Aussie Readers discussion

Yes the NT is such a big place I had to have two topics ...no just kidding, but my computer frezes when I open the original, so I am trying again ... though I have a feeling I may be talking to myself up here, as there does not seem to be many territorians on Goodreads ... maybe that is because they have all left at the moment due to the mozzie plague we seem to be having here since Monday.

I am sure that more Territorians will join you Dee-Ann. You just keep chatting and they will come.

In the mean time you will just have to be content to talk with the rest of the Australian continent. Keep feeding us your news. We love it.

The Sun Princess is coming into Darwin tomorrow for a day, with my parents on it, so will be spending 8 hours with them tomorrow.

Looking forward to it. So are the grandkids, and not only because they have a day off from school.

So tomorrow, beware of a boatload of tourists, mozzies and according to the NT News today, perverts!

Perverts? Is this in reference to the boatload of tourists?

Not quite


'COPS were forced to step in after a man was found sitting naked on a park bench pleasuring himself in broad daylight.

Onlookers were outraged about the naked sighting.

They said two officers spent minutes talking to the man, still in his birthday suit, before he was asked to put on his clothes and leave.

'

That is Darwin for you ...

Went to lake Leanyer yesterday with the boys and there was about 1000 other people there. What a fabulous place on a hot day yesterday. The mossies were not too bad either.

On Friday went tot he Territory Wildlife Park with about 50 6 to 8 year olds. A bit hot and the train could run a bit more often. Need longer than the three hours we had there. The kids had a great time. I was exhausted at the end of it, but the kids seemed to have just started, oh to be young again!

That looks like fun Dee-Ann! (OK maybe not the '50' part!). Here is a link I found to the Territory Wildlife Park if you're interested in checking it out.:)

Thanks for the link Mandy. It was fun.

Will be attending the ANZSOC (Aust and NZ Society of Criminology) conference on Wednesday in Alice Springs. Sometimes the tales you hear from these gatherings is better than fiction ... went to one a couple of years ago relating to drugs in Australia, some of the real life instances portrayed by the police at the conference were almstunbelievable and made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

Hi Dee-Ann - you're brave to take on 50 kids and the Wildlife Park in this weather!

Are you going to the ANZSOC for work or research? Sounds like a great place to get ideas and background for a book...

There were about 8 adults. The teachers were fabulous ... I dont know how they do it, the kids were really respectful, interested and cooperative ... it is hard to get just my five to do this at times.

I am going to ANZSOC for work, but I have a keen interest in some of the areas, and I think one day when I am kiddy-free, I might actually go and study law. I do a lot of interpreting legislation and crime issues already, it would be good to have somemore background knowledge.

Joanne

I am impressed with anyone like yourself who writes books, I often have ideas or aspire to write, but when I ever get time to sit down with pen and paper (or keyboard) my mind goes blank.

Don't worry, mine does that all the time. Probably why I'm doing this and not writing right now!!

You just have to crash through and write any kind of stuff, random thoughts, even "this is a waste of time", and eventually something starts up. It's like push starting a car. Works for me!

Don't give up.

Joanne wrote: "Don't worry, mine does that all the time. Probably why I'm doing this and not writing right now!!

You just have to crash through and write any kind of stuff, random thoughts, even "this is a waste..."

Joanne are you still out on the yacht? Is it a round Australia trip or something smaller? Do you or your husband have a blog or something so we can follow your amazing sailing adventure.:)

Hi Mandy - we're still in Darwin at the moment, with some mechanical problems which might keep us here for the wet season unfortunately. We do have a sailing blog - our previous one from sailing to Thailand 08/09, and a new one which doesn't have much on it yet. The new one is really a writer's blog which I've just started. Both are linked to my website, www.joannevanos.com It's just a temporary webpage atm, and about to be redone shortly.

You're very welcome to check them out! While you;'re here - I was trying to upload a cover image for my book Castaway but can't seem to do it, although it let me put Brumby Plains up?

And yes - we are still on the boat - we live on board.

Wow ... I just read the blog ... choosing 25 books would be hard ... sleeping on a small space sounds familiar (often wake up with one or mroe bodies in the bed with me) but i?we have so much junk, would not be able to decide what to keep and what to throw out.

I hope the wet season wont be too rough this year. It was mild last year, but the weather has been strange this year.

Joanne wrote: "You're very welcome to check them out! While you;'re here - I was trying to upload a cover image for my book Castaway but can't seem to do it, although it let me put Brumby Plains up?..."

