This was definitely the quote of the night when I ventured down to the local Aussie watering hole, Dancin' Dingo on Tuesday night to meet up with a group of Australians who are interested in getting together socially. Well, while it may not exactly be the way I'd like to be remembered on my epitaph, it was rather funny to find out that people do recognise the connection between Lambi and I, thanks to the exposure the short, furry white princess gets on this blog. It's also a little unnerving to meet people face-to-face who have only ever known me via this website.

I had a great night with 20 or so others, discussing what we'd like to do in future for regular events and those special days like Australia Day and ANZAC Day. In the past, a lot of that load has fallen to one or two dedicated people and now it's time to expand on the base and spread out the workload. It's a friendly bunch of enthusiastic people, so I hope we can keep the momentum going. I find that it is SUCH a pleasure to do things with Australians. There is no passive whining about Sweden, no screwing you around, just clear communication and a basic respect and understanding for the other person. I had never really appreciated that side of our character until I lived away from the country.

There seem to be a fun mix of events planned for the coming year, so I urge all Aussies here in Stockholm to come along and support the group as well as have a great time with friends. Check out the SCC website regularly for updates and if you send me an email, I'll add you to our list of people to get newsletters about upcoming events. Australia Day is next week and there are events organised both for the day and the weekend after.



I also took the chance to enjoy delicious a meal of fish and chips. It doesn't sound exciting, but I've not eaten that for years and years and when I saw it on the menu, I coudn't resist. It brought back such wonderful childhood memories of summer family trips to Semaphore Beach, where we could go along to the chippy as a treat and bring back our warm, slightly greasy paper wrapped parcel, reeking of vinegar containing butterfish and a serve of chips or maybe a potato cake or two. Then we would sit on the beach in the evening, fighting with the seagulls for our share of it all. I swear that I could hear the crashing of the surf and the squawk of a hungry gull as I placed my order with Angie at the bar.

I was trying to think of the last time I ate fish and chips and it must have over 6 years ago at Doyles (Watson's Bay) or at a little place on Mornington Peninsula called Dromana - I do remember how pushy those seagulls were at wanting 100% of my chips. In the end I think they ended up with about 70% of them.

Hmm....summer....hurry up and get to Sweden!