The Best Weekend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9d2D1FV86k&feature=player_embedded

The following is a list of ways you can burn in Australia:

- Don't wear sunscreen

- Wear sunscreen

- THINK about the sun

I feel like you probably get where I'm going with this.

Despite experiencing burn injuries caused by said sun, I still had a super weekend. On Friday we had an early day at work and finished at 2, then I came home to the cheesiest of grilled cheese sandwiches. After digesting all that cheese, we met up with Willy & Jenna at our local pool. We did laps for an eternity and then decided to go grocery shopping for some BBQ food to cook at our new favorite picnic area in the ritzy olympic park area called "The Waterfront". They have a little outdoor gym set up and outdoor bbq's. We assumed that like every other outdoor bbq in Australia that we've come across, you just push the button and the bbq starts. Not in this area apparently. You need to pre-book them! So we did our little work out until it got dark and then came back to our place to bbq instead. Fortunately we had just enough propane to cook the chicken but ran out before we could toast the buns.

The following morning we woke up early, picked J&W up, and drove up the coast to Bayview where we rented kayaks for a few hours. It was supposed to be cloudy but ended up at 32+ and sunny! Afterwards we drove to Palm beach and hung out there for 3 hours. Sometimes at the beach we'll see a little rescue where someone is caught in a rip tide and a lifeguard paddles out on a surfboard to bring them in. The person is often caught in an area when you can stand up but they just can't do it. Yesterday however, we saw a lifeguard paddle out towards a guy who was caught in a rip but he was actually in really rough shape, and they happened to have the boat out patrolling the waters, so they did a boat rescue. The guy was limp when they carried him onto the beach and there were probably 10 lifeguards running around trying to help. We saw him sitting up after a few minutes but he sat in that spot for at least 45 minutes. I'm not sure if they had an ambulance come pick him up but I think you have to go to the hospital regardless afterwards. They kicked everyone out of the water because the currants were too strong in that area. We moved down the beach closer to the lifeguard flags and the boys went back out again on the boogie board. All in all it was a really fun day especially because nobody drowned.

After church today we were too hot to function so we went shopping in order to mooch off the free air conditioning. We were so zealous while shopping that we planned all our meals for the week so there is no need to grocery shop until Saturday! Probably. And to finish it all off, Colin just made bbq salmon with chili, citrus and mint.

Here are some pictures:

Jenna and Willy Kayaking in Bayview

Colin packed snacks!

Palm Beach

Colin's culinary skillz

Entertainment during dinner: watching this guy catch crickets.

Our friends Steve and Stacey sent us a package. It included a moose cookie cutter! I decorated using a red icing in honor of our Canadian colors

...it was never my intention for them to look butchered.

E.