Scamming Grandkids

They were the best at it. While Bec and Gord were out, we took the whole time to settle Piper and Jasper for bed. Every conceivable delaying tactic was employed. What was consoling was that at least they were in bed and sort of settled when Bec and Gord returned from the restaurant. Peter was easing out of more reading while Barb walked about with Jethro.

So we have to consider that it was a pretty good effort. We have some nice memories to boot. Jethro enjoyed watching his siblings in the bath. Piper and Jasper enjoyed bath play, jumbing about play, imaginative play, and sharing some of their favourite books. Amongst that, there had to be snack time... an apple each, to allay the sudden hunger... and then there were a few more stories. We are fairly easy to scam, but we were getting there.

Gembrook Working-Bee

This tends to happen once a month at the retreat in some form or other, and this month we got there to help the regulars. It is a very family oriented event, and there were quite a few kids. Along with their play, they would occasionally help the oldies, especially feeding the fires. On one occasion a group of them hopped aboard to travel over the property in the back of a ute. They loved that.

Barb allowed children the use of her camera for a time, and quite a few creative snaps followed... and there were some very classic ones like the one above.

The main task this month was to help in the orchard pruning and then to burn the loads of cuttings. There was a lot to burn and we had a few fires going at the same time. Winter is the time to do this sort of thng in order to have the grounds free of fuel for the summer, especially after January's devastating bush fires.

Kids in the Zone

Our church puts on a primary school kids fun activity program, called Zone, one evening a month for a few hours. This time, the leaders 'raised the bar' and organised a mini rock concert. The music was 'stuff' that most of the kids knew from Children's Church and those who did not know it joined in easily... action music to hop to with a Jesus bent. There was good lighting and good sound and a pretty convincing moosh pit formed everytime the youth band played. Between the brackets, there were embarrassing challenging games that randomly selected kids from the audience performed for a prize. There was even a magician with a heart for mission. It was super fun. It did not matter how much flour covered your face.... it was all part of what you do at Zone.

Abigail Six

For over a month, Abigail was telling people that she was already six. Was that eagerness or what? At last the day arrived, and she had a small family party on her real birthday, and then on the Friday after school she had a 'real full on' kid's party. We ware invited to plan games for that event.

At the start, it seemed like our organised games would be left high and dry, but with a little patience and some good luck (God's grace) the kids slowed down to notice us and the things we wanted them to do. The prizes were attractive enough and the rest of the time felt good. And the cake was beautiful... in the form of a huge colourful six. That was just what Abrgail needed to see. Yes, she was now officially six!

Family Catch-up

The Funks managed to pick a time which suited them and us and they came for an overnighter. Piper and Jasper were allowed to stay up a little later. Aterward, we adults chatted till late. Barb also had time holding Jethro. It was a great night all round.

In the morning, God had to 'go to the office', otherwise it was a very easy start. Bec had chances to chill out. Peter took Piper and Jasper to Safeway to get a few things to sustain them till lunch which was a kangaroo roast. We are getting that roast down pat. For those who are interested, it is 220 degrees C in a preheated oven for just over an hour and it is pretty scrummy and not dry inside. The vegies get done at the same time in the same tray.

They had all visited sporting haircuts. The most different was Jasper with a disctictly boy look. Bec left mid-afternoon with the three kids, to visit friends in another part of Melbourne, and Gord would join them there.

Laser Lenses

Dan has just gone ahead and done it. In a space of about four weeks from the initial contact, and having his eye balls computer mapped, he has had laser eye surgery in order to no longer be short sighted. Now he has to weather five days of somewhat painful recovery. The clinic gave him the coolest pair of sunnies to wear... all the time. He even has to wear them when he sleeps. There are echos of that classic book Day of the Triffids in Dan's predicament. Forever seeing the bright side, Dan is using this time for a bit of shuteye.

Vintage Birthday

One from our church's men's Bible study, a mate called Gordon, is now a year shy of eighty. Peter attended Gordon's birthday lunch with family and friends after church at the Donnybrook Hotel. Unbeknown to us, the hotel was also committed to a large group of vintage car enthusiasts. So the place was packed. After feeling very squishy at our table in our reserved corner of the dining room, Gordon's son John came back and reported an open area at the back of the hotel, one that was used in the summer. That was the solution. The hotel agreed, and we all moved out there with our knives forks and napkins. The weather was mild and at times the sun shone through gaps in the clouds. So what turned out to be a awkward beginning led us to appreciate a God-sent gift. Our new spot was away from all the noise and there was even a play area for the four children who were part of our group. The meal, when it came, was enjoyed by all and we sang to Gordon's health.
About the only "star" older than Gordon on the day was the 1929 Chrysler, parked in the hotel car park. The other vintage cars were all good to look at, but this one seemed pretty special. In the above picture, John can be seen leaning on it... looking the part.

Brizzy Trip

Peter and Barb flew to Brisbane for a weekend. It proved to be very memorable as other blogs will detail. Suffice to say that we got the feeling that this was going to be a special weekend and the three "splashes" of refracted light seemed to foretell this. Two such "rainbows" were at Melbourne Airport and the third on the road to Cleveland from Brisbane Airport.

