The Plunge Down Under

A Quiz with a Prize

I have been turning several phrases around in my head today, wondering exactly why I continue to find language differences so fascinating in Australia.  I suspect it is because we are speaking the same language, and yet, often we aren't.  Occasionally, of course, there is the completely new word, such as capsicum for bell pepper, but for the most part, the words and phrases we hear that cause us to pause and think, and to sometimes smile and other times shake our heads, are ones that already have a place in our vocabulary.  The difference is in how they are being used.

Now that I have been writing for over a year and a half about word differences down under, I am curious as to how many of the phrases below my (North American) readers will be able to understand.  I do realize that I published a language post in the very recent past.  It seems that from the moment I do so, I begin hearing phrases and words that I wish I had included.  It is probably more than coincidence:  Likely language is at the forefront of my brain and so I notice it more, but at any rate, from the date of my last language post, I started scribbling notes for a follow-up one.  I thought it would be fun to ask my readers to guess at the meanings.  I will choose randomly from any brave enough to have a go at responding and send out a prize.  Incidentally, these are all phrases I have heard within the past couple of weeks.

1.  Did you hear the goss about Julia?  (over dinner)

2.  Is he a journo or a polly?  (on the school playground)

3.  Give the icy poles to her lot instead of mine.  (at church)

4.  I was absolutely rapt when I found that out.  (also at church)

5.  The coffee at that cafe is ordinary.  (from Ross)

6.  We have aths heats on Wednesday.  (from Katie, who was rather put out when we asked to her to repeat herself).

7.  I need some new textas (pronounced texters of course) for school. (Cameron)

8.  I ate all of my rockmelon today at fruit time. (James, reporting on the condition of his lunch box).

Go ahead and guess at the meanings of any or all in the comments section.  I'll be back with answers very soon.

 

 

A Cricketer at Heart

It was under the shade of several large gum trees yesterday evening, where we were seeking some relief from the day's high of thirty-seven degrees Celsius (98F), that we learned that Cameron's last cricket game of the season was canceled due to the heat.  Judging from the expressions on all of the faces, including those of the coach, the parents, and the players, the relief was universal.  About the best thing that can be said with respect to Cameron's cricket team this season is that they have been blessed with plenty of character-building opportunities.  Four weeks ago, for example, when the boys realized the opposing team had merely doubled their score rather than tripled or quadrupled it, there was cheering and celebration.

We had driven to the field last night prepared not only with several ice-filled water bottles, but also with the resigned determination to make the best of a difficult situation.  Cameron's team would have been in the field the entire evening had they played, as this was the second day of a two day test match.  The previous week his team had been at bat for the duration of the excruciatingly long four-hour period, and in spite of Cameron's high hopes that this last time he would finally bat well and score many runs, he lobbed one high into the air after scoring only two.  It was caught, of course, and that was it for him.  In cricket, when you are out, you are out for the remainder of the game, and that can be a very cruel thing.  There are no second chances, let alone a third or a fourth.

And so, rather than watching cricket last night, or at least pretending to watch and understand, I stood chatting with Cameron's coach and a few parents while keeping an eye on James who was rolling around in the dirt complaining about the heat.  The coach had a laugh over this classic Australian scene, and offered to take my picture if I would just climb up into one of the nearby gum trees and hug a branch.  As I was wearing a short white skirt, I declined his offer, although it might have been a good one for the blog.  The talk turned to baseball, and then to the dreaded arena of politics.  I was questioned as to the need for the lengthy lead up to the U.S.  presidential election every four years, and I countered with asking them to explain the soap opera that is currently taking place amongst Australia's politicians.

In the meantime, the boys took advantage of their unexpected freedom to race through the park playing tiggy (tag), in the process becoming much hotter no doubt than had they been playing the rather sedentary game of cricket they had been meant to play.  Eventually there were a few speeches (Aussies love to make and listen to speeches):  from the coach to the players, from a parent to the coach, and from one of the boys to the team manager.  Gifts were distributed, the tea consumed, and it was time to go home.

It is more fun to write about a winning season than a losing one, which perhaps explains why I haven't blogged much about Cameron playing cricket this season.  It has been a big part of his life for the past few months, however, and he has enjoyed watching it on the telly, and playing it in the backyard with his good friend and mentor Gus, in addition to training and playing with his team.  He throws around phrases that I can't begin to understand ("He was out for a golden duck," for example), and has absolutely loved to corner each new set of guests to our house and attempt to explain the game to them.  Inevitably they grow increasingly confused, until Ross or I come to their rescue and change the subject.

I do have some pictures of Cameron playing cricket a few weeks ago when Amy was visiting.  On that particular night his team had shown up for the second day of a two day test match already having lost the game.  The only thing that could possibly happen was the additional scoring of runs for the opposing team, a bit like having to play the second half of the ninth inning when you have already lost, except that the inning lasts for hours.  The pictures are happy ones, however, because the other team eventually declared the game to be over and gave the losing side another go at batting.  It didn't really count for anything, but it was fun practice, and Cameron managed to hit a couple of balls pretty well.  You can see the coach smiling at him in one of the pictures, and I love how excited he was for Cameron. 

Somehow I managed to capture his two best hits.  You can see the ball if you look carefully in the next two photos.

Thanks, Amy, for the last photo!

 

Street Art or Graffiti?

We know, in the Wilkin family, where we stand on this issue, and it is firmly with the latter designation.  Our children, in fact, found Melbourne's graffiti rather distressing when we moved here, and they still don't like it.  They noticed and rejoiced its absence when we visited Singapore in November of 2011.  However, it is such an inescapable part of living in Melbourne that I decided I should devote at least one post to it, and we all agree we would not trade the freedoms of Australia for the rather rigid and punitive laws of Singapore, graffiti notwithstanding.

