A quiet day in front of the fire

Today I am spending the day in front of the fire. 

I rarely do this, but I am sick.

I have the flu, it is not bad, but just enough for me to feel OK about spending the day indulging in some quiet time. 

I have had a busy few weeks, with a trip to Melbourne then Cass and Nathan visited and I hosted "the band" when they came to Adelaide to play with Nathan. 

It was a fun time, head across to Cassies blog to see them.

But today they are all gone, and I am enjoying being able to sit in my lounge, with the fire while the washing machine churns on. 

Toast, an orange and yogurt are on the menu, and Carol Kings' Tapestry is keeping me company. 

I fell behind in my Bible reading over the past little while so I have caught up today. I use Bible Gateway, and today I listened to the audio, it makes large passages easier to follow, especially now when I am feeling a bit sick. 

I love having people in my home, it seems to help make sense of owning such a large property. It is made to have lots of activity, from midnight snacks in the lounge, to football watching in the TV room, breakfast eaten around the kitchen bench, and nerf wars in the rec room. 

I am so blessed...............now I need a little sleep.......................

Grannies got nerf guns!!!!!!!

Last week I decided to rectify the bias toward female toys in my house. I am an avid frequent flyer points collector, so I visited Big W to invest in some nerf guns and earn some points. My only experience with nerf guns was at Christmas time when C received one, and I was busy with other things and didn't take too much notice of his new toy.

Not knowing much about them I just bought the ones that were on special.
I think I purchased the intergalactic superduper machine gun variety!

I only bought two on my first foray, but then I decided that Miss P might like one too, so the little one was added to my arsenal.

They live in my rec room, a rather large space that is only used occasionally and has minimal furniture in it, just enough to provide cover in warfare.

These little babies have considerable fire power, much to the little boys delight.

We have the rule that you can't shoot at anyones head. This is quite difficult for Grannie as I usually shoot from the hip, and my opponents are a 4 and 6 year old. Their heads are usually in my target zone.
I work hard to avoid hitting their precious little noggins while they are firing at me at will!

One of the Dads fired the suction caps at the ceiling [it has a high vaulted middle] where they all stuck fast.
The next game was to try and dislodge them with other bullets. I think the soft toys were used in the end to knock them down.


Oh the fun of being a Grannie who owns nerf guns!

Barbie 25 years later

Today I decided it was time to clean the toys my grandchildren play with. 

I have a new home for them, in an old cupboard that we have brought into the rec room where they can be easily seen and accessed.

Most of them needed a wash.

You see, many of the toys in my home belonged to my daughters and they are now delighting their children. 

I do confess I have bought nerf guns for the little boys, barbies only hold their attention for so long.

Barbie dolls were very popular in our home 25 years ago. 

There was a bookcase that was converted into a dolls house for barbie and her friends, and the girls would play for hours decorating the rooms and changing barbies outfits.

She [in all her different forms] looked a bit worse for wear today, so I stripped her, and put all the clothes in the washing machine, wondering how many would be in one piece at the end of the cycle.

I then preceeded to wash her, and the one Ken doll we owned.

I covered Ken, even tho he isn't anatomically correct, it just seemed right.

I was amazed at how well the clothes survived!

There is a number of very classy evening outfits

and some more sporty ones

I have no recollection of acquiring these. 

The girls followed a number of different AFL teams...... I remember the Carlton faze, but not Sydney.

At last it was time to dress her in the beautiful clean clothes

It is exhausting putting the trousers on! In the end I went for the outfits that offered the least resistance.

Ken is still waiting to be dressed...........

he only has one outfit, and it is still wet. 

Next job is to put the pound puppies and cabbage patch kids through the machine.

You may well ask why I have chosen to blog on this after a long break. 

I have no idea, it really is a bit silly isn't it!

one year on

Today is the anniversary of Waymans death.

Time is a funny thing.

Some days it seems as if it was just yesterday, and others I feel as if he has been gone for half a life time.

I miss him dreadfully.

Yet God has chosen this path for me and I trust Him with the future. 

Some days I am better at that than others.

I am privileged that Wayman provided for me in such a way that I am materially comfortable, and my girls are wonderfully caring.

My sons-in-law are good men who love the Lord and lead their families well.

My grandchildren are a constant delight to me. 