Raby Bay Fish'n'chips

On our first night with Barb's mum we went out and found a nice collection of restaurants beside the Raby Bay marina. We settled on the fish and chip one. The night was mild and there was a reasonable crowd taking advantage of the atmosphere. The water in the harbour was as still as glass. In far away Melbourne we heard that a cold front was coming through and dropping the mercury. This was a world away, a magic moment.

Magpie Breakfast

Barb's mum has trained a family of magpies to drop in for a feed each morning. It is a fun affair. The bold magpie pictured on the table, getting as much as it could, is still a juvenile, still to develop the black and white feather pattern of its parents. Peter was pretty chuffed that his camera decided to cooperate as much as the bird did.

Wedding at Chapel Hill

Peter's house mate from art college days married for the first time. He has married Merrill and in a wider sense has suddenly become a family of four because we must include Merrill's two children from a previous marriage.

At the reception, and in the video presentation, Merrill included the following quote:

If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, It will always be yours. If it doesn't come back, it was never yours to begin with. But, if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and doesn't appear to realize that you had set it free..... You either married it or gave birth to it.

So Merrill has a good sense of humour and the marriage is off to a good start.

Sunday Breakfast

Barb's brother Peter and his daughter Rachael rode in on their bikes for a breakfast moment that lasted all morning. There was even a passing shower to break up the otherwise intense sunshine that was bathing us. It was relaxing and enjoyable time and we talked about anything and everything.

Barb's cousin Judy arrived and we sort of started our breakfast again and with lots more talk.

Barb's mum surely has a fine community garden in her corner of the village. One could spend all day enjoying the variety of plants and flowers.

Orchids for BM

Visiting BM was a high priority. She has been on a course of chemo, and this was followed up by an operation to try to stabilise and reduce the pain in her back. Her body seems wasted, but she looks sharp. Her eyes glistened with understanding as she engaged with us and enjoyed our visit. Our time there at the hospital was very positive. BM is such a precious person in the life and history of Barb's family and we were blessed to spend some time with her. The yellow orchids are exquisite, but we can't take credit for them. BM's cousin brought them in just before we arrived.

This is the view of the Brisbane skyscrapers from BM's hospital window, but it is doubtful that she has had the chance to see them. We hope she can recover from this ordeal, and if so, be able to move from her unit to a 'hostel care' facility at her village.

Buddy

It is about time Buddy got a mention. He is a true friend for Barb's mum. She is allowed to have him at the village because he came with her, a special gift from her husband Brian a few years before he died.

Buddy has such a quirky personality. On our visit with Mum, Peter became convinced that Buddy understood a lot from our conversations in the unit. He would know by the way we spoke that soon we would be going out and leaving him. He hates those times. Even if Barb's mum says nothing to him, he can tell what she intends doing for the day by the clothes she pulls out of the wardrobe. His eyes, and body movement is full of expression that in turn conveys to us what he thinks of the situation. And in the minutes before we go out he will be found sitting quietly, out of sight, behind the divan.

The BT/s

On the afternoon before we left to return to freezing Melbourne, we enjoyed some time with Barb's brother Peter and Susan and family. And they have new family members, Shallotte and her mum. Shallotte loves Melody and Rachael and is beginning to let her personality come out. It is so nice to see that sort of thing happen. There are good stories in the wings that will come forth from Shallotte and her young mum because of the love, care and nurture of the BT/s. This is what church families should be doing more of.
Their place has a 66,000 litre rainwater tank (mostly submerged), large vegetable gardens, and numerous chooks. Peter took us on a tour. When he finishes fitting a filtration system for their house usage, they will be totally self-sufficient in their water needs. That is pretty amazing for a house in the central suburbs of Brisbane.

Archaeological Crystal

Peter was very chuffed when he received a thank you gift from the AIA for helping (mostly) as a volunteer painter. The Australian Institute of Archaeology is now based at Latrobe University, quite close by. The university gave the AIA rooms in an old building complex on land recently acquired from the Victorian Government. Much renovation and painting has been required to bring the rooms back to a reasonable presentation. The library and lecture hall are now functioning well. The artefacts, that many volunteers come to catalogue, are now in a stable and secure environment. The 'museum' part of the project still has a long way to go, so there is a lot of work remaining. Chris, the AIA director, ordered these laser etched crystal prisms from Sydney as mementos for those involved in the work leading up to the opening of the new premises in 2008.

The crystal prism features a three dimensional etching of a "cylinder seal" that is one of the Institute's artefacts. The design on the cylinder contains running animals, possible antelopes, with curved horns and long necks. They move to the left (in the wet clay impression left by the roll of the seal). Above the running animals are fish shapes travelling in the same direction. There is also a repeating eye motif between the animals. The cylinder is believed to be from the period around 2,900 B.C.

The new Institute logo and supporting typography is etched into the prism at its base. The logo has adopted the animal horns from the cylinder seal. These horns have been positioned to form the letter 'A' for both Australian and Archaeology. This logo feels like a good choice. It has its own mystique, and its shape stays in the mind long afterward.