Boxing Day

Finally made it past Christmas. It has been the magic mark, once I get past Christmas, it is only a few days till I can go home. I am glad that there is only one more night in that hotel room, it feels so small with all of us in there all of the time. I think that we are all feeling a little clastrophobic. Nearly home time.

The weather this week has been great! It is only as cold as I would expect during a Melbourne winter, I went out with only a t shirt and jumper today. Last load of washing in the IRC, last time I use the computer lab in the IRC, last night in the hotel room.

We are off to Outback Steakhouse today! Kind of a goodbye celebration. Goodbye to America.

I hada great christmas, we all got one gift from eachother, and a gift from the Coles. There will be another christmas for me when I get home. That should be fun. I am a little nervous about coming home, how will the re adjusting work out? Will I find home to be confusing? Or will the fact that it is so familiar make fitting back in easier? There will be a lot of moving houses when I get home, Mark is moving into a unit about an hour away from where he is now, so I will help pack up the house and unpack it somewhere else. Then there is me moving back into my house for uni, finding where I put all my things and furnature. That should keep me busy for a few months.

I have to try to get back my safeway job too. As much as I am saying that I don't want to do it anymore, I have to persist for a while longer, until I can make music a full time job and earn enough money from that. I will be putting a lot of energy into making it work, getting started with a few students. I have a lot of work ahead of me on my horn, but I at least have a great starting point this time, after a lot of very useful lessons from my horn teacher at UVA. The fun thing will be finding a teacher at home who will be able to keep up with what I have learnt this semester. I feel that I have learnt more about my playing in the last four months than I have during two and a half years at Melb Uni.

Christmas Week

Less than 5 days to christmas, and 13 days till I leave to fly home. All the snow is melted, and I don't think that we will get a lot more before I leave, so it won't really be much of a white christmas. But at least I have seen it snow and been out in it. Pity the last time turned from snow into an ice storm that cut power to everyone. Its a week later and some people in the worst areas still don't have power.

Its a good thing that our family is good at getting along with eachother, we have been squashed into the same little hotel room for 10 days now and still getting along fine. No one has fought with anyone else, and things are relatively tidy. There are only 5 more days of sharing. Then I am off with the band to Nashville for one last fling with the band before setting off on the lonnnnnnnnng trip home. I leave from Dullas airport at 7.30 in the morning, and get there when it is 11.30 (with a few hours time zone adjustment...) and then my flight doesn't leave until 9.30 at night. Ahhhh! What am I going to do with allllllll that time? Maybe I can go out into the city for a bit. But where would I go? And with all that luggage. I will just have to wander around watching people for the day. See how many random people I can get into a conversation. Hope that no one steals my bag...I would hate to have to beat them up over it...

Oh Christmas Tree!

I felt that the hotel room was empty without a tree, so Jill and I had a think about what we could do for a tree, (now having no money left after finishing present shopping...) So with scissors and tape and plenty of newspaper I eventually fashioned a tree. I am pretty happy about it.

I am so SMRT!

Real Winter Storm

Hehehe, this sign can be read two ways. Dad laughed at it first. Bad Dad.
The storm last night was big! It snowed in the morning, which later in the day turned to freezing rain, then to normal rain. It was horrible to go out in. You would see a frozen surface, which covered a foot of water. Can't tell in the dark. Then the power went out at the hotel about 7pm. So we decided that there isn't much fun to be had with no lights on and all went to sleep. Today everything has mostly dried up so its not too bad out now. Jill and I are off to see Harry Potter again tonight. I love Harry!

No Parents

These photos are from today, my parents are off to Lexington to visit Mums friend from the lace chat Tamara. They rented a car and are driving on the right side, (read wrong side) of the road. Good luck to them. Jill and I are parent free for the weekend. Mum has done a good job, we can't think of anything to get into trouble with. Really...hehehe.

Monticello

We have all been having a wonderful time, all on holidays. There should be some snow or sleet today or tomorrow, it is FREEZING outside. Too cold to go anywhere really. So far they havent been finding the Jet Lag too bad, but they conk out about 4pm and sleep for about an hour. The hotel room is really nice, the heating is really hot. I have been gradually saying goodbye to people I have met here.

We went to Monticello today, the home of Thomas Jefferson. It is a really beautiful house, fantastic design that shows how creative and busy he was. He designed so many things, his house and the university among the biggest around here, and then also the Declaration of Independance and many other pursuits. It was a fun afternoon. But cold. Very cold.

