Spring Carnival!

Spring Carnival: Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racing Club

This Saturday was the Cox Plate. It's one of many races during Spring Carnival here in Melbourne. It's all about the fashion at the races. We got all dressed up and went to this race. It's one of the better races to attend, because it's not ridiculously busy. The Course we were at holds about 40,000 people, and the race next weekend holds about 100,000. Despite it being the 'less' busy race, I thought there were plenty of people. It was a bit chilly, which was a little disappointing. But it was better than sweating all day. Paul wore his fancy new suit, and I wore my new dress. We found all my accessories while we were in Perth. My earrings were a gift from Mrs. Forsyth, and they worked perfectly with my dress. They are silver with amethyst stones. My fascinator was actually two separate pieces; big flower, and separate netting with clips. Luckily we brought some flats for me to slip into through out the day. We were on our feet for the entire day, and there's a lot of walking involved so my tootsies took a bit of a beating.

There were eight races and we placed about five bets. We won or placed on nearly all our bets. We bet small, so we won small. But that didn't take any of the excitement out of winning. We didn't bet with any real theory. I picked one jockey, because he was wearing yellow and so was I. We won on that one. We won on another horse we bet on, because Paul liked the name 'Super Cool'. The first race started at 1:00 and the last race was 6:00. Naturally we missed the first race. It turns into a really long day. We made sure to drink a lot of water at home, and had a big breakfast. So luckily the champagne had something to stick to in my stomach. The legal drinking age here is eighteen. So it's a bit entertaining to see the drunk girls with heels, fascinators and braces. We saw one girl in a hot pink dress getting wheeled out in a wheel chair by police. Another guy got escorted out by police a couple hours later. Paul gave me ample warning that there would be plenty of drunk people, so I was ready for it.

The bets are placed with independent bookies. You just give them your money, they give you a receipt and you return to the same bookie to collect your winnings.... if you're lucky enough to win. They all had those bags over their shoulder. But I'm pretty sure it was just for looks/to display their name. 

I didn't see anything in the bags.

Here's a view of some of the crowd and the betting area behind them. They are all facing a giant TV that's playing the race we're at, and other races around the country. 

They walk the horses around a small oval, so you can take a look at their behavior before placing a bet. They also interview the trainers, farm owners, jockeys, etc before the race. This was before the final race, so there were quite a few people in the stands watching.

Naturally I found pretty flowers to take a picture of.

The final race we were able to get close enough to see the track. 

There were so many people earlier in the day that I couldn't see the track at all. 

Our final bet was on the jockey wearing pink and white. He was doing awesome at the beginning of the race. But by the finish he was in the back. They go by in what feels like a second. But it's pretty amazing to be that close and see them cruise by.

We had a great time. Pauls friend, Leon was in town for the races from Perth. So we met him there. It's definitely better to be there in a group. It's also a quite expensive day. The tickets alone run a fair bit of money. Then there's the drinks, food, and bets all day. Luckily, we don't live too far from the track, so we took a train in. The train conductor announced our stop with "Those wearing suits, fascinators, and frocks this is your stop". That saved us a lot in the cash department. It's a fun excuse to get dressed up and throw away money on betting. I'm happy we made it, but we'll see if we're up for it next year.

Getting down in Perth!

October marks one year cancer free for my Dad. Happy First Birthday, Daddy! We couldn't be luckier to have the caring, kind, burger loving Dad that we've got! We love you very much! I'm a better woman for having you as my Daddy! Right now Dad is renovating the upstairs of his house so that we have a comfortable place to stay when we come to the States. Thanks, Daddy! Love you!

 The weather is bi-polar. But we still try to get outside when we can. Last week we went on a few jogs or walks. On Saturday we did a bit of running around. I drove for the first time. Paul drove us to a fairly calm area and I took on the open road. The only problem was a large piece of wood in the middle of the road on our way home. Slowly but surely it will get easier. We also checked out a run down house,  with a outback dunny in the backyard! And placed a bet on the races. The horse races have officially begun. They are a huge deal in Oz. Dare I say bigger than the Kentucky Derby. There are races all over the country. But most are in Melbourne. Last week we made our first bet together on a horse. Our horse came in third, so we made a whole 8 bucks! Next week we'll be at the races. I have a dress to wear...or a few dress options. Now I need to find a fascinator and a hand bag. 

Paul had some work in Perth for a week. So I tagged along. We arrived in Perth on Sunday night. It was a bit too late to do anything on Sunday. On Monday Paul started work. After work we worked out at the hotel gym and sat in the sauna and spa bath. After we worked on our figures we went on a little walk in Fremantle. We started with a beer sampler, gelato, then we walked down by the water, and he showed me where the cattle exporters depart from. Down by the water there was some pretty sweet architecture. I liked these steel animal cut outs. There were about ten different ones. But the rat and the naked lady were my favourite. After our walk we stopped into Pizza Bella Roma, Paul explains it as "the best pizza in Freo!" We had a bit of confusion with the menu. It clearly states at the top that every pizza comes with cheese, sauce and a flour pizza base. Turns out one of the pizzas we ordered came with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, and Parmesan. It's a good thing I asked Paul to ask them to overcook it, because that's when we found out it was a cheese-less pizza! Needless to say, we added cheese and it was still delicious. Paul ordered a meat lovers. In the time he ate his whole pizza, I had two and half slices of mine. His food never goes cold.