I've uploaded the photo and blurb of

Love the blog Joanne. Love the lack of material possessions. I loved sailing too. I spent most of my youth on the water. Unfortunately, since having children I get chronically seasick. Just reading the moving objects on your boat started things churning. I miss the water. :/

Back from Alice Springs ... the weather was wonderful, sunny, not hot but not cold, great to be able to go for a walk and not be sweaty (cant even walk to my letterbox in Darwin at the moment without looing as though I have run a mile). The conference was okay, learnt a bit about the difficulteis with Aboriginal English in the judical system, about a drunk camel driver, money laundering, court rooms at Yuendumu and most importantly, dont rely on taxi drivers in Alice Springs, because the taxi you may have booked for 4.15 may instead have had a better offer of transporting locals to a distant community for $200 and decide not to honour the booking ... well that is the rumour as to why it did not turn up.

Taxis are the same in Sydney if you live in the outer suburbs. No excuses provided.

Mandy wrote: "Joanne wrote: "You're very welcome to check them out! While you;'re here - I was trying to upload a cover image for my book Castaway but can't seem to do it, although it let me put Brumby Plains up..."

Thank you , Mandy! Much appreciated. I seem to have 'techno block' when faced with instructions on a computer...

Hello Dee-Ann, were you back in time for last night's squall about 6pm? At least it cooled things down for a little while. Another 35C today too....
The conference sounds like it was interesting - Drunk in charge of a Camel. I wonder if that's on the statute books?!

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Love the blog Joanne. Love the lack of material possessions. I loved sailing too. I spent most of my youth on the water. Unfortunately, since having children I get chronically seasick. Just reading..."

Thanks Gail. That's a tragedy becoming seasick later on. Not fair at all. It's supposed to go the other way! I get seasick too, and have to take drugs for first few days till I find my balance properly.

Pregnancy does funny things to your system. I'm assuming that was what caused it, I never had any issues previously.

No I missed it, got back about 7.30pm.

Apparently the drunk case was of an Alice Springs lariking who was actually charged with driving an camel caravan under the influence in Oodnadatta in SA about 10 years ago. He ended up being aquitted of most charges except assaulting the police officer who arrested him (by using capsicum spray and handcuffs). I believe there are transcripts of the case because the offender appealed the assault charges, but the appeal was overturned.

Do you feel the heat so much being on the water?

It's quite hot in the marina, although we get some good breezes. It's much cooler if you're out on the water and moving. We're glad we decided to get air con put in before we left Thailand last year - makes it possible to work on board during the day.

Driving a camel caravan would probably send you to drink!

We haven't used air con for about 8 years at home. We have an elevated house out in the northern suburbs and it usually is not too bad, except for a couple days of the year. Thank goodness for ceiling fans. I would be lost without them. I work in town in an airconditioned 'bunker' which is too cold and too quiet.

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Pregnancy does funny things to your system. I'm assuming that was what caused it, I never had any issues previously."

It sure does funny things. Each time I was preganat I chipped a tooth, and with each pregnancy I developed a dislike for a certain food which remained. Besides this, I still know where every public toilet is in Darwin, can not watch movies where children get hurt and I cry for some reason when the kids sing the national anthem at school assemblies (never worked the latter out).

Dee-Ann wrote: "Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Pregnancy does funny things to your system. I'm assuming that was what caused it, I never had any issues previously."

It sure does funny things. Each time I was preganat I..."


I thought I was the only person who got teary when kids sang the national anthem at school! I'm not a rabid patriot and I don't particularly like the anthem so it's a mystery... Maybe it's those innocent (off-key) young voices.

I also never had asthma until I was pregnant. I guess it is an enormous strain on your body so prob not that odd that we develop strange after effects.

Joanne

I think my asthma actually got a bit better. I still rock when standing still, though I suppose it would be a bit hard to tell if you are on a boat if you do too.

I just went for a walk to my colleagues office who has a great view of the harbour (we are on the seventh floor of the building next to Chars restaurant) and the water looks perfect. I am envious.

I wish I was out on the water too!

It is hot, hot, hot! Not sure why I bothered with a shower today, I feel just as wet out than in the shower. New bus routes have started, which has affected the times of the other bus routes.

However, for anyone who is interested, got an email from Dymocks at Casuarina to say that Anh Do, the comedian and author will be at their bookstore on Saturday (9 October 2010) at 1.30pm to promote his book 'The Happiest Refugee'.
Contact details for morte info is ...
Shop GD 256-257, Casuarina Square
Phone: (08) 8927 2080
Email: casuarina@dymocks.com.au

Thanks for that Dee-Ann - I didn't know about it, and will try to get there. He's very funny!
This weather is a challenge isn't it? Can't remember such long periods over 34C in Darwin before. And 37C! Crazy.

Joanne ...I thought Monday was bad, I think today is hotter. I was glad to come to work today, just for the airconditioning. How is it down at the marina?

