Stone in Hand Weighs Two in Bush

*Melissa*

Things are a bit wonky here. If you were to ask me my height and weight, I would promptly respond 5’3 ¾ , and 110 lbs (okay, that’s my goal weight, anyways). And that’s because I’m from America, the last stubborn country who refuses to give in to the rest of the world and switch to the metric system. So being here, I would expect nothing else than to be given confusing numbers in strange measurements like kgs and meters. But this is not the case.

Many of you may not know that only 30 years ago, Australia ran on the imperial system. Distance was given in miles and yards, people and things were measured in inches and feet, and you bought your baking goods in bags of lbs and ounces. It wasn’t all that long ago that AUS gave in the peer pressure of essentially every other country in the world and started teaching kids to think in more practical measurements.

This fact is particularly useful when talking to the older patients who ‘rock up’ to the imaging department, and you’re spared the odd looks if you let your American shine through by asking them to shuffle a few “inches” to their left. But it doesn’t prepare you from dishing out the odd looks when you ask questions requiring a response in measurements.

Let’s put it this way: Stones are something you throw at old factory windows, hands are something you use to type blog postings, and a foot is something you walk with…. Oh, well that last one is ours, isn’t it?

But seriously, I have never heard such a mixture of measurements – does anyone really know how much a stone weighs? Or how many inches or feet or what-have-you are in a hand? And have you ever tried to continue your workout routine at a gym that only has weights in Kg? It really does your head in! (and by the way it makes you feel puny going from lifting 45 lbs to 20kg!!)

I like to think that being able to think in metric measurements is akin to being able to speak another language – to be able to look at something and think “oh, yeah, that’s about 18 cm”. And, hey, at least Chad and I will be a little more prepared for when the US finally succumbs to the metric pressure!

Wine-O'Clock In The Morning

*Melissa*

It just doesn’t feel right to be poured a glass of wine at 10 o’clock in the morning. Don’t get me wrong- I am always up for trying new things – including new wines – but even I feel a bit guilty swirling a glass of white an hour after downing a crepe for breakfast.

It was something that had been talked about since a month or so after we got here, one of those things that’s brought up as “yea, we’ll have to do that some time!” as a friendly saying to make you feel included; one of those things you wish would really happen, but quickly realize won’t: a wine tour with the co-workers. Lo and behold, however, after 7 months our co-worker Ben pulled through, planning and organizing a weekend wine tour for me, Chad, and all our co-workers who were interested!

Bright and early Saturday morning, we gathered in groups at designated pick-up points and awaited our bus – yes, our bus. There were 19 of us, and we filled all but one single seat on that bus and headed into the Adelaide Hills towards McLaren Vale for a day of wine-tasting, and a yummy lunch.

Chad and I, being new to the wine world got a bit more excited about the wood-fired pizza buffet advertisement at the first winery we stopped at, but enjoyed being introduced to the many varieties of wine we never knew existed, including Port (“old fortified” here), dessert wines with names I can’t spell, rose’(my favorite), semillion, savingnese, etc.

We visited Woodstock wineries (where I found most of the ones I enjoyed), Shottesbrook (fantastic white, but the rest – eh. I enjoyed the free-roaming Rhodesian Ridgeback more than anything!), Gemstone (organic wines – where only the really expensive ones were any good, of course), and Kangilla winery (where Chad ACTUALLY found a red wine he liked!). I’d be interested to know if any of these are heard of in the States?

It was lovely to spend some time with folks outside of work – and I was so glad that we got to experience the McLaren Vale wine region with people we knew, rather than some random drunkards or a Hen’s party! We had some great Italian food at a place called Oscars, some great wine, and great company. What more could you ask for in a weekend?

Sadly, I must admit, more-so than the wines, the best part of the tour (for me) was a delicious “grapple-cider” over lunch and the Bracegirdle’s chocolate fudge brownie I took home for dessert!!