burning koala

As the song title states, it’s been tough waiting for the paperwork to finalize. The good news is that our medical stuff was received and we are on to the next stage. I think the paperwork is basically done, we just need to be sent the actually visa (or whatever they do). As is usual, any success in a week is done on a Friday in Australia and we always seem to have to wait over a weekend to get to the next stage. That is the case here.

So anyway, we’ve been doing stuff to keep occupied. I just finished reading two Bill Bryson books, one of which is his adventures in Australia. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it – even to those who never plan to step foot on the Aussy shores:

In a Sunburned Country

Between literary diversions we have done some errands as well. We had a couple comforters that we wanted to clean before putting in storage and they didn’t fit in the wash machine here at the house, so we went in search for a local “LAUNDROMAT”. Didn’t take long to find just that:

So with new books in hand and more quarters than any two people should have at one time, we found 3 machines that were expressly designed for our sundry needs.

While we waited we went walking around the strip mall. Found a Korean restaurant that looked pretty promising and Angela scoped out the TJ Maxx for a pair of jeans. Unfortunately you can’t find jeans these days that aren’t super distressed with big faded patches on the thighs and those dorky whiskers along the the crotch. So, sadly, Angela came up dry. I however don’t like wandering the aisles of discount stores for more than 5 minutes, so back to the laundry mat to try and hypnotize myself by watching the wash cycle.
Soon enough Angela joined me to read and make fun of the other patrons. What struck me as odd was that there was a sign above the dryers that stated “If you are only drying, please see the attendant first!”, which I thought was kinda weird. I mean, who just needs to dry? Well, evidently at least two people. A young couple soon joined us when they brought in their wet laundry and threw it into the long bank of dryers (7 minutes per $0.25). So, not only do people come to laundry mats to just dry, it happens so often as to require a warning sign from management.

And one would think that all the excitement to be had in Tampa had just been had, but you’d be wrong! Angela was out about in the garden after the hurrican (which ended up being just a bunch a really rainy days and some blustery winds) and found a snake. I have no idea what kind of snake it is, but it certainly is a snake. Can’t tell from the picture whether it is coming or going, but I didn’t take the photo. Not that I wouldn’t, it just that I’m sure I had something really pressing to do at that moment. Plus, I’m sure he’ll be back.

But snakes aside, there needs to be more if we are truly going to be entertained. And what better place to do that then a revival house theatre that is also a historical landmark? So off to the Tampa Theater we went.

It’s an awesome place and even has the original pipe organ that comes up through the stage floor to play before the start of the film. I can’t really describe the decor, other than to say it is “Spanish Revival Over The Top” and leave it at that. I especially liked all the stuffed pigeons that were stratigically placed through out the facade near the stage. This is one of those places you just have to experience for yourself.