So what is there to tell now, I hear you ask? Well I guess what triggered this post was mine and Bec’s recent trip to the immigration office to take our citizenship tests. Yes, we really have been here long enough time to apply for citizenship (2 1/2 years to be precise) and they changed the rules to 4 years after we arrived, thankfully! So a prerequisite of becoming a citizen is to take a test on effectively what it is to be an Aussie. No jokes about shrimps and barbies, please.

Now there’s been some mixed press about the citizenship tests – both in the UK and here and personally I think it’s a great idea to make sure that applicants actually know something about a country before requesting to become a permanent member of that national society. I also think a test in the national language of that country is vital to stop the awful sub-cultures that have popped up in every country where mass immigration happens. And that goes just as much for all the dodgy “El Pub” frequenting Brits on the Costa Del Sol that struggle to get out much more than a buenos dias as it does for non-English speaking immigrants in either the UK or Aus.

Anyway, this is all a bit controversial, so I’ll get off my political soapbox and get back to the story.

So we are in the immigration office, in a waiting room that is deserted apart from me, Bec and two staff occupying less than half of the 5 available booths. Now I realise why there was a 2 month waiting list!

Then onto the test. I skim read the accompanying book over a couple of nights that week and it was pretty interesting stuff. I probably know more about Aussie history than British history now! But at the same time, I knew the test was pretty easy and multiple choice so I wasn’t too worried. The first few questions were simple – one even asked what the national currency was – and as the pass mark was only 12/20 I thought there was no way I would fail, so I thought I would try and complete it as fast as I could. So much to the supervisor’s amazement, I finished after 2 1/2 minutes and to my amazement got 100%!! Bec finished quite soon after and got full marks herself (well done, babe!) and that was it. All we have to do now is send in our application forms and wait for a ceremony and then we’ll be fully fledged fake Aussies! All a bit surreal really.

Now, I won’t promise to update this frequently, I but I will try and update you all more frequently on what’s happening with the Foottits down under. Love to you all.

Chris & Bec

As I write they are tearing around our flat at top speed! They are Burmese kittens (brothers), 12 weeks old, and are so full of fun and never seem to tire of playing and getting themselves into trouble. We have had to kitten proof our flat – all plants had to be removed out of reach (though ‘out of reach’ barely exists for these two) as they were being used for digging purposes and we now constantly trip over kitten toys, not to mention the kittens themselves.

Alfie and Obi are my wedding anniversary (3 years!) present from Chris and were a total surprise. Here’s how we acquired them: For a few weeks I knew Chris was planning something – something that he said I’d really like. Couldn’t figure out what it could be. He told me to keep one Saturday free as he was taking me out somewhere. We went for a drive up to the Central coast – about an hour and a half north of here. I saw a sign for the ‘Forest of Tranquillity’ and pointed it out as the name amused me. Then we actually arrived at the so called ‘Forest of Tranquillity’. They’d had a really bad flood recently so it wasn’t in the best shape, but was still really beautiful and was indeed very tranquil!

It’s a sub tropical rainforest.

There were quite a few wild wallabies around – most of them sun bathing and the owners told us that they’d recently sighted a wild platyus (though we didn’t see it). The people running the place were really friendly and fantastically Aussie – talking about getting some great ‘snags’ and some good ‘tucker’ at a local place to eat. The whole place reminded me a bit of ‘A country practice”. Awesome!

After this Chris said he had another surprise for me. We drove for a bit and then ended up in a random cul-de-sac where Chris parked the car and got out. I could not figure out what on earth we were doing there. Chris walked up to one of the houses and asked for ‘Robyn’. Totally to my surprise we were shown in to a house and the owner (Robyn) then appeared with a kitten under each arm. I couldn’t believe it!! I have wanted cats for SOOO long and have tried to persuade Chris so many times, but he never seemed convinced that it would be a good idea, and so I’d given up hope. Yet here were two gorgeous kittens. Chris had researched Burmese breeders in the area as he knew that I would be allergic to your average moggie.

These little guys have really close lying fur that doesn’t shed and doesn’t make me sneeze (as much). Typical that the only type of cat that I can have happens to be really expensive (in true Foottit style). A condition of sale of these cats is that they are not allowed outside. Not sure if this because they’re likely to get beaten up by the local gangsta-mog, or whether they’re immune systems just wouldn’t handle the real world. I think it might be a bit of both.

Chris told me that we could only afford one of these pedigree babies and we went away to think carefully about whether or not it would be fair to have just one, in our flat on its own. After careful consideration I decided that it wouldn’t be right as one would get too bored and lonely while we are at work all day and so we phoned Robyn to tell her that we couldn’t take one. She then caught us totally off guard by offering us both of them for a really great price. And well, yes you guessed it, I couldn’t resist, and Chris was generous enough to let me say yes.

