The biggest event of the year for our city celebrates the Brisbane River - it's called "Riverfestival" and it was pretty cool. For those of us from West Michigan - the 4th of July (usually while the Summer Celebration is going on) is the "biggie" but as you can tell from the photos in this blog entry - Riverfire is a bit larger! The picture below is of the famous F-111 "dump and burn" maneuver that starts and ends the fireworks display - very impressive.Since I am moving into a different apartment - in "The Lofts" building that faces the Brisbane river - I decided to host a Riverfire event for some of my staff. It was really fun to have some of the people I work with every day come over with their wife / husband / children and watch the festivities.
Riverfire ended a very long week of "audit prep" - the main reason I came down here. On top of that, my Boss was here the week before and his visit required quite a bit of preparation as well. The picture of the dinner (below) was a gathering in recognition of his visit at the famous Breakfast Creek Hotel & Restaurant. It may be difficult down here but the food is pretty good.
I am in the throes of moving from "Apartment A" to "Apartment B" without the assistance and encouragement of Nancy. What does that mean? It means that I'm in K-Mart (yes, they have them here too) on a Wednesday evening buying a toaster and hangers for the new place because it's unfurnished. I have bought pots and pans, bedding, dishes, cutlery, toilet cleaning utensils, etc. in anticipation of the actual move next Thursday.I really like the new space - which, if you haven't guessed it by now, is required because my assignment has been extended. The actual final duration isn't completely settled but it looks like the majority of 2008 at this point. That creates an entirely different set of interesting circumstances that need to be addressed - but that's for another entry.
In the mean time, I am getting in touch with my appreciation for Nancy and all that she has done to shield me from having to visit a K-Mart over the years. I don't miss her because she would be doing all the the detail oriented work for me (well, maybe just a little), but because I am going through this alone. I'm not enjoying alone and am looking forward to her return.So, for now - please keep sending me an e-mail or add a comment to this blog; I greatly appreciate every one of them. Some of you have really stepped up to the challenge in my "hour of need" and I thank you profusely!! More later - hopefully, this weekend.
P.S. -It's raining here and people are really excited!
5 comments:
Hey there, it's Kevin. That's lookin' pretty sweet. Maybe I can help pimp a room out when I come down sometime later.
I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully everything works out so that I can, though dates and tours keep coming in making it a little tougher.
But we'll make it work, I really really want to see a kangaroo! Oh, and some father-son time wouldn't be so bad either... :)
I do really miss you and I can't wait to come down, even if I have to do the 13 hour flight (SHEESH!).
Alright, peace!!
-k. dog
Rickster!
I love fireworks! I love K-mart (OK, actually I haven't been in a K-mart in years)! That celebration looks incredible and it is very cool that you hosted your co-workers.
Its very "small world" ironic, but we had a prayer meeting at noon today and there was a young woman (Merike) from Finland that came with a couple from the church. She was telling us that she was an international business major and I told her about your work and assignment to Brisbane. Her face lit up...her father has had numerous corporate assignments to Brisbane. She smiled and started to speak English with an Aussie accent. Good times!
I saw Kevin's comment...sounds like he's planning a visit in the near future. Aaron E. told me Sunday that they keep getting dates added to their tour and are flying to a lot of them these days. Hope THEY don't have to foot the bill for the airfare!?
You're going to miss another big thing...a BIG concert coming up. I'll share more about that later!
Love you bro!
C-dog
Hey Rick, this is the third time I've tried to write and I hope this one is the charm! I'm glad to know how much you are appreciating Nancy...she's a wonderful compliment to you (Not that you are rotten or anything like that!). I hope you can both be together soon!!
I also wanted to tell you how amazing Kevin was at Unity. I took Hannah, Ethan, and Aaron to the Wednesday night concerts and Hannah freaked when she saw Kevin on the jumbo-tron! She made Sue and I go up to the front...I think she thought if she could get Kevin's attention, she might get on stage to sing...YIKES! She loved it and Everyday Sunday blew my socks off!
Well, I'm canning tomatoes, so I need to go. Hang in there brother! Time seems to fly by whether we want it to or not and soon you will be back home. You are in my prayers!
Your sister who loves you,
Michele
Hey Rick,
How time flies...
I checked out the Bindi Irwin show last night to see what you are up against - what a happy and wild place - and descendents of British criminal to boot!
The Riverfront looks like a great place to be and it sounds like your new crib is coming along - nice.
Its coming up on a year when you and Nancy visited us here in Nantucket - wanna come back? Its coming up on Fall here.
I miss our conversations and look forward to your return, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Hang in there.
Your friend - Jim
Yep, cool Riverfire pictures, especially the one at the bottom of the post. Did you take that??? It's about as perfect as a picture like that can get!!
So the way I read this (and my mind works in mysterious ways, granted), you have had to move to Australia in order to get back in touch with your inner middle-class American self?? K-mart shopping (or Meijer's or the equivalent - but not Wal-mart - just say no to Walmart - UGH) is a weekly ritual for most Muskegonites that I know, and apparently Nancy has shielded you from it for far too long. I fear you might have become like the cliche politicians who don't know how much a gallon of milk costs the "little people" ($3.79 now - no, really, it is!!) So, if nothing else, this assignment will keep you in one place long enough to reacquaint yourself with all the mundane activities of everyday life. You still won't know what the price of milk is in America, but you'll know where to go to find out when you get here (without just asking Nancy)!!
P.S. I see your guests all standing....didn't get any chairs, yet, huh?? K-mart probably has some that might last the year that you'll be there.....check it out and good luck!
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