Jill

Jill isn't much different whatever side of the world she is on. They made it safe and have seen the rotunda!

Trents Post

Hi my name is Trent Cole. Leona gets to sleep in my room tonight, I cleaned it up, so its not too messy. I play Basketball on every single monday until christmas, then every saturday is games and you start getting stars. I don't know what else to say. I am learning to play the piano. I have been Leonas host family for this semester. Happy Christmas everyone.

Snow

Good morning IRC-angels,
As cannot have slipped by your notice, we have been bequeathed by a charming blanket of snow. In consideration of your safety, snowfall fighting is prohibited on all university property. This may seem ridiculous, but snowballs can contain rocks, carcasses, or any number of other unpleasant entities and the so the university classifies them as "projectiles," and if you are caught engaged in a snowball fight, you can receive a VSOC (see Terms and Conditions #24 for the source of this rule).
Additionally, quiet hours begin at midnight tonight. No conversations in the hall, no music playing with your door opening, obviously no screaming or loud laughing. Get it all out of your system today. If you feel you need to be a little raucous, come by my room to do so. I have very little remaining work.
Good luck with exams and the last day of classes.
Beth, BD

Carcasses? Ewww!

Last night I experienced Sleet. Its strange, rain that freezes when it lands. Or is kind of frozen on the way down. It looks like it is raining, but I noticed a tinkling sound when I went outside, the sound of it hitting the ground. When I got up this morning, everything was covered in two inch white coating of ice. People were up early this morning clearing the roads and sidewalks with shovels.

My parents are here somewhere. Hopefully I can find where they are soon...

The Llama Song

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php

This always makes me smile.

Silence

The funny thing I noticed about the snow today was how quiet it was when I went outside. I don't usually notice the noise, but I noticed the lack of it. The sun is out today and some of the snow has thawed. I'll have to go out walking in it a bit later. All the snow making everything white, makes me feel like a new world has been dumped on me, everything has familiar shapes, but its almost a monotone colour, just a few leaves and stuff sticking out.

Talking about things being dumped on me, I answered an email a few weeks ago about helping to paint some decorations for the Harry Potter themed ball tonight, but nothing came of it. Then two days ago I answered another email sent out about the same thing. I got an email back this morning saying, 'Great, can you paint all four crests for the wall? Everything is in the second floor munford supply closet. I don't think that anyone else will be able to do it...' Just fantastic. Why didn't he get back to me a few weeks ago about it? Cause guess what, tonight is the event.

I had my last class today, thankfully. Now I just have to survive the next few days.

Pretty in Uniform

Cause there just aren't enough photos of me looking pretty in uniform. This is the horn section waiting to go on for one of the half time shows.

IT'S SNOWING!!!

Today is the first day of snow! I woke up and went outside, and there was all this white fluff in the air. It looks really light, and hardly feels like anything. Everyone is talking about how the snow is not 'sticking', which means that its melting as soon as it touches the ground. But it is supposed to snow today and tomorrow, and they predicted 4 - 6 inches. So there should be some build up. Keep an eye on the rotunda cam http://www.virginia.edu/cgi-local/rcamcgi, and see if it builds up. Keep in mind the 16 hour time difference though.

UVA Wind Ensemble

I conducted The Susex Mummers Christmas Carol. Photos from Amy Lawhorn.

Program Bio

Leona Farrell is a third year student at UVA for one semester of Study Abroad. She comes from Melbourne, Australia, and is studying French Horn at Melbourne University for a Bachelor of Music. She moved to Melbourne to study music at University from a large country town called Shepparton, two hours inland in central Victoria.

Leona started learning piano when she was 11, and took up French Horn when she started High School. She has been involved in many different musical pursuits, including competitions with the Shepparton Brass Band where she won the Junior French Horn section of the National Brass Band Championships; Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra, traveling two hours to Melbourne every Saturday for rehearsals, and going on tour to Sydney; many theater shows with the Shepparton Theater Arts Group; and the University of Melbourne Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and smaller ensembles.

Leona plans to expand on her musical career by earning a double degree of Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Teaching at Melbourne. She would like to teach music at High School level, and has aspirations to run a very dynamic and challenging music program. Leona is very excited to be given this opportunity to conduct the Sussex Mummers Christmas Carol with the Wind Ensemble. Percy Grainger is a celebrated composer in Australia, and a very worthy piece for her first conducting experience.

New York

Here are a few photos from my New York trip. One day in the future I will have to go to the top of the Empire State.



