Saturday, April 24, 2004
Friday 23 April 2004
Did I say I'm not spending much money?
Yesterday, Ev had to work from a kiosk in a mall - more than an hours drive away - accosting passing shoppers to try to sell them insurance. She earns money only from commissions. What a hell of a job! I don't know how she does it.
So, I went with her and spent the time shopping. Clothing prices are amazingly low, and the range of styles makes choices very difficult. I wanted to buy everything! I bought two pairs of shoes, a pair of pants, a summer cardigan and a top for $125!
I really feel like I am in a "What not to wear" program. Ev had bought me a heap of stuff to give me the idea, then sent me off to shop by myself. I was expecting her to appear from nowhere and make me put it all back!
The shop assistants were very polite and friendly and helpful, without being pushy, and customers chatted and joked together. I went outside for a smoke and two black girls held the door for me - as you do. I thanked them - as you do - and one said to the other "Did she say Thank you?" and the other said "Yes" in an amazed tone of voice. This was really surprising as there appears to be absolutely no racial distinction or prejudice between customers and assistants in the shops.
Yesterday, Ev had to work from a kiosk in a mall - more than an hours drive away - accosting passing shoppers to try to sell them insurance. She earns money only from commissions. What a hell of a job! I don't know how she does it.
So, I went with her and spent the time shopping. Clothing prices are amazingly low, and the range of styles makes choices very difficult. I wanted to buy everything! I bought two pairs of shoes, a pair of pants, a summer cardigan and a top for $125!
I really feel like I am in a "What not to wear" program. Ev had bought me a heap of stuff to give me the idea, then sent me off to shop by myself. I was expecting her to appear from nowhere and make me put it all back!
The shop assistants were very polite and friendly and helpful, without being pushy, and customers chatted and joked together. I went outside for a smoke and two black girls held the door for me - as you do. I thanked them - as you do - and one said to the other "Did she say Thank you?" and the other said "Yes" in an amazed tone of voice. This was really surprising as there appears to be absolutely no racial distinction or prejudice between customers and assistants in the shops.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Thursday 22 April 2004
After a lot of searching on the Internet, I finally phoned a travel agent who found two tours for me. My choices were rather limited with short notice. I am going to Washington for 4 days from 17-20 May and Niagara Falls for 4 days from 24-27 May.
I think these are better options than going to Bermuda, which sounds groovy, but you spend a long time sitting on a boat in the middle of nowhere, and I would have had to pay full cabin price i.e. twice the fare as they are all twin cabins.
So, those two trips plus a 4 day trip to West Virginia from 6-10 May, plus other weekend trips with Rex and Ev will be enough. Next week I won't be doing much, but that is OK - I am finding I am relaxing much more than I can at home, and can find plenty of things to keep me occupied.
I went to withdraw the cash credit that I had put in my credit card and totally forgot that I was working in US dollars. Luckily the daily limit is $600. The money is like Monopoly money and the coins very tinny and difficult to handle. Whenever the government has suggested getting rid of the penny there has been protest because Abraham Lincoln is on it. They are so fiddly and useless that you see them lying around on floors because nobody can be bothered picking them up. In some places they have a "give a penny, take a penny" jar on the counter. You throw all your small coins in it, and anyone who needs a few odd coins can take out of it, rather than having to crack a new note.
The ATM machine gave me my $600 in $20 notes- that is all they dispense.
I am 5 miles from the nearest shop here so I am not spending much. Rex took me down to the pub which was so smoky you could hardly breathe. Smoking is not allowed in pubs in New York State.
I have been introduced to lots of people and not one has shown any interest or asked questions about Australia. Quite a few have been amazed that I am spending 6 weeks here.
Ev came home at 11pm on Tuesday night and woke me up because she had been shopping and had some clothes for me. She should be one of those "what not to wear" people. She bought me a top, a skirt and some pants - all fitted and suited me perfectly, and I would never have chosen them of I had seen them in shops. All excellent quality - total cost $37!
Then she rang last night (she didn't come home) and said she has bought me a jacket to match.
