International Park - Friday

International Park
Originally uploaded by Renboo

So this is our park - it's about 1/2 block form our building. You would not believe the arm twisting I have to do to get Ellis to go to the park. Then of course, it takes an equal amount to get him to go home. I think he is my son to teach me patience.

Anyway, he seems keen on playgroup and if I even suggest it, he is raring to go. So on Friday I found another playgroup to go to - it was the closest to our area. I tried to use google maps to find a route to the church that it was located in, but map could not calculate a walking route - that should have told me something.

We set out - I asked Ellis which way he wanted to go (as it's just better to get him to decide - may take a while to get an answer, but it's better than dealing with a tantrum, which can shut us down for the day) and we decided to walk along the river (we live at the tip of a very skinny peninsula). We walked to Dockside, which is the ferry stop around the corner (don't ask me directions - I have no idea what is north, south, east or west, I just know where I have to go - right or left) and then the river walk runs out and we had to head inland or across the peninsula. That is when we encountered our problem. Our peninsula has a highway that runs the length of it (right down the middle - this is the highway that runs onto the bridge that we live under).

Well - where to cross the highway - it wasn't really apparent. We hiked further along (up a hill - starting to rain) and found a light. We crossed. Took forever. Then I had to figure out which way to go - keep hiking down our peninsula or backtrack along the highway to find some road that we could taking us across the peninsula. I decided to keep going as there were some construction workers I could ask.
"it's the other way sweetie" they said.

Great - we went back and found the road we needed. I could see the church we needed to get to directly across the street. Again, it was more like a highway and of course, we were on the wrong side. So - we hiked down the highway to the nearest light (it seemed miles or should I say kms away) and crossed. There was a pedestrian overpass by the church, but some of you may know the pedestrian stairs down from 4th Ave to Granville Island - it had stairs like that.... on both sides. I did consider bumping Rowan up and down them in the stroller (the light was that far away) but decided against it.

We eventually made it to the church and it was worth it. The playgroup was great. Someone came and greeted me at the door and introduced me to all the other moms (no dads today). Ellis was already absorbed by the playdough table. The moms were sitting down to tea - there were cakes, cookies, fruit etc. The introducer explained that they used to have a more elaborate tea (actually she was sort of apologizing for the state of things) but they had to stop as some of the moms started to feel intimidated by it.

So I met a bunch more people - not sure if any of them are originally from Brisbane - I think that is why they are so friendly, they know what it is like to move somewhere new.

I ended up talking to a german woman who moved here in August with her husband and baby (who is 7 months old) - so baby was 4 months? Something like that. We both commiserated about how awful it was moving and leaving friends and family. Turns out she is living in Kangaroo Point as well (it seems all temp workers live here). They are staying until March (at least) maybe longer depending on how her husband's engineering project goes. Her baby is very cute - sicky uppy, blond hair. Anyway, we walked back together - turns out I had gone the wrong way - I should have not walked along the river and I would have been fine - going back was easy. She lived in the red and white building (same building the Vancouverite I met had lived in). We exchanged numbers and I will be calling her!

The afternoon was spent in front of the TV by Ellis (thanks Gaby) and I had the deluded idea we could go out for dinner. At first Ellis was ok with it, but then he decided he'd rather have barbecue.

I twisted his arm to go to the park again (when this shot was taken), Cyp found us on the way home and that was pretty much it for the day. Nobody but us at the park so no new contacts - it was Friday, everyone was out partying.