 We tried a beer sampler at a bar called Monk in Fremantle. I'm not typically a fan of dark beers. But all their dark beers were actually quite good. With the exception of one. It was described as a fruity beer. But I think it tasted more like a garlic piece of bread. After our beers we decided to start with Gelato for dinner and have pizza for desert. Paul had a Pistachio and Cappuccino cone. I had a Triple chocolate and hazelnut cone. We both really like the Cappuccino and Triple Choc, but the nut ice cream literally tasted like nuts. It's like they forgot to throw sugar into the recipe.

 

 I thought this looked like a tree cleverly disguised as a pine tree.

We also got to spend some time with the family. We saw Mum and Pauls brother Mick, along with Ness and the boys. Mum gave us some flower pots and some of Paul's great Grandma's jewelry for me, a necklace and earrings. I'm very excited to put the jewelry to good use! We need to get one of the earrings fixed and a 9 carrot gold chain for the necklace per Mums orders. Then we went out to dinner with Pauls sister, brother in law, and nephews on Tuesday. The boys were hilarious as always. We found out that they not only love LMFAO, but they also love Gangnam Style and they know the dance. It's been decided that the song must hold subliminal messages for kids, because all kids seem to love it!

On Thursday we took a drive down to Mullaloo Beach. On our way there we stopped off to grab a bite to eat. We were near the water. While we were eating we saw a plane flying low and sirens sounding. Paul's explanation was that there must have been a shark sighting. Once we made it to Mullaloo we took a walk down by the water. Paul used to go down here with his family as a boy. The water was crystal clear and the sand was incredibly soft. There weren't too many people there. The weather was warm, but the wind was a bit chilly. We did quite a bit of driving, and I didn't get car sick until we were nearly back to the hotel. Anyone who's driven with me knows I get car sick super easy. Pretty much the only person I can ride in a car with, with out getting sick is my Dad.

Cute sidewalk art.

Back home, safe and sound in Melbourne and no worse for wear. Apart from the fact that I forgot my hair straightener at home for the week we were away....and it was turned on. Well, the house didn't burn down and I'll never forget my straightener again. We also found a fascinator and hand bag in Perth for spring carnival races next weekend! Time to watch a movie and catch some zzz's.

xo, Meaghan

Spring Forward!

The weather is turning around in Melbourne. The past two days we made it down to the beach. Paul went for a jog while I laid in the sun & did some light reading. I've always envied women who would lay in the grass by themselves and read. I never had enough confidence to sit alone in public & read. I'm finally there & the feeling is exquisite.  It's funny how much you learn about yourself when you have the time. I've started jogging a few days a week and given up eating most meat. I still eat fish from time to time. It is a bit difficult to get the nutrients I need. But I'm still learning. Paul found some delicious veggie burgers. We've tried veggie burgers once before & they were awful. But the ones he picked up today are splendid! It makes it so much easier not to go back to my old ways and eat red meat. I'm starting to feel healthier than I've felt in ages. I know I've lost weight, because my clothes are fitting better. But I haven't been weighing myself. It's easy to work out and eat better when you don't work full-time. Paul is my personal trainer. He jogs almost every day. I quite enjoy jogging with him. We jog down to the beach and do a bit of a leg work out with park benches or park equipment. We also eat at home nearly every night, so we can dictate the calories we take in much easier. I still have my fair share of ice cream. That is something I will NEVER give up to shrink my waist line. We found some soy/gluten free ice cream at the store. The first bite was GROSS. But now it's yummy. I know I'm lactose intolerant, so I've given up regular milk as well. Suffice it to say it's quite nice finally having the time to take care of myself & eat better. Slowly, but surely Paul and I are redecorating the flat. We've got some new bedding, a buffet, and a couple of end tables. The salvation army here has some pretty awesome finds. I gave up on the Sal at home. 

Loving this quote. The further I get into my twenties the more I continue to grow.

Lying on my back while staring at the clouds and reading a good book are one of life's simple pleasures.

 This sign is down by the beach. It must be old as dirt, but it makes me giggle.

 Flowers make me smile.

Gettin' jiggy in Darwin

Four days away in Darwin. Darwin is a four hour direct flight from Melbourne. Paul had work in Darwin this past weekend, so I got to tag along. It's significantly warmer than Melbourne, so I was very happy to join. The sun is much more powerful. I learned this the hard way. I put on sunscreen, but it didn't make a huge difference. After only two hours of laying by the pool I was burnt to a crisp. 

 

Since moving to Melbourne We've visited Perth in Western Australia which is where Paul is from & Darwin in the Northern Territory. We'll probably be back in Perth in the next couple of months.

For dinner there weren't very many Vegetarian options, but lots of sea food. I'm still willing to eat sea food. I ordered Chili Prawns. They came with heads still attached. That is something I'm NOT used to. I have such a good boyfriend that he detached the heads for me & ate off the bits he knew I wouldn't like.