Robyn was brilliant and gave us just about everything we could possibly need for them from a cat litter tray and a weeks worth of food to toys, food bowls and even special powder to wash their dishes in (!). The funniest thing though was learning that they can only eat raw minced meat (and only beef, lamb or pork, no kangaroo or fish!) and raw chicken drum sticks (to clean their teeth). But you can’t just buy normal meat from Woolies, Oh no, they have to have meat without preservatives that you can only buy from the butcher!! And they only drink bottled or filtered water! No milk (lactose intolerant). We couldn’t believe it. These babies eat better than we do!

As someone pointed out, colour wise they even match our flat. Alfie is the kind of grey in colour and looks like Yoda from star wars (hence ‘Obiwan’) and Obi is a lovely creamy-ginger colour.

They were really timid when they arrived – Obi wouldn’t come out of the carry box for about half an hour. But now, as you can see they’re right at home. They seem so tiny and are unbelievably soft (!)

Obi is a real ‘boy’ and likes to do boy things (e.g. play rough) and has bonded really well with Chris (they share a common interest as you can see).

Whereas Alfie seems to seek me out and is a softie with a real naughty streak at times just when you least expect it. He has a habit of saving up his number 2s especially for when I have just cleaned out the litter tray – everytime without fail! He also does a very good spiderman impression.

We do sometimes wonder what we’ve taken on as they do take some looking after (their litter can stink worse than one of Chris’s sessions in the loo after a kebab) although generally they are really clean. The morning after we got them we both felt very weird, like we’d just become parents. Responsibility all of a sudden is a shock! I have to say it freaked us out somewhat and confirmed that in fact human babies are still a long way off for us. We’ll stick with the furry variety for now thanks…..

I had my last twenty something birthday a couple of weeks ago, which was something of a (somewhat self induced) none event. I had a crappy day at work after dropping a colleague in it with some accidental email forwarding to the wrong people, and then what I thought would be a nice drink down the local with some mates turned out to be the local student umptsy umptsy night filled with teeny boppers out on the raz! Oh well – Bec and her Mum and Dad did buy me a beautiful leather laptop bag for when I get a proper job

A cocatoo came and sat on our balcony the other day – that was pretty cool! We tried to throw him nuts, but he wasn’t having any of it and flew away. Though I would have done too knowing what Bec’s aim is like ;-0

What else has happened. Hmmm. Oh yes, Kelly Scott is now Kelly Fox!! Our bestest friend Kelly got married a couple of weekends ago and it was an awesome day. We had the privilege of having Kelly stay over the night before the wedding and the following morning she and all her maids got ready in our flat. Chicks getting all dolled up is not quite my scene so I escaped to the beach for a swim, but when I got back they all looked incredible, Kel then got whisked away in a hot hatch, ready to marry Mr Fox!! Though the car was only 2 door, so it would have been a cosy back seat on the way to the reception venue!

The wedding ceremony was awesome and Pete Brooks only made a couple of outrageous statements, so they got off pretty lightly ha ha!

The reception was in the most idillic of settings – a restaurant called Pasadena on Pittwater at Church Point which is located on a prime spot right on the water. The speeches were great and the best man spoke surprisingly well of Dave (given his rather blokeish nature. The best man that is, not Dave!) and all in all, an awesome day. Looking forward to catching up with them properly now they’re back from Honeymoon number one and living just down the road in Narrabeen! Anyways, tis very late now and I must get my beauty sleep. Hope you are all well and keep in touch.

Except we had to use the beach swimming pool because there were tons of Bluebottles around. They’re not jellyfish, but very similar and have a nasty sting which I’m sure the screaming kid we saw on the way home would testify to! Still, loads of people were still swimming regardless even though there were this many. Crazy people, I say! Here’s what one looks like up close – I know you’re dying to see one

Look quite pretty, don’t they…?

With or without them, I can’t really complain about having Narrabeen beach as a back yard. Nice.

My actual birthday was on a Monday – the 20th November (just so you know for next year) but my birthday surprises started happening the day before, on Sunday.  After church I discovered that all our friends seemed to be busy that day (we often do social stuff on a Sunday) but Chris seemed to be particularly intent on us going on a picnic.  Hhmm, romantic picnic I thought.  It did seem a bit odd to me though that his keenness had actually led him to start to pack the picnic bag himself, but I didn’t suspect anything.

Chris is really good at finding nice places to go so I wasn’t surprised when he told me he had decided on a location.  He drove us to a really nice park with a lake next to it that we’d not been to before.  When we arrived however I thought I saw one of our friends in the car park.  I pointed it out, but Chris didn’t seem to notice.  When we got out of the car I definitely saw two of our friends walk towards us and then swiftly turn around and walk in the other direction.  I thought maybe they didn’t want to see us.  Still didn’t twig.  Then Chris led the way towards the lake and…lo and behold…there were all our friends sat together – ‘what a co-incidence!’ I thought and then ‘how come we weren’t invited?!!