I now have four on earth with me, Charlie, Penny, Jonty and Oscar, who was born to Stephanie and Shane in March.

It is still strange to attend church on my own some weeks. 

I think this is exacerbated by the fact that many people did not know Wayman. 

The numbers have grown so much that the majority of people have joined us since Wayman became ill.
So I am learning to introduce myself to them as a widow.

How strange that still sounds.

I love my garden, and feel a responsibility to maintain it well. 

I am not good at looking after the lawns........Wayman would be disappointed in that.
But I had a great display of annuals this year, and the war with the birds has abated!
The veggie patch is planted with winter things, brussel sprouts, broccoli, winter greens, beetroot, carrots, garlic and herbs.
And pumpkins, I only put in two this year, and they haven't taken over the patch.
I am learning to make compost, and how to safely burn rubbish, I mow the lawns and try to keep the autumn leaves under control.
I have put fish in the dam, silver perch, and I am hoping that my grandsons will learn to fish there.

The house is my refuge. I love it.
It is very big, but I don't feel uncomfortable in it.
Each room has a purpose and I seem to use them all.
The families love visiting to watch Collingwood play on my oversized TV in winter and the tennis court is a wonderful play ground for us all in the warmer months.
So I will stay here for a while longer.

With the anniversary of Waymans death comes the end of all the "firsts"
The first Christmas without him, the birthdays, anniversaries, football grandfinals, each one evoking memories with emotions just below the surface.

Twelve months ago, the last things Wayman said to me in this life were

"You are a strong woman Ruth, and I love you"

I am so very glad that he did, and I will try to be strong going forward.

With God as my strength and with His love to envelope me I am complete.

40 years ago

Today is my 40th wedding anniversary.

Of course it seems like a life time ago that Wayman and I were married on a Friday night in a Uniting church in Broadview, Adelaide.

I was one month past my 20th birthday, and he had turned 21 the week before our wedding.

We were so young, and deliriously happy!

Our relatives and friends were pleased we chose a Friday night, as they could play their sport the next day, and not miss tennis or cricket to attend a wedding. Back then many people still played organised sport on a Saturday afternoon.

Actually we were forced to have a Friday night wedding as I had been accepted into a post graduate course in theatre nursing and we left it too late in changing the church booking to have a Saturday, so we changed to Friday night. Daylight saving was quite new and being married at 6pm meant we still had some daylight for photos.

My older sister was maid of honour [she had a 6 week old baby, not bad don't you think?] and the other bridesmaid was a nursing friend. The flower girl was a cousin of Waymans.

Waymans attendants were both work colleagues.

I spent months planning my wedding, [apart from the last minute change in day!] and I thought we were adding touches that were so different in many small ways. When I look back, it was a wedding of its time.

Mum made the dresses except for the flower girls, which was made by her mother

We invited ALL our extended families

The reception was in a community hall

I made the paper flowers that decorated the tables

My Mum wore a hat

Mum and Kate [Waymans Mum] worried about the fact that their outfits were both blue, but in the end they liked their dresses and went with it!

I had a "going away outfit"

The photographers camera malfunctioned, he didn't have a spare, so there are no photos of me arriving at the church. He had to drive across town to get another camera!

We were given a reel to reel audio copy of the service.

We had a little family drama.

My little sister was overseas and not due home until later. I refused to wait for her to arrive back.....I really wanted to be a scrub nurse in an operating theatre!

Waymans Father had died of a heart attack just 10 months before we were married.

Kate was brave and gracious, allowing us to enjoy our day without any thought of the heartache she must have felt at loosing her only child so soon after Dougs' death.

She was one classy lady.

We had speeches, an old farmer, a neighbour, who I had called Uncle Max all my life gave the toast to the bride and groom, and the best man stole the night with a very witty speech that he delivered in grand style.

I loved my day, not because it was perfect and flawless, in fact it was a bit of an amateur production.

I loved it because I was marrying Wayman. And I think he felt the same about marrying me.

Isn't that the way it is supposed to be?

It began a wonderful marriage of thirty nine and a quarter years.

Not bad for a couple of kids.

High tea for my 60th

I turned 60 last week.

It is easy to type that in, but I have felt the weight of that number as I consider my life choices.

I decided to celebrate with a few women at home, inviting them to join me for high tea.

The girls and I had great fun finding Waymans Mothers fine china that has been stored in boxes and cupboards in our homes.

