Another very fun weekend. Every weekend is a long weekend for me so that was no different but it is good when everyone else has a long weekend too so I can hang out with them.

Started on Friday. Took the afternoon off to go and hang with Jemma. We drank tea, ate food, sat in the park, bought undies and talked and talked. It is so wonderful to have her home again even if she is going to be living in Merrylands. In the evening we hung out in Enmore. We had Anna Thai with Tom, David, Matt, Cara and Martin and then went for ice cream. Jem wanted to be in Newtown so we sat outside Newtown Mission and ate our ice creams. There were some buskers playing so Martin made us all do some dancing. This quickly turned into charades and then bum charades. It was one of the funniest things I have done in a long time. It was also quite community-ish. Other peoeple would join in for a round and try and guess and then Martin’s work friends who were on their way home joined in too. You’ll all be very suprised to hear me say that I love community.

Saturday was Australia Day. Like others I often feel a bit awkward on Australia. On one hand I like Australia and think that there is often good will expressed on these kind of days as people gather together and feel grateful. On the other hand there is a lot I don’t like about Australia and we have seen the more nasty expressions of patriotism (I almost find myself shudder everytime I see someone wearing an Aussie flag). Not to mention there is the uncomfort around us celebrating a day which for indigenous Australians is usually not a time of celebration rather mourning. So on Saturday I, with Cara, Martin and Jemma went along to the Botantic Gardens to watch a smoking cermony put on by the local indigenous community. It was early in the morning so I was a bit chuffed I managed to get up and it was worth it. There was much song and dance and smoking. It felt like the sort of thing I wanted to do on Australia Day. In the afternoon I went to Gowies Roadworker BBQ. It was a nice, quiet celebration there and much fun was had.

From the Gowies Martin and I headed to Gerroa. Gerroa is about 10 mins South of Kiama. It was a long drive but so worth it. It is such an amazingly, beautiful place. We went there as Kat and Tom from church invited us to spend the weekend with them. Kat’s parens live there so we were staying in their home. Thankfully not much was done there really either. Just sitting around looking over the water, going for swims and walks, eating, talking and playing music. It was best at night as I lay in bed and listened to the waves crashing on the shore. It is one of my favourite sounds. We also got to see some Aussie Day fireworks. They were simple but nice. I liked them.

I also went to visit Jess in Wollongong and went to her church. It was good to catch up and get some more girl time. Now that my life is quite boyey I always enjoy that. Not a bad service either. The complete opposite to St Johns and not really my quiet meditative style but I think it is good to do things sometimes that aren’t our style as to explore all ways to communicate and worship God. I found myself enjoying others enjoyment of God.

So praise God for a great weekend.

I have changed my day off from Tuesday to Monday. This is good for a couple of reasons but by the time I get to Friday I am very tired. Not used to working four days in a row. I guess all of you people out there who work five days every week don’t have much sympathy but that’s okay, I’m not looking for sympathy.

I was looking forward to going for a swim but boy oh boy is it wet. I just walked up to Chatswood Chase, which is only two blocks from my office, I had an umbrella but I still got soaked. Although I could still go, I mean I am going to get wet anyway aren’t I and as I have said I always feel so much better when do.

Not much planned for this weekend. On Sunday we are going to a friend’s from church’s place for lunch and a swim in her pool, but apart from that nothing. Hopefully I can get some West Wing in too. Only five (I think) episodes to go and then it’s all over. How very sad, lucky Cara bought Seachange over to me last weekend…

Yay. Martin got his P’s today. Now he can drive all his on lonesome.

Back in June 2007, I wrote a post about a website called “What is Stephen Harper reading?” Yann Martel, a Canadian author is sending a book to the PM Stephen Harper each fortnight in an effort to encourage his stillness. On the site you can read the letter that accompanies each book. The letters he writes and the descriptions of the book are fantastic. He has such a unique way of looking at things. It is very inspiring. I don’t know if he has succeeded with the PM but he has certainly encouraged my stillness. And one of my first resolutions for this year is to try to be even stiller. Anyway, here is a quote from one of his letters:

“The great thing about reading books is that it makes us better than cats. Cats are said to have nine lives. What is that compared to the girl, boy, man, woman who reads books? A book read is a life added to one’s own. So it takes only nine books to make cats look at you with envy.

And I’m not talking here only of “good” books. Any book—trash to classic—makes us live the life of another person, injects us with the wisdom and folly of their years. When we’ve read the last page of a book, we know more, either in the form of raw knowledge—the name of a gun, perhaps—or in the form of greater understanding. The worth of these vicarious lives is not to be underestimated. There’s nothing sadder—or sometimes more dangerous—than the person who has lived only his or her single, narrow life, unenlightened by the experience, real or invented, of others.”

I do not blog very well in the holidays. Perhaps when I am not at work or studying I am less inclined to sit at the computer. Anyway back at work today. Still very quiet as no one else is around. Good time to blog I suppose.

Holiday went according to plan. We went to Tamworth for four days over Christmas but apart from that I don’t think I went further than half an hour from the house. I read a lot, watched some West Wing and a few movies, went to the beach, visited some friends and drank coffee. Bliss. Although as much as I didn’t want to come back to work it is probably a good thing I did. Too much of that and I would become very lazy.

