Showbags and show-offs

We have been having a busy 'fall break' week! Weather cooled down today, in fact snow forecast for the Snowy Mountains south of us, but still in the upper 60s and headed back into the 70s in the next few days. Yesterday we went to the 'Easter Show' which is like the MN State Fair - lots of cattle, pigs, sheep, vendors (though no deep-fried candy bars and not much 'on a stick' aside from the Dagwood Dogs - which are corn dogs), interesting-looking people, etc. The main difference is the 'show bags' - this is a whole hall full of vendors with bags of stuff that you buy - for example, Kate picked up a 'Monster High' bag with pretend locker, nail polish, stickers, etc. for $20, we bought a 'Moove' flavored milk bag (a chocolate milk, strawberry milk, cold pack, two beach towels, packed in a cooler tote bag for $17 - in our defense, we haven't see beach towels for under $20 each and need some). So not exactly 'State Fair Groupon' but still...

And speaking of Groupon, today we used one to do the Sydney Harbor Jet Boats which was really fun - they do 360s and jet about the harbor, irritating ferry captains I'm sure. But a good ride. We stayed pretty dry - see the pictures of kate in her poncho. Also see the pictures of Kate with her 'school's out' breakfast of coffee and nicotine (actually hot chocolate and a cigarette she found on the ground which hadn't been smoked). The girls started surf camp today in pretty choppy conditions, camp continues through Friday so we'll try for pictures later in the week. Tonight we went up the Westfield tower for dinner at sunset which was fantastic - looking at the ocean and all the harbors and rivers and off to the outskirts of Sydney.

Our neighbors Laura and Adam have been having Tess baby-sit Ila after she goes to bed in the evening so that they can go have dinner - despite our best efforts they are paying her $15 per hour - though we're buying Ila gifts on the side to make up for the overpayment. They are wonderful neighbors and we trade backed goods frequently. They brought over another ration of Easter candy to the girls yesterday - bringing us to the point that we shopped in the Lindt chocolate store today in Darling Harbor where it was 50% off everything Easter-related and we bought NOTHING. A cruel and tortured existence we are leading...

cheers,
john