(by hunter)
An important milestone has been reached in our Australianization:

We have finished our first bottle of Vegemite!
Never mind that it is a very small bottle, and that it took us a good 10 months to work through it - we did it, and feel all the more
nauseas Aussie for having done it.
Actually, by the end of the bottle, we have become fans of the stuff. Perfect on a ham and cheese sandwich. A new bigger bottle has already been purchased.
Last Thursday was Australia Day. Compare it to the 4th of July in the U.S., but without the whole "independence from Britain" thing having ever happened. It is mainly just a good excuse to take a day off work, drink beer, and have yet another barbie. And then, since the next day is Friday, go ahead and take a "sickie" to make a 4 day weekend out of it.
The week leading up to Australia Day, the press is full of stories titled "Just what IS our national Identity?" or similar. Pundits opine that Australians are just not nearly as patriotic as, say, Americans. Then the day arrives, and the Australians gather en masse to stage a display of national pride that blows away anything I've ever witnessed in the States.

Candace celebrated by sailing in the Manly Yacht Club Australia Day Regatta. This regatta bills itself as the "Oldest Continuous Sailing Regatta" - since 1837. She entered the single-person keel-less category, and proceeded to skipper her Laser sailboat to a
second place win.
Sadly, I have no pictures of this achievement.
Meanwhile, I was floating on the other side of the harbour, beside the Opera House, on my surfboard. No really. I joined the "Surfboard Challenge"- a paddle race from the O House, under the bridge, and to Lavender Bay. There were over 500 people participating, all of us wearing the provided lime green jerseys and australian flag hats. 99% of the people wisely had 10 foot longboards; I only had a not-so-floaty 6'-5". Suffice it to say, I did not win. In fact, thankfully, my results are not posted since I entered the day of the event. I did, however achieve my small personal goal of beating the policeman (participant) who was cheating at the starting line.

Sun, live music, formation-flying jets, squirting fireboats, tall-masted ships, Aboriginal James Brown, roo-wraps, beer, and a laser/video/fireworks extravaganza finished off our first Australia Day.