We were able to take in the sunset after our meal. 

We felt safe from crocs near this body of water, because a lot of people were fishing there.

The next night we went to the Mindil Beach sunset markets. There were tons of pop up food tents & shops. After we found some yummy veggo food we wandered back towards the sound of a didgeridoo & drums. There were two men playing some funky beats in front of the screen to the right. In the back of the screen were some elder Aboriginal women watching; while Aboriginal children danced to the music. This was my favourite part of Darwin. 

On Sunday we checked out Crocodylus Park. There were crocs, buffalo, lion & lioness, monkeys, a kangaroo, dingos, wallaby's, iguanas, emu, & an ostrich. Most of the exhibit had only one or two of each animal. For $35 we had a short tour that included a feeding of the larger crocs. I actually fed a croc. I just held a stick with lamb attached to rope over the railing and the croc jumps up for a bite. Right before I saw this sign I reached my hands through the railings to take a picture. Crap.

At the end of the tour we got to hold a baby croc. Right after we snapped my pic the croc moved a tiny bit. The tour guide handed it to Paul for a cuddle. The croc then shat in Paul's suspecting hands. He had a feeling it was about to drop a deuce.Whilst getting croc shat in the palm of his hand, he smiled happily for a photo.

Those are hundreds of what I assume to be toddler crocs. As we were walking past there were two dudes walking on the other side of that water dropping tubs of chicken on the black part above the water. You could hear their small feet against the plastic jumping up for chicken & jumping back into the water after their feeding. The only way to describe it is intense.

I had a great time in Darwin. Paul was such a trooper. He had to wake up everyday very early & work nearly ten hours in the Darwin heat. I would have been exhausted. But he managed to muster up the energy to show me around Darwin each evening. I'm lucky to have such a good boyfriend. 

The google machine!

I've been on the internet a lot lately.

I've gotten inspired to be more adventurous with my hair & nails.

I also FINALLY signed up for Pinterest. I'm addicted.

Today I've already used a teeth whitener, face mask, hair mask & learned a new braid.

Teeth Whitener:

Baking Soda 1 tablespoon, and lemon or lime.

-Scoop tablespoon of baking soda onto plate/bowl, and squeeze lemon/lime juice over powder. Powder will begin to bubble. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds until it turns into a paste. Put the paste on a tooth brush & use it like tooth paste. Rinse & repeat only about once a week. It can weaken your enamel. We'll see if it really works. I've only used it the once so far.

Face Mask:

One egg white, face tissue, makeup sponge/brush.

-Put egg white into bowl and use makeup sponge or brush to spread over face. Then put a face tissue over the first layer of egg white. Repeat another layer of egg white on top of tissue. Repeat another layer of tissue. Let dry and peal off. It supposedly works on black heads & even skin color, etc. First time with this too. I will say my skin feels really soft. Not so sure about the black heads though...

Hair Mask:

Olive oil, sponge, and towel.

-Heat olive oil, use sponge to spread over hair & wet towel with hot water. After you've applied the oil evenly, focusing on ends & massaging scalp-wrap warm towel around hair. Leave on for at least 30 minutes. Should help to soften hair and increase health of hair if done regularly. I've been growing out my hair for three years, so I'm willing to try anything to increase the chances of my hair growing faster!

Dutch Braid:

I'm 26 years old & the only braid I've ever known is a regular braid. I've been trying to grasp the idea of how to Dutch Braid for a couple of weeks. I finally got it today! There's no way I could explain how to do this. But here's the tutorial that taught me. She slowed things down & made it really easy to understand.

Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHUCx_JqNk4

Time to wash out the hair mask & see if it's all it's cracked up to be!

xo, Meaghan

Spring is in the air!

Spring has sprung in Melbourne!

We've been spending the first few days of spring out enjoying the weather. We've gone for a nice walk almost everyday this week. The first day of spring was absolutely perfect! The sun was shining & there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Most everyones yards have beautiful flower bushes. It's hard for me not to take a picture of nearly every flower I walk past. 

Just after grocery shopping we were able to take in this glorious sunset.

The sun was so bright.

While Mr. Forsyth was out on a jog the other day, I took in the air & read a book. 

   We've managed to get my bike ready to ride & take a short bike ride around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, bike helmets are mandatory here. So, sooner vs. later we'll need to get me a bike helmet & Paul a new helmet. The outer shell of his helmet fell off! Now he's riding around with a white styrofoam helmet. It's a site to be seen! 

This weekend we're headed to one of the first games of the Australian Football League Finals. Dockers vs. Cats. The Dockers are Pauls team-their from Fremantle, Western Australia. The Dockers don't typically make it to the finals, & they don't often play in Melbourne either. This should be an enjoyable game for Paul. We're also going to do a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground before the game. It's been around for at least 100 years. I'm actually quite excited. Footy is super entertaining, much more than American Football-No pads, continued running, an oval field, and short shorts! 

That's all for now. We're watching the Goonies & this blog is interrupting my entertainment.

xo, Meaghan