Big news- Chad finally bought a bicycle! (He's been looking off and on for a not-too-expensive one since we've arrived in Australia.) Of course, now that he's bought it, he's worrying himself sick1 over the possibility that someone might steal it. Even though it's locked to the bars on our front window with the cable and lock that he bought with it. And now it has a tarp over it so no one can see it. Just in case.
Also, we received word this week that our three-month-old niece Alexis successfully underwent her first surgery to correct her cleft palate. And next week, she gets baptized.2 We're a little sad that we don't get to see her much this year, but at least we got to meet her before we left.3
This weekend we finally made it to the outlying suburb of Flemington, home of the Sydney Markets, a huge wholesale produce market serving the businesses and restaurants of Sydney. On Saturdays, they have a swap market, and some of the produce stands were open to private individuals. The train ride was a little longer than we expected, and in the end we decided that the produce was only slightly cheaper than what we can get in the much closer Paddy's Market.4 But, it was good to check it out, anyway, and see a different part of town.
We didn't really go for the produce anyway. Chad wanted to go to the swap market under the theory that he might find a used (and hence, affordable) bicycle there. He didn't. But he did buy needlenose pliers. The place was a large open flea market-slash-garage sale, with abnormal percentages of cookware and do-it-yourself home renovation supplies. The big event of the day was when D made a completely unexpected but rather serious purchase for the unbelievable price of THIRTY dollars.5 (That is roughly US$24.00, which is important, considering what she purchased.) And, we found a shop outside the market that sold frozen dim sum, ready to be steamed at home for our very own dim sum feast. Yum!
Since last week, we've come up with a number of things to add to our "what we miss" list, but only two bear mentioning. One, Lawry's Seasoned Salt. And two, ground turkey, which we were able to find a few months ago but now seems to have disappeared from the supermarkets.
But, as promised, I've been compiling the counterpart list:
All right, good night, all. You should write to us, we're getting a little lonely over here!
;)
- D
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NOTES
1Just to reassure those of you who know that Chad has a propensity for contracting strange but actual sicknesses and injuries, this phrase is purely figurative.
2Sadly, we won't be able to attend. Someday, though, they'll invent cheap instant transporters, like on Star Trek.
3Just before we left... Alexis was born on 20 January 2005. Good thing she got here on time or we would have missed her!
4Unless we had the need and the space for entire boxes of fresh produce at a time, in which case the wholesale market in Flemington is clearly the better choice.
5Ah, the intrigue... you're just dying to know, aren't you? But she's not going to tell you. It doesn't matter for another sixteen months anyway.
6It is a really cool feeling when you start to recognize the Southern Cross and use its "pointer stars" to find the southerly direction
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