We pulled out her silver teaspoons and cake forks, found jam and sugar spoons and started to polish them all.

Kate had some beautiful things, most of them rarely used, stored for special occasions.

We decided she would agree that my 60th birthday was special.

The day started with champagne under the Elm trees.

Jill, Jacquie and Alison came from Sydney to join me and meet my Adelaide friends and family.

The lounge room was converted into a tea room, and we were seated comfortably at little tables, all very British!

What on earth am I doing with the cake fork?

The ladies at my table seem to be ignoring me, a senior moment perhaps?

The food was beautiful and delicious, provided by the wonderful Nicole from the Olive Branch in Balhannah..........

and the tea selections were perfect, with everyone agreeing that there was something for everyone.

My Mother came for the celebration. If I live as long as her, there will be plenty of time for senior moments!

note to self: try not to poke out friends eye with cake fork next time you have one in your hand!

My deeper thoughts on turning 60 are wrapped up in the Bible verse I have posted in the side bar.

A festive street

Steph and Shane live in a pretty street. Steph is very community conscious and three years ago she decided to decorate her block of their street with red ribbons on the street trees at Christmas. She door knocked as many neighbours as possible and then proceeded to put the ribbons up at night, with Shanes help. It took her a few evenings to complete the task.

Apparently one lady who she hadn't spoken to, rang the council during the process complaining that she didn't have a ribbon, and demanding to know when were they coming to do her tree!

Last year Steph left the ribbon in peoples letter boxes with a request for them to put them up, but I think they didn't all meet her high standards in ribbon artistry so she abandoned that idea.

.

She buys red plastic tablecloths by the roll and cuts it into strips, so each year they start with fresh ribbon.

This year a neighbour helped her, and the street is beautifully adorned again.

Most of the houses have Agapanthus and lawn on the verge, so the red ribbons look very festive........but some don't take as much interest in the streetscape

but they still have a ribbon to brighten their footpath.

Even the vacant block has two!

everyone is treated the same

They have found it a wonderful way to get to know their neighbours, and now Jont rides his bike along the footpath, and talks to Ben and Gerry, and Dot, and Di, he thinks it is quite normal to know many of the people on his block.

And in a small way one family is helping their community to celebrate Christmas.

.....and my real BFF

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

what a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry,

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged:

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness:

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge:

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer:

in his arms he'll take and shield you,

you will find a solace there.

My new BFF

My love/hate relationship with the birds on my property is continuing.

I really love the diversity of bird life, from the magpies and willy wagtails to the ducks that make my dam home while they raise their chicks.

But the destructive habits of some of them really makes it hard to appreciate them.

The roses continue to be a target for the lorikeets, and I am continuing to battle for supremacy in that theatre of warfare.

But a new enemy has arisen.

The sulphur crested cockatoos are trying to destroy my lawn, and just for fun they poop all over my outdoor furniture!

So I have a new best friend......

I am hopeful that this fearsome looking owl will discourage any toilet action by these birds on my table. He is perched on the front patio to help them to find another place to empty their bowels.

I have another one on the coffee table, and one sitting in the middle of the lawn to stop the destruction of the lawn. I always go over board with a new idea! I bought the updated model, that has a solar panel on its head so that the eyes glow at night to stop any nocturnal activity.

Pretty good don't you think?

And very classy sitting on my front patio.

I wonder what my daughters will think of my taste in outdoor art?

Well, when you consider that they are replacing Bob the gnome I think it is an improvement.

Bob wasn't originally meant to be on guard against these predators and really he isn't very scary with his cute little ukelele and red mushroom.

Even the scar on his forehead from a mishap in the rockery hasn't made the birds respect him.

So I think I will retire Bob back to the anonymity of the garden where the little boys can play hide and seek with him and he doesn't have to worry about pesky birds pooping on his little red cap.

I'll leave the work of guarding my property to the plastic owls, with googly eyes, and a fearsome scowl.........and a solar panel on their head.

Cool, sophisticated, noice!

Suits in the city

I have just returned from a visit to Sydney.

It was my first on my own.

I chose this time as it coincided with the AGM of "Waymans" company, and I decided that I was brave enough to attend. I stayed with wonderful friends who allowed me room to remember with delight the 9 years I had lived there. I have many memories of Sydney that are specific to my own life, but I wanted on this visit, to remember Wayman. As I visited people and places I made a list that particularly related to him.

