1. Received an Australia coffee book from Tim! It's a photography book by Peter Lik.
I actually already had the book, but I'm fine with having two. I'm happy with any Australia-related gift, even if it means getting doubles of something. I think I might take one of them to the lake house. If my parents don't mind, maybe I can keep it on the coffee table there. They might mind, because that coffee table is already quite crowded.
Last night I looked at the book to see if any place called to me. The first photo that did, ended up being from Cradle Mountain. It wasn't the typical picture that's usually shown from Cradle Mountain—the one with that mysterious little cabin thingy. Or is it a boat dock? I'm not sure. But anyway, I didn't know it was Cradle Mountain until I looked at the caption. I thought it was funny, though, because Cradle Mountain is one of the places I'm often attracted to.
There was another photo I liked a lot, but now, unfortunately, I can't remember where it was from.
2. Dreamed that Tom Hanks was Australian. And I think maybe he was a writer instead of an actor. He tells me about a paper he's written, and that he has to drive eight hours. I'm about to say "Well, at least you'll be in Australia", but I feel that might not sound good. So instead I say "Well, at least you'll be a in a beautiful country". Tom Hanks says something similar at the same time.
But we didn't say, one, two, three, jinx....
This morning I was thinking it's not random that I dreamed about Tom Hanks, because I played a short question game with Jack yesterday, and Tom Hanks was in one of my questions. But then I realized the fact that I asked Jack about Tom Hanks is random in itself. I started the game with him. I asked, Who do you like better Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise? I don't know why I asked that, or why I had Tom Hanks in my mind.
Well, then again...last week my nephews watched Toy Story in the car. So maybe that was it? And Jack and I talked about Pixar movies this week.
I guess it's not completely random.
3. Started watching an episode of The Saddle Club. It's the second part of a three parter.
4. Enjoyed reading the Are You There Yet's blogpost about what they learned on their caravan trip. I think it has some good pointers for families with young children. For example, they suggest requesting camping space near the playground and away from main roads.
I think they might be anti-screen people, because they're not in favor of letting kids watch videos while driving. I disagree, because I'm not an anti-screen person. Unlike them, I don't think videos are bubblegum for the brain.
If you have children who will quietly play games together or look out the window and enjoy the scenery, wonderful! But if you have children who are going to spend the whole time fighting with each other and whining, I say put un the video!
I would find it unfortunate, though, if the kids watched videos the whole time. Looking out the window, daydreaming, fun conversations, and car games are a wonderful aspect of traveling. It's good if there's a balance of everything.
5. Decided to look through my new/old Australia coffee table book and see what places call out to me.
I'll make a list.
6. Made a list. Then I thought the list was too long, so I summarized it. But the summary was confusing, so I tried to edit it. But then I ended up deleting the list.
It's all messed up.
I'm just going to mark the places I remember on my little list of Australia places I want to go.
7. Wanted to share what's on my list so far, but it's confusing.
But maybe writing it down and trying to explain it will help ME get my head straight. The thing is, for now I have some places twice. For example, I have general Tasmania, but then Cradle Mountain three times. I'm thinking when I add up thing in the end, I will combine Tasmania and Cradle Mountain into one score, but then I'll know that Cradle Mountain is one of the places I want to go to when we're in Tasmania.
So...here's what has at least one point on the list so far: Adelaide, The Great Barrier Reef, The Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Tamworth, Broome, Cradle Mountain, North-West Queensland, The Pinnacles in Western Australia, Broken Hill, Silverton, Kangaroo Island, Simpson Desert, Western Victoria, and Tasmania.
The places that have more than one point are: Cradle Mountain, The Great Barrier Reef, The Sunshine Coast, and North-West Queensland.
If I divide places by main city airports, the numbers would be: Sydney (1), Melbourne (1), Brisbane (2) Cairns (5), Hobart (4), Adelaide (5), Perth (1), and Broome/Darwin) Broome (1)
So far...Cairns, Hobart, and Adelaide are winning.
I doubt we'll have the money to fly to all three. We've never done more than one return flight when in Australia. The first year we did none. The second year we flew to Launceston, and the third year we flew to Melbourne.
How would our world change if we knew for sure there was life after death, and it was easy for our dearly-departed to talk to us via the Internet?
The Dead are Online a novel by Dina Roberts
8. Glad that Veronica (Heli Simpson) spoke up for herself on The Saddle Club. Carole (Keenan MacWilliam) and Stevie (Sophie Bennet) try to trick her into asking her wealthy father to save Pine Hollows. Veronica tells them she knows what they're trying to do. Then when they plead with her to save Pine Hollows, because Pine Hollows is so wonderful; Veronica lets them know, because of their little clique, Pine Hollows wasn't so great for her.