It wasn’t until they all said Happy Birthday!’ that I twigged!! – well, in my defence, I’ve never had a surprise party before.  It was so nice – Chris had invited loads of people (even some of my work colleagues, although they couldn’t actually make it).  Perfect day for it too – sunny and warm.  I had lots of presents including several bottles of great dessert wine (they obviously do know me well!) which now no longer exist.  Danielle had made me a chocolate birthday cake, which also didn’t last long…

Chris made a little speech and presented me with the first of my extra special presents from him.  I had joked a while back that I’d like a macro lens that I could use on Chris’s camera, as I love taking really close up photos of things.  I wasn’t actually serious as I’d been told those lenses are really expensive, but when I opened the present from Chris it was so much more than a lens -  he’d got me a Canon 400D Camera, digital SLR…  Wow!!  SO chuffed.  I’ve never had a decent camera of my own.  No excuses for not taking photos now!

The best thing about he camera is that it does everything a huge camera does, but it’s small enough for me to handle it easily. 

On my actual birthday – the Monday, Chris and I both took the day off work.  We went for brunch at ‘Driftwood’ our favourite beachside café and then drove on the bike to a beautiful national park opposite Barrenjoey and Palm beach.

Chris strapped a huge bag to the bike and I discovered when we arrived at the lookout point that he’d packed the rest of my presents!  So I opened them there.

One of them was a second present from Chris.  I thought it may’ve been a camera case or accessory, but when I opened it – there was a macro lens.  Wow.  Turning 30 isn’t so bad after all!!

I’m currently sat in a hotel room in Kenilworth, UK, back in Blighty for the first time in a couple of years as I’m here for a work conference. It’s been a good, but crazy busy week and hence I’ve not had chance to get in touch with anyone. It’s been nice being back – even with the crazy weather. It feels more familiar here than in Sydney which has surprised me as we have been settling much better in Sydney of late. Guess I did live here for 20 odd years though…

I’m up to Chesterfield for the weekend and it will be fantastic to catch up with family especially my nephew Joel who I haven’t seen for 18 of his 24 months. Then it’s off to Hong Kong for a quick visit to our office there and then back to Sydney. All go and far too much time on aeroplanes…

TTFN. Chris

Bec and I are doing well, though our second Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t feel any more Christmassy and it’s the time of year we miss family most. We’re spending Christmas Day with a family from church which we’re very much looking forward to and then off camping up the coast for the week before New Year. During that week I am going to become a champion surfboarder!

We’ve recently just had Tim and Jac Frisby staying with us who we know from Brighton (though they are now in London) and it was fantastic to see them again. It’s was also Bec’s 30th a few weeks ago and I’m sure she’ll tell you about it soon.

I’ll write my thoughts on how our first full year in Aus has gone, if I can ever pull myself from the coutch- Bec and I decided to splash out and buy ourselves a fancy Christmas present…

While I’m not suggesting that democracy directly brings about economic prosperity, surely the citizens of a prospective host country should at least have a say as to whether they feel that hosting a major sporting event will have a positive effect on their lives.

The International Olympic Committee should therefore at least require political democracy for any country that wishes to host the Olympic Games – a sign of worldwide peace and mutual respect. During my internet travels, I found a site campaigning for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics and while I’m not sure that’s not quite the solution either, it’s certainly food for thought… http://www.boycottbeijing2008.net

This was our first U2 concert so expectations were high and we were really excited. We’d been to the Telstra stadium before to see an AFL match, but still wasn’t quite expecting the enormity of what 70,000 people looked like!

After a shaky start (the PA sounded awful!) they really kicked in (as did the PA guy) and the atmosphere was electric. Most of the classics were played (set list below) and even though we were over a hundred metres away and the band were a mere spec, it truly was a spectacle.

Surprisingly, even for Bono, the polictical element was huge. So much so that it felt like the giant screen behind them was just one enourmous propaganda machine! Having said that, it was truly awesome what they were promoting. I guess when you’re as famous as Bono, you can get away with so blatantly promoting MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY, cancelling the debt of third world nations and emphasising the need for world religions to cohabit. At one point Bono got everyone to hold up their mobile phones, illuminating the entire stadium like a Christmas tree, and then proceeded to ask everyone to text their support to a campaign hotline. I like it.

Anyways, back to the music…. each song flowed marvelously into the next and at one point I was convinced they were going to do Yahweh, which would have been awesome, but I was misled as the chord sequence is exactly the same as Where The Streets Have No Name, so I settled for that instead All in all, I was really impressed at a near two hour show. They did two encores and Bono even took his shades off for one. What more could you want?!
Here’s the set list in all it’s glory and I’m glad I got to scratch another of life’s “must do’s” off my list.

City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Elevation
Until The End of the World
New Year’s Day
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Sometimes
Love and Peace
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet The Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride
Where The Streets Have No Name
One

Zoo Station
The Fly
With or Without You

The Saints Are Coming
Desire
Kite