I’m not here. Dallas and I are on our long-awaited honeymoon. I promise I’m not thinking of this blog for even one second. Lucky for you guys I did think about you before I left and planned an all-star guest line up with some of my bloggy friends. I hope you enjoy their posts and show them some love. I’ll check up on you when I get back.

Grace. What can I say about my dear friend Grace? She blogs at Musings Of Mama Grace. She’s another twin mom, like me. She and I clicked quite a while ago in the blogosphere. I love reading her blog because it can be funny, sweet, and intellectual all in one post. She lives in Australia, so I’m always learning new lingo from her-that is when I’m not teasing her about it.

Shrimps, Barbies And All Things Serious..

I think it’s because we’re so obscurely located in the world (I mean, really…where the HELL is “Down Under” ???). But us Aussies like to make a big song and dance when something…or someone…puts us back on the map.

And just when that isn’t good enough, we need to stake our claim.

First of all, we have the America’s Cup.

Yeah, I know.

I realize I’m writing for an American audience who quite possibly couldn’t give two hoots about the almost-unknown yacht race.

However.

Down here, there was a crazy party happening.

When we found out that we won that “Cup” and we were the first foreigners to steal it from the local Americans in like a gazillion years, well, naturally we went bonkers !

So much so, the Prime Minister at the time got completely wasted on champagne. In his drunken stupor, he almost declared it a national public holiday on prime time morning television.  Idiot.

The victory was short-lived and by the next race – four years later – we lost and hanging our heads in shame, handed that blasted oversized trophy back.

It’s almost been 3 decades. But we still like to bask in the nostalgic sun.

Then we have our “international” celebrities.

There’s Russell Crowe, who we proudly claim as one of our biggest exports. Except that we tend to deny the fact that he was actually born in New Zealand.

After his Academy award winning “Gladiator” fame, he was all ours.

Ours to keep.

Ours to boast about.

Until he donked that poor hotel attendant in New York with a telephone.

That’s when we gladly gave him back to the Kiwis.

A conversation of great Aussie Hollywood stars cannot be without mentioning the statuesque Nicole Kidman.

Ignoring her teenage local acting bad choices (A show about a gang of kids riding BMX bikes and solving crime…right), we focus on how she has staunchly waves the Aussie flag alongside Hollywood’s finest.

After her big movie break in “Days Of Thunder” and subsequent marriage to her co-star, Tom Cruise, the rest of us down here were so excited she was our main compass; the one who finally navigated the rest of the world all the way down to the Southern Hemisphere.

Then the unthinkable – a scandalous Hollywood divorce.

Australia’s sweetheart was dumped by her famous actor husband.

Rumours flying that the cause was an affair with a hot, sultry Spanish actress, Penelope Cruz.

Suddenly, the tabloids rallied around her like over-protective parents and Nicole was now “Our Nic”.

And the alleged home wrecker ? She will forever be referred to as “That Pene”

As for Tom ? Well, he just maintained his “Top Gun” status…but “Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’…”

Ah, yes.

The wonders of the Australian psyche.

Our never-ending, desperate desire for the rest of the world to sit up straight and pay attention.

To let everyone know that we’re not just about shrimps, barbies and Crocodile Hunters.

That we need to be taken seriously. Dammit.

Yet at the same time, we make a habit of having a good laugh at ourselves too…