December 14, 2015 Collingwood Park, QLD

We have been domesticated. The pet feeding routine here is odd. I give Bullet the cat some raw kangaroo meat twice a day. For Ryder the dog I either give him a chunk of an enormous bologna-sausage-like roll of dog food or he gets some raw chicken breast or cooked chicken leg meat. Ryder is complicated. I have to cook for him. The bird feeder gets a mug of seed everyday. Ryder and Bullet also have some dry food that sits out and Ryder sticks to eating Bullet’s food. Both the animals are delightful companions and beyond feeding we just give each other some affection. They both sleep with us. Ryder is in bed before us and Bullet will come when the lights are out. It is a good time.

We’ve been exploring a little since we have settled in. We went to a baseball game because a friend of a friend works for the league. MLB runs the Australian Baseball League and uses it as a farm for players from all over. Makes me wish I was a baseball player. The game was a lot of fun to watch and we saw a former Minnesota Twin playing for the Perth Heat. The stadium was little more than fancy high school sized. We also went to a Farmers’ market. Jill was so excited she bought some Sand Crabs. Sand Crabs look like Blue Crabs except that they are pink. We had a little feast with them. We even went to a swimming pool! I swam a couple lengths resting along the way and my arms couldn’t move for quite a while afterwards. After the pool we had lunch at an organic food store in Ipswich. This evening we will go meet our baseball friend-of-a-friend in Brisbane for a little excitement. I’m falling into the routine of home life. It was a bit depressing for a few days but I think things are looking up. Jill is still sad to be on crutches for a while but she also is coming to terms with it. I think we are going to be ok here.