Jen & Nicole, this post if for you…

Today, while finishing my jog I noticed a sign something like this:

I was thinking how I should take a pictures and write something about the magpies since I figured Jen & Nicole would get a kick out of another Australian peril. Well, a few steps later a bird came flying just beside me. It startled me, but I kept on running. Weird, but nothing more. Well, I had just processed that thought when I got whacked in the head by a bird. I screeched, covered my head and ran to the other side of the street.

What the he%*!!! I couldn’t believe it. Yes, I have been on the beach when the seagulls are being very aggressive in trying to grab food. But this, was crazy.

All this worry about sharks and I get attacked by a bird!

Since I was on my way to pick up Nuno, I walked into his school and told one of his teachers. A mum standing by heard me and proceeded to tell me that it was my hair. Something about the magpies wanting my hair for a nest or thinking my hair was their nest….thank you very much. She also informed me that her son was attacked repeatedly when he was three. Oy. The only thing she was able to do was shied him as she left the area where he was being attacked.

After talking to my darling husband, it seems that running in black and white gear may not be the best idea during their breeding time. It seems that my awesome Adidas outfit that Maria gave me makes me look like a HUGE magpie.

Well I have done my research, and during their breeding time, from August to October, I will be avoiding any magpie zones. It’s just too scary, really. I guess they are also an issue for cyclists. One recommendation is to affix eye stickers on the back of your helmet since the magpies tend to not attack when being watched. It’s that, or wear your glasses on the back of your head. I kid you not, that is the official recommendation.

For more information on swooping birds click here.

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that people in Australia are pretty fit. I know there is officially an obesity problem here, but you’d never know it in Sydney. You do not go a day without seeing adults and kids running, cycling or swimming. One day, soon after we had first arrived, I was at the gym in some boot camp type class when the instructor asked us to separate into slow, medium or fast runners. I went to the medium group where I just about died. Not only was my heart racing one minute into the class, but I was almost run over numerous times. I was actually becoming disoriented because it was so difficult to think while my body was working so hard. I quickly realized that a medium paced runner here was not the same as back home.

When you see the amount of time dedicated to sport at the schools here, it is no wonder that these kids are such great athletes. They have school competitions and ‘zone’ meets. Even the year 1 classes have gym once a week, but they go over to the oval 4 times a week to run. This along with us walking all the time has really been great for Lana. For a kid who had a really difficult time walking a few blocks when we first arrived, it’s really nice to see her skipping and runnning all the way to school now.

Yesterday her school hosted a school Sports Carnival. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that the parents were invited to come down to watch from 9a-12a and that we could sit with our children for morning tea (snack). Nuno was at school so I packed some bagels to eat with my friends while we cheered on our house color. Just like in Harry Potter the school gets divided into houses. Lana is in Monterey, which is yellow, this explains why she is wearing her Mighty Ducks t-shirt (thanks Auntie Zira). I too wore yellow. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that it was a ‘just for fun’ day. No competition, no adding up points.

It was such a super day. The kids were having a blast. My husband normally rolls his eyes when I cheer for people I don’t know, but man I tell you the kids were soaking up all the attention. A child may have been coming in last in a race, but with the moms and dad’s cheering them on, it seemed like they were coming in first with the smiles that appeared on their faces. Just gorgeous. This is my favorite picture of my Might Duck…Quack Attack!!!

…one of my proudest moments.

ps. Jessica, this was so not so much a choice as it was a necessity. They do not have bagels here!

Okay, so one of my FAVORITE things about living in Sydney is Fridays. The reason is that right after school lets out, we head down to the beach for what inevitably always turns out to be a great time. You see, unlike in the States, it is completely appropriate to sit around and sip wine while your kids run around on the beach. It’s just the perfect way to end the week. The kids have a play after a hard week at school. And the moms chill out after a long week of….I don’t know shopping.

Since it has started to warm up a bit we returned to our beach routine today. It was going to be great. Five moms and 10 kids with chips, wine, fresh fruit and even toast with vegemite. We set up our blankets and the party was started. Next thing you know, I am letting out a scream. A seagull had swooped by scraping at my hair as I ate a cracker. We all had a bit of a chuckle as I suggested that this seagull issue would be resolved if I just had a gun (Americans, that is illegal here!). But as quickly as we laughed, one little girl got snipped at, they another got bit as she ate a chip. The girls were totally freaked out. It wasn’t exactly Alfred Hitchcok’s The Birds, but it wasn’t nice. They wouldn’t stop. they just kept coming back. It started to get out of control. Kids screaming from every direction. Here is my friend consoling her daughter & her little friend. They look calm, but I swear Fang was screaming right before the shot was taken.

Mario Andretti and Em came to the rescue while we covered all the food. They circled the group swatting at the seagulls. Here is a still shot of the two of them:

I am so sad to think that Fridays might just not be the same if the seagulls keep their shenanigans up. I blame you Alfred H.!!!

When I arrived in the States my plan was to post every few days to keep up with all the things we were doing and people we have seen, but it has just been too busy. There have been so many lovely moments, yet each time I was with someone it just felt like it wasn’t enough time. Saying good-bye always came too quickly. Normally after a couple weeks on holiday I am ready to go home…Well, I do miss my husband heaps, but I am not yet ready. The next two days are going to be a race to hug & kiss everyone one more time. I am so fortunate to have so many wonderful people in my life…too bad they won’t fit in the NINE suitcases I am bringing back.

Since arriving in the States it has been all go. We had barely walked in the door and Lana already had company which immediately led into a sleepover. CRAZY!!! We have just barely been here a week and I am exhausted from all the partying, as are the kids. But we are not ready to slow down yet. We are taking in every second of family and friends that we can. We have had heaps of time with catching up with people, but yet somehow it never feels like enough…so we’ll squeeze in every second we can. To see some of our pictures click here. There will be many more pictures to come as we still have loads of people to see.