Hauling A&$

Hauling A&$
Originally uploaded by ed_roth.

How great is that?!!!!

Downunder Roths in the K'zoo Winter

IMG_0060
Originally uploaded by ed_roth.

This is the crew that I am waiting for! 42 days and counting!
I made a short little 30 second video, just to say hi to Karen and the kids, and e-mailed it to them. Karen said they flipped over it - Heather couldn't understand why "I" wasn't answering back when she was talking to the screen :( and she said Eddie came running up the stairs when he heard my voice - damn these clocks seem to be running slow!

Puzzler Solutions

Jon the Chocolate Runner has offered two solutions to the Puzzlers from earlier in the week.
Knee
Light
is Neon Light - great one Jon!

11
00
00
00
00

Jon says might be 'circles under the eyes' - another great one - but I'll have to look at the puzzle again because I think the figures are actually ones and zeros. Incredible that he even came up with anything - most of us were completely blanked!

This and That

So many of you have asked me just to give you some 'basics' about Australia that I'll add a few things in this post.

1. They drive on the left side of the road.
2. And on the right side of the car.
3. You do not "root" for your favorite team here - that would mean that you are having sex with them.
4. An eraser is called a rubber.
5. All the public schools in this area (but 1) have strict dress policies requiring all students to wear identical uniforms (not just colors).
6. It is sunny - all the time.
7. Aussies do not eat "bloomin' onions" - they have no idea what that is (nothing apparently on an Outback Steakhouse menu is actually Australian)
8. They have giant shark nets that line the beaches to protect swimmers.
9. Sharks occasionally still get inside the nets.
10. There aren't really many people here who are seriously overweight (or overweight at all).
11. There are McDonald's, KFC's, and Burger King's (Hungry Jack's) everywhere.
12. There are 4 bars right here on campus.
13. Have I mentioned that there are bats?
14. The temperature does not change - perfect, mostly perfect, perfect, almost perfect...
15. Kangaroo steak is terrific.

ANZAC Day

This weekend was ANZAC day weekend here in Australia (sort of like Memorial Day weekend) with April 25th actually being Anzac Day. I know there are several Americans and Australians now reading this blog and most (if not all) Americans have no idea what ANZAC day is so here is a bit of text from a website that you can go to by clicking on this post's title if you'd like to read more.
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day - 25 April - is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiersin those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day so special to Australians?
They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders and like lambs to the slaughter, over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

So - that's the BRIEF history. Like our Memorial Day there are ceremonies and football games on t.v. etc. Sunday night, David and Karyn had a BBQ at their house - they are both great cooks and David grilled up some amazing skewers, sausages, etc. (and beer of course! I had a great time as Karyn's parents, her sister Nikki and boyfriend Adam, friends Sarah and Mick were all there. Karyn put a cake together for her mother, Mick and me as our birthdays are all relatively close. One funny thing was they were all (except for fellow New Yorker David) were all in fleeces, jackets, and jeans while I (and David) were in shorts and t-shirt. Had a nice relaxing time out on the patio on a quiet Brisbane night Autumn night!

Then on the 25th, we went to Karyn's parents' house (pretty much the same entire crew with the addition of her brother Richard and girlfriend Beverly) for ANZAC/Marilyn's (Karyn's mom) birthday party. More great food, fun conversation, and beer; and port, and lemonciello, and grand marnier, and wine, and .... really nice way to cap off a relaxing weekend.

Just hit the comments button to leave a thought or two!

As long as you're working....

As long as you are all working on that one, try solving this one. David said someone did at his office but couldn't remember the solution and I can't figure it out.

KNEE
_____
LIGHT

Puzzler

OK - my friend Dave has this page with a bunch of different word/number puzzles on it, e.g.

WEAR
LONG

to which the solution is Long Underwear
etc. etc.

Here's the one we can't figure out:
11
00
00
00
00

Any suggestions? Just hit the comments button and help us out!