I can smell the difference in the air --- Australia is changing. As the country begins to shed its winter coat, much like a sheep sheds its wool, evidence of renewed life herald's the arrival of spring. I see trees blossoming and the winds are no longer so cold. They carry with them warmth and the unmistakeable smell of spring. Even the sun seems hotter and brighter. Temperatures are climbing and Canberra is now in the 15C-20C daytime high range, though not quite at the upper end. Today was a particularly warm day reaching 17C. Spring officially starts on September 1st and its obvious that the winter winds have fled and the new ones have not the same sting.
In my previous post, I mentioned that this was a big year for Australian sports, but I failed to mention another milestone. 2008 is also the 100th birthday of one of Australia's cricketing legends, Sir Donald Bradman. This man is held in such high regard that the name "Bradman" is protected by the government to prevent businesses trying to confuse consumers with false associations of the name. Sir Don was perhaps the greatest cricketer of all time and he holds many records but the most impressive one was his 99.94 runs average in test cricket. He died a few years ago. His renown is such that the first question Nelson Mandela asked when he was released from prison was, "Is Donald Bradman still alive?"
In footy news, I felt honoured to be given the Women's Division 1 Grand Final (Championship) to goal umpire. This morning, I woke up and went down to Ainslie Oval eagerly. The game was won by the Eastlake Football Club; I, and I'm sure many others, call them the Ladies of the Lake. It wasn't a particularly close game but I felt privileged to be chosen as one of the goal umpires. It's a mark of recognition of umpiring ability. I stayed around for 2 other Grand Finals (Men's Divisions 4 and 3) and it was fortuitous that I did. In the 3rd quarter of the Div 3 game, Angie, one of the goal umpire's assigned, pulled her calf muscle and I had to quickly get dressed and fill in. There wasn't much action on my end but the game proved exciting as the winning team overcame a considerable points deficit to win their 3rd championship in a row. I don't expect to get any more finals games simply because there are only a few left and there are more experienced umpires available.
As the footy season draws to a close, there are several umpire functions to be held, the last of which will be a dinner. I plan to attend and I have been nominated (1 of 5) for a "Bachelor of the Year" award. I can't help but wonder what happens to the recipient of the award; perhaps a date with Big Edna, the Loneliest Hun.
I have also been offered a job at ACTTAB, the territory's gambling agency, barring the unforeseen. This would pay quite well, $23.75/hr and it would not involve any truly strenuous activity. Something that must be understood about Australian culture is that in addition to sports, gambling on them is also a national pastime. In fact, when the Melbourne Cup is run in early November, the whole country gets a day off. It's quite a contrast to Canada where betting is not particularly widespread. For example, Australia is very into horse and greyhound racing and horse racing gets several pages (usually a fold-out) in the local newspaper's sports section. In Canada, horseracing only gets a few columns. And in case you think greyhound racing is cruel, it helps if you just think of them as little horses. Australians will bet on anything and there are several government sanctioned agencies that allow them to do this. Essentially, a person will go to a TAB and place bets with employees. This is what I would be doing.
I found out today that one of my favourite comic strips, For Better or for Worse, has just ended its run, something like nearly 30 years. I've been following the adventures of the Patterson family since the early 1990s and while overseas. I enjoyed it for its interesting plots and its realism. Next to Calvin & Hobbes, it was perhaps the best comic strip out there and I'm very sorry to see it end.
And lastly, in a few days time another milestone will quietly pass. September 2nd will mark the day that I have been the longest away from Ottawa. September 2nd will mark 211 days away that city, just over 30 weeks. Looking back, it doesn't even seem that long.
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