It isn't profound, but I thought I would share it with you. I didn't take any photos, it wasn't that sort of trip. There is no order, and I apologise if it is bit boring, as most of the list relates to things that we did, just the two of us. But they helped me to remember us, living ordinary lives in a truly beautiful city.

Men in suits in the city

Pages and Pages book shop

Hayden Orpheum picture theatre

Indian myna birds scavenging on the streets

McIntosh of Mosman

Illawarra Street

The ferry ride from Mosman Bay to Circular Quay

Fanuli furniture

Allan Border oval

Queen Victoria building

Crystal carwash cafe

the walk from the piazza to the church at St Thomas'

Rihani menswear in Mosman

Little Sirius cove

Rubicor

Jane, Kevin and Sharad

Coffee group at St Ives

Qantas club

the cross word in the inflight magazine

having to "lean in" to hear Gwens' lilting Irish accent

Balmoral Beach

the drive on Archibald road to St Ives

the men who were Waymans friends

Lastly, the ferry terminal at Mosman bay. I managed to be brave most of the time, but here I admit I had a good cry.

Wayman would drive to work most days toward the end of our stay, but occasionally he would catch the ferry. He would ring me as the ferry was coming around Cremorne Point and I would drive down to Mosman Bay to pick him up. There is short term parking where you can watch the passengers as they alight from the ferry, and I would sit in the car and watch the suits as they filed off the green and gold ferry waiting to catch the first glimpse of him. Wayman always looked the same at the end of the day as he did at the beginning, his tie still tied, his coat on even on the warmest day. At the end of the day he still looked immaculate. He would stride toward the car, with his satchel under his arm and always, always, he was pleased to see me.

This time my heart ached as I watched the people coming off the ferry, knowing that my man wasn't among them.

Would you choose ........here?

I visited my mum today, and she was very keen to take me out into her backyard.

We often enjoy a walk there, as she is keen gardener, and while my brother-in-law Roger does most of the work, Mum takes great pride in her flowers.

But today she had something different to show me.

We had to use the sliding door out of her living area, rather than the laundry door, I wondered why.

When we were outside, Mum directed my attention to................

her 2 mops and outside broom. You can imagine my excitement!!!!!

Mum has a cleaning lady, so she doesn't use the mops much, but the outdoor broom is usually in use fairly regularly.

But the mystery remained.

She beckoned me to examine them more closely............

There tucked in behind the broom was a birds nest, perched on top of the mops.

Mum has been watching it for a couple of weeks now, avoiding using her laundry door, respecting the privacy of the occupants.

and this is the result..........

three tiny little chicks cuddled up on top of Mums domestic floor cleaning equipment!

Would you choose ....... here?

I just hope that the whole thing doesn't collapse as the chicks grow, and that Mums' cleaning lady continues to bring her own supplies!

To avoid any disasters we bought a new mop today, as a precaution.

Prayer

We are currently doing a series on prayer at our church. Each week our minister has asked someone to talk on praying before he speaks. A few weeks ago he asked me. In sharing

with my church family about prayer I was honest enough to admit that I have found it difficult at times over the past 15 months to pray. But I am trying to put in place some things that will help me to pray more regularly.

I thought I would tell you too about my strategy to pray more.

So here is an excerpt from my talk.

I found it hard to pray when I faced great personal loss and deep grief. There were times when I just cried out to God. But I know that he wants me to talk to Him, and so I have thought about some things that might be helpful.

Being honest with ourselves about our prayer life is very important. Do we pray? How often do we pray? Do we sit quietly and pray or is it usually when we are on the move? It helps us to make changes or to try to pray more regularly if we are honest with ourselves.

I know that it requires discipline to pray. Like all things that are good for me, [for example physical exercise] it takes commitment to pray. I am not fooled into thinking that it will one day become easy. Yes it is a delight and becomes more so, the longer I practice the discipline, but it will always require me to make time for it.

I must be intentional about praying. By that I mean if I want to pray while my grand daughter is napping, I have to be intentional leading up to that. It is very easy to get side tracked into just clearing the kitchen bench, or putting on a load of washing. If I want to pray before leaving the house for the day, I need to keep an eye on the clock as I eat breakfast so I don't run out of time. I have chosen not to have a set time each day, as each day is different. Instead, I am trying to set a time that morning in keeping with the days activities.

