August Over-nighter

In the last week of August, Piper Jasper and Jethro stayed overnight with us. We had a fun time with them. There were two trips to the thrift shop 'Savers' where roller blades were purchased for each (surprisingly each a good size), among other things like a small train set, a water trinket and two stuffed toy cats. You can kind of guess who got what. On the way back home we stopped at the park to play on the equipment there and below is a series of snaps that happened in or near that park when we were there.

I'll help you take them off...

Come on Jaz. Pull them off...

It's just a bit hard....

I'll try another way... at last...

OK, I'll try them...

Jaz... you've done this before...

A bit slow on the grass though...

Where's Piper when I need her...

If I could just get some help...

I must be able... somehow...

Ah. There's Piper on the other side...

St Patricks

Near by the Mary MacKillop Centre stands St. Patrick's Cathedral of Melbourne. In the early morning a person passing could take hundreds of pictures, without ever entering the grounds, each picture catching a different aspect of this remarkable piece of architecture. During Winter, the Cathedral is more disclosed because its curtain of trees are without their leaves, exposing the naked grandeur, lifting eyes to heaven.

Market Attraction

This Saturday Community Market Whittlesea, returned to the Secondary College, did have a special attraction to encourage people to come. The local Customline Car Club showed their "beasts" in a reserved car park space reserved just for them. It was a car show judged and prizes given. The Chaplaincy Committee was very appreciative of the club's commitment to the day, helping kickstart the market's new identity in its new location. The cars were a delight to photograph because the reflected background was shaded and treelined. The best time to photograph cars is early morning just before sunrise but the conditions here were close to matching that.

First Market

These pics were taken at set up time.. before 8 am.. before the people of Whittlesea came along. It was a highly successful day because of a thorough local media coverage. The rain stayed away. The effort on the part of the Chaplaincy Committee to do the move from the Showgrounds to the Secondary College to start the monthly market with a fresh identity was nothing sort of being divinely perfect. The last picture in this collection is a poster/card for future and potential store-holders. A community market has found itself again.

Effortless Respect

In the Fitzroy Gardens opposite the Mary MacKillop Centre

This week Peter was not physically about the school due to two major PDs.  On Monday and Tuesday he received training to lead a program called “Seasons for Growth”, and on Thursday and Friday he will be attending the annual ACCESS Chaplaincy Conference which will focus on family issues this year.  Both have coincided in the same week.

“Seasons for Growth” is a well grounded program that helps children who have experienced personal grief and loss to make better sense of their feelings.  The training Peter received was at the Mary MacKillop Centre, East Melbourne, and given through the staff there.  One of the strengths of the program was the emphasis on the uniqueness of the individual.

We are all unique.  When we discover this (usually in a profound way) that we are the only ‘me’ there is, we will alter the way we look toward others.  Instead of comparing ourselves to others and labelling them in some way, we discover a new kind of respect.  Our interest in their story grows because of their own uniqueness.  They are a precious gift into our world and we show this in the way we listen and respond.  Their part in our lives is of great value.  Everybody deserves to be appreciated and understood in this way.

Insights are an important part of Life’s experience.  These “Ah ha” moments may grow out of meditative thought, a timeless book or an excellent PD.  Our interest in others becomes limitless.  We listen with effortless respect. 

Book Week Parade

Recently during Book Week, Peter's school celebrated with a book character parade. The children were all asked to dress as their favourite character from any book they had read. Their enthusiasm was engaging. Almost every child was in costume. Each class was called up in turn and given a chance to parade for a prize. It was great fun on a perfectly fine winter August day. The mostly 'filtered' pictures (for care in confidentiality) below show some of the action. Peter was dressed as a Leprechaun and sorry no photos of him.

A prize costume even though Minecraft was not really from a book.

Book Week mascot

The winner of the all the levels was the walking Book World with Giraffe legs and arms topped with a polar cap. It sort of worked - a great encouragement for the girl and her class friend who had worked on the cardboard globe. 

Becworth Scenic Reserve

While Barb went in another direction with Bec and Jet, the rest went "bush". Gord, Piper and Jaz took Peter to Becworth Scenic Reserve just a short drive from Clunes. This is the series of pictures that Peter took of the excursion and in that order so you readers can get a glimpse of the morning. It was wonderfully refreshing to be exposed to Australian Bush, to climb a hill puffing and panting and wondering if the top is close at hand or not. And trying not to get lost. Doing it was a real blessing, one of God's gifts for life.

Pancakes and Pigs

This was our breakfast at Clunes. It was a grand and ritualistic affair. Bec made the pancakes and Barb supplied home made yogurt. It was about as healthy as it could be given that pancakes are not altogether that healthy. It probably was the most photographed meal of the day which says that it is a pretty exotic experience for us.

Later it was time to give some new straw to the pigs. Gord had worked out a way of propelling the half bail straight into the pig enclosure without having to enter it. It is a very squishy area to walk in. The pigs succeeded in smashing it up further from where it landed.

One of the pigs has a unique lovey-dovey marking on his right side that ought to attract a string of sweethearts if it could just find a way out past the electrical wires.