I have no way of verifying the accuracy of this story, but I like it so much I simply have to share it with you all.

This evening, over dinner, my uncle told me the story of how back in pre World War 2 Italy, my great grandmother on my mothers side was an incredible neat freak. Apparently Mussolini, famous Italian Fascist Dictator, who was running the show in Italy at the time had some bizarre awards scheme going. Government appointed scouts would go into people’s homes and rated how tidy or otherwise the houses were. My great grandmother supposedly won some award certificate under this scheme because of her freakishly clean abode. If this tale is true O how I’d love to find this certificate under the floorboards of some old relative’s home. I might try and do a bit of research to see if I can find any evidence of this scheme.

My great-grandmother would be most displeased if the saw the mess I’m keeping while Olivia’s up in Albury for work. Meh, I’ve got a week to sort it out.

Today I was forwarded the link to what is possibly the best Ebay auction I’ve ever seen.

It’s basically a bunch of guys auctioning off a night out with them. I find the concept hilarious, and when you see the photo on the auction page – you can only imagine that these guys would know how to show you a good time – either that or stab you.

With just over 24 hours to go on the auction the bidding is up to $860. Good on them I say.
Would I pay $861 to achieve a possibly winning bid on this auction? No. If I want to have a funny night out with a bunch of wogs* I’ll just ring up my mates from high school and arrange to meet at a local pub or pizza place.

(* – Note: I am a wog, and therefore use the word as a term of endearment. If you don’t like it or get it – Fanculo! )

Addendum: Looks like this auction was pulled from eBay before it got to finish. Sad really, I would have loved to see how much they could get. Last I saw bidding was at the ~$1100 mark.

Addendum #2. The auction has been relisted. Looks like they’ve cleaned up the wording of their ad a bit. Let’s see how it goes this time. The photo on this second ad is nowhere near as cool (read – dodgy) as the first one. It’s a shame.

Today represents the beginning of the real countdown to our departure for London. One month from now we should be at Hanoi Airport in Vietnam on our three hour transit period, before flying to Paris then London. We are flying with Vietnam Airways. I have to say that I’m not completely inspired by their website, it looks like something I might have put together. But what’s to say that the quality of an airline’s website is commensurate with the standard of their aeroplanes, right? And also, given that we searched long and hard for the absolute cheapest fare to London I suppose we can’t expect too much. I have this image of being ushered into the proverbial cattle class with live chickens clucking all over the place. One of the conditions of this ultra cheap fare is that stopovers are not permitted. You would think that Vietnam’s national airline would encourage people to spend a day or two in their country and spending their tourist dollars – especially since we each had to pay $70 for a transit Visa just so we can pass through their airport for a brief spell. The expected result of this “No Stopover” policy is that we will be absolutely stuffed upon our arrival in London at 0730. Well, it’s not like I’ll be rushing off the plane to address the British parliament or anything, so I think we’ll just chill and enjoy the first day of our adventure – and try not to go too crazy with the digital camera we plan on buying.

Flights aside I am really pumped. (Why do I get the feeling that I’ve written that in every second post for the past two months?) Things are winding down for me at work. I appear to have been unsuccessful in my attempt to have my employers pay me out for the last month I’m meant to work there. Not altogether unsurprising really, I this falls under the “You don’t ask, you don’t get” category so I’m not particularly fussed.

My UK jobhunt officially got underway yesterday. I’ve been in touch with a couple of UK recruitment agencies. I have decided to take a ridiculously optimistic approach to my job hunt. I’ll revisit this paragraph in a couple of months and see where the approach has gotten me. We are tempted by the possibility of working just outside of London if it means we find better work and a more pleasant lifestyle – we are an old, boring married couple after all.

Recently added to our list of must see places is Palu – the town in Italy where my mother was born. It looks like it can’t be more than 90 minutes drive from Venice. Here is a map. I think it will be quite trippy going there and uncovering the family roots.

My sister directed me to this site. It’s great. Photos of all sorts of cooky stuff. Yes there are heaps I could have chosen to display, but this wins my award for shot of the day.

Now I like my meat rare, but shouldn’t ribs be more cooked than that?