Premiers!

Rachel's basketball team stormed the Grand Final yesterday, bolting away in the first half before winning 23-18 against Eltham. The girls played ferocious defence and patient offense to cap a fine performance and do what no VFL/AFL team could ever do in the old final four system - win a Premiership from third place.

The girls played most games with only five or six players, and played a magnificent finals series. Celebrations followed!

Baby Budgies

We've been counting the accumulation of eggs over the past couple of weeks... it got up to 12 before they started to be broken open... the first two didn't seem to produce anything...
But yesterday appeared the first baby: here's a sneak look... it's the little pink thing. If you click on the image, it will enlarge for a better look.

There's a few more still to hatch, so hopefully over the next few days we might see some more appear.

A Growing Household

Late last year we added some budgies to the household. These gorgeous pets have taken to increasing their own number - at least potentially. Between them they have laid 12 eggs, the first of which was destroyed. We are now waiting to see how many of them will hatch, and what colour they might be.

The Smiling Face of God?

An unusual alignment of the new moon with Venus and Jupiter last night provided this joyous visage in the skies, visible even to those in the inner city. Makes you feel like someone is watching over you!

Back in Melbourne

Well, the trip ended on a spiral downwards, with Caleb requiring a couple of visits to hospital, and Gary catching the bug, which required that we spend a couple of nights in Coober Pedy on the way back. The trip was fantastic - I hope to post some stories and photos in the days to come. The big news is that Sam has made his basketballing debut with Bulleen Boomers in the EDJBA last Saturday. His team kicked off the grading phase of the new season with a win. His second game this week saw Sam score his first basket! Unfortunately it followed right on from him getting a defensive rebound and instinctively shooting it... The only consolation is that the other team was also a Bulleen team, so he managed to score for the right club, if not the right team!
This now means that we are involved in four different games on a Saturday... which gives us a wonderful view of many suburban basketball stadiums throughout the summer. However, having already enjoyed a couple of 30+C weeks in the Red Centre, I suppose we are acclimatised!

What are the Odds?

The day began with perfect weather. We breakfasted and all hit the showers to wash not knowing if we would see a shower for a couple of days. In stark contrast to the first day we had clear skies and tailing winds as we wend our way through the Barossa Valley and into the Clare Valley, stopping at Clare for lunch. The trail is marked with historical towns whose heyday has well-passed, but which commemorate the exploring and pioneering days of the late 19th century. The mining which was undertaken in these towns long ceased to be economically viable, and the landscape is pocked with abandoned cottages – all of two-four rooms and with ceilings which might have suited hobbits far better than Heards.

Port Augusta was our last stop of note – the last major town before commencing the journey up the Stuart Highway to Alice Springs. Here is pure outback – deserted regions with few trees and uninhabited landscape, appearing – one imagines – as it has done for millennia, save the bitumen strip which marks the pathway north. Apart from two large houses being transported on the back of trucks – wide enough to block the entire highway – the obstacles to travel were few. No matter what speed one travels, the landscape does not change nor pass quickly, though change it does. The land invites one to slow down and absorb its pace. It has lived for many years and invites the deeper breath of an aged time.

We ventured into Woomera, considering that we might spend the night there, but abandoned the notion and headed further north along the highway for some twenty or so kilometres, pulling into a wayside stop overlooking lagoon island – a dry salt lake bed. The scenery was magnificent, and proved to be an ideal spot to camp for the night, so we set the van up and began to prepare ourselves for dinner. At this time a black Ford pulled off the highway with the intention of taking in the view and moving on. As the couple disembarked their vehicle, Ev walked around the back of the van to hear the stunned cries, “It’s Ev!!! O, my god, it’s Ev!” What do you reckon the odds of bumping into someone you know some 200 or so kilometres north of Port Augusta on a road travelled by perhaps a few dozen people each day? It was Laura, a friend from Melbourne, whose grandmother was a good friend and whose funeral we had celebrated some weeks before. At this point, Ev was lamenting the impact of Adelaide water on her hair, and the lack of makeup in response to my chidings, “Who are you going to meet who knows you?!” at the camp site that morning. Hmmmm.
After a quick catch-up we bade them farewell as they headed north while we supped and slept most peacefully.

Back to the Red Centre - the journey begins again

The journey back to the Red Centre began at 7 am as we left West Melbourne, having brought the van up from Jan Juc on the Friday. Two basketball grand finals for Caleb on the weekend for split results kept us back until late Sunday together with a farewell for friends, who will likely leave Melbourne for Adelaide before the end of the week.

The run through was hindered by strong headwinds and all manner of turbulent weather. Sleet, heavy rain and showers all punctuated the day, and added to the fuel consumption. We lunched at Kaniva and made it to Tailem Bend to refuel, before heading north to Mannum, crossing the Murray on the punt at Mannum, then making our way through the Mount Lofty ranges before stumbling across a rather spartan caravan park at Eden Valley. The night was clear, albeit a little cold. Caleb when leaving the van after dark said he’d never seen the moon so bright and called us out to see it. It was framed beautifully by a huge gnarly old gumtree – it was indeed a picture. We slept comfortably through the night.

The Family that Runs Together....