Inside Grand Central Station. It is really pretty in there, and there are heaps of shops inside the complex.



We went back to Ground Zero. There are heaps of photos and information up on the mesh barriers, and heaps of construction going on inside. This cross will hopefully stay up. When the towers fell, the cross beams broke off and left the cross standing. You can see something hanging off, a bit of tin on one of the arms of the cross.

Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry! It's free, and takes you past the statue. One day I will have to go to the top of the statue too.

Beautiful skyline as seen from the Ferry.

Broadway has heaps of lights. This is 42nd street where we went to see Harry Potter at a big cinema. There are these hot dog vendors all over the place. Look on the right, down the bottom, the last item. Knish. We had to go ask, and the guy told me it was some kind of potato thing, but I wasn't game to try one. Next time I am there I will try it.

Cold Windy Day

Its been raining for the last few days on and off, today is windy also, which means that I can't have an umbrella up or I will blow away. Last marching band rehearsal today, wind ensemble concert on sunday, last day of classes next tuesday, its all winding down this week and next. By this time next week I will only have my two final exams to think about, then party on with Dad Mum and Jill!!

36 days to go.

Sad News

I forgot to tell you guys when I rang, but I got some sad news when I was out at the Coles the other day. Fenway had been sick for a while, and they had to take him to the vet for the last time last week. There was quite a big gap in the house, I kept expecting to turn around and see Fenway staring off absently into space just behind me. They had him for a long time, he was definately part of the family. I remember how stange it was, and how sad I felt, when Gypsy got sick and had to go to the vet.

Score!

You scored as Captain Jack Sparrow. Roguish,quick-witted, and incredibly lucky, Jack Sparrow is a pirate who sometimes ends up being a hero, against his better judgement. Captain Jack looks out for #1, but he can be counted on (usually) to do the right thing. He has an incredibly persuasive tongue, a mind that borders on genius or insanity, and an incredible talent for getting into trouble and getting out of it. Maybe its brains, maybe its genius, or maybe its just plain luck. Or maybe a mixture of all three. Captain Jack Sparrow 92% James Bond, Agent 007 88% Maximus 75% Batman, the Dark Knight 75% Lara Croft 58% Neo, the "One" 58% William Wallace 50% The Terminator 46% El Zorro 46% The Amazing Spider-Man 38% Indiana Jones 38% Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

Silence is Strange

I am in the library right now, and it is so quiet. Usually there would be people talking all over the place, music on someones computer, someone having a loud conversation on the phone, and the click of the many keyboards as people type. But today there are only a handful of people here, most of the university is closed for this week long holiday. I am lucky that the foodhall is open tonight, but I had to go buy food at the supermarket for breakfast and lunch. The dorm is very quiet, there are only one or two other people not staying elsewhere this weekend. Mostly overseas people like me. Things should pick up tomorrow, and be back to full pelt on monday for the last week of the semester. Only a few weeks to go now.

Google

I found lots of interesting things when I googled my name. Nothing at the uni is open today. What will I do with myself for the weekend till everyone gets back?

http://www.leonas.com/

CALL LEONA'S™ CATERING773-305-5555

http://www.leonanaess.com/index2.html

http://www.hotelpuntaleona.com/

http://www.leonaedmiston.com/

This designer is in Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles. How cool!

http://libcat.pnl.gov/hipres/leona.html

Leona is a pretty important woman apparently. Clicked on this site, it asked, 'who is Leona?' I just had to know.

http://www.leonagraham.com/

http://www.jones.tc/barna/leona.html

This place looks really cool. The street of the Lioness. Flicking through, I can't decide if its fiction or non fiction. Looks like a book.

http://www.ebparks.org/parks/leona.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leona,_Texas

Has a map location and everything. Wish I could go there...

http://www.unitedcountry.com/leonavalleyca/

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/rageagainstthedarkness/bunny.html

http://www.grenadines.net/carriacou/leona.htm

I Love New York

Well, you should all be happy to know that I drove successfully from Charlottesville to New York! Today is Thanksgiving, and I have been spending the time with the Coles and some of the their friends. The food was fabulous, big big turkey and potatoes and lots of different pies.

The game Saturday was horrible, UVA lost terribly, it was not pretty to watch. Everyone got really bored, and we wanted to leave early like everyone else, but...we are the band, and so we had to stay and suffer.

I had rented out the car friday, and it was so strange the first drive, when everything is the opposite of what you think. It was automatic at least, so that took out the need to worry about the gear stick. Getting in the car saturday was much easier, and by the time I was a few hours down the interstate, I was a pro, making lane changes all over the place...