I gather there is not much news today if most of the front page on the NT News is staken up with a photo of a car at Mindil Beach with a lounge sofa secured to the top of it by rope with a person asleep in the sofa.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010...

Dee-Ann wrote: "I gather there is not much news today if most of the front page on the NT News is staken up with a photo of a car at Mindil Beach with a lounge sofa secured to the top of it by rope with a person a..."

Hahahaha! You guys have certainly got your priorities right! Who cares about the economic crisis, the com. games, war, etc. I love it!:D

I missed the rain yesterday, but my boys did not on the way home from school. Apparently they got drenched and were complaining about being cold ... that is a first.

Jill ... where is the Autism dinner ... I probably wont go, usually the only thing I go to is the children's xmas party. That reminds me that I had better renew my membership for Autism NT.

Just got an email from Autism NT regarding upcoming dinner ... weird.

Hi Dee-Ann - we've been out on the water since early Tuesday. Over to Bathurst Island and then across to Bynoe Harbour. All went well till the last day when I made a mistake lowering the main sail and now have rope burns and bandaged fingers!

Joanne wrote: "Hi Dee-Ann - we've been out on the water since early Tuesday. Over to Bathurst Island and then across to Bynoe Harbour. All went well till the last day when I made a mistake lowering the main sail ..."

Joanne - ouch ... you and my 15 year old son can compare wounds ... he has only shifted to the top bunk due to usual struggle to make more room in our house and whilst sleeping he dreamed about hi-5 ing ... and did so and his hand hit the ceiling fan, and now he has a deep cut on his finger ... since then I have heard some horror stories about top bunks and ceiling fans, so he came away fairly lucky.

I went to Dymocks yesterday and it seems that Ahn Do is appearing at the Casuarina Eatery at 1.30pm ... I thought it was at the store but alas I will have to battle the crowds down there on saturday afternoon.

I forgot to say, Joanne your trip sounds exotic ... well exotic NT style. I have been to Dundee Beach ( a few years ago ... I think I have had 2 extra kids since then) and loved it, never been to Bathurst ... how was it?

It was lovely being back out on the water again. Didn't go ashore at all, just anchored for the night off Pt Fawcett on the west of Bathurst Is, and sailed over to Bynoe Hbr next morning and anchored in Tapa Bay that night. Reminds us why we love our boat. After a month of living amongst engine repairs, we needed reminding!

Hope your son's fingers feel better soon, too.

The Happiest Refugee

Attended book signing on Saturday at Causyarina and Anh Do seems like a genuinely funny and nice guy.

My kids love Anh Do. Did you get your book signed?

Yes ... I did get three copies signed, two are presents. He was so patient and dedicated, there was a huge line of people and when I finally got there you would have thought that I was the only one. He did a 10 minute comedy sketch, and one of the favourtie parts was of a story where a mother at another venue told him that he was her young sons favourite person in the whole world, and would he give her his autograph. The mother then spoke again and said that he (Anh Do) was her son's faourtie Wiggle!

I could not work how to attach it to the comment, but I have a blurry photo of myself and Anh in my profile.

Joanne, did you get to the signing?

Apparently, there is also a movie to be made of the book. I have only read a cople of chapters of the book which has captivated me so far, but I can not tell if it deserves a movie or not so far, in comparison with other good memoris I have read.

Yesterday's newspaper front page title may be up there with the best 'The pooch, the pensioners and the punch-up', which was apparently about two men aged 78 (one of whom received 30 stitches to his head for his efforts) who had a vicious brawl over a dog (named Hannibal)and the event was witnessed by 8 other geriatric witnesses from the retirement village. The magistrate sad it '...was a sad case of grumpy old men' ... it may be 'sad' but it is also good to know that they still have some vim.

LOL. Good to know for when we become geriatrics. I don't plan on going out with too much dignity...

Waiting at a bus stop with my son yesterday, when along come 17 indigenous children to catch the same bus, aged from approx 4 to 14. None were speaking english and I suspect that they had come from a remote community, probably for a funeral of an elder which has brought in a lot of people from outside communities. What made my day was watching about 10 of the youngest standing along the side of the road getting excited about all the cars were driving past and if it was something big or out of the ordinary (eg cement truck) they would let out the biggest cheers and screams. They were waving to all the people driving past, like it was an extraordinary parade. It was terrific and the noise was like sitting next to a tree full of parrots.

Dee-Ann wrote: "Waiting at a bus stop with my son yesterday, when along come 17 indigenous children to catch the same bus, aged from approx 4 to 14. None were speaking english and I suspect that they had come fro..."

That's a fantastic story Dee-Ann. I remember when I was a young nurse going to work in remote communities in Arnhem Land and being so totally astonished that there were Aboriginal people in Australia that didn't speak english. I was very ignorant in those days!