Busy Weekend--getting to know our new home

 We spent this past weekend getting to know things in and around Canberra.  

Friday night we went to a co-workers house for a happy hour. It is really nice that there are so many ways for us to get to know those around us, and to feel like there is a sense of community.  Thanks Aaron for the invite.

Saturday, we started at Questacon- The national science and technology center (aka kids science museum).  It was a lot of fun. We were there for about four hours and honestly only made it through about half of the museum. Mike really loved this Rube Goldberg type of machine, and the girls favorite thing was this thing that spit out little chunks of dry ice into a solution of something.  They were supposed to learn something about space I think.  But it was super fun to watch, and Lauren in particular found it very relaxing.  She has asked to return with headphones and something relaxing to listen to.  She must have spent a solid half an hour watching it. We also attended a show on Liquid nitrogen which was really fun and informative. Here are just some of the pictures we took at Questacon-

From there we went to a store called Quizzic Alley, which is focused on all things Harry Potter. They had a replica Ford Anglia for the girls to pretend to drive.  And we found out that they do Harry Potter themed birthday parties. We booked a party for Lauren for 31 July (one week past her birthday (her bday weekend was full) and on Harry Potter's Bday).  She is over the moon excited.  After two years of not really having a full blown party (thanks covid), she's anxious to party like its 2019. 

After we got back from that, I forced the kids to go on a walk with me into the reserve behind our neighborhood.  A short 5ish minute walk through the back paths in the neighborhood brought us to the edge of the reserve. At the start of our walk, we got a great view of Woden Valley (where we live) and not long after that we are on a nice pine tree lined walk. I hope to make this a regular thing, as it is such a nice walk into nature so close to our home.  So peaceful.  I am a little nervous though because there are mobs of kangaroos that live on the ridge, and I don't really want to meet a whole mob on walk. But here are some pictures from our walk:

 

Today I forced the kids to do lots of chores around the house in the morning.  I'm striving to keep it as clean as possible so we don't invite critters into the house and to keep it as spider free as possible. Then Mike packed us a lunch and we headed to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. Tidbinbilla is about 25ish minutes from our house. One of the first surprising things for Mike and I was that we were not but 15 minutes from the house when we lost all cellular service. We had heard that there isn't great cell coverage in Australia, but we expected to be getting some bars that close to Canberra. We dropped from 5G, to 4G to nothing really quick on the drive out to the reserve.

The reserve did not disappoint. The first thing we did is lunch right by a mob of Kanagroos? Wallabies? I can't tell the difference yet. But we ate near a bunch of things that hop.  They just lazed around in the field by the picnicking families.  They did not care at all that we were there:

Then we drove further into the reserve and parked near a sanctuary for animals. We looked for platapi? palatpuses? And we did not find any. But the view was spectacular:

We saw a black sawn or two. One out for a swim and one we think one on a set of eggs. 

We also spent a fair amount of time watching a family of koalas just hang out and eat.

Lauren dropped her camera in the Koala enclosure, because of course she did. But we were able to use a stick to get it out (thank goodness).

That's about it.  I want to write more and in more detail, but by the time I get to this, I'm just so darn exhausted, and I'm having a hard time talking the rest of the family into taking time to write these. So you get what you get.

I guess one more thing to bring up, I'm surprised at how many times we are out and about and see Australians not wearing shoes. Mostly it is little kids at parks at stuff, but still places I would wear shoes.  I also saw someone at the mall without shoes, and someone going into a liquor store to shop shoeless.  Just a little strange for me to see in a place where there are so many things that could kill you, you would think you would want to protect your feet. 

ok.  that's all I've got for now.  See you next time.