Australia | Loving Jacqui

6 Days

Christoph at Willows Beach on 2009-04-11.jpg

Click for a few more.

It’s hard to believe Jacqui will be here.

I’m looking forward to it. We’ll have to go to the beach together. Again.

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Difference Between the Australian and Texan Justice System

Australia — a terrific country — has a surprisingly forgiving justice system.

I noticed this by watching television while I was there.

I was astounded, for example, to be watching a very stern judge telling a man he’d been arrested several times in the past for stealing cars and the Australian justice system would be giving him a strong sentence to send a message to him this behaviour would not be tolerated. Therefore, the judge sentenced the car thief to a longer suspended sentence and probation than the last time he was convicted.

James Kevin Pope who sexually abused 3 young girls over a period of 2 years in Texas was just sentenced to 40 consecutive life terms for sexual assault on a minor and 3 consecutive terms of 20 years for sexual performance of a minor. His total sentence is 4,060 years, yet he becomes eligible for parole earlier. In 3209.

I will just leave those facts as is and won’t comment on which system is better, except to say Texas.

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Whatever Could This Be?

Photo of "Do Not Open Until Valentines Day" Box

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February 14th, Not Always Special

Oh sweetheart.

Ordinarily Valentine’s Day is more of a woman’s day than a man’s… mens’ days are more like the world chess championships, supermodel competitions on pay-per-view, or anything involving eating or drinking in that order…

Yet this year I’m reminded of something special: The greatest Valentine’s Day ever, with you, in Australia.

I woke up a couple times during the night which is part of why I was so tired when you called 40 minutes ago… thinking about Australia and wanting to be in Australia. It isn’t because of the kangaroos.

You were handing me a large blue book you’d made.

At the top on the first page it said:

“CHRIS

“Happy Valentine’s Day!

“Just wanted to make you this to remind you of all the good times we have had. Hopefully it will be something you can look back on with fond memories.

“Thank you for being part of my life and for coming on all these amazing adventures with me. Here is to many more adventures to come.

“I love you Much.

[hand drawn red heart]

“JACQUI”

That wasn’t the best Valentine’s Day gift I ever received. You are.

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Things Are Changing

I’ve retired Loving Jacqui’s old header graphics for both the original blue and ghastly pink themes:

… and replaced them with new ones. The background image of the new headers is where we spent our first truly romantic five days alone together at the Forest Rise Eco Retreat in Western Australia.

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Christmas Present

It’s January 15th and I just got Jacqui’s 2008 Christmas present 345 days early! She sent it to Canada from Australia by Express COURIER International to make sure it would be here in time.

She sent it over 11 months early!!

With THE AUSSIE HOMESICK PACK hanging
on the wall in the back. Click to enlarge.

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I MISSED HER! Yet I was glad to have some space to myself.

Her Bearness, Jacqui the Magnificently Silly, went down to Busselton, WA, Australia for almost a week with her family…. it’s strange not to see her on web camera for so long. I enjoyed focusing on me for a bit, but it ain’t as much fun as focusing on her.

She’s back safe and sound and that’s what matters most to me.

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Remembrance Day 2007 and Welcome Special Guests

I went down to pay my respects to Canada’s military and law enforcement veterans including serving members who are engaged in combat and reconstruction operations in Afghanistan today.

My mom came with me. We went to the cenotaph by Victoria, BC’s legislature building where my mom used to work.

On the walk there, we met some sailors from Australia!

Australians Sailors and Canadians on Remembrance Day

Aussie sailors, Victoria’s legislature, and the cenotaph (top right)

Plus this is the Adelaide class guided missile frigate the sailors crew:

H.M.A.S. Sydney at its namesake

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It Will Soon Be Halloween Down Under…

… and I wish everyone a great one. Happy Halloween! And may all your frights be only in your imagination. Now if anyone needs consoling or protection, and anyone’s nickname is Bear, this could be arranged…

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New Apartment, Block and a Half from the Ocean, Good Neighbourhood, Jacqui Allowed

I’ve been looking for a place for a while and finally found a good one… I’m very happy.

When I started, I told myself I would not settle for anyplace as I’ve made the mistake of doing before. It had to be:

Walking distance to work downtown

Near the ocean

1-bedroom so I can use the bedroom as a home office

≤ $800/month including heat, hot water, and electricity

What’s more, the landlord (whose name and address I will withhold as per LJ’s Privacy Policy) struck me as fair.

We used the standard government-recommended tenancy form designed to protect both landlord and tenant’s rights. Her other tenant seemed to think the world of her and she left a great impression. She was so kind that she navigated from my business website and read this one… even, unlike most people, figuring out that the flashing red light on the right, which says:

Start Here: This Explains the Website

… really is the best place to start.

We agreed on terms for each of our protection and it was NOT one-sided as so many landlords, in my opinion, unfairly request.

Now the good companies like Brown Bros., where I recently rented for 13-months before going to Perth, Australia on vacation, aren’t like this. Their tenancy agreement is fair, balanced, and substantially the same as the government recommends.

Now I can turn my attention to back to health, fitness, generating a second source of business income in addition to my day job, as well as starting a modest investment program.

At least these are fun things to think about!

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Leaving Australia

It’s true.

I’m having a fantastic time.

Bear (Jacqui) is the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met, except for my mom, and I’ve had the time of my life. That’s as that song goes, but I’ll be nonplussed if it ain’t so.

We’re now in Mandurah, a busy and friendly tourist town south of Perth. Bear’s in the apartment we’re staying at and I’m going for a “walk”.

I could talk about all the touristy things we did, but instead I’ll mention I accomplished some important personal things on this trip I’ve been meaning to do for ages, at last wrote and launched my business website, ChristophDollis.com, and learned who Bear is.

She is as magnificent as I had dreamed.

You know how when you have the “hots” for someone, you make them all perfect in your mind and then months or years later you discover to your chagrin that it was all in your head?

Well, through thick and thin, problem and pleasure, Bear has been her wonderful self, only surprising me by how she rises to the challenge, not that she does.

My grammar may not have been the best, but I hope you catch my meaning. And she’s fun.

During this trip I have stayed variously with her family, at a luxury eco-resort burried in the bush, at a caravan/trailer park, briefly with her husband and wife pastors (yes, it’s a fact), and now at a lovely split level apartment in Mandurah. Her family were especially gracious, the peaceful chalet awesome, the trailer park had a pool under the palm trees for my daily swims, her pastors and their family loving and close, the apartment ideal, and the ocean swimming, scenery, and wildlife, out of this world… yet the highlight has always been the same… the subject of this site.

I set out to find someone special; it wasn’t an accident. And such is the way with most great things.