Driving around USA is soooo easy, all the highways have numbers, and the different sides are labeled also depending on which direction you are going. So the first road out of charlottesville is called 29 north, and eventually I ended up on 95 north which took me into New Jersey. On the way home I had to drive across a few states so I got onto 222 west to get there, and most of the time on 81 south to get home. Even me, with a horrible sense of direction like that was hard pressed to get lost. I did stop and ask for a few directions, but not many.

I travelled to New York with Hazel, a British girl I met at a few of the international functions. We go so well together, we have the same sense of humour, we have the same general taste in music, we even eat at the same pace. I think that I will be doing my hardest to keep in contact with her when I go home. I would like to travel to Britain one day, and visit her.

The trouble with the signs on the interstates is that they don't have 'progress' signs. Like we would expect to see a sign saying something like Nagambi - 20, Semour - 65, Melbourne - 200, over here if your exit isn't directly next, then it isn't listed anywhere. It makes it hard to know if you have gone too far, or how much farther you have to go. The few times I did stop, I still had a little way to go, but got nervous because I didn't know how much further, or if it wasn't mentioned anymore because I had passed it.

The hostel was called 'Jazz on the Park' and it was o.k, hard beds, and no curtains, but that was easily remidied. There were four beds in our room, but the other two beds were empty the whole time we were there. I think that most of the fourth floor that we stayed on was empty because we didn't hear much other noise. The no curtains I fixed with a little tape and some newspaper. I left it up on the window, wonder what the cleaners will think.

I saw Harry Potter twice. The films keep getting better, this one is amazing. Wont say anymore till everyone has had a chance to see it.

Phantom was even better than that. The guy who was the phantom just blew me away with his precision singing and the passion he put into every song. I was a little less impressed with Christine, she had a little too much vibrato, and some of the high notes were not quite high enough. She settled into it by the end though, and 'the point of no return' was fabulous. I wish I had the chance to see this a few times. I will make it point to do all that I can to get into it if it is done in Melbourne. Don't know if it will be again, but there is plenty of time to get ready for it on the off chance someone does it again.

We walked all over New York, I felt so comfortable in the city, travelling on the subway, finding my way out to Chinatown and to Times Square. I still haven't been up the Empire State, or the Statue of Liberty, but maybe later in life I would like to return there. Maybe one day I will get the chance to play there with an orchestra of some kind. I felt comfortable in New York like I feel comfortable in Melbourne. There is always something interesting to see and do, and I know my way around the majority of the city. I like people watching, the many different ways people express themselves.

We saw Shakira for a few seconds. We got off the subway at 42 street, times square, and the place was packed. It was pouring down rain, but there were people everywhere and something being projected up onto one of the buildings. I asked someone what was going on, and he looked at me funny and said that I was shakira up there, on a big stage above my head. She just finished a set then, and went in to get out of the rain. So it was only a split second look. Pity.

The drive home was easy. Hazel was staying for Thanksgiving with some people in Pensalvania, a British woman we met with the same international activities - Janet. Her husband, his parents live there and they were staying for the weekend. The drive home from there was very easy, get over to 81 south and stay on that all the way back to Charlottesville. It snowed all the way home till about 20 miles from Charlottesville. It was fascinating to me, watching it in the headlights. It looks like rain in the lights, but the windscreen never got wet, it was really light snow that just flew over the top of the car. When a little of it accumulated on the road, the wind from passing cars swirled it around and it looked like steam on the road. It piled up quickly on cars parked on the roadside, but not enough that the road was packed. Apparently there was a lot of snow, so I am glad that I decided to come home that night, and not the next morning. But the people that I dropped Hazel off with were really nice and I am sorry that I didn't get to meet them a little better.

So my adventure is over. I am not sure what else needs to be overcome here now that I have driven a great part of the east coast.

Horn Section

This is a pretty cool section! From Left to Right: ME!, Amy Lawhorn, Andrenne Aslum, Stella Bowman, Emily Cubbon, Lauren Rush, Whitney Hasler, Justin Starr (one of the girls really...), Rachel Beaton, Katie Connelly, Natalie Wilson, Lindsay Kimbro, (and in front) Belinda ... (Um. I'll get back to you on her last name...)

