Happy Mother’s Day

A shout to all our sleeping American friends. Its Mother’s Day so its a shout to all the moms – virtual hugs to all!

Tomorrow will be the end of our seventh week in Prevelly Beach, Western Australia. I have never lived anywhere other than the states for this period of time. I think all three of us feel very blessed and delighted to experience this beautiful little area of the world. From the food available in the stores and for takeout, to the wine at cellar doors or the five bottle shops we know very well, to the people it continues to be a grand experience!

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We had our biggest storm of the season this week and loved the wind and the rain and being able to watch the waves from our perch on the hill. Hurricane force winds howled for 48 hours or so it seemed. Southwestern Australia usually has a storm like this once or twice a year. It was basically the storms we missed at home this year…except I don’t think they have had these type of storms in 2020! Drought here we come!

The Margaret River area had power outages too but we were lucky and never lost power. When Larkin and I went driving to pick up important things like more yarn for her knitting,(See the photo with the scarf she knitted me from our back porch), we drove up to the chocolate factory…girls just need chocolate! It was the first time we’d seen other people and families in this factory. It made us smile. The roads had leaves and branches piled up on the sides of the road and many downed trees including some that rested halfway across the road. Not enough traffic to worry about the ability to go around!

We can now see other people up to groups of ten. We have seen the changes in our little Rifflebutts Park on our walk to the beach. Families celebrating mothers day weekend. Gathering in groups. Couples with their dogs, big tire push bikes (bicycles) for grown ups or kids. Our lime tree continues to produce and we keep trying to make margaritas. Sunsets are still a nightly ritual from a five minute walk to the beach or our master bedroom balcony to capture the clouds!

We realize that we speak the same language but that the Aussies know how to make it fun…Have you ever thought of going for a tea bag in the arvo? Tea bag is for swimming and arvo is afternoon. …and men can wear their budgie smugglers if they wish (Speedo). I rather like a budgie smuggler on the right body!

The prime minister wants states to open things up in their own time and slowly because we need to get out from under the Doona (blanket). Don’t forget your sunnies when you get out or you might hurt your eyes. Kids who are part Indian or African are called chokko’s – they call themselves that and its popular as they love their skin not being as white. Gulah’s like the birds above are not bright so if you’re called Gulah I guess your not bright. I love Mozzies! They don’t have any here in Margs at least this time of year but you guys at home will have them soon enough! Its for mosquito! I guess you can’t be alarmed if they say wear your thongs to the beach…its means what we used to call them when I was growing up but we call them flip flops now.

From picnics in Rifflebutt Park to twenty eights in the bird bath, to a moose attached as a car hood ornament…the most fun is watching the kids! After we talked to this mom and her determined son, the other young son and dog waltzed up and the kid said, “mom how do you know these people?” Everyone is friendly. We spent a sunset chatting with a young couple who had moved back to Margs and were walking their little dachshund. He is mottled black and has one blue eye. I think his name is Finny. On his back was an All Black dog warmer…we love the All Blacks from New Zealand. The woman vowed to never move back but when she had the ability to move into her moms(deceased I think) house she jumped at the chance and loves being home. We understand her enthusiasm. Not a single stop light in town. The old days of St. Helena in maybe the 1950’s.

They have fun ads. The first month we were here every TV ad seemed to be for a Goat named product like a moisturizer. The jingle had a cartoon goat dancing around people while they used these products in their bathroom singing, “get your goat on!” Seriously. Do you know what its like to wake up in the middle of the night with “get your goat on, get your, get your goat on”, running through your head?

A new series of a Farmer Wants a Wife is starting up sometime this fall (fall is now down under btw). These women are excited to meet their farmer hubby. They show all the previous winner being married and their new families! I wish it was still that way in the USA, well sometimes. They have all the home type remodel shows and the dancing and food shows. Movies of some sort every night. Another new season we are looking forward to is Outback Truckers. Not quite sure what that one is! It reminds me of being in New Zealand for two weeks and realizing national news was pleading for the person who stole the llama to return it as his llama mate is deaf and blind and needs him! Of course national news was also the sheep shearing contest.

We forget Australia has about 25.5 million people or about the size of Florida. The state we’re in Western Australia or WA is only 2.76 million. It is slightly smaller than Arkansas in population – size wise it is huge from about Colorado to the west coast or about a third of the USA! Most people live around the coasts which makes total since because the entire mid continent is a dry desert and hosts mostly mining…right up Larkin’s alley. I did not realize the state of Victoria which is near Melbourne actually has ski slopes in the winter. I didn’t realize it was so far south or that the hills were that high. They just hope to have some visitors sometime this year!

We Americans lament that the USA has not done enough for the virus as you just look at numbers. People forget to add up the major EU states until they have America’s population and realize we have actually done a better job. Not good enough – not as good as WA with only one new covid case in 10 days and she was a 20 something woman who was quarantined when she flew back into the state from overseas and brought it with her.

Their news stations are non-partisan and the two parties have been in unison so far in this Virus cycle. It is not an election year for them. Thank goodness. They say they are going to start having argys and bargys now which I assume means arguments and bargaining. By the way if you wish to pilot a boat you have to have a license. Seems like a rather wise option to me! They have signs that say don’t drink and drown. Another smart sign…If your injured you might have to be picked up in an Ambo. They have Bondi on TV right after the news on one station which is about Bondi Beach lifeguards. Its a popular TV show but it is real not fake like Baywatch which I never watched.

There is an ad whose product I have no clue but it has this couple naming their child Calum which is a name you hear down here…but as the kids grows he is made fun of as his last name is Mari. Calum Mari will you take this women to be…and then they fade back and give him another name! It would help their product if you could remember it!

Some nights we see a green flash. Between our house and the Rivers mouth there are two public restrooms. Always clean and inviting. As you age, this ability during a 30 minute walk is critical. The photo of the sinks from our Tahoe friend Julie! Thanks!

The Indian Ocean is about 18 C here and although the surfers usually wear wet suits here the kids and adults in the water usually just don a swimsuit. The kids love the water. Yesterday it was delightful to see them play in the rock pool and seeing the huge waves crash further out in the ocean in front of them. As we walked home we noticed all the folks. Single women chatting in their portable picnic chairs on the lawn facing the great surfing breakers. Middle age folks just sitting in their cars awaiting the sunset. Hippy dippy type caravaners. The guy getting out of the surf was in his 60’s – all ages! I noted a couple of upper 80’s folks driving their car up to the point also. Everyone loves their Surfers Point and its vibe and sunsets. We noted a fish n chips truck which stays until after sunset many weekends. That just might be dinner tonight! A Mother’s Day with a couple of nomads from Lake Tahoe, Julie and David. Its legal now – we can gather in groups of 10!

Happy Mothers’d Day Mama (and grandma) Peggy from your Bunkie!