She always looks as smart as ever. Tonight we are going through her 2 Op-shop bags to see what I (or you) might want!
Last night a cooked a meatloaf using venison (Ben shot it). Toby and Rex loved it.
The water here is from a well. It tastes OK, but leaves awful scale deposits in the kettle.
Sewage goes to a septic tank, which is due to pumped out at a cost of $3000. I am not helping the situation. My toilet flushing skills are the same here.
Haven't seen any new animals other than bumblebees which are about 4 times the size of ours and black and white and sort of furry. They can sting, but they are very slow and fly into things all the time which is how they got their name I guess.
I think these are better options than going to Bermuda, which sounds groovy, but you spend a long time sitting on a boat in the middle of nowhere, and I would have had to pay full cabin price i.e. twice the fare as they are all twin cabins.
So, those two trips plus a 4 day trip to West Virginia from 6-10 May, plus other weekend trips with Rex and Ev will be enough. Next week I won't be doing much, but that is OK - I am finding I am relaxing much more than I can at home, and can find plenty of things to keep me occupied.
I went to withdraw the cash credit that I had put in my credit card and totally forgot that I was working in US dollars. Luckily the daily limit is $600. The money is like Monopoly money and the coins very tinny and difficult to handle. Whenever the government has suggested getting rid of the penny there has been protest because Abraham Lincoln is on it. They are so fiddly and useless that you see them lying around on floors because nobody can be bothered picking them up. In some places they have a "give a penny, take a penny" jar on the counter. You throw all your small coins in it, and anyone who needs a few odd coins can take out of it, rather than having to crack a new note.
The ATM machine gave me my $600 in $20 notes- that is all they dispense.
I am 5 miles from the nearest shop here so I am not spending much. Rex took me down to the pub which was so smoky you could hardly breathe. Smoking is not allowed in pubs in New York State.
I have been introduced to lots of people and not one has shown any interest or asked questions about Australia. Quite a few have been amazed that I am spending 6 weeks here.
Ev came home at 11pm on Tuesday night and woke me up because she had been shopping and had some clothes for me. She should be one of those "what not to wear" people. She bought me a top, a skirt and some pants - all fitted and suited me perfectly, and I would never have chosen them of I had seen them in shops. All excellent quality - total cost $37!
Then she rang last night (she didn't come home) and said she has bought me a jacket to match.
She always looks as smart as ever. Tonight we are going through her 2 Op-shop bags to see what I (or you) might want!
Last night a cooked a meatloaf using venison (Ben shot it). Toby and Rex loved it.
The water here is from a well. It tastes OK, but leaves awful scale deposits in the kettle.
Sewage goes to a septic tank, which is due to pumped out at a cost of $3000. I am not helping the situation. My toilet flushing skills are the same here.
Haven't seen any new animals other than bumblebees which are about 4 times the size of ours and black and white and sort of furry. They can sting, but they are very slow and fly into things all the time which is how they got their name I guess.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Tuesday 20-04-04
I forgot to tell you Ev does most of her shopping from Telemaketing programs and the Internet. I've seen a lot of the stuff she has bought and the quality is excellent. Prices are cheap, but handling is quite expensive, which means if you don't like what you have bought you can return it free. Yesterday I ordered an outfit to wear to the Commodore's dinner and it has turned up today!
The weather is still beautiful so I took Rag the dog for a walk around the block. He came to protect me from the bears. I didn't see any, but I saw the bear crossing sign. I know if you want to shout when writing an e-mail you use capital letters, but I don't know how to whisper - I might be getting a dog.
I can't tell you what sort it is because I can't spell it.
Vernon does not have a township as we know it - just a strip of a dozen or so shops. Everything else and houses for 10,000 people are scattered on hillsides over a massive area. No suburban streets as we know them, no fences around houses. Kids around here play on the road because there is hardly any traffic. The boys over the road have their basketball ring facing outwards and use the road for a court.
When I first arrived there was still some snow on the ski runs which are on the hill right out the back of the house and the trees were bare. Now the trees are bursting into life and soon I won't be able to see beyond the backyard.
