So this week has been very exciting.  Work has been going well for both of us; Brandon is able to work from home most days.  He bought a 3D printer for his business and has been practicing with it. His company will be hiring it to make prototypes for their device’s case designs, but as for now, he is working on learning the machine.  A 3D printer is basically a box with a moveable platform that prints plastic layer by layer to create something.  There are different materials you can print in and colors as well.  He has printed a bunch of little things so far as it takes a bit of time to do each print.  See pictures below of the things he has done already.

It was still getting cooler at night this week, so we snuggled in and watched some movies.  We also accomplished a lot of business things.  Brandon had to pay in for his Australian taxes and I got my refund. 🙂 I finished a scarf and started another one. I was really excited to find peanut butter M&Ms at the grocery store.  Usually the only have regular and peanut.  My buses all went well this week and I got to enjoy some time in the sun by the bay reading or talking to people in Wisconsin in the morning. It is the most convenient time that I have found to touch base with them since it is their evening.  My dad’s surgery is scheduled.  I am going back for it and taking 2.5 weeks in November to help out.  It is scary/nerve wracking for the whole family, but at least it will be a road to a fix for his issues and not just lateral progress.  Please send your good thoughts and prayers that he stays healthy before it and everything goes smoothly!!

Friday was Brandon and my 11th dating anniversary.  We went to supper at a Thai place down the street.  Crazy to think it has been 11 years.  It doesn’t feel like we have been out of high school that long or even adults that long.  🙂  Time flies when you are having fun.  Cheers to eleventy-eleven more!! (LOTR reference people)

We had been on hold with the apartment hunt, but Heidi found a really good one that could be “the one”.  This week, some business stuff I was doing was getting all our documents and info in line to apply for it.  We needed an online account to submit our application and they need all our financial, ID, and employment info.  It is a bit like all the info we needed for our Visas.  They are very interested in knowing all your business, apparently, here is Australia and when you apply for something.  I guess they are just being thorough.  Anyway, the apartment is a three bedroom, two bath located in our ideal neighborhood of Balmain.  It has a pool and amazing Harbour Bridge views.  (New Years anyone??) We went to see it on Saturday and it was an interesting experience.  Apparently the guy renting it has not paid rent in two months and when we got there with the agent, there were Airbnb people staying there.  Very odd situation and distracting for us to be able to see everything and analyze if it was going to work.  The building is older, so the rooms, though good sized for Sydney, did not have storage.  The kitchen was on the smaller side, but the views and balconies were top notch.  We immediately went to the agency to apply, but found out online is better.  We hit up the Balmain markets and then went to a cafe for lunch.  We applied when we got home and hope to find out Monday or Tuesday.  We requested to see it again before we fully commit to it since there was such a drama during the inspection.  It was also hard, since there were a bunch of other hopeful applicants there too, so you need to watch what you say, and you don’t want to seem to eager because they are competition.   The rental race is hard core!!  Gotta play the games to get what you want.  Overall, the apartment seemed like a good fit, though smaller in the living spaces and lack of storage.  Things to work around and things to consider.  We shall see how it goes.  One other bad thing, is it says it is available on Friday.  There is no way we can make a move happen by then, especially since we will need to buy the majority of our furniture and kitchen stuff from scratch.  It is also very short notice for Jax to have 3/4 of the tenets moving out before she has replacements.  We will see how it all shakes out.  We are not in a hurry to move, and this new place is not without its flaws; so we will see.

Saturday afternoon, after all the hoopla of apartment hunting, Brandon and I went for an exercise walk around Cremorne Point.  There were pretty flowers everywhere and the weather has been sunny and perfect; high 20s to low 30s all weekend.  There was some trauma when a bug flew in to Brandon’s eye and he wouldn’t let me get it out, but we got through it and survived the rest of the walk home.  Exercise walks are different than normal walks because the point is to sweat.  Normal walks are slower for socialization and seeing the sites.  Though, we did stop quite a bit for flower, kookaburra, and water dragon pictures, no skinks seen though.

