Australia Days

United in opposition

It's tough to get Tim and Allison to agree on much -- the Hilary Duff oeuvre being a particular bone of contention -- but they do both support the no-smiling-for-the-camera policy. 

Ay, caramba!

I've been lucky enough to accompany (OK, drag) Tim and Allison to some wonderful venues. We've seen the Nutcracker in Boston, numerous museums in Paris, and live music festivals in Melbourne. Being healthy, irreverent youth, their usual reaction is a polite "thank you" and a discreet sigh of relief when the cultural outing concludes.

But yesterday, I hit paydirt. We saw Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, in a one-woman show at the Arts Centre. She told stories about her life voicing dozens of familiar cartoon characters on The Simpsons and elsewhere. Tim and Allison were especially impressed by her ability to imitate a dripping faucet, and her use of this sound to drive her eighth grade teacher insane. The show was lacklustre, but the voices kept them rapt.

Now, I just need to find more performances that require the audience to shout "Get bent!" ¡Ay, caramba!, indeed.

Street theater

We took advantage of a mild autumn day to walk back from a visit to the Melbourne Museum, and to watch this guy extricate himself from ropes and chains.

Tim and Allison paid close attention -- perhaps because of all the profanity. We'll miss having street theater right around the corner.

Sunday lunch

Tim and Allison spent most of the time in the pool, and emerged only for quiche and truffles.

Humans: 6; Sharks: 0

Despite Tim's certainty that a foray into the ocean here guarantees a grisly death, we all survived a weekend at the seaside. We swam at the nearby beach, and Tim and Allison ventured in at the surf beach to battle the waves. Tim chivalrously buried Allison (only up to the neck, thankfully) and they worked on a sandcastle before we pulled them out of the sun.

Good friends were kind enough to take us to Apollo Bay, a low-key town about four hours south-west of Melbourne. Picture fish and chip shops and a rundown "Fun Parlour" manned by a grouchy, chainsmoking hulk of a man. Rob and I relaxed on the beach, swam in the clear water, and dutifully drank Australian wines.

The greatest pleasure for us all, I think, was spending time with Tim and Allison -- insert tiresome clichés about growing up here, but it's a delight to watch.

Buddies

Tim had a school friend over today for tennis and a quick trip to the arcade.

Year 6

Tim seems to be happily settled in his new school, where he's arriving and leaving each day with a jaunty smile.

I don't get many of the details about friends -- the only reply Tim offers up is belting out "A Stranger's Just a Friend You Haven't Met" from the Simpsons (Episode: A Streetcar Named Marge). His charming teacher, Miss Hutchison, assures me that Tim is "very social" and is fitting right in with the mix of locals, returning Australian expats, and international students. 

The uniform and its many rules (fleece vest within school property only; wool sweater or vest on the tram) and the more formal conduct have taken some getting used to. The children have to rise when an adult enters the classroom ("Good afternoon, Mrs. Knight") and remember to straighten their shirts and pull up their kneesocks. The head of school commands respect, and treats the children with an ideal balance of British rigor and Australian sunshine. I think Tim's thriving. 

Old friends

Given their international families and frequent travel schedules, it seemed natural that Tim and Allison would be friends. Always hard to predict what the middle school years will bring, but for now it's all pillow fights and fake grins for the parents with the cameras.