Tell Jessica I have seen grey squirrels ( about half the size of a cat), groundhogs and opossums (squashed and unsquashed), blue jays and red cardinals.
I forgot to tell you Ev does most of her shopping from Telemaketing programs and the Internet. I've seen a lot of the stuff she has bought and the quality is excellent. Prices are cheap, but handling is quite expensive, which means if you don't like what you have bought you can return it free. Yesterday I ordered an outfit to wear to the Commodore's dinner and it has turned up today!
The weather is still beautiful so I took Rag the dog for a walk around the block. He came to protect me from the bears. I didn't see any, but I saw the bear crossing sign. I know if you want to shout when writing an e-mail you use capital letters, but I don't know how to whisper - I might be getting a dog.
I can't tell you what sort it is because I can't spell it.
Vernon does not have a township as we know it - just a strip of a dozen or so shops. Everything else and houses for 10,000 people are scattered on hillsides over a massive area. No suburban streets as we know them, no fences around houses. Kids around here play on the road because there is hardly any traffic. The boys over the road have their basketball ring facing outwards and use the road for a court.
When I first arrived there was still some snow on the ski runs which are on the hill right out the back of the house and the trees were bare. Now the trees are bursting into life and soon I won't be able to see beyond the backyard.
Tell Jessica I have seen grey squirrels ( about half the size of a cat), groundhogs and opossums (squashed and unsquashed), blue jays and red cardinals.
Monday, April 19, 2004
Still Monday 19-4-04
You'll have to read the previous entry before this one because I had to take a break.
So, I think I was at the Yacht Club. Established late last century when Harlem was a really tickety-boo area as Effie says, but now has no connection with that area, which is now becoming respectable again.
Really nice people, mostly blue collar workers, some professionals. All really friendly, unpretentious and down to earth people. Amazingly, they all left their cars unlocked and "pocket books" lying around.
Only one of the people I have met has asked me anything about Australia. During the whole day I saw 1 seagull and 3 cormorants.
Roads are in absolutely appalling conditon with really old traffic lights and signage with the paint all falling off. There are no emergency stop lanes at the side, no boom gates at railways. Traffic entering NY has to slow to stop for Etags to register. You would expect everything to be high tech and glitzy, but it is all very low tech, out of date, dirty and in bad condition. There are no self-serve petrol stations because people can't be trusted to the right thing. The pumps are manned by underpaid ($3hr) immigrants who are so desperate to work they take the risk of being murdered. It is not the way for teenagers to earn a bit of pocket money.
I haven't been into NY yet, but I will have to watch out for falling bits of buildings and electrifed manholes. Apparently the whole place is decaying. Old underground electricity cables are deteriorating along with the sewage and water supply pipes. This is not an urban myth.
The houses are very interesting - all basically a plain rectangular weatherboard box, single or double story, with lots of tiny windows -the same basic design as can be seen in buildings hundreds of years old. Left unadorned they look really ugly, but with the addition of shutters, dormer windows, verandahs etc they are so cute. In a way the sameness gives a sort of sense of unity which is good because there is no sense of unity in the people, which is hard to explain. As Ev says there is no glue - as evidenced at the soldiers get together - a whole lot of people, there for a common cause didn't come together as one to achieve what they came there for. Blind and fierce love of their country and flag and disbelief that any other country could be as good or better is about all that is common. I know what I mean.
A small proportion of houses are similar to Rex and Ev's.
You'll have to read the previous entry before this one because I had to take a break.
So, I think I was at the Yacht Club. Established late last century when Harlem was a really tickety-boo area as Effie says, but now has no connection with that area, which is now becoming respectable again.
Really nice people, mostly blue collar workers, some professionals. All really friendly, unpretentious and down to earth people. Amazingly, they all left their cars unlocked and "pocket books" lying around.
Only one of the people I have met has asked me anything about Australia. During the whole day I saw 1 seagull and 3 cormorants.
