Aussie,Aussie,Aussie; Oi! Oi! Oi!

Dear Dazzy,

When I first talked to you on the phone, honey- Christmas of 1999- I immediately loved your accent-and I couldn't wait to see your native Australia.

Oz was getting to be something chic here in the states, what with the Olympics in Sydney in 2000 and all-and when I did get to visit for the first time I was hooked.

I could easily live there (except for housing prices now, jeeze!). It was magical being there with you.

It was with a sense of pride that when I returned to TX I learned about Aussie "stuff"-lamingtons, hornbags and goodonya's. The flora and fauna of the place are amazing and I always knew we would go back to Box Hill and settle in once the kids were out of college.

I researched on-line and found a whole bunch of ex-pats living in the US who had already done what we were starting to do-trying to live together on one continent, LOL

Thank the universe I found MatesUpOver.

The people on that board have been helpful to us in ways they will never know.

It always felt like I had discovered a secret that not too many people knew-

that Australia was a "bewwwwwwwwwwwty" of a place with much to offer.

While you were here on Earth with us, we would marvel at the number of Aussie influences here in the states-Films, TV shows, actors/actresses, food, restaurants, etc all with that Aussie flare. It's nothing short of cool to be an Aussie, and I used to love feeling like I had not only found a great hubby-he was an Aussie to boot!

I still seek out the Aussie in my everyday life. I can;t help it; I have been doing it for yonks :P There are more Aussie shows then ever that I either can watch via BBC or streaming video on the cpu or are on mainstream TV.

Every HGTV show has an Aussie carpenter; LOL, they remind me of Mr. P!

There are animal shows and specials every week that I Tivo.

It's really all about the accent. I miss hearing the accent and the slang so very much that I can see myself living in Oz just for those reasons alone, never mind anything else.

The picture posted here in my neighbor's new franchise endeavour. It says on the hearts on the side of the truck : Aussie Pets! Its a mobile grooming thingy out of Sydney.

Every day, when I get up and let Ranger out the front, I get to see that logo. Every day when I log on to MUO, I can hear the strine in my head, thick as Vegemite on toast with a think slice of tasty cheese. Every day, when I watch recorded TV I am guaranteed a "G'Day Mate" somewhere along the line. Every day Australia is in my life, even when I am flat out like a lizard drinking.

It's a culture that is part of me now-and one I don't want to ever give up.