Michelle and Alyce in Melbourne

We picked them up Last Tuesday evening without a hitch, nothing like the initial drama at Vancouver when they were forced to split up with their travel routes!. Let's hope that will be the only trouble they will face.

Our first excursion was a visit to Rivers Plant Nursery, South Morang. It has more than just plants and we had coffee there as well. The day was perfect. The ducks were all out on the pond. It was a super start to their visit.

Michelle could not help herself and came away with an elephant 'warmer'. Maybe a wambat warmer would sell better as something Australian, but it was cute.

Alyce bought a knitted 'tuk'. Both had similarities because both could be worn on the head as Michelle has been able to prove. For people who need their heads warmed this is a fine idea and worth promoting. The elephant has a big fat heavy bottom and will not easily roll off... good for people who are a little thin across the top... not like Michelle. We are always on the lookout for new innovations.

Eating Out

We have been doing a bit of this. Like when we stopped along the way to Gembrook because it was past lunch time. One of the tables we sat at had hand painted horse motifs on the corners. There was a nice verander running along two sides of the restaurant. We had a nice spot along it.

This was the vegetarian option. It was a work of art in colour, presentation, taste and texture. Very nice.

Brunch at the Funks

The day was perfect so there was much time spent out on Bec and Gord's decking. That was where we had brunch which sort of worked itself toward a scrummy soup lunch. Piper was in fine form and with her powerful imagination and love of story she brought herself, Alyce and Michelle into a never ending, ever-changing fantasy world.

It was nice sitting outside and all was going along well until a few wasps came to challenge us. Peter eventually took out one of the little critters but that did not go down that well. We could have had a mad wasp attack. He must learn to be patient and set a better example.

Alyce and Michelle were "hits". Piper told them many times how she wanted to travel back with them to Canada when they returned... or at least she would when she was eight! And she wanted to live with Michelle. She wanted to ride one of Binky's horse. Michelle though that it was OK with her... if she was alowed.

Jas was having a nice day of it too. He is not into the imagination stuff. For him there was plenty of running with Pippa chasing him, or him her.

Jasper and Poppa found a stash of kids books in the back of the car and stayed there for a time reading three or four of them. The afternoon sun was warm and pleasant.

In the Cabin and the Hut

We thought it would be nice to book both the Hut and the Cabin this time round so that we could spread out and have our private space when we needed it. The Cabin could have held the four of us but we were allowed both places.

On our last morning, there was a working bee at the retreat and Gord was down by the Cabin doing a few more things to the new compost toilet building. Michelle and young Jasper look on. Slowly it is coming together. It is working now but there is still plenty of finishing to do. The interior has to be lined and the outside wall rendered.

This is how it is looking at present. There is a curtain for a door. When it is finished, it will have a shower as well. It is likely that the shower will be a suspended shower bag, where you fill the bag with water to the temperature you like and hoist it up above you. When you are ready you pull a cord and some of the water sprays down. Pretty neat eh?

This is the cabin in the morning light. Michelle and Alyce stayed there. One can just see the new construction behind the water tank. Below is the Hut further down the slope, where we stayed.

Gembrook Reflecting in the Hut

Wake up to see fresh morning light

Chestnut grove glowing canary gold

A refreshing way to recover a little

Space to reflect on privileged woes

From the flickering logs a scent

Finds its way to self's centre

Burning brightly one is unique

Rippling the air radiating heat

Broken Belles

What is this hand that has overreaching

To crush the hopes of people beseeching
Against what they believe to be true.


Two at hospital all hooked with tube
Wondering why me why God would do
To youth so hurting and dismayed.


Pain relief to ease the bruising
In their lives with staff assuring
How to stay above it.


What can be done to creatively share
To stand in the breach as people there
To travel in a valley so dark.


Pray dream and scheme with hearts that will shove
To cook write and visit with God's Spirit of Love
Making salve with body and breath.

Jasper's Day

Jasper's day finally arrived, or should we say a "week". Birthdays are never so simple as to be caught in one moment. For our part we could not come to Gembrook till the weekend. By that time Jas was three years and three days... and he had a bad case of Chicken Pox!

He did not want to be looked at, but warmed to the moment as he unwrapped each little gift that we brought. They were fun gifts like balls that flashed (led) lights... and clever magnetic monkeys that jumped onto a target or themselves.

Jethro commandeered the monkeys and experimented with them for quite a time. Then he had a banana.

We gave Piper an wooden Inuit set that we had planned to give her much earlier than this but never managed to get it. Thanks to Bec, it came in the mail that week and we were able to bring it with us. Creatively, Piper used the bubblewrap that came with the set as Canadian ice.

Gembrook Birthdays

There were three birthdays on this occasion so it was a big community celebration. It was Steve's birthday and he only agreed to have one as long as there were other birthdays and organised kids games.

As a result, there were more kids than adults which was pretty fantastic. The first game before the meal was pin the mohawk on the bald head. It was fun to watch. It did not seem to matter who won for the kids.

After the meal most of us were involved in pass the parcel. Each time the music stopped a question about someone's past exploits was read out. Strangely enough, every answer was: "Steve!" The following snaps show the progression of the evening. It was a great night.

Jasper was one of the birthday people and he took great delight in consuming part of his "J" cake. Make the most of it Jaz.

Lowest Score

When Hudson, Leyton and Peter went ten pin bowling they were full of hope and expectation for something massive. They rocked up to the place in Bundoora and got a lane straight away which was awsome. Then they proceeded to play most awkwardly in a game that had Hudson keeping just ahead most of the time. Before the last round the score was poised at 63, 63, 62. The score card showed so many misses that it looked like a stitching pattern. Maybe they broke the record for the lowest 'combined' score. The final result had Hudson winning. What is remarkable is that Hudson is 7 years old, his brother 13, and Peter, well... 57. And Peter was trying. The tables surely have turned!