CHIT CHAT

Not too much of the past week has been especially noteworthy. Got some long overdue correspondence to aunts and cousins in New Zealand done and posted. I only write every couple of months to these particular people as none of them have computers and it's a 'snail mail' job. Interestingly, despite all the emails I seem to get on a daily basis, I still really enjoy getting snail mail in the post. There's just something about the opening of a letter and physically handling that paper with hand-written words that gets to me every time. I get rather frustrated these days if I have to hand write anything as long as a letter - it takes so much time - and my brain races ahead of my words - then often I forget what I was planning to write when I get to the end of the sentence. Maybe it's not frustration - probably just old age! LOL

Daughter, SIL and their two boys are leaving this morning on their long awaited holiday. They were to have left last Friday however a tropical cyclone made it unsafe to travel by air to the island resort they had booked and the airline cancelled their flights for that day. Fortunately they were able to make new reservations at both the airline and the resort and we've been watching the weather reports over the last few days to see whether it was likely they could get 'off the ground' today. The cyclone passed over the coast on Sunday morning with winds of 200km per hour but although lots of flood damage has been done further inland, the island resort only seems to have suffered badly from booking cancellations and postponements. As I write, they are driving to the airport with two very excited little boys. They are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary and we pray their 10 days away will be all they hope it will be.

DH and I are preparing to go on holiday ourselves and leave before they arrive back home so it will be a month before we see them on our return. We are excited about visiting friends and distant rellies in the UK then go on to Austin Texas where our son, DIL and two grandies will have us for 10 days. It is a bit unfortunate that they will both be working and the kids at school while we are there but we are grateful for the opportunity to catch up with them again. I saw them all 3 years ago but DH hasn't visited for 5 years. He'll see such a difference in the kids who are now 13 and 11.

I wanted to take some cross stitch with me to keep me occupied while away so sent for a Teeny kit from The Sweetheart Tree. It is entitled "A For Angel" and I'm looking forward to working on it. Hopefully by the time we get back home it will be finished and I'll be able to post a photo.

Brother-In-Law was discharged from hospital just 4 days after his brain surgery and able to go home to recuperate with his very new wife to look after him. Unfortunately the tumour that was removed proved to be a malignant melanoma so he now waits to attend the oncology clinic to see what the next move will be in his ongoing treatment. He has made a wonderful recovery post operatively and after 4 hours in surgery had medical and nursing staff amazed at how well he has done. Of course he and the family visiting him were quick to testify to staff of the healing power of a loving God and Heavenly Father and they are very confident that will continue. We do praise Him for his faithfulness!

The purple runner beans I planted a couple of months ago are now beginning to fruit and I picked the first ones yesterday. I had feared they would not be ready before our departure but I should be able to get a few more off them before we leave. The rest will go into the neighbour's pot! He is a dear and will mow our lawns and water any plants that need it while we're away, so I reckon he deserves to collect the beans.

It is now autumn here in Sydney howeverthe temperatures are certainly not reflecting that, and we continue to have what some might call an "Indian Summer" but for me, I'm just looking forward to cooler temperatures. Admittedly early mornings are somewhat cooler however overnight temps are still staying warm. I think our first breath of coolness will be when we step out of Heathrow into the early Spring temperature of London. Probably by the time we reach Austin, they will be having weather much the same as we are experiencing here in Sydney at present - oh well - a 2 week reprieve is better than nothing. The only down side to this is having to carry both summer and winter attire in our baggage!

Had my eyes tested last week as I had noticed quite a difference in distance vision. I do have to get new lenses and will go and have them fitted today but found out that the reason my vision is changing more quickly now is because my eyelids are drooping! I thought that was quite funny at first until I was told that this causes the eyeballs to change shape because of the weight of the eyelid pressing on them which then has the effect of changing the vision. I'm grateful at this stage that change of lens will compensate but looks like eventually I'll be needing an 'eyelid job'! Oh my goodness!

On that note, I'll sign off! Have a good week friends... Blessings!