Roads are in absolutely appalling conditon with really old traffic lights and signage with the paint all falling off. There are no emergency stop lanes at the side, no boom gates at railways. Traffic entering NY has to slow to stop for Etags to register. You would expect everything to be high tech and glitzy, but it is all very low tech, out of date, dirty and in bad condition. There are no self-serve petrol stations because people can't be trusted to the right thing. The pumps are manned by underpaid ($3hr) immigrants who are so desperate to work they take the risk of being murdered. It is not the way for teenagers to earn a bit of pocket money.
I haven't been into NY yet, but I will have to watch out for falling bits of buildings and electrifed manholes. Apparently the whole place is decaying. Old underground electricity cables are deteriorating along with the sewage and water supply pipes. This is not an urban myth.
The houses are very interesting - all basically a plain rectangular weatherboard box, single or double story, with lots of tiny windows -the same basic design as can be seen in buildings hundreds of years old. Left unadorned they look really ugly, but with the addition of shutters, dormer windows, verandahs etc they are so cute. In a way the sameness gives a sort of sense of unity which is good because there is no sense of unity in the people, which is hard to explain. As Ev says there is no glue - as evidenced at the soldiers get together - a whole lot of people, there for a common cause didn't come together as one to achieve what they came there for. Blind and fierce love of their country and flag and disbelief that any other country could be as good or better is about all that is common. I know what I mean.
A small proportion of houses are similar to Rex and Ev's.
Well, I am here, alive, still a bit tired, but not still feeling like I am about to die. This is Monday and it is my first "day off", so I'll start back from when I left.
Friday 16-4-04 Left Melbourne early and arrived in Sydney at midday, we had to de-plane there for a security check for an hour or so, then reboarded. Sat on the tarmac until 6-15pm while they tried to fix the PA system which had broken down. Very hot, air-con not working well. After a while, people began walking around and it was almost like a party atmosphere at first, then everyone began to get hot and bothered. At least by the time we took off it was really easy to move around the plane and socialise, which is just as well because the seats were so narrow and there was no leg room.
I went to Adelaide on a 747 in about 1968 and I think this was the same plane - very cramped, dirty and the food was crap.
By the time we landed at LA most of the 360 passengers had missed their connecting flights. United did reschedule flights as they promised (eventually), but were otherwise rude and unhelpful. I didn't have any coins to call Rex and Ev so I went to the customer service desk along with all the others who had a variety of problems, and there was no-one there! Eventually an American couple let me use their mobile.
My flight was to leave at 10-40pm instead of 2-45pm. I was given two $7-50 meal vouchers. All that was available in the two small shops that were open was hot dogs in a stale roll (with fries of course) and stale sandwiches or wilted salads. Spent the remaining time in the smoking area - actually had fun talking to people from, or on their way to all sorts of places. Someone gave me a pack of Russian Marlboros. They had cost him $5 carton.
Landed in Newark at 6-30am. That flight was good, but I couldn't sleep. I had a window seat and an empty one beside me. We didn't fly very high so I could see all the little towns all lit up. It will be interesting to see it in daylight on the way back. The man on the aisle seat didn't talk, slept most of the way, then suddenly as we were landing rushed to the toilet leaving a very nasty smell behind. When he came back he was quite friendly (and embarrassed) Well, if he wasn't he should have been. He was returning from 3 weeks working in Melbourne.
Then home to Vernon. Passed through the area of the Newark riots where the whole town was burnt (look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls). Some of the buildings have been left standing as they were after the fires. Funny how you can know about something, but not really know until you actually see it. I'd like to go back and have another look. Tracey Chapman did a song about the riots.
Arrived "home" just before 8am on Saturday - still no sleep and none till that night. Talked all morning, then off to a welcome home gathering for one of Ev's family who had just returned from Iraq. Actually he was sent there by mistake and sent home again. It was held in a small equivalent to our RSL club (not a la NSW) More like a scout hall with a small bar in another room. Flags and banners everywhere as you would expect, but apparently no-one wanted to be there so they all gutsed the (delicious) spread that his wife had prepared, and went home. NO speeches or even a few short words to welcome him back or acknowledge his effort towards world peace.
