Denver Update #2 (lonnnngg!!)

• Yes, it's late, but BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.....!!!
  
  I was actually wondering where I'd find the time this week to come back to BLOG-LAND (or should that be BOG-LAND...funny girl M!!) but Rainer has put himself to bed tonight so I have time up the sleeve of my sleeve-less summer top!!
  
  MONDAY (3 November)
  Another cafe near the Denver Office was callled The French Press. Again, Americans are clueless when it comes to PORTION CONTROL - a "small" coffee and a yummy breakfast sandwich....
  

ELECTION DAY TUESDAY (4 November)
All over Denver we saw people with their "I VOTED" stickers, because you can vote early and I can tell you, they needed to. The voting "form" was about 4 pages long. If you thought Australian ballot papers were a pain, you HAVE to see one of theirs. They vote on the President, Senator, Ammendments to the Constitution, Court Judges, School District Supervisors, and the list goes on...............

I will NEVER complain about my ballot paper again!!!

The strangest restrictions on who can and can't vote exist here. The most confusing one is that you can't vote if you've ever spent time in prison....NEVER, EVER!!! Fancy having done your time, you get out and then realise you haven't a say for the REST OF YOUR LIFE on how your country is managed?????

"Liberty and Justice for All"????????? me-thinks NOT.

At least in Australia, we let them have THAT right, once they're out of prison.

One cab driver was very amused when he learned that it's compulsory to vote in Australia, and if you don't, you get fined, and if you don't pay your fine, you go to jail....but we let you back out again, so you can vote next time LOL!!!

I love AUSTRALIA!

Don't you????

AUTUMN COLOURS



At home, I have one tree in my street that "turns" each autumn. In Denver, they're EVERYWHERE!!! I enjoyed kicking through the leaves, but not too much. I was mostly on my own, and that may have looked a little kooky - haha!!

Met the other Denver Wives for lunch - Lindsay (originally from South Africa) and Anna (originally from Indonesia). We went to MiMi's - great food and great conversation. Three migrant women (okay, well I was visiting) talking of the successes and failures of relocating to another country for your husband's career. A real eye-opener!

The weather has been quite mild, but now I feel the chill.

BARAK OBAMA WINS and I stay up late waiting for the verdict. Watching THE DAILY SHOW and the COLBERT REPORT have been very comforting. I suspect THE CHASER boys took a lot from these clever men for their shows.

John McCain's speech was memorable (must get transcript) and he seems like a really decent man. He will have to be good to his wife now, she bank-rolled much of his campaign!!!

The the Obama speech (must get transcript). I can see how excited Americans must be having such a charismatic, articulate, intelligent leader after many decades in the wilderness. Lots of crying in the audience, only recongnised Jesse Jackson and Oprah (does this woman ever sleep???).

Fantastically moving and inspiring and aspirational!!!!

WEDNESDAY 5 November
Bumped into Anna at Kona and had a good chat. Organised to meet tomorrow (my last day) for brunch at Cafe Bisque.

Finally stopped for some pampering at Aura. They do facials differently. Was put off when I walked out with product still drying on my face!!! Ran up to the room and showered and then crashed until Michael's FRANTIC call. I hadn't turned my mobile on and Prava was wanting to take me out. Ooops.

Took the bus Downtown again and to Cali & Mo for some Anne Taintor goodies and a divine bracelet

but here is most of the "stash" from the 3 weeks of Michael's soujourn.

I think I did well????

Would love to return to Denver in a couple of years, and bring the boys this time. Lots of outdoor activities in Denver - it's that kind of town. Fit, happy people and probably the only state where the men look really good - LOL, sorry babe!!

Lovely spending evenings alone with my husband. Wish I had a playmate for the days, but that's minor compared to the TEN YEARS of missed sleep that I caught up on. On Monday, one of Rainer's teachers said I looked 5 years younger (we love Brigitte!!).

COMING HOME
We arrived in Brisbane early Saturday morning, taxi'd home and showered, unpacked some presents and drove to Nena's. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for the expressions on the boys' faces when they saw us. Absolutely priceless, made me cry (a little - didn't want to confuse them) and the most deeply emotional experience EVER.

THIS WEEK
Busy getting the boys off to school.
Baking
Freezing
Making yoghurt (the coconut milk yoghurt didn't turn out; have goat's milk yoghurt fermenting right now!)

ORGANISING OUR 40TH which is this Saturday.
Got a babysitter (thanks Nicola)
Got the cake (thanks to my friends, the Thorpe's LOOK HERE who also did our wedding cake and the boys' Baptism cakes)

It's been "sheet changing" weather in Brisbane but rain has settled in at night time to cool things off slightly (phew).
Looking for a costume tomorrow. Always leave ME till last!!

Next post will be 40th stuff. Can't wait for the costumes everyone comes in!!!!

Thanks for sticking around this long and leaving lovely messages while I've been trapsing around Denver xx

No idea when I'll get my desk clean enough again to scrap.......

brighter and buoyant