Magic under the stars!

This is an excerpt from the Australia Post/Opera Australia free concert of The Pearl Fishes last December. The quality isn't great, but you get the idea. This duet was my Nan's favourite and I always think of her when I hear it.

Enjoy!

Why thin people have a higher mortality rate!

According to my psychologist thin people participate in more active pursuits and therefore have a higher mortality rate!!

Justin and I were enjoying a leisurely bike ride on Saturday when I came a cropper as I approaced a bride in Richmond. Ouch! I took a few pics of my injuries on Saturday evening. They're healing nicely now. The pic is of my elbow, the hip is censored, but if you want to see it I can e-mail you! The elbow is the worst of the two though!

I'm not deterred. As soon as I can put my weight fully through my right elbow again, I'll be back out there.

The weather has been great for outdoor activities. Fine and warm. I love an Aussie Summer.

We have a long weekend next week to comemmorate Australia Day.

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays and have a great 2008!

Bringing in the New Year....

I had a fun start to 2008. Celebrating in style in our apartment with Justin and his siblings and other friends from Canberra. We also enjoyed catching up with other family and friends and swimming at Sydney's famous beaches (once we found one that was open!) Unfortunately I'm not enjoying swimming in the ocean so much these days. When I get out of the water I feel dizzy and nauseous for about half an hour, so it kind of ruins the fun really. Can't work out why as I'm fine otherwise... perhaps its that pesky ear infection still lingering....

Justin and I returned home to Melbourne the long way via the coast road with quite a few stops and detours. We stayed in Bega overnight. We almost dropped by Yarram too, but decided it was a bit too much of a detour (like an extra 100kms!)

I returned to work today, the office is quiet as about half the staff are still on holidays. I have a meeting to finish my day, which should be interesting.

I'm glad to be back in Melbourne and looking forward to enjoying the rest of summer. I've a few things on my to do list... like:

• going to the outdoor cinema (there are three of them in Melbourne now)
• going to the free MSO concerts at the bowl
• having a picnic with friends
• more swimming
• celebrating Australia Day with fellow Hottest 100 fans...
• going to a music festival (hopefully Womadelaide)

I do hope to get over to Adelaide and attend writers week, but am not sure if I'll be able to manage it. I continue to work on my writing when I have the headspace.

At the moment I'm working two jobs, but think I will give one up as I waste 3 hours travelling there every time I go. Its a pain. I'm not a big fan of being stuck in traffic. I'm just not sure its worth my while, but I'll persist for a few weeks and try out a few different routes.

Well, must get back to it, hope you are all enjoying 2008 and that it brings all you hope for!

Lots of Love... xo xo xo xo

The fruits of summer...

Summer is just a few days away and already the ripening summer fruits are adorning the supermarket produce isles. I'm enjoying mangoes, cherries, strawberries and apricots most of all. Aldi even has them at reasonable prices... Bring on summer. Oh how I enjoy all its fruits... bright sunny days and long balmy evenings, BBQs and picnics and days on the beach. Cricket and the night market at Queen Vic. Christmas and holidays and special times to share with family and friends. My little sister and her husband are off to Germany in a couple of week's time, they'll miss out on the best part of summer this year, but will be consoled with Austria, Rome, Prague and special time with our parents.
Mmm, more cherries... yum!

A Close Shave

The weather wasn't so good on Friday evening and I was tired and heading home from work. The car I was driving (a work car) had been playing up all afternoon, skidding when starting at traffic lights, etc, but that didn't prepare me for what happened next...

I had just turned from a side street into the main road and was picking up speed when the tyres span and skidded and I lost control of the vehicle. Thankfully I was alone, didn't hit any other cars and came to a stop after plowing through someone's fence and into a tree in their front yard.

I was able to drive the car safely around the corner and off the main street, which was wet and very busy. Then called the insurer and waited for a tow truck. Didn't have to wait long and the tow driver was kind and waited with me for my boyfriend to come and pick me up. I was pretty shaken but otherwise unharmed.

Below is a picture of the carnage that I took with my mobile phone. Thank goodness I had already dropped off the child I had been looking after that afternoon!

Quiet Days

Things I love about quiet days:

- that they are preceeded by a rest night's sleep
- that you have time to just sit still and consider
- breakfast in bed and Margaret Throsby's interview
- time for prayer and bible reading
- time to catch up on odd jobs that have been left for too long
- a chance to get in touch with friends and family
- time to do "homey" things like baking

I have the chance to have a quiet day today and I'm enjoying it in all its sparseness!! ;)

I hope you are having a good day too xo

God provides :)

It is wonderful how our God provides what we need (just not always in the way we first anticipated...)

I was planning to go away for the weekend. Good family friends of mine live on the edge of the city in a beautiful, big home. I was hoping to go and stay with them for the weekend. Spend a little time with them and just take a breath and relax. But it has been deferred indefinately.

I was feeling deflated. Why? Its not fair! I was really looking forward to that weekend, God... I complained. Then, while I was checking my e-mail an opportunity passed my way. I received an invitation to a camp. Cross Cultures is a ministry overseen by my church and the AFES of Melbourne University. They meet on Thursday evenings for dinner and basic bible study. It is to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the young foreign students who temporarily call Australia home. Twice a year they go on camp and that is what the e-mail was about. Hmmm, I wondered, perhaps they could use mine & my car's services... So I offered and was accepted.

I drove to Albury (NSW border) on Friday and picked up the cooks - Max & Mary, a delightful couple who formerly attended Cross Cultures when they were living in Melbourne. We then drove to Echuca via a small detour as I wasn't paying attention to my fuel gauge!! But we arrived (late) but safely at the camp. Actually the last of the campers didn't arrive till after 2am!!!

We were blessed with beautiful weather, a great campsite (Billabong Ranch), an inspiring preacher and great food. I assisted Max & Mary in the kitchen and appreciated getting out of the big city for a weekend. All too briefly it was over and time to head back to Melbourne.

It really was a blessed weekend and reminded me how wonderfully my God provides for me. He knew I needed a weekend away and he provided it, as well as an opportunity for me to live out my core values for 2007! ;) Isn't he great?!