Mercury is NOT in Retrograde on Earth, but maybe in Australia??

You would think that Mars was in Retrograde with the holiday we just had at Kangaroo Island....and the journey begins Thanksgiving morning at 5:45am when pack up our belongings and hop into Grace. Grace is our new previously owned white 1991 Mazda. We had her for four days before the breakdown. In order to get to KI, one must drive for approximately 2 hours and then catch the Sealink, a ferry, over to KI. The ferry is a 45 minute journey and then another 45 minute drive to our lodging.

The first hour of the trip was great. I had a hot coffee, radio cranked up to the GoGos singing "Vacation", a full tank of case and my husband snoozing off and on beside me. He awoke only long enough to remind me to stay on the left hand side of the road, which really only happened twice. Surely, you don't need assistance with staying on the left hand side of the road as all of the other drivers coming toward me were constantly reminding me.

We were driving through some of the most amazing hills. Every now and again you could get a glimpse of the most breath taking view of the sea. Really gorgeous scenery. We actually saw our first set of wild grey kangaroos in a pasture. All of the sudden, for no reason at all, I just glanced down at the temperature gauge. It was sitting on a big, fat, RED "H"....actually slightly past it. I kept driving as we were in the middle of nowhere. About four minutes later, we spotted a BP gas station and pulled in as the steam poured out of the side of the hood.

The engine cooled and Tony pulled off radiator cap and the system flushed itself completely out. Perfect. I went inside and bought two more gallon jugs of coolant and we began refilling the tanks. After about 15 minutes of staring, praying, and grumbling about the situation, we loaded back up and hit the road again. Less than 5 minutes away the car began heating up. We stopped, let it cool, and started driving again. This scenario went on for about 30 more mniutes or about 5 or 6 more stop and refills. We were in very hilly country at this point when Tony got a brilliant idea. He decided to drive the car to the top of a hill, put it in neutral, turn off the car and the coast down the hill. It worked perfectly. The car would start to over heat, but by this time we were already in neutral coasting downhill while the motor cooled. This crazy tactic went on for over 100 kilometers. I laughed so hard the entire way, I was almost choking. It was truly hysterically outrageous.

The last hill we climbed the steam was pouring out of the engine and I was certain the engine would blow at any moment. Sure enough, we made it to the top of the final, but huge hill and coasted all the way down right into the ferry boarding area. Unbelievable.

Grace got a 45 minute break as we crossed from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island (KI). We arrived and took off down the road to a mechanic who was expecting us. I thought the mechanic was a few minutes away. Turns out he was 45 minutes away. The car began to over heat almost immediately. Luckily we have RAA. It is America's equivalent to AAA. What a huge blessing. After waiting 45 minutes, over looking a gorgeous Cape, and being swarmed ravenously by flies, our tow truck arrived.

The tow truck driver took on look and said something awful. Something horribly dreadful. He said, "Head gasket". These are not the two words a new car owner on holiday ever wants to hear. He advised us to get back on ferry and get towed immediately back to Adelaide. We would have nothing of the kind. SO, he drove us to another mechanic who was nice enough to let us borrow one of his old jalopies to use while he was checking out our car. I only cried twice.

This whole auto drama went on for four days. Turns out we need to get it back to the dealer so they can fix it and we can go from there. We do have a warranty, but apparently it only covers the most ridiculously rare mechanical issues as detailed in two sentences in the warranty guide.

We left poor Grace at KI. Flew out Sunday at 2:50pm back to Adelaide. Turns out I need to fly back tomorrow, pick her up, get to the ferry, cross the river, call RAA, get her towed back to Adelaide, catch bus home, and wait for the dealer to call me with a time frame and cost for her to be driveable again. I am exhausted just thinking about it.

The upside you ask? I get to go back to KI. It is like no other big, little island that I have ever been too. Koalas are suppose to have become pests over there. This seems odd. The only ones I saw were in a wildlife park.

How Not to Get a Job in Australia

Can you already hear my frustration? To date, I have been turned down eight times for jobs I am well over qualified. Yesterday, I could not take the rejection anymore without really knowing what the issues were with me or my vitae. I actually responded to a rejection letter and this is the response I got from an exective recruiter:

"I think in the current environment you will find that the oversupply of local candidates and decline in positions available will mean that overseas candidates will not be considered. Even qualified candidates that have moved to Australia are finding it extremely difficult to find a role, even one well below what they were doing overseas.

