There are a few things that really bring on the reality of how far away I live from where I was born, not the large number of 10,000 plus miles, or the 24 hr. plus plane ride. No, something that makes me feel the distance is the reversal of seasons, and reading my friends posts or blogs, as they are going into summer, the sudden burst of energy that is so apparent one can feel it through the paragraphs. Meanwhile, here, the day is ever shorter, darker, and colder. As I am cutting back plants that have turned brown and withered, the air I breath feels cold and that unsettles me, I want to race back into the comfort of my blankets and a nice book.
Here, instead of starting, things are shutting down. The croquet competitive season is closed for winter, Zok received only two awards, but of course he won those coming into play after not playing for months, and he only entered two competitions to begin with.
There are also the differences in basic amenities that I took for granted in America or Europe such as heat and broadband. Our household broadband gets 'shaped', we pay for the amount of broadband we use, in a method not unlike early cell phone minutes, we have "unlimited" speed (which is actually about forty times less the speed of our broadband in Stockholm, yeah I said forty times less), until we go over our allotment then we are on DIAL UP speed. Dial up speed translates to no blogging, and very little else, only the most basic pages load within about five minutes, most time out. This has been the case for the last eight days. Tasmania is on course (or so the rumors say) for DSL 2, which would catch us up to the rest of the wireless world but that is years away. Speaking of years apart, last night I saw a T.V. ad for gas, as in natural gas, as in some households here will be able to get natural gas for heating in their houses. I have been enjoying Zok's first winter here, expressed by his always having a fire ready to go, this morning the house was about 62 degrees in the warmest room, so we are enjoying a fire before noon. (I would rarely be so bold, I hate to have to add wood to the box because I am inept).
So winter is here, with its cold air, and darkness, soon I will be delving into some long Trollope or Bronte sister novel to while away hours that can't be used up skating due to wet pavement.
There is also my pass time of listening to new records, which lately is plentiful, the new Iggy Pop 'Preliminaires' is amazing, the latest Iron & Wine 'Around The Well' is great. Winter has its own pleasures and I will enjoy them, and try not to feel too exhausted, or far away while enjoying the dizzying schedules of BBQ and summer activities happening on the other side of the planet.
Here, instead of starting, things are shutting down. The croquet competitive season is closed for winter, Zok received only two awards, but of course he won those coming into play after not playing for months, and he only entered two competitions to begin with.
There are also the differences in basic amenities that I took for granted in America or Europe such as heat and broadband. Our household broadband gets 'shaped', we pay for the amount of broadband we use, in a method not unlike early cell phone minutes, we have "unlimited" speed (which is actually about forty times less the speed of our broadband in Stockholm, yeah I said forty times less), until we go over our allotment then we are on DIAL UP speed. Dial up speed translates to no blogging, and very little else, only the most basic pages load within about five minutes, most time out. This has been the case for the last eight days. Tasmania is on course (or so the rumors say) for DSL 2, which would catch us up to the rest of the wireless world but that is years away. Speaking of years apart, last night I saw a T.V. ad for gas, as in natural gas, as in some households here will be able to get natural gas for heating in their houses. I have been enjoying Zok's first winter here, expressed by his always having a fire ready to go, this morning the house was about 62 degrees in the warmest room, so we are enjoying a fire before noon. (I would rarely be so bold, I hate to have to add wood to the box because I am inept).
So winter is here, with its cold air, and darkness, soon I will be delving into some long Trollope or Bronte sister novel to while away hours that can't be used up skating due to wet pavement.
There is also my pass time of listening to new records, which lately is plentiful, the new Iggy Pop 'Preliminaires' is amazing, the latest Iron & Wine 'Around The Well' is great. Winter has its own pleasures and I will enjoy them, and try not to feel too exhausted, or far away while enjoying the dizzying schedules of BBQ and summer activities happening on the other side of the planet.
2 comments:
The picture of "Sanchez" in the middle of all that white hair is a classic.
Hang in there, before you know it you'll be able to post about swimming in the sea in December and eating apricots off your tree in February, while everything is dead and dark here.
Or...you could come visit?
yes, sanchez is darling. your pics are so fun!
i think monte has the right idea on all fronts. we can go teepee camping and use the 3G network anywhere! okay, it really doesn't work anywhere, but you can walk around till it does.
...and summer's are never as fun without CGC....
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