Easter 2012

We have enjoyed the most amazing weather for Easter this year! Crisp morning with beautiful, fine and sunny days.
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services were all wonderful.

"The Flowering of the Cross"

Sylvia took this photo on Easter Day. Such a meaningful and uplifting Easter Day service! We are so fortunate to be part of this great church here in Canberra.

A combination of relaxation, folk festival music, great Easter services and spending time with family, especially our beautiful granddaughter. 

National Folk Festival - Rory Ellis

"Azadoota" was brilliant

So was "Riogh"

Maggie and Elsie Rigby

Fabulous "Flamenco Fire- Primavera Mia"

 Lois took a few tentative steps today, so is not far away from walking! Her first birthday is close now....on April 26.

Our backyard  has very green  grass from the recent rains and it's a pleasant place to spend some time relaxing. Lois loves being outside. 

It's been such a delight to have Stuart, Cherie and Lois living here with us.

What have we been up to?

It's been a while since I sat down to blog.

February was unexpectedly busy at school . I filled in for two weeks before some new staff were appointed. After two weeks I went on the casual list once more and have been working 2 or 3 days per week. I have worked out that casual is the best situation for me. I enjoy it and it gives me the flexibility to look after my health and also do some other pleasant and important things, like catching up with friends and family. I can now even go out at night and not need three days to recover!
I am feeling so much better this year. It has taken a full two years to recover from the surgeries and the many side effects of the drugs.

Rick is working full-time and has been told that the job will be extended until  to the end of June.No papers are signed as yet, but that will hopefully happen soon. His current contract runs out on March 31.

Cameron is doing well at work and has recently joined one of the choirs that Rick is in. He will see how he likes it for this term.

Stuart and Cherie seems to be happy and settled here in Canberra and Lois is just so cute! We are thoroughly enjoying  seeing her everyday....as they are living with us. It's been working out very well. Stuart is studying Networking at CIT and Cherie is enjoying spending time with her new friends and attending some playgroups.

Lois in the car ready for a day out. It has been unusually cold and wet this Summer so  there were a couple of days when she wore this cute coat ( a present from a close friend in Seoul)

Lois LOVES soft toys, especially teddies. Barbara gave her this one and she cuddles it passionately.

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The only photo we seem to have of the church camp. We took our larger tent, which was a great success. We could actually stand up in it! The weather was perfect for the Saturday ans we enjoyed  our swim in  unusually clear and calm  waters

Lois loves eating and here she is getting stuck into a nectarine.

Rick sang in his choir at The Government House Open Day last Sunday. he is hiding up the back. His brother John was visiting and took a few shots on his new I-Phone.

GG's Open Day

GG's lake view

Perfect Autumn weather for a picnic

Lois and Cameron having a moment!

Avril and Tim's Wedding

Sunday February 5, 2012

At 2pm, Avril and Tim were married on the beach at Stuart Park in North Wollongong.
We travelled there, along with most of the extended family.
The day was warm, bright and sunny. There had been many weeks of dull and wet weather, so this was amazing to have such a perfect day. The next day we heard that the weather was back to awful again!
It was a lovely wedding and we were glad to be there to celebrate with them.

Mother of the bride, Deirdre.... waiting for the bridal party to arrive.

Introducing Mr and Mrs Beckman

Proud parents

Avril and Tim with Avril's siblings.

Mum checking out Avril's beautiful wedding gown.

Mum and Dad - proud grandparents

A rare photo of the four siblings - Paul, Bruce, Deirdre and me

Sylvia, Paul, Jeni, Deirdre, Richard, Mum and me

Church celebration

Welcoming the Turners
Tonight we had a great celebration with the church community to welcome our new pastor and his family. We had dinner together followed by an entertaining program to introduce the Turners to Canberra. It followed the alphabet....... the A to Z of Canberra and Canberra Baptist Church. It even featured a singing group called the "Pastoral Seekers", performing a slightly altered version of "A World of Our Own". They looked amazingly similar to that famous group from the 70's. My brother Bruce was a guitarist in the group.
It was a fun night.

Hong Kong revisited

Chinese New Year.

We flew to Hong Kong on the way home from Turkey. We had stayed there two weeks earlier, so we were familiar with the hotel and it's surrounds. It was situated close to the Star Ferry terminal, which made it easy to walk to the harbour and the shops. We stayed three nights
Preparations were underway for the Chinese New Year. Lots of people and decorations all over the city.
The day we flew home was the first day of the Chinese New Year holiday. We just missed the parade and the fireworks as we had to leave for the airport before the roads were all closed. Glad we were there a few days before the holiday got into full swing, as lots of  businesses were going to be closed for the three days.

We had fun buying watches 

Nathan Road

In Toys R Us - a little boy dressed up for New Year!

View from our hotel room

Hong Kong Harbour

Killing five hours at  Hong Kong Airport. 

Last day in Istanbul... last day in Turkey

Having breakfast in the "roof bar" of our hotel . A great view of this part of Istanbul.

Saying good bye to our tour friends at breakfast. Some had already left on early morning flights.

We had a whole day to fill in before we had to leave for the airport.  We filled in the day easily. Joy, Steve and us went exploring from our hotel. We walked a long way to get  to the Bosphorus River. We liked the dentist sign. We caught the public mini bus back up the hill to the hotel. That was an experience in itself.

Our hotel room overlooked this school. The picture of Ataturk  on the building was not a surprise to us. We heard a lot about the hero of  Modern Turkey - Mustafa  Kemal Ataturk.  He seemed to be everywhere!

Steve and Joy having  coffee at the Bosphorus with us

Here we are on the other side of the table at the cafe. Not sure why Rick looks so fat! We only had hot chocolate.

Soon it was time to say farewell  to our new friends and leave Istanbul. We had a midnight flight to Hong Kong.

Istanbul walking tour

On the last day of the tour we walked around the old city - Sultanahmet, where the influence and history of the Ottoman Empire is most obvious.  We toured the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia as well as the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. It was wonderful to see these amazing historical places.

Hippodrome.. stadium where they raced chariots and other sports and entertainment. 

Approaching the Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque - Sultanahmet Mosque

The Blue Mosque - Sultanahmet Mosque

Topkapi Palace

In the vast grounds of Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace overlooking the Marmara Sea

Sultans' mausoleum at Topkapi Palace

Hagia Sophia

John, Joy, Richard and Patty resting at the Hagia Sophia

Grand  Bazaar

I bought some jewellery here.

Walking between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar late afternoon. It was freezing but lots of fun.

We had a farewell dinner with the tour. The two men at the front are the driver and the assistant who got us hot drinks ( apple tea or coffee) while we were on the bus and generally looked after us. The tour director is there too. We had a great group of people. We were very lucky.