Day 33...in which we eat way too much sugar

I dreamed about my new nephew Javier. I go to visit him and my sister Melissa in the hospital. When I get there, Melissa can't find Javier. I'm worried he's been kidnapped. But then she finds him. I'm wondering how she could tell that this baby was hers.

In the morning, I went to the Duffy supermarket to buy more toilet paper. I also wanted to buy snack bars for my sister. I wanted to have some kind of food to give her when I saw her. I think it's nice to bring meals for new parents. But since I don't cook....Well, usually Tim would be happy to cook something. The problem was he was going to be swamped with work when we got back.  Melissa had waxed poetic about these certain food bars she had eaten on her Qantas flight. The problem was I forgot the name of them. I thought she had said they were organic, but I couldn't find any organic things that sounded familiar. I decided to get her Carman bars. They're not organic, but the ingredients looked pretty wholesome.

The good thing is it ended up these are the bars my sister had loved! As my family says when we give good gifts..... I scored! Either that or my sister was faking it.
 
I read some more of Leviathan. There was some very interesting stuff about weather patterns--droughts, fires, etc.

Jack watched more videos on the computer.



This was our last day to use public transportation. I think I was a little sad about that.

There was also a subtle change in our mood regarding moving to Australia. For the previous few days, Tim seemed quite supportive of the idea. Then suddenly on this day, he seemed very resistant to it. I tried to figure out what had caused the change. I questioned Tim. It turns out he had seen something about home prices that scared him. I guess he had watched something on television. I don't think he learned anything new. I think he was just reminded of something he had let himself forget. But his change in attitude, towards the subject, sunk my mood a little bit.

Oh well. What can you do?

We took the train to Circular Quay. Our plan was to spend some time in the gardens and then walk to the Rocks. Later in the afternoon we were meeting another Internet friend... Magikquilter!

I had wanted to go deep into the park. I wanted to frolic with the birds, bats, and bugs. Instead, we went to where Tim wanted to go— the outskirts where we could have a good view of the bridge and Opera House. I whined about it later. Tim then said the rule is if you wait until after it happens to speak up and complain, it's your problem. Yeah. I think that's a fair rule. I was pretty over the whole bridge and Opera House scene by then. But how would Tim know that? Last year, I was crazy about all of it.

We had a nice picnic on the grass.



I think Tim and I ate leftovers. We bought Jack some sandwiches from the little cafe inside the gardens.

After we ate, we encountered that little cave thing. We climbed up and took photos.





We walked and saw the sights.



Every so often, we'd peer into the water to watch the jellyfish.



I kept hoping to see a shark.

No luck there.

We went to the Man-a-war steps. It's one of the places in Sydney that's special to me. We looked at fish and stuff.

Then we walked to the Rocks.

I had wanted to go to the street that was near the markets. Now I know it's called Argyle Street, but back then I didn't know that. I don't even know if I knew that's where I wanted to go. I think I was confused and mildly dissatisfied. I don't think I understood what I wanted.

We found a button store that Tim really liked.



He bought something for someone special in his life. I'm wondering if he has given it to her yet. I'm guessing not. It will probably sit in our house for ten years.

A part of me is thinking I shouldn't write this. What if she reads the blog, and I ruin the surprise? Well, you know what. We've been home for over a month now. He should have given it to her already. He's actually gone to visit her; there's no excuse about not having time to mail anything.

So, if I ruin the surprise....TOTALLY not my fault.

Anyway, maybe he did give it to her already.

If so....I'm applauding for him right now. GO TIM!!!!

We ate some ice-cream at....I'm ashamed to say it. But here you go. Royal Copenhagen. Why we ate there, I have no idea. Actually, it was just Jack who got something. He got a small ice-cream. Tim and I had a few tastes. I think we planned to save our sugar quota for elsewhere.





We went to the Rock's Discovery Museum. That's a really cool place, and the man who was working there was super friendly.

I finally realized where exactly I wanted to go and I told Tim that. He helped me find the place. I think all along I had wanted to return to the psychic store—Argyle Oracle. The place was calling to me.

A year or so ago, I started collecting gemstones. I got really into it, but then lost interest. Suddenly, I wanted to get something, though. I bought a small handful of gemstones at that store and one at another store.

The man working at the Argyle Oracle was so nice.

I really like that place.

I started to think I might want to do a psychic reading. I've only done it once—in New York City at a psychic fair. Oh, and I've also done it twice at the homeschooling fair. But I don't think the latter had any psychic ability. I think she was just good at interpreting Tarot cards.

I mentioned it to Jack and Tim. Jack became very enthusiastic about the idea. I think that might be because I joked that maybe they could tell us where our camera is.

I had mixed feelings, though. I didn't think they were scam artists. I thought at worst they might be like the person at the homeschooling fair.

I just didn't know if I wanted a reading. I feel shy about those things. I feel weird having someone know things about me that I didn't tell them. I feel weird having so much attention directed at me.

