A Week in Sydney
Thursday 21st February 2008
at 05:26am
G’day! Long lost Aussie Wayne here. I bet you thought I’d fallen off the face of the earth?
First of all, before I get started, I want to send out an apology for taking so long to post again. I promised there’d be a new entry every Monday morning (US time) but these last few days have been completely nonstop. Who would have thought that flying halfway across the world, unpacking a ton of bags, doing our best to settle back in and take care of everything that has piled up whilst we were away would have been so time consuming? I certainly didn’t.
Also, you’ll have to excuse the lack of photos this week. We’re on dial up until the end of the mointh because our internet allowance has been used up and loading pics takes forever.....it’s very frustrating.
So it’s been 9 days now since we arrived and I’ve got to say, I’m finding it tough. Kelly is more than happy to be home, I don’t think the boys know one way or the other but for me, it’s been one heck of a ride. I became so used to living nothing but Packers for so long that not doing so has been a real let down. Does this happen to the rest of you when the season is over? I’ve been looking at pictures, re-watching my videos and remembering all the good times as though I was still there. I look at the temperature gauge I have on my home page to keep track of what the weather is like over there. Right now, as I write this at 304am Sydney time (1004am in Green Bay) it’s -2F (-19C) and, despite the fact that you might not believe it, I actually miss the cold.
I heard you had some massive snowfall there in the last few days. How cool!
Anyway, that’s enough of me waxing on. Both Kelly and I are completely back in the swing of things as far as driving is concerned. That’s not to say we’re doing any good at it, just that we’re back on the road. It’s really tough driving on the left hand side again believe it or not. There’s no right, or left turns permitted on red here. We have school zones where the speed limits change depending on the hour of the day and the traffic at times is horrendous. Not to mention the fact, thanks to everything being reversed, that we keep flicking our wipers on instead of our indicators and our indicators instead of the floor mounted gear shift.
On another note, you couldn’t even guess how much mail we had waiting for us on our return. It was absolutely incredible. All I wanted as a kid was to start shaving every day and to receive my own mail. Now that I have both, I couldn’t care less about either.
So far as our weather goes, it’s been pretty drab I’ve gotta say. We’ve averaged 75F (24C) since being home which for February is cool. We should be up around the mid 80’sF at least. I still haven’t had a swim in the ocean and really, for the most part I haven’t felt, not even a little, like it’s actually summer at all.
In other news, Kelly has been in all sorts of pain and needs to have her wisdom teeth out almost immediately. Ben is adorable and thinks Pre-School is just the best. We’re not going to start him on full days until next week so that he has some time hang out a little first but we did stop by last week and he didn’t want to leave after spending the best part of 2 hours there. Luc is still the same “can I climb on everything in sight” baby and I’m working hard on the business, the job hunt and the book.
Over the next few days we’ve got all sorts of things coming up. Ben is off to Pre-School again for another play, I, having completed one chapter of the book should have the first 4 locked in by the weekend and the weather is going to warm up to the late 80’s even 90’s by Saturday. Also, keep a look out for our trip home video coming soon. It should be a blast.
I wish I could write more but time is of the essence. Talk to you next week.
By the way, I’m working on a way I can send a bulk email out to let you know once I have put an update on. It’ll take me a little while but if you haven’t done so already, please join the mailing list on the top right corner of this page. This’ll make it a whole lot easier when the time does come. Thanks.
Comments
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 06:23am
Thanks wayne for keeping us up to date on your life now. So many of us feel that you are a part of the Green Bay Packers and all they represent.
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 07:16am
Thanks for the update Wayne. I’m sure most of us who have been following both you and the Packers feel a bit of a double letdown now that we don’t have either to look forward to on a regular basis. It sounds as though life is a whirlwind for your family right now. I’ll try to be patient as I await your next posting. Take care.
Mauri
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 11:14am
Hi Wayne.
Check out Google groups for your bulk email issue. You will just need to adjust the settings so that only you can see the members of your group and only you can send out mass emails.
Best of Luck.
Mauri
Pismo Beach, Calif
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 12:28pm
Hey Wayne
The post football letdown is experienced by all true Cheeseheads. There is about one mounth where we just sort of meander around. It looks kinda like “the night of the living dead” instead of Brains, we want “FOOOOTBAAALLLL”. Eventually we get back to a normal routine until the beginning of training camp, where the anticipation builds. For some people, when the football draft takes place you won’t find them for two days.
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 01:17pm
Glad to here the book is in it’s infancy already! Can’t wait to read it!! well under -0 F tonight but a warm spell of the 20’s is predicted for the weekend. You missed some great snow/more than we’ve had since I was a kid in the 60’s!! Tell Kell to have all 4 pulled at once, need it or not! That way she’ll never have to deal with it again! (wish I could get ahold of some of the “feel-good” they gave me!) Tell her not to fear/it’s over before you know it and painless!
PEACE!!
Sobie
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 02:42pm
Glad your adjusting well.
I can only imagine how different it must be to drive there again…
on the left instead of the right..
