So this is Christmas 2005

Where has this year gone? I can’t believe this is my second December newsletter. Apologies for falling off the radar the past couple of months – all good intentions were there for regular quarterly instalments, but I see I have only managed 2 updates in the last year!

Since we last spoke, which was in April, I suppose a lot has happened. The visitors have kept coming in a steady stream – Gareth’s folks, my brother JP, Lauren, Sarah, Chris, Sally and Helen.

We’ve certainly had our fair share of the Hunter Valley this year - and I have absolutely loved it! My fascination with wine has spurred me on to do a wine-tasting course in January next year. It’s internationally recognised and is the first rung on the ladder to becoming a MW – what Bob Campbell is! Gareth can’t understand why I want to do it. My answer is twofold: (a) It’s not about drinking lots! I enjoy the sensual art of tasting and describing quite fun, and in a completely non-tossy way either! You don’t need to consume a lot to be able to this; (b) Maybe I would drink more if he spent more than $5 on a bottle!

I think Ma and Pa Dixon had a great time out in the Hunter, enjoying the sun on an Irish pub’s deck where we had lunch over-looking the fields, and I know Lauren loved it too when we took her there. A mix up with the booking meant that instead of an old tin can rent-a-dent to get us up there, we had a convertible SAAB!!! Again – mid-winter and the roof was down all the way baby!

We’ve also had our fair share of trips to the Superdome this year. In July we went to the Delta Goodrem concert. Yes, it’s out in the open, please don’t excommunicate me. It was my Christmas present from last year – I was young, naïve, and new to a country where the overwhelming majority of women sport muffin-tops, jeans they buy brand new but which have holes in them, ‘thongs’ or ugh-boot equivalents (winter), and usually go by the name of ‘Sharon’ (pronounced ‘Sheear-ynn’). Delta was like a beacon of light!! And she is actually – a totally amazing, beautiful, talented woman…but I think I’m over her. I never really listen to her CD anyway…just think she’s alright!

And let me tell you – I’d go to a Delta concert any day over the WWE Raw Survivor Series. I think this was where Gareth got his pay-back. Boganity is certainly alive and well in the West. I must have been about the only person in the entire stadium without long greasy hair, black jeans and black wrestling T-shirt that wasn’t swearing praise at the entertainment thuggery going down in the ring below. Gareth kept saying – it’s sports entertainment honey. But the audience reacted to as if it were real anyway! By the end of the night I myself even felt like throwing the guy beside us a punch…for the entire 3 hours he kept screaming unfunny one-liners that 2 teenage girls (giggling and drooling over posters) found hilarious. I had one or two fingers in my ears most of the night. Never again! But all that aside – I was stoked G loved it so much.

October was quite a busy month at work with courses and conferences. I attended a conference in Brisbane, and stayed on the weekend to have a look around. I know now why they call it Bris-Vegas…a little city trying to be big. There’s not much there apart from shopping, and that doesn’t really interest me (I live in Sydney anyway – shopping capital of Australasia!). I did get to catch up with my good friend Doug, who was over from NZ on a course. We dined at a fabulous Italian restaurant ($$$ - thanks work!) and caught up on all our news. I managed to do a lot of running there – I hooked up with a friendly bunch of runners, won myself a new pair of running shoes at a 3k race (spot prize – not place prize!), and got to run up Mt Koot-tha – just stunning! I even made it out to Surfers Paradise on the train! My opinion? Overrated.

Speaking of running, I spent a few months mid-year training for the Oxfam Trailwalker – a 100k run or walk to raise money for charity. There were many early morning starts during winter – both Saturday and Sunday. But I really enjoyed going bush. My team’s aim was to run it all in 20 hours – non-stop! And they did it!! But I wasn’t there…unfortunately my grandfather passed away just days before the race, so I returned to NZ for the funeral and couldn’t get back in time. Them’s the brakes…

I’ve also partaken in 2 rogaines this year – orienteering-like events in the bush. They were great fun. The second one was extremely tough – scuttling up slippery cliff faces, I realised why we had to sign a disclaimer at the start of the race. It was a 6 hour event but we came back to the hash house in around 7 hours…2 group members thought we had more time and energy to get more checkpoints than we actually did…the penalty for being more than ½ hour late back to camp was that we were stripped of all our points!

I think the sporting highlight of the year has to be the visit the Anderson twins paid to Sydney. Sally and Helen came over to run the Sydney marathon on 11 September. These 2 ladies never fail to perform – and the elbow grease I spent colouring in a giant poster saying ‘Made in NZ – kia kaha – Sally and Helen’, was well worth it. I wasn’t going to run it, but I was going to be the best support crew I could be! Oh yeah, plus the black and white clown’s wig went down a treat – I didn’t expect to feel as out of place as I did at 7am on a Sunday morning on Oxford St with hair that big, but I did! I got a few whistles! I was so overcome with emotion when I saw Sally coming in at the finish…I was ready and waiting, after seeing them at a couple of points on the course, I aimed to be near the end just under 3 hours after the gun went. It brought tears to my eyes – Sally came third (3:05) and Helen fifth (3:07) in the women’s marathon. Well done girls!

I’m attending my philosophy and yoga schools regularly and really enjoying the way they compliment each other. I have been doing Iyengar yoga since April this year – and it has really blown me away. I just find it so enlightening and challenging at the same time. It’s a mental as well as a physical battle whenever you are on the mat. The philosophy school continues to be a big part of my life, with a commitment 2 nights a week and the odd study day or Sunday lecture (or Christmas party next week!) thrown in as well.

Hot off the press – Gareth is now a fully qualified patent attorney!! There was some doubt cast over whether he would be registered before Christmas as exam results weren’t through yet (long story!)…but he’s done it!! He’s worked so very hard – this is really the culmination of his academic career to date…all 26 years of it. He’s been studying towards this one last qualification since he arrived 2 years ago and his aim was to be qualified in 2 years – and he did it!! Big mmmmmmmmwah for you G!

Well this seems like a good place to finish! I hope everyone is well, and I look forward to catching up with as many of you as I can when I am home over the Christmas break…please forward all Christmas Pressies to ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ at 11 Wentworth St…kidding!! But I will be there from 24 December – 5 January so please drop by!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ange xoxox