Are u ready for Gettin Hitched '09??

Family Reunion time - the last 6 recapped below.

All started with the amazing women on the left - Emily Herron! Nannie. She brought us together and we will never be a part - once a year we meet and that town will never be the same.

From shark tooth hunting, shell collecting, parasailing, engagements, camping, sharkie's bait buckets, sequence, fishing, dancing, disney land parade, wedding, walla walla wine, horse racing, hurricanes, bowling, kayaking with native americans, and dont forget tequila shots!!

I LOVE MY FAMILY

Canyon Campaign Weekend - Blue Mountains

Lizzy and I are going camping!!

We packed everything so we could train it - 2 hours up where one of the SUSS club member would pick us up. This is the club from Sydney Uni that I go caving with.

Check out my pack job - I am super impressed I could get everything on my body and still walk. Everyone made fun of how much crap I had but seriously they dont know camping.

Lizzy also joined in the "u have too much crap" but I carried all the food too...um I didnt need to borrow or ask for anything :) lizzy had a few missing items to say the least (jacket, long johns, water, sleeping mat, etcetc) ;) not a big camper but def up for the adventure

We borrowed a big tent from Rups - it was tricky setting up in the dark, some directions and teamwork we got her done! Interesting crew of peeps but really really good with leading these trips - they brought all the equipment and really let each person take their time...doing the canyon how it is comfortable to them!

we did a canyon on Sat and on Sun - no one really gets up and goes. we went into town each day so it didnt really feel like camping. We didnt have a Car so it was weird trying to sort where we would go - the group doesnt really communicate well...the getting going part is the hardest. annoying drama.

The abseiling was intense - the adrenaline rush is crazy. it is like getting on the rope and starting is nuts - like what the hell was I thinking. The last water fall was 80ft - 30 meters...CRAZY. there was this rock lip - you had to put your knees out then somehow put your feet below on the waterfall face...lizzy went before me and flipped upside down - i freaked out! scary and cold waiting. Nickle went done with her - I was the first that had to go by myself - ahhhh. I ended up doing well - it is weird you just have to sit, push your feet straight and 90 degree angle...trust the equipment. overall pretty safe.

There was some good rock jumps, rock slides, hikes, bouldering, etc..FUN!

Good to be around a fire - lizzy was sick, so we had early nights, took in the stars and had a good healthy weekend.

Nickle - we called 5 cent...has this amazing rig (showed it last year) that has a refrigerator, running hot water, solar panels, tent on the roof, heating blanket...etcetc it is sick. we got a kick out of what he would cook, shower and do - not roughin it by any means.

The laughter behind the camera...ear update

Elodie coordinated the team to sit in on Gruen Transfer taping - it is an advertising program. we had great seats!

It was my first viewing of a live taping - very live and action packed. exciting vibe. they really prep the audience, there is a comical host that intro's everything and teaches the 110% reactions we have to embrace. feels fake - the over the top laughing and clapping. fun but awkward.

they tape the audience and bunch - you dont want a pan of the audience during a joke and ur the only not laughin - the dumbass that didnt get it. The host was a little hollywood but overall fun. especially given the show was on advertising.

Night out at the Sheaf - met caity's new boy. good crowd - big place but always ends in a crazy night out. which it did!

Training for the mini Triathlon - Centennial Park biking day. Nice lil Sunday! I didnt end up getting to do the tri - my ear issues...

update on that: multiple middle ear infections caused swelling on the tube that connects to the ear - air was trapped building pressure. Specialist said if I didnt get tubes (pierce's the ear drum to let air out) that my ear drums wouldve burst when i flew. I found out tue and had the surgery on Fri.

Of course insurance is not paying much - $4-g's later I am in the middle of Grey Anatomy...it was scary. i was in day surgery getting fully knocked out. i didnt know what i was in for - i told Jen my appt was at 7am, id be ready for pick up at 7:45...um seriously i had no clue.

No one really communicated the process or what to expect - it happened so quickly. I had all kinds of things taped to me, people talkin to me, transporting me, then the dr popped in and i was out.

I woke up scared as hell as i was dreaming about havin to do the surgery so when i awoke already there i was freaked, no one was around so i had to try and muster up a voice to holler for some water. i was on fasting for a while so i needed some water stat! my throat hurt - i didnt realize they put a tube down my throat - yuck.

It was like an assembly line, in and out. they forget we are people. i will never watch a hospital show the same again.

My ears hurt, something foreign is in my ears, i couldnt hear, it was freaky.... they dont give out pain meds - seriously annoying.

Jen picked me up mid day and home I went to recover. a week into it - i am still adjusting to how different everything sounds, in vehicles my ears pop, ever swallow they pop, it feels like i am under water, there is water in my ear and i cant do anything about it...URGH.

Check up is next week before i fly - hopefully all good.

Doc post op said it was way worse than he thought - ear drum was sucking in with all the pressure.