Picture day shows you why you don't want to live here

Yes, it's picture day, and first up is a postcard I bought recently that will, once we move, remind me why I'm never coming back:

Yes, this is Mesa. Doesn't it look neat-o? 

Okay, let's go back in time again. Last week we left Tasmania behind and returned to Melbourne. It occurred to me after I put up a map of Tasmania that some people might not know where Melbourne is. That's sad, but it's possible. So here's a map of Australia, with Melbourne down on the southern coast.

 

Anyway, Australians love their sports, and Australian Rules Football, or "footy," is a big one in the southern part of the country. It's sort of like rugby, but different. Anyway, one night we went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch a match. The MCG is a pretty neat stadium. It's located a little to the east of downtown Melbourne:

 

I was living to the northwest of the city, so we hopped on a tram (Melbourne has an excellent tram system) and set out.

Here's the crowds at the stadium:

 

Here is some action during the match. When there is a throw-in, the player stands with his back to the game and hurls it over his head. It's Australia, man - they're all wacky!

 

Finally, after the match, they allow fans on the field (or pitch, I suppose). This was really shocking to me. Can you imagine a team allowing fans on the field after a baseball game? Yeah, me neither.

 

We went down and punched a ball around for a while. Yes, I wrote "punched." That's how a football is propelled in the game if it's not kicked. It's difficult for a novice to do it, let me tell you.

That's all for this week. In case you were wondering, I survived Day One alone with the two children. Only four more until Mia, at least, goes to school for a few hours a week. That will be a break.

Tomorrow - surreal fiction! I'm so not kidding!