I love the hostel. It is clean and open and they also run the Surf Point Resort where I stayed in Margaret River. They are efficient and very professional. For instance, I am staying in a 4 room all female dorm room and two of the girls have been there for some time. On the door leading out, is a note from the manager telling those girls to clean the room up. It suggested using the storage bins that had been provided and if the situation did not change they would be charged or asked to leave. I was surprised and happy. No, it still isn't too clean. It looks like an explosion from a teenager's room, but I have a little space for my stuff and it is doable.
I ran into Jim Belushi from Canada. He is also staying at this hostel and surprisingly, not as annoying as at Surf Point. Maybe he was just trying to impress the other guys...I don't know, but he was subdued last night and I almost, felt like engaging him in a conversation.
I found the State Library of Perth, which is 2 blocks from the Crown. They do let you e-mail at this library, but it is a fight to get on a machine. There were about 15 people outside this morning waiting to get on a terminal. I rose early and feel victorious!
I bought papaya salve for my bite and it seems to be helping. I am confident that it will be better by Tuesday when i fly to South Africa via Kuala Lumpur. It will be a 20 hour flight with a 6 hour layover. I can't wait! I need to stock up on books and like I mentioned...the sleeping pills. I don't know how I will get through this flight.
It has been overcast the last few days. It picks up mid afternoon and then it turns muggy. It reminds me of summertime in the Midwest. You know, where you shower and then get out and felt like you never left the shower. You can't possibly get dry.
I need to check my e-mail and I am hoping to be able to get here early tomorrow with similar results.
3 comments:
Hello,
I found my cell phone today. I heard your message. It was wonderful to hear from you and to know that you are doing good.
Here is a quick summery of the last couple weeks.
We left Hammond on December 22 and picked up the grandkids. We went gift shopping for their mom and the Thompson exchange gift. It was fun to watch them shop and help them think of others for just a bit. It was awful weather with freezing rain and then blowing drifting snow. The next day we went to Connie's. We went ice skating and sledding and it continued to blow and sleet. We hunkered down at Connie's and ate, drank and became merry. Stef and her boyfriend, Eric were there. Stef's belly is just a little bump and she is really looking good. I was so impressed with both of them. They are both going to the Minnesota Institute of Art. Stef is going for pastry chef and Eric is going for Chef. They were very cute and decorated some very nice cookies. They shared a package with all of us. They really seem to be taking this next step of their lives very seriously. I shall enjoy watching them become parents.
We played our 2nd annual bingo game and there seems to always be one hot item. It was a "beautiful" little box that I won last year. Re-gifting at it's finest. That box went around the table with Stef finally stealing it back from Hannah.
We toasted to You and your travels and most everyone loved the Penfolds.
The next day was on to the Thompson family. I tried to bring a little life to the party. I had a scavenger hunt for the kids with the idea that the hunt would force them to engage in conversation with the adults. It work a little. It's tough to mess with how things have always been. I also had a game for the adults. Before we went to Christmas all the adults gave me a interesting fact that not everyone might know. Then I typed them all out and they had to guess who belonged to which fact. It was a lot of fun and much more challenging then they all thought it would be.
Christmas day we drove to Michigan. We did our good dead and drove another 2 hours north to visit or friend Father Joe. He no longer has a church and has failing health. He had to have open heart surgery. With out his congregation he is a very lonely guy. He really enjoyed our visit. Tom always seems to make him laugh and gets him riled up about politics.
The Thompson crew began to arrive on Saturday. I watched Leif's kids so he could enjoy a bit of the Michigan snow. We walked to the water falls and spent some time at Lake Superior.
Our New Years tradition is to go to Big Powderhorn Mt and watch the fireworks. It was slightly overcast and it gave a mystic look to the fireworks.
New Years day we went on one last ride and the sun was very bright. I had a nice ride and was able to reflect a bit about life. It feels a bit like a giant magnet. The forces of life pulling and pushing. The dark and the light...you can't have one with out the other. It wouldn't be so dark if that bright soul was still here, but I am beginning to find comfort and joy in the brightness that I do have. You help bring brightness to me and I too am looking forward to seeing you in Costa Rica. I shall start getting tickets and lodging options together soon.
Tom just finished planning our trip to Yellowstone. That was his 50th Birthday wish. We are flying out and riding snowmobile through and around Yellowstone. We leave February 1st for that trip.
Sorry this was so long. I just hadn't talked to you and had so much to share. I am enjoying your stories and the cartoon bubbles that pop in my head are pretty good. I can see you shutting the door a little hard at 5:00 am and smiling while you are doing it.
Ok, enough from me.
Take Care and please know I think of you often. I can't wait to hear about South Africa.
Love, Shari
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