Labour Day at the Coupers

Today we celebrated Labour Day, to remember those who stood up for the 8 hour work day way back in 1856. So I left the laptop at work and hit the road to catch up with Sam and her new baby girl Isabella. For those of you who remember, Sam and I travelled for 3 weeks last September on a whirlwind, round-the-world trip for work, while she was 4.5 months pregnant.


Now for those of you who know Dr Dopey, you'll know she's not too good with babies but fortunately for me (and Isabella) we were not put in a situation where this needed to be tested. Instead I was saved by their 3 yr old son Hamish who had received a new train set for his 3rd birthday and I was more than happy to help out.

(Hamish got into trouble for poking his tongue out.....and I'm probably going to be in trouble for putting it on the blog)

Green Thumb Update

So after getting an earful from my father-in-law, Wally, about not having any flowering plants (apparently the lime tree doesn't count) my last visit to the nursery resulted in a few new purchases, all of which have the potential to flower. These include:

• Frangipani plant, which came with a beautiful picture of the flowers, but not flowered yet

• Jasmine creeper that I'm training up to the bracken screen we have on the balcony (see it on the left, behind the frangipani? No flowers though)
• Camilla that I'm training along a lattice and actually does have buds!
  

I also bought a frangipani for my desk at work, it was doing great while I was away, the guys watered it as promised but when I returned it gradually went down hill so now all that's left is the stem...I have faith it will come back though

Wack Wack's Back

Wacko Jacko was back in town this week and we celebrated by taking this Indian girl whose been stationed in the UK (best Indian food outside of India) for the past year to an Indian restaurant. Simon came prepared wearing his curry shirt - "The shirt you can drop anything on and no one will ever know".

We're sad to see her go...

We Like First Class

After a quick visit to Newcastle I headed off home. I really wasn't looking forward to the long trip home - three flights and about 30 hrs of travel. I was flying Cathay Pacific for the first time and was upgraded to first class for the London-Hong Kong leg - yes I was a very happy girl. Its the first time I've been in first class and I'm hoping it won't be the last. I was escorted to my private booth, given my first class toiletry bag and asian style sleeper suit, which I couldn't wait to change into. The flight attendants were a little off putting as they perferred to communicate with their hands and raising their eyebrows rather than speaking.

Me in my sleeper suit (above) and the view from my seat (below) - a large tv which swivelled out and an extra seat, including seat belt for when those uninvited guests show up

Soon after take off its was time for dinner and I asked for a glass of red (Australian of course), the flight attendent answered with a slight nod of the head and a smile and returned with an empty glass and a cork placed in a porcelin dish. This seemed to be a little odd to me, but she did return with the bottle, presented it to me, poured a small amount in the glass, which I sampled and then she added more after a slight nod of the head from me and a smile (I thought it best to copy her lead on the whole not speaking thing).

The other thing about first class is the toilets are about twice the size of the Economy/Business class toilets and have windows which I was very excited about (yes there is a photo below)

Overall I can throughly recommend first class, although the flat beds due result in a fair bit of snoring (not me!) that can be very annoying, just roll over, fluff up your pillow and pull the doona over your head.

The Year of the Rat

This year is my year, according to the Chinese. According to Wikipedia, The Rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity (hmm not too sure about the maternal bit) and is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities - so a bit of everything. Sounds just like my Western horoscope.

Traditionally, Rats should avoid Horses, but they can usually find their best friends and love interests in Monkeys, Dragons and Oxen. Fortunately, Warwick is a Monkey

Professions include espionage, psychiatry, psychology, writing, politics. law, engineering, accounting, detective work, acting, and pathology. Doesn't mention scientist but there's engineering and pathology, interesting......did they have Pathologists in ancient China?

The streets of Philadelphia

So my first visit to Philly and I all I saw was the airport, hotel and the view from the taxi between both so I didn't bother taking any photo's not even of food (above photo courtesy of Google Images). So to sum up my Philly experience:

• Looks like a big city with lots of sports stadiums
• The Sheraton is a crappy hotel with no heating in the middle of winter
• The one morning I wake up early enough to go to the gym, the only piece of equipment free was an "Out of order" treadmill (the conference held there was for pathologists and radiologists - who would have thought, some of them actually do practice what they preach)
• One of the airport business lounge staff sneezed and exclaimed "Oh, airborne!"
• The airport is dead and the duty free shop is small, only offering booze and smokes. There are a couple of overpriced chocolate boxes and I could really do with some real choc, but whose going to pay $40?
• There are lots of Dunkin Donuts places in Boston but I was good and didn't have any, not even a hot choc (there's hot choc here in the lounge, maybe I'll have some and some Oreo's - that might hit the choc craving)
• A guy sat opposite me in the business lounge and asked me to look after his stuff before walking out of the lounge. Now should I be suspicious or not, I'm thinking I was the stupid person who agreed to look after the bomb while the terrorist walks to a safe distance before triggering it.

Do I always sound negative, maybe I should work on that. At least I can sit in the lounge and have a bite to eat and a drink, so maybe I shouldn't complain. Maybe its the fact that I'm writing this while waiting 6 hrs for my flight to London which was delayed, not sure why, I dont think its the weather, it was almost balmy here today, with a top in the mid teen's, the warmest Feb day since 1886 - even I felt warm, which is saying something.

PS:- my new suitcase has been fantastic - I haven't lost my luggage once yet (touch (fake) wood)

PPS:- The hot choc wasn't worth it, I had a sip and then went back for a green tea - but what do you do with a left over cup of hot choc? The Oreos were pretty good though

Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day, if only I'd known before and I could have made a trip to Gobbler's Nob in Punxsutawney, PA. Instead, I watched it on tv in LAX airport while waiting for my flight to Boston. Apparently Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means there will be six more weeks of winter. But the Canadians don't agree - they've started their own with Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Ontario's Wiarton Willie - both didn't see their shadows so its going to be an early spring for them. Well its not too bad in Boston, max of 5 oC no snow and none forecast so far, fingers crossed it will stay that way

Punxsutawney Phil answering the press