Arte y Pico Award

Thanks Caroline for passing on the prestigious Arte y pico award to the Mupersans' Blog! This is an interesting one... The intention behind the origin of the award is quite clever. It works like a chain letter - each award winner in turn presents the award to 5 others. By linking to the original site (Arte y pico), the originator gets to view other people's blogs that they wouldn't normally come across. Clever idea but from the looks of things, this got a bit out of hand and grew too big for the originator to visit each and every blog. As he/she mentions in their latest post, they were leaving comments on each blog visited but were just inundated and couldn't spend every waking moment on the PC.

If anyone's wondering how I suddenly learnt how to read Spanish (I think that's what it's written in!), I haven't. But my good friend Google can & I just asked it to translate for me. The translation tool isn't perfect because it doesn't always get the context correct, but it's good enough to get the jist of things.

So let's get onto the important stuff...... (imagine a drum roll here).....

The RULES for presenting this sought after Award are:

• Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
• Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
• Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
• Link to the Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
• Show these rules.

And the awards go to.....

Life In Dubai - Seabee
Carrie & Warren's LSD to Australia - Carrie
Markusse Family - Carol
The Life of Pie - Anna
Didgeridudes - Paul & Lee

Cheers!
Mands

John's Visit to Sydney

So a few weeks ago, I got an email from my mom telling me that a friend of her's was coming out to Sydney and did we want anything from South Africa? Hrmmmm...... And put me on the spot like that and I couldn't think of a single thing! I'm happy to report that there's everything we could want here - including a shop down the road which sells Pepperdews (yes, they are a South African product!), Aramat, Niknaks and very good biltong. But the one thing I used regularly in South Africa that I can't get here are Myprodols. It's the BEST painkiller EVER!!! So that's what I asked for - Myprodols.

Now that meant meeting up with my mom's friend, John. I'd met John earlier this year when I was selling off my CDs - he bought several and I went to drop them off. So there's only one thing I know about John - he's got excellent taste in music! :-)

John arrived in Sydney late on the Saturday night. We picked him up at his hotel in Milson's Point on the Sunday morning and took a leisurely drive out to West Head. Unfortunately we forgot to take the camera with us - doh! It was a beautiful day and the perfect spot to start off a great day!

Here's a reminder of what West Head looks like....

From The Mupersan's Australian Adventure

Then it was a drive through the Kuringai National Park back to Mona Vale. We had a relaxed lunch on the balcony - my speciality - marinaded fillet steak on the barbie. A bottle of wine and some excellent conversation later.....

John and the depleted bottle in Mona Vale

John & Scott on the balcony

Once John had successfully inducted Scott into the world of "Yes dear....", we went for a walk along the beach. Hrm..... thanks for that John!!! :-)

John & I on the beach road

John & I deep in conversation about something important!

Whaaat?

John instructing Scott on the finer points of "Yes dear" use in the most inappropriate situations!

Scott & John on the beach

The stunning Mona Vale Beach

Gettin' serious....?

Heading up the stairs at the end of the beach to the Mona Vale headland

The view from the top of the headland down across the golf course. The red arrow points to our apartment

Scott & John on the Mona Vale golf course with the local hospital in the background

John's officially been adventuring in Australia with The Hat


John in front of his hotel at the end of a fabulous day

We had a great day - hopefully we'll get to spend more time with John on his next visit to Sydney.

Cheers
Mands