This post will probably be of most interest to Jane and John but others are welcome to read.

On Sunday Martin and I began our two weeks of looking after Hannah. That day we took her church with us and after church I took her to the beach. It was too cold to swim but a clear blue day, perfect for hot chips and a lie around in the sand. I actually really like the beach in Autumn and Winter. There is always far less people so it is more serene and relaxing. Then we went to visit Ryan for tea and figs. Ryan has a very good backyard for Hannah, quite big with lots of branches to break. Ryan and I then decided to go to the ten dollar jean sale to get jeans. They ended up been $20 but that is still very good for jeans and the man in the shop was super friendly. I was a bit worried this wouldn’t be very fun for Hannah but she waited very patiently.

On Monday (thanks to Jane’s very detailed manual) I got her off to school alright. Her respite was cancelled in the evening but that was okay as I don’t work Monday’s so was home to meet her. There was some confusion with the driver but I managed to sort all that out relatively easily. Tuesday went smoothly as well.

All in all we are having lots of fun. Hannah has been a delight and has almost always cooperated with whatever is happening. I am also enjoying living in Hornsby for a little while. It is much quieter than Glebe and there are so many trees. I was a bit disappointed though that the pool’s heating system is not working very well but I managed a swim.

The front page of the SMH today had two stories, The first one began like this, “The chief executive of Macquarie Group, Allan Moss, will leave the “millionaires factory” with a fortune worth more than $80 million, setting new standards in a debate about how much executive pay is too much”. It goes on to tell us that, “It also equates to Mr Moore earning $3053 an hour, awake or asleep, all year.”

The second was about Burma, however the first line was slightly different to the one above, “Don’t worry about the dead bodies; the fish will eat them.” The story went on to describe the situation there, “People were begging on their hands and knees for a single packet of soup,” a team member said. “Please don’t leave us,” cried a hungry young mother nursing her child. She had lost her husband, mother and three other family members.

How has the world come to this? While I don’t think any of us have not thought about these issues before I couldn’t believe that it was there on display in such an obvious way. I suppose, if it gets people thinking it is a good thing but I am concerned it won’t. This is so common place, so normal now. It stunned me though and left me feeling pretty empty.

However thanks goes out to David. I came back to blog this and discovered his post. A speech by Martin Luther King which everyone must read. The paragraph that I most needed was this,

“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land.”

Thanks to all the people that came to our party on Saturday. I had heaps of fun and I hope you did too. It was a very diverse group of people from all parts of our lives which was very fun. I was especially happy with all the dancing and also the music playing in garage out the back. The food was good too, especially Anmol’s garlic prawns. Thanks Anmol.

I don’t think I am naturally someone who enjoys holding parties, I can find them a little bit stressful so lucky I have Martin in my life who makes me do these things. He loves having parties so much and I usually do end up having a good time.

I hope that everyone out there who reads this blog and knows me, knows that tonight we are having a party and you’re invited. If you didn’t know I am sorry but now you do. It is at our new house, and I think it is going to be fun. Martin has spent the morning in the garden and it looks cool. We have a new table out there which I really like. So come along if you can.

Today is Pentescost. This is the communion we hadin church. I thought I’d share:

“O Eternal Wisdom,
We praise you and give you thanks,
for, as you revealed yourself of old
in fore and storm and precious law,
so you did not leave your followers comfortless,
but cam upon them
in thunder, wind and flame,
filling them with power,
and making them thirst with longing
to utter your incontainable word.

And now, you have poured out your spirit
upon all flesh
that your sons and daughters may prophesy,
that old and young share a vision
and even the slaves find a voice.
Therefor,
with Elizabeth who prophesied your birth,
Mary who sang for the poor,
Martha who confessed you as the Chrsit,
the women who announced you
risen from the dead,
and with every nameless prophet
who heard your call and inspired your people,
we praise you saying
Holy, holy, holy,
God of power and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory
hosanna in the highest

Blessed in our brother Jesus,
who comes behind the doors we have closed,
and breathes on our fear his fearful peace;
who, on the night he was betrayed,
took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said:
‘This is my body, which is for you.
Do this in rememberance of me.’

In the same way he took the cup, saying:
‘This cup is the new convenant in my blood.
Do this whenever you drink it,
to remember me.’
We remember Christ’s death;
we procalim Christ’s resurrection;
we await Christ’s coming in glory’

Come now, spirit of intergrity,
of tenderness, judgement and dance;
touch our speechlessness,
kindle out longing,
reach into our silence,
and fire our word with your truth;
that each may hear their own language,
the mighty works of God.”

By Janet Morley, from all my desires.

I have had a pretty busy fortnight at work but today is very slow. It is funny how that happens. I quite like busy but it is good to have a bit of a slower day. I was actually able to take a break and go across the road to my local cafe and have a coffee and sit on the lounge. It was nice. So what have I been doing? The usual sort of stuff really but some big things have been:

I spoke at a support group for carers of people with a mental illness. They were a great group of people; very real people; very exhausted and overwhelmed but kind. There was one lady however who seemed intent on backing me into a corner. I think she is just so used to being told by organisations and professionals that they can not help her that she assumes from the start that, that is going to happen so refuses to hear that you may be able to. So she just keeps pushing and pushing until you are in a place where you can no longer help. I have seen her at other meetings do the same thing to other presenters and I was told by the rest of the group that she always does it too. I think they are at a stage where they are going to ask her not to attend as she is now causing others to not want to come and making it an unsafe place for them. It was quite sad. It was pretty hard for me but a good experience and I am glad it happened in a place where the rest of the audience was very supportive.

I also went along with a volunteer and her friend to Mix 106.5 as they were been interviewed for a project called the Thank you project. It is a project in which people are given the opportunity to thank people in their lives who have really helped them in some way. It is pretty cheesy but kinda nice. Anyway we were asked if someone would like to do that and this pair agreed. It was very moving for me to hear how far this person has come since being with her friend. She talked about how five years ago (before they met) she rarely got out of bed and when she did life was pretty miserable. She was distant from her family and the community. Now she feels excited about life. She and her friend do volunteer work together and she is doing a TAFE course. She has reconnected with her family and last month attended her nephew’s birthday party. She thanked her friend for supporting her and encouraging her but not doing things for her; for believing her. She thanked her for being a true friend. I am sure that all this can not be attributed to this program but it is exciting to think that it was a part of it.

Yesterday I baked a banana cake. It was really good actually, brown and fluffy and had a good flavour. Makes such a difference having a good gas oven, the electric one at Simmons Street was just awful. I don’t think I ever made anything good in that.

After I made it I cut off a couple of slices and knocked on one of my neighbours doors and offered her the cake. This is the neighbour I have not seen much of (she has three very young children so obviously socialising is hard) so it was good to have a reason to drop by. She asked me in and we played with her babies for a bit, it wasn’t much but really nice.

Then I cut off another couple of slices to give to my other neighbours. They were not home but I have a key to their house which I use to put on and collect my washing which I was doing so I left theirs on their table with a little note.

It all felt so good.

Today someone told me that I always look like a Christian. In all honesty I am struggling with that.

Went for a swim tonight even in this weather. I don’t think my mother who swam all through winter would be that impressed but I am. I don’t usually make winter but I’d like to at least make it through autumn.

Off to dinner soon with Jess. Haven’t seen her in ages so should be nice to catch up. I think it might be Vietanamese tonight and some Churros for dessert. I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of living so close to such choice in the way of food and coffee and wine and fun.