We all feel kinda weird for a few months without Our Packers…
Then when the Sports Station’s start talking we know we are getting close to the season again..
Then the Summer Packer T-Shirts come out…
Well have a great week…
Robin & Cableman
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 05:21pm
It’s not the same around here anymore. The smell of thousands of grill’s cooking brat’s and the smoke roling off of them in a cold winter day. The sea of green and gold walking on oneida, ridge and lombardi to the stadium. The Go Pack Go chants. The Bears still suck chants. The flyovers. The interviews with your family. I’ve reverted back to reruns and games to help get by. Wayne it’s not the same in Green Bay without you guys. Even though I never met you personally.
Gothic Clothing
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 11:26pm
hey didn’t you sell up your house in oz? Where are you staying now? House prices went up the roof whilst you were away last year!
Thu 21st Feb 08
at 11:27pm
I’m a swede, not a packerfan, not a big football fan but I’ve followed your adventure from the beginning and I’ve really enjoyed it.
A swedish newspaper had an article about you and a link to your website and boy did I get hooked.
You’re writing almost made me feel that I was in Green Bay too. It’s been a joyride! Thanks!
Fri 22nd Feb 08
at 12:20am
We too are missing football. The ESPN top 10 plays are not the same without football. Looking forward to your posts.
Jennifer
Fri 22nd Feb 08
at 06:52am
Good to hear from you. I see the kids have “cubbies” in pre school just like here. Good that Ben likes going. Congrats on the start of your book.Now that football is over there is always NASCAR racing to get excited about. Good luck Kelly for when you go to get the wisdom teeth pulled.Hope you get the “forget it” pill !! Luc looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Take care.
Sat 23rd Feb 08
at 07:13am
Thanks for the update! We are all missing the football season here. My hubby doesn’t know what to do with his Sundays now. He kind of mopes around and naps alot. Now he is into Badgers basketball. Now it’s go Badgers go! I much prefer football!! I envy your weather there. Today we are going to reach the balmy 20s and more snow on the way! Take care and good luck with your book, I could use a good read!
GBFan
Sat 23rd Feb 08
at 12:33pm
Hi Wayne. The offseason is time for us Packer Fans to recharge our batteries.
Pro football is such an emotional sport with all the highs and lows of each season. When the season comes to a sudden end it always takes alot out of a person. Most fans don’t even talk Packers for a couple months until the spring draft. When mini-camps startup everything again starts build up again.
If you are homesick for Green Bay and Lambeau Field - here is something that might help:
Sat 23rd Feb 08
at 03:43pm
Hi Wayne,
The staleness of the off season is offset by the freshness of you and your families perspectives you openly share on this site and on YOU TUBE. We shared a special season together. I am so glad that you were able to participate and contribute! You and your family are forever in our hearts!
Thanks,
Mike
Sat 23rd Feb 08
at 10:27pm
Like many others I have never met you or your family (wish I had). But wish you the best in life and hope someday you make it back here. Green Bay has had over six feet of snow this year, close to breaking a all time record. Like so many others waiting for your book. Best wishes and keep in touch with your website.
Sun 24th Feb 08
at 01:00pm
Glad to hear the book is starting to come along. Looking foward to the finished product. Sounds like life is getting back to where it was before GB...alomst. Hope Kelly’s tooth adventure goes well. I’ve never had the procedure, but all 3 of my kids have and each responded differently to it. You are “missing” quite a winter. I remember winters like this when I was growing up...and that was a long time ago!!! Good Luck with the job, book, and all else life is throwing at you right now. Even though I look forward to your blogs, I know they are not being written from your apartment in Ashwaubenon, but from halfway around the world....and that give them a different tone...hard to explain.
Wed 27th Feb 08
at 12:34pm
To the “DOWN UNDER” Family, Just a quick update from Lambeau Field, things are pretty quiet here right now, Fan Fest is coming up March 7-8 and there will be 3000 adoring Packer Fans on board for that, into the Draft, Coaching staff are in Indiapolis for the Combine checking out all of the new talent, even Mark Murphy, which I met in the elevator a few weeks back. Very nice man...Big shoes to fill. The parking lot has snow banks the size of Mt. Everest right now from all of the snowfall, who needs Breckenridge?? Good luck with the book. All my best to the family into settling into a real routine.
Mon 03rd Mar 08
at 09:28am
PFSS: Post Football Season Syndrome. Symptoms include aimlessly wandering around the house, repeatedly watching prerecorded Packer games (although these telecasts are the sole property of yada yada yada yada), staring out the window without seeing anything, and being generally unresponsive to visual and auditory stimuli. That kinda stuff.
Sort of like The Who’s Tommy character.
Most fans get a nice, morbid case of the blues this time of year. Quite natural and to be expected. You get a double whammy though because of the geographic & cultural switcheroo.
Nascar, basketball, baseball, hockey (bowling, golf, ping pong, badminton, cricket, soccer, etc); thanks but no thanks. Gimme GB football or keep it.
Personally, I’m waiting to see Thompson deliberately whiff again in free agency and from there who he and Big Mac’ve decided to go after in the draft.