When Gillian and I did a laneways and arcade tour last December, our energetic guide did his best to convince us of the merits of Melbourne's street art.  Occasionally, rarely it seems, it is legal.  This requires permission from the owner of the structure being defaced as well as a permit from the city.  I believe it is also necessary to gain the respect of fellow artists.

(I borrowed a couple of pictures from Amy Smith's camera card for this post. Thanks, Amy! You can read her posts on her visit to Australia here).

 

Sightseeing with the McLaggans and the Wilkins

When my good friend Amy visited us just a few weeks ago, I was pretty sure that no one could match her enthusiasm and delight for everything Australian.  It turns out I was wrong, however, as we have discovered during the past nine days.  For Ross's Aunt Marion and Uncle Barry, everywhere they go, everything they see, in short, every experience they have had since they departed from their hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick has been even better than the one before.  Their joy and interest have been a pleasure to behold.  

Shortly after their arrival last Friday evening, in spite of having traveled for more than forty hours, our guests drove with us to witness part of Cameron's cricket game.

Saturday morning Ross drove a carload to the Queen Vic Market.

For Sunday lunch, Ross's dad treated us to a wonderful meal at Giorgios, followed by an excursion to the ever-popular Cape Schanck.

On Monday we managed to squeeze in a visit to Healesville Sanctuary in between morning drop off and afternoon pick up.  The bird show was the hands down favorite event of the day, although the koalas and dingoes were also a big hit.

We could see a four-month-old joey moving around inside her mum's pouch.

More than anything at the bird show, I love the passion and pride displayed by the bird handlers.

Shopping on Tuesday, with an al fresco lunch and a new outfit for Aunt Marion.

Since James had Wednesday off from school, we chose that day for the required trip on Puffing Billy.

It was not clear whether it was the child or the grown ups who enjoyed most the experience of riding with legs hanging over the side of the open carriages.

After the Puffing Billy, we enjoyed afternoon tea at Sky High Mt Dandenong with its views of the city and the surrounding countryside.  

Thursday was spent researching boomerangs and didgeridoos (more on that to come), bringing us to Friday at the Prahan Market.  It is now Sunday, and our travelers have returned from the Great Ocean Road full of praise and wonder at all they have seen.  "Impossible to pick a favorite," is how Aunt Marion described it, and it was great fun to look over all of the pictures with her before turning in this evening.









 

Today at the Prahran Market

Our third round of visitors for this summer season have been here in Australia for one week, and a very full and successful week it has been for them.  It has been so full, in fact, that my camera has been largely neglected, and any time that I have spent on the computer, in between playing tour guide, running four children everywhere they need to be in this new school year, and making sure that our household stays fed, clothed, and happy, has been devoted to my new role as secretary of the Senior School Parent Association at Presbyterian Ladies College.  So far I have managed to make mistakes too numerous to count in this role, and I have realized exactly why I ran unopposed for the office.  Today, however, I am determined to put aside the secretarial hat, and post at the very least a few pictures of our morning excursion. Hopefully there will be several more posts in the days to come, although a quick look at the next few days on the calendar leaves only the tiniest glimmer of hope.

Since one carload will be departing this afternoon for Apollo Bay (our Australian friends love to tease us about our many trips on the Great Ocean Road), we decided to stay fairly close to home today.  After a brief stop at a specialized mailing center to package up a didgeridoo (more on that later), we drove to busy Chapel Street, location of the popular Prahran Market.  While this market is not particularly cheap, its produce is excellent, and the sights and aromas provide a feast for the senses.  Aunt Marion and I had some fun with our cameras, and I am including several of her photos in addition to mine.

The first reports are in from those traveling the Great Ocean Road, and so far, much to Uncle Barry's delight, dozens of kangaroos were found as promised on the Anglesea Golf Course, and then a koala obligingly climbed out of its tree and crossed the road just in front of the Wilkin car as it approached Lorne.  All are in good spirits, therefore, as I tend to the fires on the homefront (fires in this case largely taking place in the engine of the remaining vehicle).

Anticipation

The beds have been made, the shelves stocked, the house cleaned, and the refrigerator filled to capacity.  Yes, we are welcoming another round of visitors this afternoon, Ross's parents and his Aunt Marion and Uncle Barry from Fredericton, New Brunswick.  We are thrilled they have agreed to travel the distance required, and I can only hope that their recovery after the arduous journey will be a relatively quick one.  It was sobering to receive a text from them when we woke up yesterday morning (Thursday) at 6am saying they had made it safely to Toronto, as we realized it would be at least another 34 hours before they would arrive at our house.

I am frequently asked whether I work, and have found myself more than once apologizing for not participating in paid employment outside the home.  While relaxing under the hair dryer at the salon today, however, I decided that I can now respond that yes, I do maintain a busy work schedule running a bed and breakfast that not only serves guests all meals, but also offers a personalized tour guide service including transportation throughout the state of Victoria with guaranteed wildlife experiences. Henceforth there will be no more apologizing from me.

Adjusting to the back to school routine (all kids doing well thankfully) has meant my camera has stayed inside of its case for several days running.  I do have one photo to share that has provided us some amusement.  I hope you enjoy it, and if you come to visit us in Australi-er, we will make sure you have the marvelous opportunity to sample vegemite (I wrote about it here).  Incidentally, most Australians we have met are genuinely shocked that we can't seem to develop a taste for it.  They love it that much.