Hello hello.
It has been WAY too long since I've last updated. I even started writing an update awhile ago and didn’t get the chance to finish and post. Soooo I’ll still post what I started last month and add on whats been happening since then. We finally made the move in to the new house. It was a pretty busy week packing and moving. The process of getting in there took a week in itself. Then it took another week just getting things organized and moving the things from the garage into the house. Things are looking prety good now and I will take some pictures to post with this so you can see what the place look like.
Dane did a really nice job with the design and the colors and details look great all together. He's been telling me about whats going where, and how this and that will look for awhile, so its wonderful to see it all come together. The one hitch we have right now is getting the internet sorted out. There seems to be problems w/ports or something like that that has delayed getting connected. Fingers-crossed it will happen at some stage, but it hasn’t been looking good lately. Dane has borrowed a wireless card for me to use so I can at least get on and try and catch up on facebook and skype.
Anyway, life has been moving along over here. I've been at CDVS for two months already which I can't believe. I am feeling more confident now that in the beginning and think I'm starting to get the hang of things. The last few weeks have been pretty busy, which is good and bad. I’ve been thrown right in to things so I’m learning quickly.
I've also been doing a few different trainings in the last weeks through work. It’s great to have a work environment that wants you to learn professionally and is willing to pay for it too! In October I was in Bendigo, Victoria (about 3hrs southwest of Wangaratta). The workshop is run through St.Luke's Innovative Resources. Anyone in the teaching, counseling, team building, leadership, community work field (and beyond) can use their tools. They are a very strengths based organization and their tools draw from that in many ways. There are some great things for kids especially so I know many of you reading this could find some use for them! Check it out http://www.innovativeresources.org/
Last week I was in Melbourne was two nights for a training on the effects of domestic violence on children. We’re hoping to start working more with children in the future and its helpful to know what may be happening for the children of the women who use our service. This coming week I’ll be going to Melbourne again for a one day training on responding to family violence. It has been a lot lately but I figured its better to take advantage of the resources while I can.
Dane and I have also been to a few concerts in the last month or so. We saw Dallas Fresca and Lisa Mitchell. Both very different from each other but it was good Australian music. There was also a weekend in October where we stopped in Beechworth for their Octoberfest. Oh, and also one day we went out on the river with Dane’s friends Mick and Sharyn. They have a boat and love to wakeboard. The day was pretty chilly but Dane and Mick still got out for a few runs. I didn’t try this time but I will give it a try another time.
I was sad to miss Halloween this year. Mom sent me pictures from home of all the pumpkins, candy corn, and changing leaves. Halloween isn’t really celebrated here much so it was strange not to even see all the halloweeny stuff in the stores. Halloween here was actually a really warm weekend and it was the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. Musicians from around the world come in to town and the streets are blocked off and stages are set up all around for live music. Dane and I went to check it out for a bit during one afternoon, but because of the heat we didn’t stay long.
And now it is November!! When did that happen? The time keeps flying and more and more things are happening every weekend. I’m not use to having so much going on all the time! I think that’s why I’m already half way through the month and still haven’t blogged about life!
The first Tuesday in November is Melbourne Cup Day. It is a state holiday and a day off work! Victoria is big on horse races so you can find races all over the state. On “cup day” the main races are held in Melbourne with one race in the afternoon designated as the Melbourne Cup race. Races are also held locally, including here in Wang. Similar to the Kentucky Derby atmosphere (I’m guessing) everyone gets dressed up, drinks too much, and wins or loses lots of money betting! Hannah and I decided we needed to go and Dane and some of Hannah’s friends joined us too. I borrowed a dress from Hannah, bought some shoes and a fascinator for my hair. Since it was my first time around I went cheap of course, but you could easily spend 100s or 1000s of $$$ getting the perfect outfit for the races….I spent $40 :) haha.
Anyway, it was a good day. We got some sun and I tried my hand at betting. I lost once but won twice! I even picked the winner of the Melbourne Cup and won $27!! Too bad my bet was only $2 to start or I could have done really well.
Later that week one of Dane’s cousins got married so we headed out to Myrtleford with his family. It was his dad’s side so there were lots of new faces. I’ve really only met family on his mom’s side since I’ve been here. We stayed at his parents place and the Sunday I got to see the alpacas get sheared. Not something I would have expected to see! His parents have a few on their land and they needed a hair cut. It was an interesting afternoon watching that get done!
This weekend was also busy but fun. Hannah and her family had a camping trip planned and invited me along. We left early Saturday morning and headed up to the Snowy Mountains. It was fun bumpy ride up through the bush and winding roads. Her family had set up camp alongside the Murray river and it was beautiful spot to spend the night. We went swimming and took some rafts upstream and floated back down to our site. The water was a little cold at first but it felt great in the sun. Later on we made dinner over the fire and I showed them how to make smores! I bought the closest things I could find to graham crackers and showed them what to do. Everyone loved them!
That finally brings me up to date I think! It’s already another Sunday afternoon so I will spend the rest of the relaxing and get myself ready for another work week. I really miss everyone back home. It is still strange to be in a place where I don’t have someone who really knows me. I have been meeting more people but its just not the same. I hope everyone back home reading this is doing well. Cheer on the Bills for me and send me pictures when you finally get snow!!
Xo hugs and kisses xo
