Sherri has taken up several different activities to keep her busy and enable her to meet people in the community. There is Middle Eastern Cooking on Tuesdays with instructor Nimrod from Israel; which Paul gets to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Learning to paint with acrylics on Friday; from which we've seen no results yet. And of course volunteering at the Maritime Museum here in Fremantle where she is a guide on the Australian Submarine HMAS Ovens.
Paul leaves early for work each morning so he can go to the gym and workout. Then he is home in time for dinner which is a nice change from our normal way of life. One day of the week is usually set aside in order to make the trip into Perth to the Consulate where Paul takes care of US Navy business, and we collect our mail.
It is the middle of summer here and the weather is wonderful. The west coast has low humidity, and there is an incredible breeze from the ocean, known as the Freo Doctor, which helps combat the heat. There have only been three days since we've been here that we had to close the windows and doors and turn on the air-conditioning. Those were the few days the temperature reached over 100.
The arts and outdoor activities are very big in Western Australia. The Art and History Museum in Fremantle has free concerts on the lawn every Sunday afternoon. As you travel through the city, almost any open field you pass is going to have a Cricket game in progress on the weekends, which Paul always wants to stop and watch. We recently went to see a movie at the outdoor film festival that is held in the park behind Clancy's. It was a French comedy (with subtitles) that we both enjoyed. The Television and Film Institute set up outdoor theater seats and a large screen. People are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the show. Movies are shown Thursday through Sunday for the month of February and March. Outdoor theaters are very popular during the summer in the Perth area. Many of the communities set up screens in there parks, some even have live theater performances on the weekends. There is always something going on that you can enjoy, and many of the activities are free.
We are meeting new and different people all the time. We have made some American friends, George and Diane, who are from Denver, Colorado and are here for just a few more months. George is a Mental Health Nurse and is doing a contract at the local hospital in Fremantle. Diane is a retired marketing consultant and makes beautiful glass jewelry. We discovered we all enjoy trying new restaurants and foods, so we try to find somewhere new to go every couple of weeks. Diane and Sherri are always finding some new adventures to try or things to go see. Their most recent endeavor was driving a VW bug to painting class, which of course was a manual transmission. It was agreed that if one drives and the passenger shifts the gears, then you would be shifting just like an American car. No problem! Luckily they survived the few blocks and are planning a trip farther afield next time.
George and Diane Sawczyn 
We have had several people ask about the flooding and fires in Australia and if they are near us. None of the fires or floods are close to us, but they have been devastating for the country. There are many fund raisers going on in the community and all across the country to help the people who have been so tragically affected.
If you have any interest or questions, let us know and we will be glad to elaborate where we can.
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