The Birds

As a visitor, the first thing that strikes you in Australia is the bird life. They are so different from any that you’ve seen and heard before – it’s like a pet shop. Big, white, sulphur-crested cockatoos – beautiful… …until you hear their screech! 

Rainbow Lorikeet, Cockatoo and Kookaburra

Pied magpies that look familiar, but make a flute like warbling. And parrots everywhere: crimson and blue rosellas; grey and red galahs; and the king – bright green with a red head. Wednesday morning when I walked out to go to work I heard a kookaburra laughing hysterically – maybe he knew something!

Carol, knowing my interest in birds, gave me an Australian Field Guide for Father’s Day (actually Father’s Day isn’t until September, but I’m not telling!). We’d heard this strange descending cooing noise from a black bird – the book says it’s the currawong ‘with a cry like a disappointed schoolgirl.’

Magpie, Rosella, and Galah

We have a family whistle: maybe you do?  Two tones: the first a little higher than the second – useful in busy stores, when you get split-up. I was working at home alone quietly on Saturday, when I heard the family whistle. It was a bird, of course, but was it mimicking me, calling me to feed it, or was it… …more sinister?

The language is different here. Auto repair shops advertise ‘smash repair,’ the guys with the moving trucks are ‘removalists; and it’s Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles that go ‘snap, crackle and pop’. And, the Aussies like to shorten words, usually to end in a vowel, not in the same way as other English-speakers. Hence, the Salvation Army are the Salvos – it’s written on their collection boxes; Ambos are paramedics; Garbos pick up the rubbish; Bubs are babies, and the Hell’s Angels are a Bikie Gang. Then there are Skimpies – the scantily clad barmaids who, shall we say, dress down to gain larger tips…

Every Wednesday morning at around 10:30, as long as there are no customers in, we have ‘Morno’s’ (short for morning tea) where one of us brings in hot sausage rolls, pies, cakes, etc. and we all get together for coffee, a munch and a chinwag (open discussion).  I think Arvo’s (afternoon tea) may be next!

High Commissioner’s Residence

It’s Canada Day as I write this – Canada’s 140^th Birthday. Canberra’s a small city and so I was invited to the Canadian High Commissioner’s Residence for a reception in honour of the occasion. It’s a grand house in a plush neighbourhood – I walked to the door clutching my invitation, surrounded by dignitaries and high-ranking military officers from many nations. The anthems were sung and toasts were proposed:

Toastmaster: ‘To the Queen and her great nation of Canada.’

Assembled crowd as they raised their glasses: ‘To the Queen.’

Toastmaster: ‘To the Queen and her great nation of Australia.’

Assembled crowd: ‘To the Queen.’

Canada Day at Canadian High Commissioners Residence

I spoke for a while to a priest. He told me he was a diplomat for a well-known religious Embassy – I hadn’t realized they had embassies, but it turns out they have a lot. As we spoke, a reporter for the Canberra Times appeared. ‘Can I take your picture together and ask you some questions?’ she asked.

‘Yes of course’ we said, then he added: ‘But, I must put down my beer before you take my picture.’

I was drinking orange-juice, so I said: ‘We could just swap glasses!’ So, we did. I haven’t seen the picture yet but the guys at work have threatened to add a bubble above my head saying: ‘So, three priests went in to a bar…’  

Post blog note: The picture was in the paper the following week, but I went the Canberra Times office and chose a more convivial one, shown here. His Excellency the Reverend Okolo was promoted to Archbishop the following year and is now the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland.

Sunset with Clouds