ToledOooooooooooooo

A guy at the Glass Museum in Toledo today explained that the Toledo accent is different than other Americans because they have long 'O's. I guess that comes from saying ToledO and OhiO a lot.

We made glass beads out of glass. I like the kind of art where you get to use a blow torch.

We had a nice Christmas in the old folks home with Grandma and Grandpa and all the other residents. Tomorrow it's off to New Hampshire. We'll be trying to outrun the cold weather that's coming across the country after us. It snowed last night - but just a little bit. Just enough to ease us into it.

Christmas Dinner

Making Glass Beads

Our art. Di, Di, Brad, Di, Di, Brad, Brad, Di, Brad, Di, Brad, Di.

Taipei and Vancouver - Totally Grouse

We're finally off again! Brisbane-Taipei-Vancouver-Toledo-Nashua-NewYork-Toronto-Toledo-Las Vegas-Toledo-Washington DC-Durham-High Point-Toledo-Vancouver-Taipei-Brisbane
Or something like that...

So here's some photos so far. From Taipei and from our few days in Vancouver with Owen and Corrina. Sorry for not rotating the images... but I'm using an Apple, not a computer.

We made a list, and managed to tick off most of it... including snowboarding, ice skating, watching hockey, playing hockey, Cinnamon Buns, Stanley Park, Granville Island, Tim Hortons, Krispy Kremes, Sushi, Mastering Etch a Sketch, Buying warm clothes, 5-pin bowling, Corrina's Mum, Owen's Mum, Corrina's Grandma and watch Degrassi.

Off to Seattle tomorrow for a day, then flying to Toledo for Christmas with Di's Grandparents!

Our Taipei photo

Di in the night markets - Taipei

Christmas in Taipei

A really tall thing (and Taipei 101 - tallest building in the world. We went up it!)

Some random people at Vancouver Airport

Granville Island

A Clear Day. Wooh!

Ice Skating

Di, Corrina and Owen with Santa and Mrs Santa at Grouse Mountain

Snowboarding on Grouse and a chick I picked up while doing it

Goalie Di

Brad Gretzky-Schultz

The Team

Old man?

Just thought I'd whack in a quick link to some photos from my 30th birthday party on the weekend. Check out our photos here.

Pretty amazing to have so many great friends in one place. Even the people working at the pub commented on what a great bunch of people our friends were! I just wish I could have been part of multiple conversations at once all night. Thanks to all who came and to those who I know couldn't come but wanted to!

May the Don rest in peace.

Piloting skills

I'm making some progress with my piloting skills...

Heavy Machinery, Hotels and a Weak Share Price that Doesn't Matter to Me

This post starts with the following sign that appeared a few weeks ago, across the road from us, sending us into frenzies of excitement... Our very own new Coles supermarket, looking ready to open for MONTHS was finally opening!!

As many of you know, we have experienced much pain in Gibbon street with the construction of the development across the road. So to finally gain some benefit out of it, even if it IS just a Coles, is appreciated.

So 8am on Monday the 24th, we were there - part of the mob of around 30 odd people who wanted to see the doors open at a Coles for the first time. We got in, bought our clothes pegs and cookie dough, claimed our free rose, then got out. Sort of surreal to see this supermarket with NOTHING missing from the shelves...




Unbeknownst to us, we were putting our lives in serious danger by even entering the store! When dropping in later in the day to by some more things, we were informed about THIS little news story.

Meanwhile, next door, work on the North South Bypass Tunnel has continued, being a major disruption to our otherwise idyllic lives. Last week was particularly painful, with work going on until midnight every night and starting at 6am the next morning. After a few late night phonecalls to their 'hotline' to complain, they came through with the goods - putting us up in hotels for the next two weeks while they complete their night works!

See the view from our new pad below.



Unfortunately the hotel's TV isn't as big as the one I had in my room in Sydney when I was there overnight for work this week...

Another New Toy

I've decided to launch a transportation experiment... by purchasing an electric scooter on ebay. Legally it's classified as a bicycle (so I'm led to believe). I'm sure this classification will be tested the first time police notice that I don't have a number plate...

A few photos...and a few more are here.


