90 Days

Here I am on the last day of 2010. I've decided to read through the Bible and will be doing it in 90 days. It will be a challenge for me as I need to devote about an hour of reading each day.  I didn't realise there were so many supports and resources out there for this kind of 'adventure' but I'm going to try to stick with it. The reading begins on January 3 and I'm hoping to update my progress here every Monday.

The weather today is hot!  It's just after 1pm and already the thermometer has climbed to 32C.  It is expected to get a bit hotter than that by late afternoon and I'm not looking forward to it.  Here in Sydney we've been given a real reprieve from this heat so far but it looks as though that might be reaching it's end - more and hotter over the weekend is expected.  These days I am trying not to use the air conditioner - our electricity bill has been creeping up with the increase in tarriff but we do have fans which are cooling especially at night - sleeping under one is a relief!

I've been checking out the internet for accommodation for our Family Reunion in June on the Gold Coast in Queensland and I think I've found one that looks OK which is half the price of the resort we stayed in three years ago.  I'm glad I decided to look around first.  It will be our early winter month when we all meet but Queensland temperatures shouldn't be too cold then. Probably swimming in the sea might be a bit cool but this resort has a heated pool and spa so for those who are brave enough, I'm sure that will be fine.

Not sure yet if I'll make it awake to see 2011 in yet - I usually fall asleep while waiting for the massive Sydney celebration fireworks to begin (on the TV I mean) but one of our channels is showing the Edinburgh Tattoo tonight so that should keep me awake for a while.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you my friend a very blessed New Year and peace throughout 2011.

Happy New Year!



Fireworks over Sydney Harbour showing Opera House



'Tis the day after Christmas

Christmas eve saw us delivering the grandie's gifts to them. They were full of excitement and we got this pic to remember the occasion

Christmas morning worship service then home to a king ocean prawn lunch by ourselves - the first time in our almost 49 years of married life! A very lazy afternoon, napping, watching TV, cross stitching then out to our son's property for a combined meal with ours and his wife's extended families. Thirty three of us in total and what a spread it was.

A fun-filled game of volley ball where no rules were allowed followed to 'shake the first course down' - followed later by desert of Christmas plum pudding,  whipped cream, cheese cake, chocolate log, trifle, ice cream and fresh fruit.  Oh I forgot the chocolates and cheese dip which also added to the food spread.  Despite there being 32 mouths to feed (1 extra being a baby) there was still a heap of food left over.  No doubt that will be used over the next day or so.

Son had decorated his house and yard with lights which looked magnificent once daylight faded.

Despite the fact that youngest grandie broke three bones in his foot a week ago, and couldn't participate in the game, he had a good time and he and I sat on the old cubby house steps and watched the proceedings - until the mosquitoes began biting that was.

Well Christmas is over for another year - the preparation, the sending cards, the buying gifts, the eating more than we needed, the meeting of those we don't see regularly, all fades into insignificance when we remember the baby Jesus who came as the Saviour of the world.  That is something we can celebrate every day of the year, not just at Christmas time.

Blessings!

Merry Christmas to you!

As we reflect on the baby in the manger and the reason for his coming to earth, I wish for you a holy, peaceful, and safe Christmas.

Looking for someone?

If you look for me at Christmas
you won't need a special star -

I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me
amid the celebrations -

You'll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.

But if you take a moment
from your list of things to do

and listen to your heart - you'll find
I'm waiting there for you.

You're the one I want to be with,
You're the reason that I came,

And you'll find Me in the stillness
as I'm whispering your name

Love, Jesus



Inspiration?

Yes I need some!  I pop in to read so many but at present I just can't seem to get any enthusiasm or inspiration to write even though there seems to be lots going on in my life.

The Christmas lights look great now they are all operating as they should, but alas, lack of sunshine at times has meant that the solar panel ones are not twinkling as brightly as they should.  Whoever heard of a December morning being only 12C outside?  I don't remember it in Sydney anyway. Maybe that's a reflection of our northern cousins who are experiencing chilling  weather at present.  The photos I took of the lights didn't turn out too well so I'm not going to embarrass myself further by posting them.  Suffice to say I just love looking at them out the windows in the evenings  when they start to 'do their thing'!

As I write this at least the sun is shining but there's a cold wind.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours doing some more stitching on my WIP. I've used all of one colour thread so will need to replenish supply.  I will get to post another progress pic on this soon but at present I'm off to do my Monday volunteer at the Information Centre.  I'll take it with me and hope that I have a chance to do a few more stitches on it. 

Blessings!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Oh Christmas Lights!

Neighbours have had their up for days, right down to a gorgeous sleigh with Santa sitting relaxed being pulled by three beautiful twinkling reindeer. Santa's climbing house walls, Santa's on roofs, even the lady next door was busy up on a ladder a couple of days ago hammering long lines of lights to the roofline (a first for this neighbour, bless her heart!). So with all that's happening around me to make it all feel more 'Christmassy' I felt obliged to move myself and start a bit of decorating myself. 

Well, now the wreath's on the door, the little Christmas tree is up and the balustrade decorated with green and gold starry tinsel.  Two new sets of solar lights for the shrubbery by the letterbox now fired up enough to twinkle their little heads off.  Timer set on fixed lights around the roof line - last thing to do was switch on last year's solar lights (pretty multi coloured and flickering) which chase each other up under the eaves.  Oh no! not working - oh well, put the solar panel right into the sun's path for a full day - that should do it.  But Alas!  they have gone to God! 

Out with grandson L5 yesterday to the Christmas el cheapo shop to purchase more - darn it, I'll get two lots  (just in case).

Came home and put the panels out in the brilliant sun. Not quite long enough though so today will have them out early to catch enough sun power for sparkles tonight.

Oh the joys of Christmas!

PS might get pics when all are functioning (ahem)!

Clydesdale eating?

Another feature on our familiarisation tour was the Clydesdale Restaurant. An unusual way to see the historic sites around the Windsor (Sydney) area is to be pulled in a dining van by 3 beautiful Clydesdale horses.  We stopped by to check it all out while they were being 'dressed' for the evening's booking.  Beautifully docile animals stood patiently while their dresser plaited and twisted and knotted and decorated their manes and tails.

For just A$185 per person you can be fed a five course meal (collected along the way from the area's top restaurants) and be shown many historic sites in and around Windsor.

What a great way to spend an evening on a special occasion!

Blessings!

Hawkesbury River

During the day out at the familiarisation tour, we crossed and drove alongside the Hawkesbury river in several different places. Here are a few photos I took along the way...




Looking towards Wisemans Ferry




Beautiful blue Jacaranda's in bloom





View from Cornwallis House