We tidied up for Saturday night church and had pre-supper dessert of gelato afterwards.  Normally we go to Sunday at 9:30a down the street from us at St.  Joseph’s where they have a nice older crowd and a retired priest say mass named Father Paul.  When we go Saturday or Sunday nights we have to take the bus down the road to Mosman to St.  Mary’s and it is always an adventure.  Their organists are pretty bad and the music is poorly lead.  It is crazy disappointing after coming from St.  Raphael where the music was awesome and the congregation very involved.  This weekend, the priest mentioned the gay marriage vote that everyone had to tick and mail back this week.  He obviously stated the Catholic Church’s view on it and their view on the definition of marriage in general.  The Catholic Church of Australia does not support gay marriage.  I do not wish to be political, or make anyone angry with me, but I do have a few things to say on the matter.  Every religion has flaws.  There will never be a religion that fits everything everyone believes.  I grew up Catholic and I identify well with most things the Catholic Church teaches.  I have been lucky to attend churches that the priests focus on loving everyone, not judging, and inviting Jesus into your heart as your best friend.  I know that most parishes are not lucky enough to have these positive messages spread by their clergy.  Do I feel the Catholic Church has a right to say what their doctrine is, yes. Do I believe their doctrine regarding marriage is flawed, yes.  Their stance is that marriage is to be forever; sure this is ideal, but unforgivable circumstances come up that would be better for the marriage to end for the benefit of the couple, their kids, or just safety issues.  They say that marriage must be between a man and woman so they can have kids. (rough idea-pretty much to make more Catholics)  I didn’t get married to have kids.  You actually don’t have to BE married to have kids.  So to me, that point is flawed.  Also, just because the government is asking should they allow gay marriage, does not effect who the Catholic Church marries.  If they don’t believe in it, they don’t have to do it.  Look at churches in the US, they are functioning just fine and gay marriage is allowed.  If you don’t believe in or support gay marriage then don’t get gay married!! But let others do as they want.  It is more a legal question of rights.  Imagine your wife or husband is sick, unconscious, in a coma, and not being allowed to see them or make medical decisions for them because your legally not their spouse and therefore, do not have any representational legal rights??  How horrible.  Or if your spouse dies in the military, you will not get the same honors as any other military spouse, or benefits.  It is about legal fairness; it is about equality.  It doesn’t matter if you disagree with being gay or disprove of it, it is greater than that, it is beyond that.  God loves us all.  God loves love.  Let him sort out the judgement in the end, it is not for us to decide.  End of rant.  Vote yes. Love is love.

Sunday was very exciting.  Brandon and I took the bus, then train to Gordon, which is near St.  Ives to the St.  Ives Medieval Faire.  They put on a great event.  It was more educational/realistic of a Renaissance Faire, and less gaudy or more for entertainment.  They had reinactors with different time period villages made up.  People reenacting black smithing, wood working, weaving, spinning, etc. They had a bunch of workshops, battle demonstrations, a trebuchet, musical acts, archery, tournament events, a falconry show, and of course, the joust.  Much more realistic and legitimate than other faires I have gone to where they have actors performing a drama that ends with a joust and sword battle, these were professional jousters from all over the world in period appropriate armor.  They were using real wood lances and the judges were pros as well.  Cool to see.  We wondered around the food are and ate lunch; no turkey legs, so odd.  We then checked out the shops.  Not as impressive as some faires I have gone to.  I think the one in Colorado is still the best.  It was a fun day to spend in the awesome weather.  We got back at a reasonable time and I read out on our patio.  Brandon and I then watched the first Kingsmen movie in preparation for the sequel.

Now it is Monday and I am off.  Brandon is working from home today, so it is a party.  I had a lovely breakfast outside, will be posting this shortly and then some lunch.  Hopefully I can make it to a beach or park yet today to enjoy the amazing weather.  This week I hope to book my flight and we will find out if we are moving.  Busy busy!  Enjoy the pictures and talk to you all soon!