I found Krispy Kremes in Mong Kok!

At Si Kung

Going home tomorrow!!!

Hello countless millions of Brad's Big Bad Blog fans...

Well I didn't really do too many updates during the week. It was a pretty full week of work, but topped off with a nice day today. Knocked off at Lunchtime and my host, Ian, took me to Sai Kung, a nice little 'holiday village' type of area just out of the city. Ate some seafood, drank some beer, and it made all the hard work worthwhile!

This evening I hit the technology shops - Apliu St, and the Golden Computer Arcade - then the Temple St markets and some other markets around Mong Kok. Fun evening - I just wish Di was here too! I'll post a few photos.

Not much time...

Well I haven't really had much time to do fun and exciting blog updates. Sitting in Changi airport waiting for my plane to Hong Kong. As many of you probably know, the foot massage machines here are free and nice.

Wrong pizza...

Off on a work trip again - Singapore and Hong Kong for the week.

Got given a bacon pizza instead of chicken which I asked for - I think its a sign to go a little more vegetarian like I keep meaning to. Primarily for sustainability reasons I guess, but after reading "The Ethics of What We Eat", the cruelty factor is certainly real.

Like the true early-technology-adopter I am, I now have this new fangled thing called a digital camera in what's called a 'mobile phone'.

What we've been up to...

Juzzy competing in a downhill race at Canungra:


Camping at Tamborine for Grace's 30th Birthday party: (Grace is the one next to Di)

Di spent a day making sock puppets with Sarah, Becky and Josie:


Some domestic violence at Gibbon St:

Home!

I posted a bunch of photos here.

Enjoy!

Good ol Boys

Had to get a photo at Cooters of Dukes of Hazard fame...

Jetlag

Tired.... must.... upload... photos...

Denver airport:


Me in Nashville:

Across the Pond

This is where I'm heading on this trip. The last stop is Toledo, Ohio - which I HOPE to get to, if time permits, to visit Di's Grandparents!

The last few weekends...

have taken us to NSW for multiple weekends! Camping at Nightcap National Park at Easter, then Curryfest at Woolgoolga, then a relaxing weekend at Murwillambah.







The above wasn't on a weekend... but it's a nice photo of Gav and Matt.

Look who I had lunch with on the weekend...

Rainbows in South Brisbane

Di's Birthday

To continue the 'Di' theme on my blog this week... here are a few piccies from her birthday!

Di and Kay and Rosa's cafe with her complimentary 'babycino'

Birthday dinner at Kangaroo Point (Barbequed Salmon, Haloumi and Pumpkin Risotto)

Watching Casablanca in our backyard with lots of friends on Friday night

This should be an ad for QUT!

This blog post is an official, public congratulations to Di, from me, for deservedly receiving a University Medal!!

Alaska and Sushi!

Finally back home - 36 hours after flying out of Los Angeles! (Los Angeles to Tokyo to Singapore to Brisbane).

Between LA and tokyo, I decided to lift my window shade to see what we were flying over (expecting it just to be cloud or water) and I saw a little island. It had a mountain with snow on it. I lifted the shade all the way up, looked ahead, and saw the Alaskan Peninsula spreading out before me! With snow covered rugged mountains as far as I could see, and after a few minutes, one HUGE volcano. Subsequent research revealed that it was Mt Veniaminof (Google Maps Here)- an active volcano. It was surreal to think that I was flying over Alaska to get back to Australia from the USA...

In Narita airport in Tokyo, I had a big walk around the airport and found a GREAT sushi place near Gate 33... anyone else know it? I guess I can't say I know what 'genuine' sushi is having never been out of the airport in Japan, but this seemed pretty close... you sit at the counter and there is a row of old Japanese sushi chefs yelling at each other and cutting and rolling sushi so fast that it's a wonder they don't cut off fingers. I ordered a whole plate - and it was a little bigger than I'd pictured, but I made it. It was surely the best sushi I've had ANYWHERE... (well, out of Brisbane, Vancouver and Singapore, which are the only places I've had sushi that I can remember). I found out though that they tend to hide lumps of wasabi in the sushi itself. I now have what I would call a 'Wasabi Headache'. I wear it as a badge of honour.