October 03, 2004

Balmain, Gig at Hopetoun Hotel & Paddington

Hello!

Yesterday (Saturday), I relaxed at home a bit. In the afternoon, I decided to go take a little walk around Balmain. First I went to fax my timesheet to the temp agency (I want to get paid!) and then I explored the area near the primary school/Gladstone Park. I walked along Gladstone Street, Stephen Street, St Andrews, Colgate Avenue and back home. That evening, around 9pm, Andy and I left to go meet up with another of Andy's friends at the Hopetoun Hotel. For 8$, we saw 3 bands. First came Snap! Crakk!, crazy people in that band! Then it was Bird Blobs, my personal favorites that evening. I liked the drums, the songs were powerful and the singing (or shall I say screaming...) was different! Then Love of Diagrams came on. Andy went in front to stand as he was going to video record the gig. I joined him but soon did not feel too good (it was way too warm/loud) so I went back to see his friend. It still was not cool enough so I went outside to get some real fresh air. I felt better so I went back in and stood at the back of the venue. I did not really like the band (they were ok) so I did not care if I only saw 3 heads on the stage! I was in bed by 1h, listening to a Whitlams CD on my boyfriend's CD player (thanks!) to fall asleep.

This morning at 10h when I woke up, I saw what a nice day it was outside: sunny and almost no wind. So I decided I had to get out and go see some sights. I got my Guides Voir tourist book out and saw that they had a nice walk in Paddington and that there was many things to see in that area of Sydney. So off I went! I took the 11h35 number 442 bus to the city. Once there, I walked to Paddington through Hyde Park, College Street to Oxford Street. I walked along Oxford all the way to Paddington. On the way I saw a few nice old buildings including the Darlinghurst Court House and Paddington Town Hall. I then walked in the residential area of Paddington following a guided walk that was in my book. It took me along William Street (London Tavern), Union Street (picturesque-gothic houses), Stafford Lane, Duxford Street, Broughton Street, Five Ways (roundabout), Glenmore Road, Gurner Street, Cascade Street (Warwick "castle"), Windsor Street (where I saw one old wood house between many nice houses) and Paddington Street (BIG Victorian era houses). I saw a lot of very nice houses. It is difficult to describe how they are, it can best be seen with pictures. I then went to the IGA supermarket to buy cookies and a popsicle which I ate on a bench in a park. After, I stopped at a newsagent to buy a Blue TravelPass (valid 7 days, 29$). I used it to get the number 380 bus back to the city. I walked from Victoria Road to George Street, and near Town Hall Station, I saw the number 433 bus. I decided to jump on that one. It gets me to Balmain also, but going through another suburb called Glebe and that way it does not go on the Anzac bridge. It was nice to see a different route. I always take the number 442 bus and that goes on the bridge.

October 06, 2004

Laundry and Work

On Monday I did some laundry. I had 3 washmachine loads and 2 dryer loads. I had not done the wash in a long time because it was always rainy outside so I could not hang it out to dry! Monday though, it was nice and sunny and warm. That evening, it was still humid, so I hung it on a drying rack in my room.

On Tuesday, I went to my first day of work at a childcare centre in Mosman (Sydney's North Shore). At 6h05 I was up, and at 6h45 I was ready to leave. To go there, I have to take two busses (one to centre, one to North shore). All together, it is about 1h travel (the busses are not synchronized!). On the second bus (number 247), I did not know where the street I had to get out was... I only knew it was about 12 minutes into the trip. So at about 10 minutes later from when we left, I went to the driver to ask him to stop at that road. He did not understand at first... And then said "Oh! That one's the next stop!" I was very lucky I went to see the driver when I did, otherwise I would have missed my stop! Now I knew it was after the giant McDonalds that I had to press the button and get out. I had to cook for about 40 kids (20 x babies to 2 years old, 10 x 3 years old and 10 x pre-schoolers). I made creamy vegetable pasta and caramelized pineapple for desert. But for the pasta, I did not know they had a recipee, so I just made it my way... with milk. I later found the recipee and they used yogurt! It still turned out fine though! They thanked me a lot and said the food was tasty. I also had to clean up everything after lunch and put away the giant order from the Woolworth supermarket they had just received... It was hard to fit all that food in the fridge!! Back home, I watched the World Cup of Hockey semi-finals (not live...) and then also asked a few piano questions to Andy. I am trying to learn a bit of piano (they have the piano and the book, so why not?). It is complicated though... reading the music sheets and the notes and everything! That evening, I watched Survivor (the double tribal council episode) as well as America's Next Top Model 3.

Today I went back to the childcare centre in Mosman. It was way easier because I knew my way around the kitchen and spaghetti bolognese is easy to make! I had a lot of time to just "relax" in the kitchen today (working slowly). I also ate a bit of the spaghetti I made and some fruit and yogurt for desert. It was yummy. It is incredible how much food gets thrown out...! Each day, there is a huge garbage bin filled with food, cans, milk packs, etc. But just the food they throw out would be enough to feed a family! Crazy... The kids should be taught to eat everything that is put on their plates. Also with milk... I had to throw out the equivalent of 1 litre I'm sure... They did not drink most of what was in their "sippy" cups. Oh well! On my way back, I stopped at a record store in the city to pick up The Drum (a free weekly music newspaper). In Balmain, I stopped at the supermarket to get some food (Nutella, fruit salad, yogurt, juice, bread, cheese, etc.) as well as some insect killing spray for upstairs in my room if I ever see an ugly insect again! The supermarket was not too busy but it took so long at the cash register!! I had to wait like 30 minutes. I think it is because of their system. The person working the cash register and scanning the items also has to put it in the bags. They are doing two tasks at once and it takes longer.

October 07, 2004

Another Day at Work

Today I went to work at the same childcare centre again. This morning at the Wynyard bus stop, I saw something different. There was a muslim man there and he was wearing a turban. The thing that was different is that he had a baseball cap over it, trying to cover it up it seemed. It made me think about why would he want to cover his turban, etc. Work itself went pretty well. I made everything today: morning tea (english muffins with Vegemite/cream cheese), lunch (fish and chips and banana custard) as well as afternoon tea (assorted sandwiches). I managed to get it all done! The most difficult thing this time was making the custard. It is something I have never eaten so I did not know what consistency it should be (how thick) or if I was doing it ok. The recipee said 4 table spoons of the mix and 1 liter milk. That's what I did. I then asked one childcare worker to taste it and say if it was alright, like real custard, and it was! On my way back home, at the bus stop by the Queen Victoria Building, I saw aboriginal people talking their language. Some words sounded very familiar, kind of like French, especially the bus numbers! Maybe it was just my imagination. I liked hearing the aboriginal people's language.

October 08, 2004

Last Day of Work in Cremorne

October 8, was my last day working at the childcare centre in Cremorne and it was the one where I rushed the most! I had to make... The usual baby mashes (potatoe and pumpkin), chicken stir fry for lunch, banana cake for desert and sausage rolls (with puff pastry and sausages) for afternoon tea. I got everything (cooking and cleaning of dishes) done on time anyways, and it was a big relief knowing it was my last day and weekend was here! I got the 13h01 bus to the city and then 13h20 bus to Balmain so I was home very early (usually 13h10 bus and 13h40 bus)! At home, I got a phonecall from my boyfriend, watched the DVD of "The Whitlams Live at the Metro" started the task of writing down where each picture I have was taken (I'm already forgetting the ones from September so I decided to write it down before I totally forget). In the evening, I went with Andy and one of his mates to the London Hotel and we sat outside on the terrace. At 23h I was back home, almost ready for bed.