Got insurance?

The 000 symbol on the side denotes the emergency number to call.
A common issue with Aussie kids is that they want to call 9-1-1 because
they see it on American tv shows.

Recently we've had a few too many trips to the doctor for emergency care.

First Donnelly was trying to ride a riding lawnmower with no motor down a hill, and it rolled, gashing his chin badly.

So, a quick trip in the "amblyance" to the hospital, and they superglued his chin together rather than giving him stitches.

A few days later Donnelly and Brynley were playing around with an aerosol can and a lighter (yikes!) and Brynley caught himself on fire and burnt the end of his nose, cheek and upper lip. After many visits to the GP (general practitioner) and the plastic surgeon, he seems to be doing ok. Whew.

On top of being terrified at what damage the boys had done to themselves, I was worried about what the expense of all this medical care would be. I needn't have worried because Australia's universal health care system is very good.

The ambulance ride was free because a small tax that is added to everyone's electric bill pays for the service. The seven or eight trips to the GP and the trip to the plastic surgeon were covered by Medicare. We did have to pay for the medicines used to treat Bryn's burns, but the total was less than $100 because they are subsidized by the government via the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.

I can imagine if this had happened in the U.S. that we would possibly be charged $1,000 or more. A friend from back home recently asked me if it was worth the extra taxes to have socialized medicine. I can only say after this experience, that it certainly is.

Happy annivererersary

Our 4th anniversary was this weekend, and we had a great time.

First, I came home from work on Friday to a huge bouquet of flowers from Dave.

Brynley wrote the note attached to the flowers. It reads:

Hi Dianna
happy
aniversyvsiy

Fabulous!

Then Dave took me out to dinner at our favourite chinese restaurant on the other side of town.

And on Saturday we went camping with several other couples at a campground in Rollingstone next to the beach. It was really beautiful.

The weather was fantastic, about 85 degrees.

I brought my guitar and played and sang with everyone. Dave was quite surprised because I haven't played in months/years. Guess some things come back to you quickly.

On Sunday (today) we came back to the house, put stuff away (hate that part) and are back into the grind of preparing for the work week.

It is nice to be home. And the flowers are still hanging in there.

On the usefulness of ladders

When you have a two-storey house, having a ladder comes in handy.

In the last week or so we've had to use ours twice, which is pretty unusual.

First, the kids went off to the mall, Dave and I went on an errand in a different direction on foot, and we forgot our house keys. Both of us.

Since we got home before the kids we were locked out.

The good news is that we discovered that the house is pretty difficult to break into.  After much trying of doors we discovered that one of the kids had left a window open upstairs so Dave made like a cat burger, climbed the ladder and was through the window in a flash.

On a different note, the neighbours to the side of us have been complaining bitterly for the last 3 months about a tree on the side of our house. When the wind blows strongly, little leaves drift off the tree and over the fence where they drop on the neighbours brick patio. And shock, horrors, they have to sweep up these few leaves weekly.

We hadn't done anything about the offending tree limb because it was twenty feet up the tree and was difficult to get to. Short of calling in a tree service we felt there was nothing that could be done.

Donnelly offered to climb the tree and cut off the limb but we were worried for his safety. Finally we agreed, but there was no way we would let him climb the tree with a chainsaw. So, he used a machete and whacked and whacked and finally the big tree limb was severed and fell to earth.

So thanks to a heroic effort by Donn, the neighbours have been appeased. Makes me wish I lived in the country well away from testy people.

Some craftiness

Made out of Australian wool

Eh, Boo Boo!

America pics - part 3

These first photos are for my husband, who stayed behind to watch the kids. Poor guy.

Whenever we watch shows about the U.S. he always comments on how available guns are for the average person. Well here at the local Bi-Mart there are heaps of rifles with no clerk standing around watching them.

Hiking supplies...including maps of back country areas. Don't get lost.

Now, on to more important things like CHEESE!!!!

This is the infamous orange cheese that I know and love. I wish you could import it over here.

And last, but not least, when you thought that McDonald's couldn't make their shakes any more fattening....whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Bliss.