Yes, Veronica is a spoiled brat. Yes, she's caused grief for The Saddle Club girls. But I think Stevie, Carole, and Lisa (Lara Jean Marshall) could work a bit harder to be nice to her. They don't need to go as far as turning the other cheek. But they could TRY to be more inclusive and less cliquish towards her.
If you treat your antagonist as bad as they treat you...or almost as bad; then are you really the protagonist of the story?
9. Started watching an episode of Neighbours. Usually, I watch on my laptop, but now I'm watching downstairs on the TV so I can cuddle with our cat.
We usually have bonding time at night while I watch Coronation Street. But there won't be a chance for that tonight, so we're having daytime Neighbours bonding instead.
10. Played around with Google Flights. If I'm looking at things right, there are two different trip plans that would cost about $500 per person. One is Sydney to Perth. The other is Brisbane to Cairns to Hobart and back to Brisbane. Neither of those are too awful.
We could also do Sydney instead of Brisbane.
I think it's going to be hard to go to Australia and not spend at least a day or two in Sydney.
11. Glad that there seems to be a somewhat possible way to go to both Northern Queensland and Tasmania...in case I have an impossible time choosing between the two.
12. Decided that later maybe I'll see what a massive trip around Australia might cost.
It would be a big carbon footprint thing, so I probably wouldn't do it for real. Plus I imagine it would be quite costly.
13. Started watching another episode of Neighbours and sang along to the theme song.
14. Found out I won't be able to create and imaginary massive flight plan on Google Flights. There's a limit to how many flights you can add.
15. Created a big but not massive flight plan. I have us going to Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Hobart, and Perth. The price is $873 per person.
What's funny is I just put in the initial dates of the trip when I first created a NON-multi-trip plan. And then Google Flights spaced it all out for me.
Actually...I think they added time to the trip.
So...they have us spending a week and one day in Cairns, a week in Sydney, a week in Hobart, and...
Wait. Now I see. They just gave us a week for everything. And I guess...one extra day in Cairns.
16. Looked at a trip that goes from Brisbane to Adelaide to Perth to Sydney, and then back to Brisbane. The cost for that is $614.
17. Decided it was good to price out these multi-leg trips, because then the more conservative trips are going to look so cheap in comparison.
18. Looked at trip going to Sydney, Perth, and Broome. That's expensive. It's $856 per person. For the same price we can go to five different cities.
19. Did a trip that would take us to Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, and Hobart. That's $468 per person.
20. Did a trip that would take us to Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, and Hobart. That's $346 per person.
21. Realized I have a mild attraction to Erin (Adrienne Pickering) on Neighbours.
I wonder if she's going to get together with Mark (Scott McGregor)
22. Wondered if Erin can be the one who has a lesbian relationship with Amber (Jenna Rosenow).
I really like the idea of Amber being a lesbian.
Maybe there can be a Coronation Street/Neighbours Crossover. Amber can have a love triangle with Sophie and Jenna. Though if I remember correctly, I ran into spoilers that indicated Jenna might no longer be in the picture. That's a shame, if it's true. I like her.
23. Loved the idea of a crossover between my two soap operas. Why not have someone from Weatherfield move to Erinsborough?
Or they can just visit.
24. Felt stress on behalf of Sonya (Eve Morey) She's helping Erin say bye bye to being a drug addict. Erin asks her for money, saying it's for a dress. Sonya gives her the money, but worries that it's for drugs.
I think it's so hard when you want to show trust in someone, but in reality you're suspicious of them.
And Erin was acting very dodgy. No, she doesn't. want Sonia to go shopping with her. She just wants the money for the dress. And when Sonia gives her some money, she complains it isn't enough.
Would someone borrowing money for a dress say something tacky like that?
No. I don't think so. Well, unless it was a teenager talking to their parent.
Would someone wanting to borrow money for drugs say something like that?
Yes. I imagine they would.
25. Liked Kyle's (Chris Milligan) red shoes.
I think red shoes are awesome. I have a pair. I should wear them more. But they go better with pants, and I usually wear skirts or dresses.
26. Thought Gary (Damien Richardson) asking his son Kyle if he'd respond to his letters from prison was very poignant.
I don't want Gary to leave. I like him.
27. Asked by my brother-in-law if I'm still obsessed with Australia. He thought maybe I wasn't.
And last weekend, my dad seemed surprised that I was blogging again.
I guess I've been quiet about those things?
Well, I don't need to talk about it really, since I talk about it here.
I talk to Tim and Jack about it sometimes.
28. Thought about how I don't often share my thoughts, feelings, and life happenings with my family. So I guess it makes sense that my family has to guess at things. And sometimes they're going to get it wrong.
Also, some of them have bad memories. So if I DO tell them something, it's likely they'll forget by next week.