Finally got to bed at 8pm Saturday night - 53 hours without sleep!
Sunday 18th April Up early and off to the Harlem Yacht Club to launch some of the yachts. New York is 50 miles from here - as the crow flies - but a hell of a long way to drive. It took an hour and a half to get to the club which is at the most internal point of Long Island Sound on City Island. I generally sat around in the SUNSHINE watching everyone work, then went out to the yacht and got SUNBURNT while Rex rigged the sails. Yes - 27C and I was wearing the only T-shirt I brought with me.
I need to take a break - there's lots more to come!
Friday 16-4-04 Left Melbourne early and arrived in Sydney at midday, we had to de-plane there for a security check for an hour or so, then reboarded. Sat on the tarmac until 6-15pm while they tried to fix the PA system which had broken down. Very hot, air-con not working well. After a while, people began walking around and it was almost like a party atmosphere at first, then everyone began to get hot and bothered. At least by the time we took off it was really easy to move around the plane and socialise, which is just as well because the seats were so narrow and there was no leg room.
I went to Adelaide on a 747 in about 1968 and I think this was the same plane - very cramped, dirty and the food was crap.
By the time we landed at LA most of the 360 passengers had missed their connecting flights. United did reschedule flights as they promised (eventually), but were otherwise rude and unhelpful. I didn't have any coins to call Rex and Ev so I went to the customer service desk along with all the others who had a variety of problems, and there was no-one there! Eventually an American couple let me use their mobile.
My flight was to leave at 10-40pm instead of 2-45pm. I was given two $7-50 meal vouchers. All that was available in the two small shops that were open was hot dogs in a stale roll (with fries of course) and stale sandwiches or wilted salads. Spent the remaining time in the smoking area - actually had fun talking to people from, or on their way to all sorts of places. Someone gave me a pack of Russian Marlboros. They had cost him $5 carton.
Landed in Newark at 6-30am. That flight was good, but I couldn't sleep. I had a window seat and an empty one beside me. We didn't fly very high so I could see all the little towns all lit up. It will be interesting to see it in daylight on the way back. The man on the aisle seat didn't talk, slept most of the way, then suddenly as we were landing rushed to the toilet leaving a very nasty smell behind. When he came back he was quite friendly (and embarrassed) Well, if he wasn't he should have been. He was returning from 3 weeks working in Melbourne.
Then home to Vernon. Passed through the area of the Newark riots where the whole town was burnt (look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls). Some of the buildings have been left standing as they were after the fires. Funny how you can know about something, but not really know until you actually see it. I'd like to go back and have another look. Tracey Chapman did a song about the riots.
Arrived "home" just before 8am on Saturday - still no sleep and none till that night. Talked all morning, then off to a welcome home gathering for one of Ev's family who had just returned from Iraq. Actually he was sent there by mistake and sent home again. It was held in a small equivalent to our RSL club (not a la NSW) More like a scout hall with a small bar in another room. Flags and banners everywhere as you would expect, but apparently no-one wanted to be there so they all gutsed the (delicious) spread that his wife had prepared, and went home. NO speeches or even a few short words to welcome him back or acknowledge his effort towards world peace.
Finally got to bed at 8pm Saturday night - 53 hours without sleep!
Sunday 18th April Up early and off to the Harlem Yacht Club to launch some of the yachts. New York is 50 miles from here - as the crow flies - but a hell of a long way to drive. It took an hour and a half to get to the club which is at the most internal point of Long Island Sound on City Island. I generally sat around in the SUNSHINE watching everyone work, then went out to the yacht and got SUNBURNT while Rex rigged the sails. Yes - 27C and I was wearing the only T-shirt I brought with me.
I need to take a break - there's lots more to come!
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Sunday 18th April
I,m not reall blogging - too tired as you can see by arrors which I can'tbe bothered fixing.
Will do lots tomorrow when I have a day off. Love Haggis
I,m not reall blogging - too tired as you can see by arrors which I can'tbe bothered fixing.
Will do lots tomorrow when I have a day off. Love Haggis
