My birthday

The night before my birthday we went for Karaoke... and rocked it. Next day we had a big reli-bash (aussie slang for relatives gathering) at my parents place.

My new nephew Toby

According to pretty much everyone here, I'm identical to my nephew Toby. I'll let you be the judge. I, for one, think I look more intelligent.

Day 3 - Christmas in November

Seeing as this is the first time in 5 years that all the Foxtons have been in the same place at the same time, we figured we'd do Christmas a little early.

The first pic is an Australian tradition... take a brandy-based Christmas pudding (kinda like a dense, wet fruit cake) and poor burning brandy over it, then enjoy with gobs of brandy butter (background).




If you had any doubt as to how intensely uncool I am... check me out in this family photo!

Day 2 - Damo and Alyssa's arrival, Dumb Australian Animals, Dinner with the fam

Damo and Alyssa arrived this morning. We went to my fav Sydney beach, Bronte and had some brunch. Then saw some of the sights of Sydney... the gayborhood Darlinghurst, The Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and some other purdy stuff...















Then on to a petting zoo called Koala Park to show Alyssa some Australian animals, which all have one thing in common.. they are all of very low intelligence and extremely docile. Not dissimilar to my state of mind at this jet-lagged juncture.




Later, dinner with the full Foxton contingent, originals and du jour:

I'm getting some tattoos for my 30 birthday

Check it out... this one is going up the middle of my back (vertical, without the text of course). This is symbolic of my control over my MS...


And this one is the gyre... a symbology I've been obsessed with since a young age... thinking about getting this on my arm vertical or in the small of my back... haven't decided yet and am open to suggestions...

The Gyre

www.yeatsvision.com/Geometry.html

The Foxton Family Home

Gumnut Road... the street where I grew up.


The Foxton Family Home...




My parent's giant mutt, "Melon".


A yummy Christmas pudding yummifying in a cloth sack...

My clever family

My parent's house is a veritable gallery of Foxton-generated art. Here are some samples...

By Mum... inspired by 9/11:


Some more by Mum...




My bro Mark's subliminal doodling...


My multi-talented sisters' work... Amy's on the left, Steph's on the right...


... and some from an angst-ridden teenage Joe...

Oz 2008, Day 1 - Rothko over the pacific, Meat Pies!

The sky over the Pacific put on its best Rothko impression as I flew into Sydney today... simply stunning. Enjoy...




























Circling beautiful Sydney is always fun... the glare from the plane windows compromises the full beauty of the scenery, though you get the idea...








The pez came to pick me up from the airport. As always, the first order of business when I land is a visit to Harry's Cafe de Wheels for a delicious meat pie and sauce... NOM NOM NOM!!!







... Then on to the US Consulate to get my visa sorted... it was surprisingly quick and painless. The consulate is on Martin Place in the middle of the city. Down on Martin Place I was greeted by two semi-naked silver people.