Aussie/Kiwi club

So, last week, Brett and I went with some friends (a couple of physicists from Perth-the wife teaches at the same university as me) to the Aussie/Kiwi club dinner.  It is a really interesting group of people, a lot of older war brides and couples who have been in the States for decades plus a few younger people in their 30s. There are more Kiwis than Aussies. Apparently the club is trying to become a bit more diverse in the variety of members. 

The food (which is prepared by the pair of hosts so it varies each month) was not as good as we had hoped, but our friends also said that it was usually better.  So, we have high hopes for next month (it will be hosted by a professor at the Air Force Academy who is part of the "young crowd" in the group).

I think I liked it a bit more than Brett did...something about it feeling like a family reunion with old people sorta turned him off.  But, it is at least worth going again.  It costs $10 per person per year with the obligation to host the party once a year (with another member, apparently to reduce the cooking workload and costs).  I think we'll try again before paying/committing-at the very least we've made a couple new friends and talked a lot about things like where to get Aussie-like foods and stuff (still no progress on trying to find out where we can buy a cricket bat though!).

Home alone

Well, just when I was adjusting to the Aussie invasion (er, I mean Evan visiting), the boys left for a long two-week tour of the Southwestern US.  I wish I had made Brett post their itinerary (or at least send me a copy) prior to their leaving since I can barely remember where they are supposed to be everyday.  I know in the first week, they're hitting 4 corners, the grand canyon, and Las Vegas. Week 2 has them in northern California and Yosemite National Park prior to driving back over the Rocky Mountains on their way home.

I miss Brett like crazy, but I am so glad that he's taking this opportunity to have fun with his best friend.  Plus, he's figuring out the best places to go for when he and I (and his family from Australia) can get to have a fabulous vacation too.

I'm outnumbed by Australians!

Brett has arrived back from ASA with Evan.  Now I'm the lone Yankee in the house (unless you count Princess). 

Unfortunately, both boys are under the weather (Evan from altitude sickness and Brett from Denver food/drink/hotel issues). 

Luckily it appears that we all will get a day to rest before returning to real life tomorrow.  If anybody needs anything from us, we'll be on the couch watching television.

New blog or change this one??

So, April got rid of her "Distracted Dissertator" blog as she started her new professor job and didn't want anything coming back to bite her (not that she said anything bad, but just in case) and because she was just HAPPY to be done with that part of her life.

Now, we're contemplating starting a "Team Beattie" blog that follows our crazy adventures as we start our new (married! real job! grown-up!) lives in Colorado.  Not sure if we'd just start a brand new blog, rename and revamp this one (after all, I am not sure Brett is so 'displaced' anymore).  Thoughts/opinions/ideas?

Either way, we're awfully busy these days between finishing dissertations, teaching, and just enjoying the newlywed life.  Blogging is secondary!

100 Foods to Eat Before you Die

Ran across this today and Brett and I went through the list to see what we had eaten.  Turns out he has a much more adventurous palette than mine.

1. Abalone  Brett
2. Absinthe Brett
3. Alligator April Brett
4. Baba Ghanoush Brett  
5. Bagel and lox April
6. Baklava April Brett
7. Barbecue ribs April Brett
8. Bellini April Brett
9. Bird’s Nest Soup
10. Biscuits and gravy April Brett
11. Black Pudding
12. Black Truffle
13. Borscht April Brett
14. Calamari April Brett
15. Carp Brett
16. Caviar
17. Cheese fondue April
18. Chicken and waffles
19. Chicken Tikka Masala April Brett
20. Chile Relleno
21. Chitterlings/Chitlins
22. Churros April
23. Clam Chowder April Brett
24. Cognac
25. Crabcake April Brett
26. Crickets
27. Currywurst
28. Dandelion wine
29. Dulce de leche
30. Durian
31. Eel April Brett
32. Eggs benedict Brett
33. Fish Tacos
34. Foie Gras April Brett
35. Fresh Spring Rolls April Brett
36. Fried Catfish April Brett
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
38. Fried Plaintain
39. Frito Pie April
40. Frog’s Legs
41. Fugu
42. Funnel Cake April
43. Gazpacho
44. Goat Brett
45. Goat’s milk April Brett
46. Goulash Brett  
47. Gumbo April Brett
48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese
50. Heirloom Tomatoes April Brett
51. Honeycomb Brett  
52. Hostess Fruit Pie April
53. Huevos Rancheros
54. Jerk Chicken Brett  
55. Kangaroo April Brett
56. Key Lime Pie April
57. Kobe Beef
58. Lassi Brett
59. Lobster April Brett
60. Mimosa April Brett
61. MoonPie April Brett
62. Morel Mushrooms
63. Nettle Tea
64. Octopus April Brett
65. Oxtail Soup
66. Paella
67. Paneer
68. Pastrami on Rye Brett  
69. Pavlova April Brett
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheesesteak April Brett
72. Pho Brett  
73. Pineapple and cottage cheese April
74. Pistachio Ice Cream
75. Po’ boy April Brett
76. Pocky April
77. Polenta
78. Prickly Pear Brett
79. Rabbit Stew
80. Raw Oysters Brett
81. Root Beer Float April
82. S’mores April Brett
83. Sauerkraut Brett
84. Sea Urchin
85. Shark Brett  
86. Snail Brett
87. Snake Brett
88. Soft Shell Crab April Brett
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle April Brett
91. Spam April Brett
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare
94. Sweet Potato Fries April Brett
95. Sweetbreads
96. Tom Yum
97. Umeboshi
98. Venison April Brett
99. Wasabi Peas
100. Zucchini Flowers Brett

Brett's Total is 48
April's Total is 41

And now we have an entire list of new foods to try!

The 12 Days of Christmas

My family has a tradition of opening 12 small presents on each of the days leading up to Christmas.  Accompanying each gift, we sing the appropriate parts of the popular holiday song, "The 12 Days of Christmas."  This year, my mom sent Brett 12 gifts along with mine and we have been opening the gifts and singing together every morning.  It took him until Day 3 to tell me that there was an Aussie version of this song!  Anyway, I am in love with this and am now going to have us sing both versions before we open our gifts every year.  For the benefit of my family reading this (Brett says it is not worth typing in the American version since his family will know it), here is the Aussie 12 Days of Christmas lyrics:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me an emu up a gum tree
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two pink galahs
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three kookaburras laughing
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four lyrebirds
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five kang-a-roos
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six broglas laying
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven koalas climbing
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight dingos dancing
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine croc's a snoozing
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten wombats washing
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven lizards leaping
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve possums playing

Happy Birthday Dad!

In honor of Dad's (Brian's) birthday, Brett decided the best gift would be a picture of himself (and me, and the rest of the Penn State gang who went to Luis and Amanda's wedding). I just think it is great that y'all will be able to see him all dressed up in a nice shirt (non-black) and tie! 

Happy Birthday Dad! ~Brett (and April)



(from left) Patrick and Blair, Brett and April, Rebekah and Tim