Football

Wish you could all see just what the band does on game days. Its all about a spectical. Put on a show and entertain everyone. I would love to do this all the time. The uniforms, the show, the music, and the marching is addictive to me. The guy on the horse is Cav Man, he's the mascot, a better mascot than other schools. Now that I have been here and seen some other schools, the South Park episode about the mascots makes so much sense.

International Night

This is from the international night that I went to with the host family. Everyone tried the vegimite, but I don't think many people liked it. Pity I didn't get a chance to make scrolls.



Trent is sooooo cute in his crocodile shirt. Apparently he never takes it off! We had fun making the poster board together.

Everyone has been talking about this place since I got here. Its called the outback steakhouse. American food with Australian names. They have this thing called a blooming onion. Its really tasty, like onion rings from hungry jacks. I had a great steak there, and they keep topping up drinks. Didn't get much of a chance to make the most of the Aussie accent though. Maybe next time.

Thanksgiving Break

The semester is nearly over for me. I have band tonight, and band tomorrow, and I will be working hard to learn parts for the drum battle. They thought that it would be cool to get the other band down on the field to play with us, so they are going to have a 'drum line battle' to emphasise the rivalry between Uni Virginia and Virginia Tech. They wanted extra people to play in the precussion section for this show, but it means heaps of extra practice time. It should be worth it however.

Then next week is Thanksgiving, and we get a week break. Then back for one full week, tow more days of classes, finishing on the tuesday, exam on thursday and saturday and that should be it. All gone in three weeks. Then let the fun with the parents begin! Yay!

And the current temperature is.....8C! Its going to be cold tonight! Thankfully Americans don't have any qualms about having the heating going 24/7 once we pass mid october, so that any more than shorts and a t-shirt inside is wayyyyy too hot. Its the same thing with air-conditioning, I froze on the bus because they would have the air-conditioning set soooo high alllll the time, and on their stupid coaches the air comes out of a duct in the window frame. So there is no turning it off, and no getting away from it if you get stuck in a window seat. I would rather be hot than cold.

Picking up the car tomorrow and getting all the washing done tonight. I am getting nervous abotu driving, but once I get on the road, and find the right radio station, everything will be fine. 95 all the way!

End of the Season

Well, there is one more game left, and I am looking forward to not playing the Mellophone anymore, (mellophone is what all the horn players play in the band, its really close to a flugelhorn) Mellophone is making it really hard to settle things on my horn. But I will miss the shows and the marching, especially the pregame. I am good at the pregame now, and I get a nervous excited feeling every time I go out there. The other bands I've been to see don't have a pre game show that is half as good as what we do. They all walk out there and then start. UVA starts off with the drum line, and the rest of us march out in big lines into a grid formation. You guys just wait till I bring home the DVD!

This half time show was the hardest that we've done, because this show we only had a week to memorise the music and drill. Next week will be easy, because there will be a drum line battle between us and Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech is the school UVA students love to hate. A Tech school is a step down from University, apparently. One of the facebook groups is "Virginia Tech is a stain on the face of our great state." They aren't so popular here. Apparently if we beat them it will be an even bigger celebration than beating Florida State with 60,000 people rushing the field and creating mayhem everywhere. I would like to see them keep people off the field then.

We played Georgia Tech this week, we won and everyone was pretty happy about it, but the game that they are all waiting for is next week.

Apparently now we have won 6 games, we qualify for a bowl game. Should be mid december, have to see if I take a trip, and if my parents can come with us. Maybe they could come on the bus. That would make for a great trip, having more than one Aussie person on there for Tim to meet. And they would have great fun meeting Mr Pease. Not much longer left now till they get here...

Safeway

http://www.safeway.com/Employment/Employment_OurCompany.asp

http://shop.safeway.com/superstore/default.asp?brandid=1&page=corphome

http://www.safewayfoundation.org/default.asp

Love Actually

I saw this at the movie night last night. Where have I been that I haven't seen this movie? If you haven't seen it, go get it, its amazing. It is so complex, with many different story lines intersecting eachother. I found myself cheering the characters on, they are all so loveable. But not all the story lines are happy ever after. I can't wait to see this again.

The British girls watching got a bit emotional afterwards, the majority of it is set in London, and it made them really homesick to see home on the screen. It made me homesick to see the people meeting in the airport and know that I still have a few weeks until its a reality for me. It was nice to hear a different accent for a while, I really like a good British accent.

This is such a clever film, worth owning and watching many times.