Basically my clients have told me the only candidates they will consider is someone doing the exact same job they are seeking here locally. In this market, the employer is holding all the cards.

If you are 100% determined to come to Australia, you will need to move here first and then give the market a try assuming hopefully things pick up over the next 12 months."

Ok, well I do live here. I am kinda smart with a tad of epxerience, but the locals come first even if they might be well, "not as qualified". Is this discriminatory? I am sure stuff like this happens all the time in the states, we at least have the decency not to tell you this truth, while acting passively agressively and hiring the local. I mean, come on, we don't want to get in trouble with the EEOC or anything. Now enough of the rational approach. Here is my spiritual interpretation:

Maybe I am not suppose to be sitting in an office environment while I am here or maybe not at all in my life..ever. And that is okay by me. Never have been the type anyway. Oh, yes, I do like some serious autonomy with very little guidance from the outside world...sound like a writer? So, be it. If this is my destiny, I must detach from the other and re-discipline myself to writing as a full time job. I up for it.

PS Now that I have detached...I guarantee you the Universe will provide me with the most unbelievable office job opportunity just to screw with me. Bring it on! I love choices!

The Weather...Things to do in 105 degrees

Yesterday when I woke up it was 71F. The weather channel predicted 101F. I geared up, or should I say down and waited. The thing is you can't be in the sun for longer than 5 or 10 miutes before you feel as if you are being cooked from the inside out. Like in a microwave or a slow boiling pot...minus the water. The Australian Government came up with a alliterated health slogan to help you remember the dangers of the heat (like we needed a reminder!) : Slip Slop Slap..Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a Hat....quite charming, isn't it? Go anywhere, and the kids will be chanting it. Whom, by the way, all have to wear hats as part of their school uniform!

Anyway, by noon it had only reached 78F. I decide to run an errand. When I say "run" an errand, I do mean walk. I am definitely getting my exercise here if I just cut back on the dim sim or yum cha as they call it here (dim sum in the States). I slipped, slopped, and slapped (as if not wearing a shirt ws an option, I thougth about it!) Walking back from my errand I slowly begin to feel that inner boiling from the heat. I get back to the apt and find that it is only 84F. It is only 2pm.

I keep the weather channel temp on my tool bar of my laptop. I happened to glance down and guess what 87F. Less than 30 minutes later it was 97F. Whaaaat? In this heat, the only thing to do is nap. So, after a short nap of about an hour, I get up and guess what it is 81F. It is now 4pm. A slight drizzle begins. Tony and I set off to walk to dinner to meet his work companions that are all heading back to the States this weekend..you guessed it. The temp has now dropped to the low 70s. It is mind boggling!
Today, they are predicting 105F....yea, we shall see! I woke up and it was 64F. Regardless, I will continue slipping, slopping, and slapping! You don't have to tell me twice! I have to keep reminding myself, we are in and on the edge of a desert!
PS Since the start of writing this blog the temp has risen 8 degrees...just extraordinary!

A Walk to the Burnside Library

I picked up a book that said it is important to note and jot down your daily synchronicities, so today's blog will be about the tiny, but wonderful events that occurred in my day that just make me smile. Many events I think, placed strategically before me by the Universe for just that purpose. But the only way I can "smile" is if I stay aware and notice them:)
This morning I decided to hike it down to my local surburbia library as I am on an Amazon.com fast. The temperature was about 75F and breezy. There are huge purple flowered trees here called Jacarandas that line the streets and will just take your breath away. As summer approaches all the roses are wilting, but the flowering trees are happy happy happy. They make a lovely canopy over the sidewalks or footpaths as they call them down under. All of the sudden, a huge breeze rushes through the canopy of trees and I am covered, I mean covered, in white, purple, yellow, and light blue flowers from the trees. I felt like a princess as the trees "tossed" their lovely blossoms on me.

Further down the road, I walk to a busy intersection. A little black poodle runs out from behind a building and startled me. I was not too worried, because you NEVER see dogs running loose here. The dogs you do see are with their owners and are extremely well behaved unlike some other little angels I know (my Lolita and Bella perhaps?). Shorlty, behind the little dogs comes an older, but very spry gentleman who is smiling hugely. I said, "Oh, I am so glad to see you, I was worried about the little dog." He replied, "Georgina? She'll be right" Classic Aussie response. Then out of blue the man starts singing Georgia on Mind to the dog while she is running about. I said, "That is where I am from!" He just winked and smiled and him and little Georgina disappeared into a framing shop.