Wildlife

The wildlife over here is something else.  Wyatt and I have been here for just over a year and it hasn't seized to amaze us.  Marg and Dale have been here for a little more than a week and we have already bumped into Kangaroos, Koalas in the wild, Monitor Lizards, Cockatoos, a Blue Tongue Lizard, a type of small shark (possibly a Leopard Shark) and an Octopus. 

The weather has improved lately and whilst snorkelling yesterday Wyatt found an Octopus under a shell. It was pretty small, so we kept it in the goggles in a bit of water to get a closer look.  Whenever you touched it, it would turn into a beautiful fluorescent blue pattern.  After a day on the beach, we came back home and googled it.  It turned out our pretty little Octopus is one of the most poisonous of the marine life... it turns blue when threatened.  Luckily for us it's pretty docile.  I will never ever touch or poke anything from the wild again. Ever.

Apart from being amazed- and scared by animals, we've also been sampling some wine from a couple of the hundred vineyards in the Hunter Valley.

 The Lace Monitor came a little bit too close during our picnic

 Monitor traces in the sand

 Waiting for the low tide (that never got low enough) at the Spit to cross over to a neighbouring island.

Well, it's just another half an hour here until New Years Eve, so Happy New Year to all of you! We're heading to Sydney tomorrow, and are looking forward some spectacular fireworks!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you! Hope you had a good, relaxed holiday with family and friends.  Some of you are probably busy right now celebrating, and for others it all took place a couple of days ago.

As I mentioned before, it doesn't really feel like Christmas over here, but thanks to Marg we now have a little Christmas corner on our TV bench with snow and a little tree all the way from Canada! It was a nice surprise and very much appreciated.

Coming from different countries has it's benefits. We got to have two Christmas dinners! One on Christmas Eve (that's when we celebrate Xmas in Sweden) with meatballs and some Gluhwein (almost like our Swedish equivalent glögg) and one on Christmas Day with a big Turkey dinner and Australian Pavlova for dessert.

The weather has been cooler than normal for this time a year, but the last two days were really nice, so we've been on the beach, having BBQ:s and going for hikes during the day time.

 Santa sneaked in during the night:)

 Meatballs!

 On our way up Mount Tomaree

 Zenith Beach

 Christmas lunch on the beach!
 

Pavlova, Aussie Xmas tradition

 

 We went for a Xmas swim at the Ocean Baths and while I enjoyed the sun...

 ... a sunburnt Wyatt didn't

Gifts all the way from Canada, thanks uncle Charlie, Cass' and Grandma!

Visitors!

We've got visitors again! Wyatt's parents Dale and Marg arrived a couple of days ago and it's really good to have them here.  It's been over a year since I last saw them so we have a lot of catching up to do:) I'm looking forward to the next two weeks and hope for the weather to improve...

A visit to Newcastle Museum and a BBQ (as long as it stops raining...) in Nelson Bay is on today's schedule.

Giant Ants

We came across this huge Red Bull Ant last week in Salamander Bay when we were looking for the mama Koala and her baby.  I much prefer the Koalas.

Master Chef

We spent yesterday evening in great company and had some really good food.  Quintin and Sal were hosting us at their place, but we all contributed by cooking a dish each.  After a beautiful asparagus starter by Kim and Simon and prawns for a main dish, it was Wyatt's and my turn to show off:) Our lemon cheesecake turned out a little bit less firm than we wanted but it was still pretty yummie!

                            Solomon loving the attention

A baby and mother Koala

The very first month of work in Salamander Bay, a patient of mine advised me to walk across the street to the local library. This was because up in one of the eucalyptus trees was a lone adult Koala. Soon after when Jo came up we went looking, but had no luck spotting the elusive tree hugger. To my amazement nearly 9 months later, Johanna was by chance walking by and had a look, to her enjoyment she was able to capture possibly the same adult with a tiny addition. One crappy day at the office was soon turned around with this awesome sight. Ingrid and Beo, you guys would have easily spent a couple of hours watching these two sleep and eat....

Summer!

After a full week of rain, 16 above and storms, summer finally seems to be here.  The balcony got a good clean and we enjoyed a good dinner outside this evening!

Spider Encounters Part Deux

Just as we had talked previously that spring is in the air, the flowers are in bloom, the birds are chirping...well the large spiders are also back. Our first encounter with the Huntsman was one month into our stay. We were walking along the underground garage when a furry ball the size of an orange came charging towards us leaping (yes these spiders jump as they run) and looking for cover. The dread I had since that time as I hadn't had a chance to take a photo graph or catch it to get a closer look, well today we got that chance....

Before the capture, this little fella by Huntsman standards was about half the size of our first encounter..

Safely behind a thick insect proof jar...

The Aussie 10 cent piece is the size roughly of a 2 Euro coin or a Toonie (canadian 2 dollar coin)

Johanna is very impressed!!!!!!

We let the big guy outside so that he could patrol the apartment as one of their favorite dishes to eat are the dreaded cockroach or in Swedish Kackerlacka!

Spring is in the air...

Yes folks spring is finally here and for those of our friends/family in Sweden/Canada that means that you are getting bundled up and ready for the COLD! Ha HA! We are currently enjoying an amazing bout of weather which have been taking in....

 Our Friend mr. poisonous spider who has been hanging around our balcony. We think its a brown back which can cause some pain but not death if bitten, just to be sure though I escorted him outside.

Johanna enjoying the creepy confines of a late night adventure where several of Newcastle's first settlers were burried. Several convicts who did undertaking hard labor....

The only time you will catch me in the flowers....Spring time!

Johanna finally in the water....Usually she just takes a book and soaks up the sun, as it was 30+ above today it was nice to cool down.

Where I usually stay....

A little Aloe Vera for some spots that are sunburnt (our own plant). No worries folks as we use SPF 30 but some of use a really bad at putting lotion on...Whoops..

Newcastle Live sites. A brilliant Idea for this blue collar Red neck town. Every week in a different location, a live dance floor is set up and a different style of music is the focus. Tonight was Reggae and the site was by chance just outside our apt. Everyone is encouraged to dance to the live music.

In-between the Reggae acts the Newcastle Ukilaelae Orchestra also put on a show.

On and on into the night.

A beautiful Great Dane I thought I would throw in..

Anniversary

Apologies again for not posting in a while, but we've been busy being sick... I spent pretty much a week in bed with a sinus infection and bad headaches after mum and dad left, and Wyatt wasn't feeling the best either. But...we're back on track now!

 I've got the man flu

This last weekend has been pretty busy making up for lost time.  We went over to Wyatt's colleague Lauren and her husband Jarvis to meet their new edition to the family, beautiful little Jada. It's amazing how tiny a two week old baby is...

The company Wyatt works for had their annual Christmas Picnic in Jesmond Park just outside Newcastle on Sunday so we stopped by, had some nice lunch and I got to meet Wyatt's new colleague and her family who all seemed very nice. The picnic had a Christmas Theme and the staff serving food were all walking around in antlers and other type of Christmas outfits. Even though this is our second winter here, I find it hard to get into any sort of a holiday spirit when it's sunny and 25 above.  Christmas time is all about snuggling under a blanket with gingerbread cookies and hot glögg, snow, cold weather and rosy cheeks...rosy cheeks from the cold, not from too much sun:)

Last but not least, it's two years since Wyatt and I met. So we went out for a nice meal last weekend to celebrate the occasion. We went to a lovely little restaurant on Darby Street with great food, nice service and relaxed atmosphere.