Visitor from down under....

Thanks to Slatts! from Geelong Australia for stopping by the the webcam this evening. Slatts! was treated to some exciting action of me personally sitting in my personal chair doing nothing. I think that the cost of the webcam has been vindicated by this cross cultural exchange. As he said in his email while viewing....."I'm glad to know the back of your neck is not red".

Slatts!, or Bernard Slattery as he is known to his wife, is the astute newpaperman who introduced me to my personal sister city of Coober Pedy, Australia. Which brings to mind a rather striking coincidence I had several weeks ago. Two people whom I know from Midland have recently been to Coober Pedy. The first was a close friend of Julie's whom we had dinner with on News Years Eve. He mentioned that he frequently visits "down under" and I, of course, brought up my relationship with Gary and the good folks in Coober Pedy. His eyes lit up when he announced that he had been there several times and except for getting into a fight at a bar within four hours of his arrival there.....he really loves the place. He commented that the folks and ambience there reminded him of West Texas, which is the very thought that I had when I named CP as my sister city. My hunch was correct as it turned out.

Just days after I had this encounter, I was meeting friends at The Gnu Coffee Shop in downtown Midland where I know the owner John. John has been traveling a lot in the last year, and sends postcards to his employees and patrons as he travels. As I was glancing over his latest batch, I noticed a recent one from Coober Pedy. Turns out John is touring Australia and had spent several days there. I hope he didn't get into a fight.....he's not a very big guy. I look forward to his return to catch up on the news from Coober Pedy. Gary, the editor of the online Coober Pedy News has been stymied of late in his access to the news.