Expataversary

It has arrived, our one year (+ 1 week and 2 day) anniversary of living in Australia! For me, it's an expat-anniversary, something to be celebrated. I arrived in Australia in fashion: a wheelchair through customs after an all-expenses-paid business class flight (thank you again Columbus Travel Insurance). Though I don't recommend trying to use the bathroom on an airplane with crutches, a LOT harder than it looks. 

So now I give you these special moments from the past year:

Best: Walking without crutches after only 3 weeks of physio. 

More challenging: Trying to paint the ceiling of our flat with a wet roller, and more broadly, trying to paint the whole flat in 2 days. 

Favourite country visited: Between a road trip to the Rocky Mountains/Grand Canyon/Santa Fe, Eastern Europe by train, West Africa by overland, and South East Asia by bus? It was a tie. Croatia and Saravejo. (MacBoyfriend said Romania, just FYI.)

Most rewarding: Running on the treadmill.

Perhaps there's a bit of a theme developing here...it's a bit obvious to say, but I am thankful for all that I am physically able to do. I know there are more categories, but don't really think the answers would stray too much from this theme. If there's any other categories you would like to propose, please feel free. Otherwise, stay tuned for some favourite pictures to go with the theme. 

Mountains

I know there were big promises about an epic post, and there are plans to follow through, may just be a day longer.

For now, can I say, I am thankful for other people making me breakfast all weekend. And lunch. And dinner. We went to the Blue Mountains and may be converts of the country way of life.

And now I drink tea and watch Homeland. It's less violent, but who knows what will happen in the 'movie length' episode. Two hours of anything is a big call...we'll see how it goes...

Coming soon....

Watch this space for an epic post. Expect it sometime this weekend. Wait with anticipation....

That is all.

Southern Fried Chicken

Last week we were haning out with our neighbours (a Kiwi, Hong Kong-ian, and two of their friends), and they threw out the idea of having a revolving dinner. Since we have France, Sri Lanka, America, Hong Kong, Brazil, Tongan/Samoan represented in the complex, seemed a good idea.

Side Bar: This had been discussed previously when Kiwi had asked me around Thanksgiving last year if I would do a proper American Thanksgiving the following year. I couldn't resist that request.

Now, the Hong Kong-ian thought for the revolving dinner I should make Southern Fried Chicken. She seemed to think I could do this. When asked how she got this idea, she replied, 'something about your accent and Man vs Food.' So, apparently those of us from Chicago, because we're American, can make Southern Fried Chicken. MacBoyfriend is more than happy for me to practice on him. And it was really funny, so how can I resist!

In an effort to practice my southern cooking, we endeavoured to make ribs (with homemade BBQ sauce), baked beans and sweet tater mash. It was a total labour of love. When we were in the States in July 2010 my mom and I made BBQ sauce from scratch, and if memory serves it nearly killed us! But it was delicious. Same story this time around. So here it is, in all it's glory (I really must stop taking pictures on the iPhone, sorry for the blur, and you may have to twist a little as I can't get the ribs to rotate, but you get the point....)