I also kind of worried that they'd be like the homeschooling fair person. I don't think they're doing anything unethical. I just feel these types of "psychics" simply like to give advice. They see what they want to see in the cards...what fits their world views. And then they push their opinion on you. It reminds me a lot of pediatricians who give out parenting advice. A lot of times they say things that has nothing to do with medical facts or what they've been taught in medical school. It's just their personal opinion. But, since they're doctors, we're supposed to take what they say as gospel.

Anyway, we decided that if I wanted to see a psychic, we'd have to wait and do it another time. We needed to get moving so we wouldn't be late for Magikquilter. Our plan had been to meet her at David Jones.

We took the train from Circular Quay to St. James Station.




Oh! I should mention this before I forgot. Jack was able to do a great imitation of the train announcer saying St. James. It was very cute.

When we got to David Jones, we waited at the place Magikquilter and I had decided on; the fruit/juice bar. Tim convinced Jack to get a smoothie instead of a juice. I think it was some strawberry thing. Maybe?

Magikquilter arrived. I was so happy to finally meet her! She was very sweet. We all sat down near the coffee shop. She ordered a dessert, and Tim ordered a dessert to share with Jack. I guess for some reason I had a taste for something savory. I got a variety of little things: falafel, samosas, and maybe something else. I forgot to ask them to heat it up, though, so I had to go all the way back to do that. Oops.

I guess I was feeling like a bit of a pig because then I decided to order my own dessert. I went up to get a pastry. Jack came with me and my brain must have been totally absent. I let him pick out something for himself as well. When we returned (or maybe before we had left) Magikquilter had said something about the large size of the dessert she ordered. Who eats that much sugar these days?
Uh yeah! You're looking at them.

Once I thought about all we had eaten within the last few hours, I was shocked.

We had a smoothie, Tim's cake, and two pastries. Plus, we had the ice-cream just before. That's five desserts for three people. That is so wrong. And I don't think the pastries had been cute little ones. They weren't huge, but they were definitely full servings.

We told Jack there'd be no more sugar (at least not the processed type) for the rest of the day. I think we actually stuck with that promise.

Tim decided to take Jack to Hyde Park, so Magikquilter and I could talk for awhile. Before he left, he took a photo of us.



We talked about a lot of different things including my stolen camera, and our experience with suspicious (maybe terrorist) activity.

Then we had to say good-bye. Magikquilter left me with a BEAUTIFUL bag she had made.



I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I had been kind of hoping she'd give me something. I promise I'm usually not that greedy and materialistic. I usually don't even like gifts that much. But see she makes all these awesome things and displays them on her blog. I couldn't help but think MAYBE she'll give me something. And my wish came true! Maybe I'm magic! Or maybe Magikquilter is just very generous.

Next on our agenda: Rose Bay Park. Tim had taken some spectacular award-winning photos on the ferry the last time we had gone there. But we lost those photos. He wanted to try again. I thought this would work out well, since my cousin lives near there. We could have an emotional cousin good-bye and Jack would have someone to play with. Well, guess what? One of my cousins had the nerve to get sick. Shame on you, Ollie! Because of you, Jack ended up having to play with some random little girl.

Seriously, though.....although we regretted not being able to do another get-together, I'm grateful to my cousin for sparing us the germs. I wouldn't want any of us to be sick before our upcoming long flights.

And the little girl Jack played with was very cute. No, no....not as cute and delightful as Benji and Ollie. But she was sweet, and it was fun watching Jack play with her.

After Jack had enough playtime, we got back on the ferry.

Tim took photos.

This is the only one I really like:




There was still talk of the psychic. Jack was really into this whole idea. The thing is he confuses psychics with fortune tellers. I kept trying to tell him it's really NOT like that. And I don't WANT to know my future.

When we got to the Argyle Oracle, the psychic was no longer there. Or maybe they were all booked for the evening. I forgot what the deal was.

On the way to psychic land, we had passed a little souvenir shop that had been playing the Mamma Mia soundtrack. I wanted to go back and hear more of the music. So, we did. They were then playing "Lay All Your Love on On Me".

I kept singing it as we walked back to the train station.

At Circular Quay, there was a musical group that was playing Native American music. That shocked me a bit. I'm not sure why. I wouldn't be surprised to hear music from other countries in Australia. But for some reason, it was weird seeing an American performance. Tim compared it to hearing a didgeridoo being played in NYC. I think he thought it would be cool. I said I wouldn't like that. It would make me too sad. It would make me miss Australia too much.

Once I heard someone playing steel drums in a subway station. It made me sad. You're supposed to hear that music while relaxing on a cruise ship....NOT while you're rushing to work. Although now I don't work in NYC. If I was there, I'd be on holiday, so maybe hearing Australian or Caribbean music wouldn't be too bad. I still think though that the Aussie music would make me feel sad.. I get delighted and excited every time I run into something Australian while in America. But I also always feel a little touch of melancholy.

What would our world be like if we

 knew for sure there 

was life after death, and 

we could easily talk to our 

dearly-departed on the Internet?

The Dead are Online a novel by Dina Roberts