Last Sunday saw the five of us leaping out of bed at the crack of dawn on a cold, wet, miserable Melbourne winter's morning in order to compete in the 19th Olympic Dream Run. We were there to celebrate with Ev as she completed her 10th consecutive run, the rest of us with a somewhat more sporadic commitment to running 5 km once a year early on a Sunday. The joy at coming to the end of the race was elevated to see some special friends there to cheer us through the last 100 metres! Caleb finished 49th overall, and 7th in his age grouping, in a respectable time of 21:27. Sam and I brought up the rear of the family field, with me managing to pip Sam on the finish line. Rachel and Ev split the difference between us.
And now I look forward to a longer lie in next Sunday... zzzzz
Congratulations to Ev on doing it every year for 10 years!

The Inner City Dog

Someone accidentally left our rear gate open for a few hours on Monday evening, during which our 12-year-old, 52 kg German Shepherd decided to go AWOL, exploring the local area. It sent shockwaves through our household. Apart from the deep relationship our children hold with the dog, there was the concern about what could happen to the dog, or the unknown if the dog were threatened. So, late on Monday evening, in the cold and wet, we began our search. Looking for a wandering dog in the inner city is somewhat akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. When we were just about at the end of our tether and prepared to give up, we were directed to a local coffee shop, whereupon our precious pet was found sitting under a table feeding on sausages.
Even the dogs learn about cafe culture in the city...

Family Humour

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are a few jokes shared in our household from time to time. Thanks to the wonders of Sam [TM] these jokes have a habit of reappearing in unexpected places. One that has done a few rounds is a simple one: "What's the last thing you want to hear your friends saying at your funeral?" ANS: "Look, he's still moving!"

Well, we were at the funeral of a dear friend this past week. No, we managed to leave the Sam [TM] at school for the burial part. However, when we caught up with him for the thanksgiving service that afternoon, he asked whether people were sad at the morning service. When informed that they were, he asked why we didn't tell the joke...

We are still trying to iron out the bugs in Sam [TM]. It will, however, change the type of enjoyment received!

The Wonders of Public Hospitals

Ev's dad has been on the waiting list for surgery for over four months, and was - after another postponement, wheeled into surgery yesterday, marked up with the Texta so the surgeon would know where to cut, and just about to be put under when told that there wasn't an ICU bed available so the surgery would have to be postponed! The story beggars belief, particularly when he was told that he really should have his surgery done within 90 days (it is now over 120), and it would hardly come as a surprise that morning that there was no ICU bed available. Someone has stuffed up.

Meanwhile, George returned home with a new date in his diary.

Anyone who has faced surgery knows the emotional preparation that goes into it. To be postponed the afternoon before is bad enough, but to be wheeled into theatre, gowned and marked up, then to be sent home.... that takes the cake.

The Two of Us

A rare photo of the two of us - taken last weekend at Bells Beach. Thanks Lois!

And for 25 years...

Ev and I took the opportunity to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary by slipping away to Brampton Island for a few nights, just as the cold Autumn mornings began to make an impact in Melbourne. The setting was idyllic... a wonderful place to unwind and relax.


Mind you, the kids weren't agog at being left behind. Caleb, however, wasn't too short of a word when Ev pondered, "I remember when my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. I thought they were really old!"
Caleb's retort? "So... what's your point, Mum?"
And you think we were cruel for leaving him behind!

We spent a night in Brisbane on the way up, and one in Mackay on the way back. The Mackay Marina offers a wonderful collection of fishing runabouts...

So, we repaired to this beautiful island retreat and pondered the years (deep sigh...) How can one NOT relax in such a beautiful spot? If you are looking for one of the best places in the world to holiday where it's warm, you can't go past the Whitsundays. (Although we'd prefer Ningaloo reef at the Cape Range National Park these days, but it's very much more in the back-to-basics holiday spot).

But this was hardly in the category of exertion, in any case!

To spend a few days reflecting on the wonderful journey of the past 25 years was indeed a treasure... with one's best friend, lover, companion, kindred spirit, and confidante was just another beautiful memory to add to an ever-bulging storehouse!

Time has changed us both. By the grace of God, we trust for the better. We certainly look back with thankfulness, and forward with hope.


Beautiful!

Towards an Open Future

Yesterday was a landmark day in education in our household. Having driven our children to school for the duration of their schooling, we made our first steps onto public transport - travelling to school by train. It is a step towards greater independence for our children, towards a more environmentally-sustainable lifestyle, and for lower-hassle mornings in the house. I travelled with the two boys by train, then walked with them to school from the train station before returning by train to work for the day. The children found it a little threatening at first, embarking upon a new means of transport, which means learning to read timetables and train schedules on platforms, knowing where to be when moving from one train to another, as well as adjusting schedules should trains be late or delayed. All did not go according to plan, but we managed to arrive at school on time.

While the boys noted that they needed to leave earlier in order to arrive at school at the same time, they acknowledged the potential independence which flows from knowing how to find one's way around by public transport. Me? I enjoyed sitting on a train, reading a book where I would normally be stop-starting in traffic all the way back to the office. Even allowing for walking Sam into the classroom, I was back at the office only a little later than usual, feeling refreshed and less drained than after sitting in traffic for over 90 minutes.

It was the first step... small steps, but helpful and life-giving in the longer run, as Caleb, Rachel and Sam move out of one comfort zone into one they understand more readily. Thank goodness for public transport!