We caught up with Rolf who was in Melbourne on church business. He is husband of Nonna and dad of Jesse, Nathan, Asher and Bethanie. The more quiet one. We took him to a speciality coffee place, that Asher and Jaye found, called Seven Seeds in Carlton. We had a nice time of it catching up on our family stories and exploring theological issues.
For a while now Peter has admired a particular wall in Brunswick (close to central Melbourne). He does not know the artist but feels that he/she had fun creating it and allowing the random to happen. There is giftedness in the hands that held the spray cans.
A little further down the same street is another even looser wall drawing but with all the signe of quality and sensitivity. Peter feels that the same artist visited here as well.
God's love and care everywhere
This was how it was for at least six years after the old balcony "collapsed" due to rot setting in through neglect. Peter and Steve, the property manager, schemed up a new design and Peter drew it up (over an existing photo) to get an idea how it might look. The plan was not an ordinary rectangle of decking like last time but a trapezium with the wider end opening out to the view. And as well as decking there would be a tin roof inder it to keep the front door area dry for once. The design was approved and the details nutted out.
Some weeks prior Peter came and prepared the wall and the concrete and steel footings for the three posts. Without this prep the project could not commence. Steve purchased all the necessary materials in readiness.
Because of the trapezium shaped deck and the sloping roof under int there were compound angles that Peter and Steve had to be very careful about. They made the odd 'blue' but by and large the structure came together like a well cut Chinese puzzel.
By the time the roofing was up there was growing encouragement that the worst was over. The posts had reasonable flashing at the roof to divert the rain and the wall had fairly effective looking apron flashing glued into the bricks. 
At this stage the project has only reached the decking joists stage. The decking is still to come. In the four days they had together that was all Peter and Steve could do for the project. Peter will return sometime soon and add the decking and handrailing. That is still a fair bit to go but he feels that he is on the home stretch. Praise God. Plenty of God's grace in this project already.
Well Bec our daughter reached the bit three-o and Barb got flowers and a cake to bring with us when we went there the day before. So we had a bit of cake then, and on the real day, and the cake lasted a further couple of days at least because Bec had mastered the art of cutting very thin pieces. It was a very good idea too because it was a very rich and solid chocolate mud cake.
There was not one big party, and instead there seemed to be a lot of little ones with different groups in Bec's community gathering separately to celebrate in creative ways. Happy Birthday Bec.
Barb's Mum left on her next leg of her trip south, this time to Madonna and John in Tazzie. Barb and Peter shared a last coffee with her before the boarded the plane. We had enjoyed a wonderful week with her.
As often these days, we record the "look" of our coffees for future record and comparison. We all thought the coffees were good considering it was at the airport. 
The day before, we linked up with Kelli, David and their father Hal at St. Kilda beach. Kelli had organised kite-boarding for she and her dad. This was a late Christmas gift coming to fruition. Kelli always thinks big.
The wind was good and there was plenty of kite-boarding happening and two kite-boarding classed being conducted on the beach. Kite-boarding means being pulled along by a large kite with your feet firmly strapped to a surfboard. Those skilled at it can tack back and forth across the wind direction without losing ground and even leap into the air over five metres just for the fun of it. Very spectacular.
Four of us went to a nursery place called Rivers for a coffee and look around. There was even a great range of water plants available for purchase. The day was perfect.
Our friend Denise came with us. Nan found something worth getting. We strolled about enjoying the sun, the breeze and bees doing their thing in all the flowers.
