Well look at this respectively

Two different web pages that on most computers would come at as links, look at these two respectively




http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090208/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_wildfires




http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl




They said that Mornington Peninsula could be next where I'm at and that's why we will be proofing the house tomorrow. Well water restrictions due to using so much the past two nights, not us the fire department, so everyone should only take 2 min showers. Also first day of work was fine, I went in an hour early and worked 11-6 in 45 degree weather which is above 110. I didn't really sweat but I was working a bar outside under a veranda with an 80 person party(wedding reception) Chatted it up and had some free food after work and while I'm talking a guy comes up to me and is like where you from

Minnesota

Oh I'm from Ohio

Long story short he moved here 25 years ago and offered to take me fishing on his boat and he's talking about big fish. I want taco bell bad

So what! I know it's been a long time

Sorry about that temporary delay in service but I have just been doing soooo many things. First thing first, basketball updates, now remember I play in two leagues and have games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Tuesday is the league I got Tree in and Wednesday is the league with the Balnarring boys. So to update Tree's first game with us was great, we won, he scored, I hit two buckets that were all net and somehow I can shoot out here and that's amazing. Next week on Tuesday we play the best team in our league and it was a hard fought battle that we lost in the second half and I almost got a technical for screaming at the refs. They made some horrible calls, and also one of the opponents must have had a problem with my physicality and tried pushing me and then I shouted some expletives at him, crossed him up, and then a teammate of his ran into me(6'5 260) and I flew into the kid and we rolled around on the ground for a minute. Very high tension, needless to say we lost by a couple points and I took myself out of the game getting upset at the officials but it's good because I now know I will not lose to that team again. Much needed motivation. Supposed to have a game the next day but this was in the middle of the hottest week in Melbourne in 100 years will each day getting about 40 which is about 105 and it got up to around 120 on some days. I did nothing the whole week and just sat in the house, honestly too hot to do anything. So back to Tuesday and pretty much the reason I love this team so much is they just tell me to take the inbound and do what I do, as far as drive and dish. I just make plays happen and on every rebound I'm pushing it. I played well, team played alright and we pulled out the victory. Now Wednesdays are a different story, it's a bunch of people that have played together their whole lives and so they're allowing me to play on the team with them. I usually ride the bench and it's tough to get the ball on that team so I said to Tree I want the same responsibility on this team that I have on the other. A leader. Well I didn't force anything and this game was particularly big because we played the other Balnarring team in this league. They brought in a ringer, 6-6 250 player that played basketball in the states. He could shoot, use his body, rebound, all that stuff that he should be able to do. After half time it's 16-16 and I made 6 points so far, two were acrobatic. I tell the team at half time a few words and even when I'm not in the game I'm a vocal person on the bench, great team player I must say myself. Second half we dig ourselves a hole and we're down like 5 points which is a lot in this league. I see out big man down court after the inbound and pass him the rock and he launches a 3, buckets. Come down next possession and I drive in the lane and draw a crowd and dish it back to the big man for 3, buckets. The opponents big man came down after both of those and hit a 3 on us. Then steal, turns into a fastbreak with me getting the rock around the 3 pointer, 3 dribbles later it's a layup on the other side of the hoop on this 1 on 2. They closest defender to their hoop was running back to play D and had his back to me so I drove around him and it was good. I was on the ground kind of juiced after doing the And 1 signal as I got up and ran back to my spot in the zone defense. I take a quick breather around 7 minutes left in the half knowing that I want to be in there in the closing seconds. We take a timeout around the 3 minute mark and I'm back in the game. While on the bench one of our players hit 2 huge 3's. We're down about 3 points and Tree takes a screen I set a pops a two around the free throw line. Down one. They come back and don't do anything and Tree is at the line and makes two free throws, up one now. There's around a minute left and they scored so now we're back to down one, I slowly dribble up court, at the top of the key I pass right. He tries to drive but pulls it back out and passes to me, I drive right and the zone collapsed on me so I pass it back to the same guy as he's cutting on the baseline. The zone came to him and I make myself available for the pass which he throws to me and without hesitation I shoot, now I didn't know the score, the time, or that I apparently had two people in my face. All I knew was that he passed me the rock and I felt that I had the shot, I shoot, it's up in the in air and I start trotting back a little in it's all net. I bang on my chest as I run down the court after hitting a 3 and look up and we're up 2 points. Just huge. We D up, get the steal with about 14 seconds left and just pass the ball around and had a huge victory. I hit a three pointer to win the game and I never thought I would ever say that or have the confidence to shoot in the waning seconds of a game. Well I've been telling both teams when asked how long will I stay, my response is until we win a championship so I'm real excited about this. Well sprinkled in between these basketball games was ton of memories as far as Jan 26th is Australia day and for that River started a tradition a couple of years ago called the BBB, Beers+Bikes in Balnarring. We start at Rivers house and we drink a lot of beers there then head off to 5 different spots eating midway and also at the end. There's probably around 4 cases at each house so we drink until the beer is gone and it starts at 10 in the morning. Australia day is huge and is sort of like our Independence day. Also as if beers and bikes weren't enough it is a theme party that started off with pirates, next year was mexicans, and after I started a push for video game characters I lost to Australian Icons. What a shit theme, I had no idea what to do or who anyone would be and as I'm looking for a costume I came up with my idea right than to be Heath Ledger, but not just any Heath, Brokeback Heath so I basically just dressed up as a cowboy. Tight jeans, flannel shirt, big belt buckle, boots, vest, hat. Needless to say the day was extremely long with me throughout 12 hours of drinking I probably had about 20+ beers and I was very satisfied with my performance. Didn't drink for like another 3 days after that. Some other events I have been able to partake in was going away parties for people I have met and made new friends from that, also I got to enjoy the superbowl. Nigel took the day off work and he and I had one of those Heineken Kegs and enjoyed it a lot. I knew it would turn out to be a great game and I would have bet on the spread the Cardinals way so if I was home I would've made some money. Lastly but certainly not least, I went to the heritage, local pub, to look for a job a couple of weeks ago and they told me to come back on the 5th because owners were changing. I show up on the 5th and say, "Hey guys, it's the 5th." Owners weren't taking over for another 2 weeks but he tells me that he will just pay me cash and I can work the next couple of weeks getting trained in. So he asks are you busy Fridays, no naturally, how about Saturdays, not at all. Well I'll call you about Friday but Saturday you start and next Saturday could you work a double? No problem so basically I got a job paying cash and when the new owners come in I will see if that will be maintained. It's a start and Nige was real pleased about me going and doing this. If you don't know Nigel has been the reason I have felt so comfortable down here and he has acted as if I am one of the family since I started being here. He is one of the many father figures I have had my whole life from my father to Uncle Melvin to Don to recently Darwin and I would be surprised if he didn't make it to my wedding if I ever make it to there. Basically he and I chat everyday and he helps me a lot out here just being himself and he's great. Well I'll write back and let you know how my first day goes because it will either be tonight or tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing great, Grandma and Grandpa I love you guys.