I am feeling pretty good about 2007, twas a fun year despite quite few challanges. Things that stand would be:

Attending the youth leadership camp and making a new very good friend
Jemma going to Mexico
Getting a more attractive blog
Celebrating our second wedding anniversary at Wiseman’s Ferry
Travelled around Argentina, Bolivia and Peru
Caught up with old friends and family in Peru. Met my new niece
Gemma goes to Melbourne
Mum and Keith go to Alice
Attended my first confernece for work
Maggie (my dog) died
Went to Alice to visit mum and Keith’s new house. Did my prac at Kaltukatjara
I finished uni
Jo left for Guatamala
Kevin Rudd became the new PM of Australia
We moved into Jo’s room
Matt moved in

However, while these things stand out I do not think that they are what made it 2007 for me. Rather it was the constant conversations, prayers, books, swims, dinners, pancakes, BBQ’s, movies, kisses, hugs, random adventures and other ordinary things that happen in a year. I am looking forward to more of this in 2008.

So today is my last day. Like many others I will be off for the Christmas period, returning to work on 2nd January. Not bad, I get 11 days off while only taking four days annual leave. Yay for me. We are going to Tamworth to spend Christmas with my dad for four days but the rest of it I am just going to hang at home, go to the beach or coffee shops or movies or read or other kind of adventures. Mum and Keith will be around so that is fun too. I am very tired today so looking forward to the break.

Work is very quiet though, haven’t had much to do the last couple of days. I guess it’s not really the time of year when people are thinking about taking up a new long term volunteering opportunity. And all the ones that are in the middle of the process want to put it on hold until next year. I had visions of using this time to redesighn some of the posters and forms and things that I think need a bit of a rejig but I have been waiting for bosses approval on things for over a month now and I am tired of chasing her up about it. So I guess I might head our for another longer lunch.

I’m reading the Psalms at the moment which have me thinking much about gratefullness. I have been praying to God that I could be more grateful and each day I am trying to be more conscious of all the things I have to be grateful for.

I was reminded of this today. Last night I came home from community dinner and in conversation with Tom realised that we had people coming over for the next three nights and then on Saturday night I have Christmas dinner with my Sydney family and then off to Tamworth where I am sure there will be lots of family gatherings and celebrations. Last night all this was seeming a little overwhelming but then today I had a phone call from someone in our program. She was feeling incredibly anxious and depressed and thinking about going into hospital. For her Christmas is difficult time as it is reminder of the friends and family she doesn’t have. She said to me. “I am very sure that we were not made to be alone.” All of a sudden I felt very grateful about all the social gatherings I have had this past week and have coming up and I gave thanks.

Lots of fun was had this weekend. The highlights include:

Martin not working Saturday so we could slepp in together in the morning
Getting all the washing done in the new machine and hanging on the new line
Free vegetarian pie cause it was free pie day at Garlos
Getting the Christmas shopping finished without having to go to Broadway
Wrapping presents with Martin
Having a good swim with not people there
Watching Pans Labarynth
Going to church
Having a picnic at Glebe with Martin, Matt, Ryan and Andrew
Playing Frisbee
Seeing Mic Conways National Junk Band with Andrew and Cathy
Going to give a hamper to a very friendly woman and her gorgeous blind dog.
Relaxing at home on Sunday night

On Sunday the minister of our church announced that he would be resigning. It came as a real shock. I had absolutely no idea, in fact he didn’t either until about two months beforehand and had only had it confirmed on the Friday so I guess there was no way for me to know. Anyway, it was very sad news. He has been an amazing teacher, leader and friend and it is incredibly disappointing to think that he won’t be around next year.

I don’t think I’ll write much more than that. Yesterday I thought that I had come to terms with the idea but today I am feeling all negative again. I guess I just have to keep praying and hoping and trusting.

This is a story for all the tea/teapot lovers, mainly Jemma Castle and my mum who first introduced me to teapots.

Last week I bought a teapot from the St Vincent de Paul. It was $2 which I thought was a bit of bargain but the volunteer didn’t seem to agree with me. She asked, “what do you want that for?” I told her I wanted to to make tea. She appeard somewhat perplexed and said, “well you can have it for a $1”. I only had a $2 coin so I gave her that and said I was happy to pay two.

So I took my new/old teapot and began my journey home. I was still pretty chuffed with my purchase, even if the woman didn’t share my enthusiasm. I had not requested a bag so had to walk all through Chatswood carrying my teapot, for the world to see. And then on the train it sat perched in my lap while I read my book. I admit I may have looked a little bit silly and I was feeling starting to feel somewhat embarassed when people started to look at me and my teapot but I was suprised at how suprised people seemed to be. It was as if they had never seen a teapot before.

I guess in this day and age where everything is so efficient and quick and busy is our mantra teapots must be out. I mean if one wishes to make tea with a teapot they must first boil the water (preferably from cold) and then pour it over the tea leaves. Then cover it with a cosy and wait for a couple of minutes for it to brew. Finally it is ready for pouring. Then if one wishes to truly enjoy their tea they must stop what they are doing, sit down and drink. It is true this takes much more time than having a tea bag but I am grateful for that. I am grateful that everything good is not necessarily efficient. I am grateful for this daily reminder to stop, to take a rest, and enjoy the simple things that God has given us.