Because Tuesday would be the official start of the new school year for Rosie and Tom, yesterday (Sunday) was the end of our relaxing time in the Snowy Mountains. We tried not to dilly dally too much in order to beat the heat and make sure the Guinea pigs got some water.
We learned just the other day that February 2nd would mark Helen’s 50th birthday. To celebrate the momentous occasion, we agreed to an adult’s-only dinner out, Helen choosing the venue. It was a very nice evening indeed. The Water's Edge restaurant was in the center of town down by the lake, close to parliament and many of the national museums. Shane kindly offered me a button down shirt, so I could forego my blue Nepal hiking shirt. We had a grand time and supplemented the small, fancy portions with a couple bottles of wine. To be safe, we decided to leave the car where it was, so Helen and Shane also got their first Uber experience.
Although we had originally planned to head off from the O’Brien household, we decided that Canberra, as the nation's capital, deserved at least another day. There were many choices, but we ultimately decided on the War Memorial, commemorating all the wars Australia has fought in starting with WWI. Naturally, as a member of commonwealth, Australia supported Britain in both the first and second world wars. It was interesting to learn about the war from the Australian perspective. The”Anzacs” -- Australian and New Zealand troops, were instrumental in the WWI battle of Gallipoli in modern day Turkey (then part of the Ottoman Empire). In WWII the most immediate threat was from Japanese troops that, having invaded Malaysia, quickly occupied Singapore and New Guinea and Java. Australia was next.
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| Austrialian Parliament House |
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| War Memorial: names of soldiers killed |
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| War Museum |
The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home. Dex and Kylie played in the pool with Rosie while Meg and I went shopping for the planned taco dinner. It was nice to have something to offer the O'brien's. After a hard day's work, Helen and Shane seemed quite pleased to have a home cooked meal (thanks to Meg). We all appreciated the comforts of home - thank you Shane, Helen, Rosie and Tom!
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