Carrs Hill

http://www.virginia.edu/rcam/carrs.html

I didn't know that they had a web cam of Carrs Hill! This is the place we have marching band rehearsals! You should be able to see some of the rehearsals! Next week. At 10 am on tuesday, should be 6pm monday here, you'll be able to see the rehearsal. Tuesday should be more interesting, and thursday will be the best for drill. Ohhhhhhh, why didn't I know of this one before!?!?

Aint No Sunshine When It's Cold

Well, now that my jeans have thawed enough, I can actually sit down. Right now it is 7C outside, (45F for all those playing at home...), and I have been outside for two hours for a band rehearsal. Good think that there is only one more week, and then its over.

I'm going with the Coles, (my host family over here) to their home schooling presentation night. Trent is doing a short presentation on Australia. Should be fun, I'm going to make vegimite scrolls for them all to try a little, like the Bakers Delight ones, (but not as good). Better than just having it on toast. Oh what a pity that I ate all the tim tams already. I really don't know why they arent widely exported, cause an American that I have given them to just goes crazy. Tim Tams are the best!

Its officially 7 weeks till I come home. (45 days I think...). If its this cold from now on, it'll be snowing in a few weeks. Wonder what thats like, to walk outside and find everything white. Better take to wearing singlets (yay cheap clothes from old navy!). Anyway, enough with the brackets. Enjoy the warm weather. Only a few weeks till I'm back there with you!

Cool Photos with Cool Captions

This is Tom "Bones" Malone and me, waiting under the staduim to march out for pre-game.

View from the Tunnels just before pregame starts.












View from the Stands














Some different types of Uniforms. Band Day Kids.





Little kids on the Lawn at Halloween.

Alex

This is Alexandra Sergon, sitting in the leaves. She's from Cottbus in Germany, and is staying in the IRC. Mark met her during the orientation here and really liked her accent. We are looking at going to a Formal on friday!

Comments

I have made it so that anyone can leave a message. Leave me a message if you stop by.





This is me at the Halloween party, wearing someones costume hat.

Photo of Mark after work.

Cavaliers VS Temple

I think that this was a pretty convincing win. Final score: UVA 51, Temple 3. And they were lucky to get three really. In all it was great that we won, but everyone seemed to be as bored as if we were losing, like playing North Carlolina, 7 - 5. There was still a chance in that game that we could kick a field goal and get three points to win. The stands were really empty, most people left around half time, and there weren't many people left at the end.

But anyway, it was Band Day! We had 250 high school kids come to play on the field with us during the half time show, I can't wait to see on the D.V.D what it looked like, cause there was around 500 people on the field. The stand tunes were sooooo loud. Maybe that was what put the other team off.

I got a real buzz from the day though because of the guest artist. Tom 'Bones' Malone.






















And not only that, he wrote the music for the blues brothers! I introduced myself to him on Thursdays practice, apparently Dwight had told him about this horn player from Australia cause he said he had heard about me. I talked to him a few times over the weekend, he is a really nice guy. He said he will probably be able to get me tickets to the Letterman Show when I am in New York over the thanksgiving break. That will be heaps of fun.

My horn playing is just flying along. Dwight is really happy in the lessons, we are moving quickly through things, and I am working hard during the week to finish off exercises. I could benefit from more scales, but it is hard because I practically have to learn them again cause of the fingering change. I got a 'well done' in Wind Ensemble rehearsal the other day from Mr Pease, not easy to come by those. I can't wait to come home and play for Linda Hewitt and especially Geoff Collinson, show him that I was right to come overseas and I am good enough. I am still a little bitter about how little support he gave me before I left. The amount of change that I have made shows how much I was struggling with. I hope to get lessons from him next year though, I can learn a lot from him.

The season is now definately giving way into winter. Most of the trees lost of a lot of their leaves over the weekend, the paths and gardens have disappeared under a mountain of leaves. It is really nice weather now, in the 20's, made it to the high 20's yesterday, it was hot in the band jackets.

Less than two months till home. Can't wait.

Lookin Sexy

Netty tells me not much has changed at Linda street since I've been gone. Obviously not.

Only in America

1. Texta. (Am.) Marker.
2.Whingeing, Sooking. - These don't exist.


More as I think of them...

Pumpkin Carving

Here is the pinacle of the Halloween experience! I enjoyed myself heaps, it was so much easier that I thought. Enjoy the pictures!

This is Jessica, (who lives next door) and Federica, (who lives down the hall). They carved a tropical island with the sun and a palm tree and a tropical martini.

These two are the ones that I did! If you can't read the writing, it says WICKED! Pumpkins are fun to carve.