Melbourne Haze

We are not sure just how compromised we are breathing the smoky air. What is concerningly evident is the continual haze blanketing the sky. We are told that a good rain shower will wash it away and until then this is what we are experiencing. Every attempt has been made to match the pictures taken with the real colour and tone as seen with our eyes. The bushfire season is expected to last a few more months yet so this does not bode well.

Gembrook Meeting Hut

It was wonderful to make it to Gembrook Retreat and help a little. The present project is to save the Lower Hut by mostly rebuilding it to cater for a groups up to twenty (at least for meetings). Peter helped wire up (12 volt) and paint, while Barb got into cleaning the windows. The view outside was worth Barb's effort.

Feet Up at Sorrento

Recently and on a very fine day, we travelled to Sorrento at the southern part of Port Philip Bay. It was something like a bucket list tick for us these holidays. It was a fair way for us to travel and many others were there as well so when we found parking places we were grateful indeed. The sky, though a fine day, was hazy, due to the bushfires more likely, but the excursion otherwise lifted our spirits and gave us great memories to fall back on.

Phone Covers and Dried Apricots

Fancy finding a phone cover as fun as this from Savers (thrift store). Looking like a slab of marble with mirror 'veins' picking up colours from whatever room it's in. Best idea for a phone protector ever. Yes, Peter had to make the lens hole bigger to suit his phone but it's hardly noticeable and a bargain at $1.99. And below is our first ever effort of drying apricots from our tree. They took twice as long to dry compared to last month's mango slices, about 22 hours.

Swans Update

We found two swans at our last visit. We are unsure whether they are the grown signets we have been following or their parents. Whatever the case, we don't know what happened to the other two, the kids or their parents, or one of each. We hope that the wetland authorities safely moved them to another habitat to grow in, or reproduce in. The other thing we noted on this last visit was the low water level and murkiness of the water. At least there was no green algae. It has been so dry during the past month and the wetland has suffered and waiting for a good flush-out that only a good fall of rain can fix.

Two Score and Two

This day, close to the beginning of each year, causes us to pause and consider God's gift to us of an enduring marriage. We can't take the credit. We'd be presuming way too much. It's nice too to always be on leave from work to have the opportunity to do the café thing to remember the day by.