't require a parka and Nathan and Gretchen snorkel through some coral beds.
Oct 13--Gretchen and Kristin hit the bikes along the coastal path, a bike path that runs past the best beaches in Perth. Nathan drives ahead, and jogs back to meet us on the bike path. After a breezy beach barbecue we head home from our last weekend together.
Oct 14-17, Gretchen, Nathan and Kristin play our last games of rook, sample the local fine dining, and help Gretchen find her passport.
Oct 17 Gretchen heads back for a marathon flight to Minnesota, the house suddenly seems very empty.
Oct 18-21 Life slowly returns to normal. We do laundry, pay bills, do the grocery shopping, and finish the week with a frenzied cleaning of the house to prepare for our house/garden inspection.
Oct 22-27--Kristin's new admin starts! Hurray! Unfortunately, there's still lots of backlog of work, so another week of crazy work. Nathan is working Saturdays at his locum job, but uses some of his time on call to buy a fishing pole. Sunday we golf--first game of the year.
Oct 31--Halloween--We participate in a costume run for our running club (Fremantle Hash House Harriers). Nathan's spends all day developing a "spider-pig" costume for Kristin, that he doesn't get a costume for himself. Completely selfless!
November 3-4 Nathan and I have a full weekend with nothing planned. No guests, no work, no appointments. Saturday we drive our little 4X4 to a secluded stretch of beach and fish/read for the entire afternoon. Sunday, we more golf to prepare for a tournament next week. They have a lot of sand here...we got lots of practice at getting out of the traps.
November 5--Finally remember to put an update on, and feel horribly defensive about not posting for ages, so provide day by day excuses for why we have been too busy to post, email, write, call, or anything. Do you think its too much?
Sept 28--Jaymi flies to MN,
Sept 30-- last blog post.
Sept 30-Oct 1 Nathan works last weekend at Murdoch (really this time he means it!)
Sept 30-Oct 1 Kristin and Gretchen attempt to take a ferry to Rottnest Island, but are attacked en-route by a crazy Magpie which leaves Gretchen bleeding, shaken, and not really in the mood to cycle past the magpie on the way home.
Oct 2-5 Nathan starts new contract position 45 minutes from home. Kristin continues to work like crazy. Nathan and Gretchen explore around Perth--like Wave Rock, and the Wildflowers of Western Australia.
Oct 5-7 Drive to Cervantes for the weekend. See some amazing coast, are attacked by swarms of Australian black flies, and then are awestruck by the Pinnacles desert. p.s. For those of you who do not realize black flies here don't bite, but do enjoy climbing in your ears, up your nose, into your eyes, onto your tongue etc. Everyone thinks Australians are so friendly, mostly they are just waving away the flies.
Oct 8-12 More work, Gretchen the house elf, weeds the garden, cleans the house for the upcoming home inspection, and cooks more lemon curd and pavlova (yummy!).
Oct 12--Finally trip to Rottnest Island! We head out to the beach to check out the snorkel trails (underwater guided tours of the local reef). Camera dies (again, this time permanently!). The morning isn't very warm. Nathan and Kristin snorkel for 20 minutes, battling hypothermia. Gretchen wisely waits for warmer waters. In the afternoon, we travel to another beach where the snorkelling conditions don't require a parka and Nathan and Gretchen snorkel through some coral beds.
Oct 13--Gretchen and Kristin hit the bikes along the coastal path, a bike path that runs past the best beaches in Perth. Nathan drives ahead, and jogs back to meet us on the bike path. After a breezy beach barbecue we head home from our last weekend together.
Oct 14-17, Gretchen, Nathan and Kristin play our last games of rook, sample the local fine dining, and help Gretchen find her passport.
Oct 17 Gretchen heads back for a marathon flight to Minnesota, the house suddenly seems very empty.
Oct 18-21 Life slowly returns to normal. We do laundry, pay bills, do the grocery shopping, and finish the week with a frenzied cleaning of the house to prepare for our house/garden inspection.
Oct 22-27--Kristin's new admin starts! Hurray! Unfortunately, there's still lots of backlog of work, so another week of crazy work. Nathan is working Saturdays at his locum job, but uses some of his time on call to buy a fishing pole. Sunday we golf--first game of the year.
Oct 31--Halloween--We participate in a costume run for our running club (Fremantle Hash House Harriers). Nathan's spends all day developing a "spider-pig" costume for Kristin, that he doesn't get a costume for himself. Completely selfless!
November 3-4 Nathan and I have a full weekend with nothing planned. No guests, no work, no appointments. Saturday we drive our little 4X4 to a secluded stretch of beach and fish/read for the entire afternoon. Sunday, we more golf to prepare for a tournament next week. They have a lot of sand here...we got lots of practice at getting out of the traps.
November 5--Finally remember to put an update on, and feel horribly defensive about not posting for ages, so provide day by day excuses for why we have been too busy to post, email, write, call, or anything. Do you think its too much?
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