An important thing for me is to have a specific place to pray in my house. It is good to have somewhere where you can close the door. Also I have a chair that isn't too comfortable! Praying in a cosy chair will put me to sleep in an instant! At the moment I pray at my desk. This is where I conduct the business of life, so I pray surrounded by photos of people, reminders of chores to be done, and all the issues I am dealing with. It helps me to pray for people and about events that are happening.

This is my new favourite cosy chair. It is in the office near the desk, and it beckons me to sit in it at prayer time. I resist the temptation knowing it is very comfortable!

I read the Bible before praying. This isn't Bible study, just a few verses to help me to focus on God. I find if I don't start with this, my prayers are very selfish. At the moment I am reading Hebrews and loving the focus on who Jesus is.

Lastly I have a simple plan. It is really basic.

Adoration

Thanksgiving

Repentance

Requests.

This is my blue print, and while I have presented it to you, I by no means am achieving this regularly in my life, but I am trying to take ownership of my prayer life.

So dear readers, that is some of what I presented on Sunday morning. Many of you I know talk regularly with God. Some of you might never have done so. He is waiting for you. Why not find out more about Jesus and start to talk to Him. Oh yes, and if you want to know more about my church our website is

www.trinitymountbarker.org.au

Taking on new jobs

It has amazed me over the past six months, the number of "jobs" that were Waymans.

Like mowing the lawns, and opening wine bottles with corks, towing the trailer, and cleaning the gutters. He wasn't a real out doors man, and he didn't really understand cars, but he knew when the wheels needed to be balanced, [he always noticed that it needed doing after I had tried to park somewhere and had run into the kerb! I never seemed to get away with it!] He always kept our cars beautifully clean, inside and out. He used to clean my shoes for me, and he would do the small painting jobs on the house. It was Waymans job to pack the dishwasher. Lindy did it when the family came for a BBQ on Friday, and she has her Fathers ability to stack the maximum amount of dishes in.

I miss him terribly, and while some jobs are easy for me take on, I am learning to do others for the first time. My boys are wonderful, and they are helping me too.

I am sure that most people in the western world know what 2 stroke fuel is, but it is new knowledge to me. Cam showed me last week how to make it, when he was teaching me how to use the leaf blower.

Even my American stockbroker knows the formula, "lube and gas"

I have mastered the art of the pull start 2 stroke engine on the leaf blower, but I find the mulching machine a bit of challenge. Steph and I tried it some months ago, and we both are a bit frightened of it, so we are leaving that one for now.

But the leaf blower is a friendly little machine, and on my property is a very useful tool.

I used it on the driveway this week, as the gum trees are dropping leaves at the moment, and it was beautifully clean on 20 minutes!

I then decided to try the tennis court, that is a bit more of a challenge, as the leaves kept swirling up and over my head. I decided that it is a bit like herding sheep, it works better with less noise and bluster, and more gentle coaxing.

I also discovered that even a gentle breeze is your enemy if you are trying to do this job.

I had just finished and the wind gave a couple little puffs and this was the result!

So the week begins, and my list of jobs is

plant some lawn runners in a bare spot

stake the tomato plants

mow the lawns

harvest the duck weed off the dam [apparently it makes very good compost]

make the compost

spread some mulch on the garden beds

plant lettuces and a watermelon plant [the pumpkins are already in]

do some painting touch-ups around the house

.......and perhaps I might try to blow the leaves off the tennis court again!

Grandmas day

Today I had my first ever Grandparents day at school.

C has chosen to call it Grandmas day, and that's fine with me.

It is a bit daunting to arrive at a day like this on your own, but I was cared for immediately by friends who I don't know very well, but who took me under their wing compassionately.

We started in chapel, this is the view I had of C sitting with his teacher and friends.

We then had time in his class room looking at his work, he showed me around the school, and I enjoyed morning tea with other GPs. this was followed by a school presentation. All is well in the world when primary school students are given a clarinet and put in the school band to entertain us with songs arranged to include the few notes that they can play.

I remember that stage all to clearly!

The highlight of the day was at the end.

We were meant to bring lunch to have with the children.

I had stayed a little longer in the concert hall than many others talking to an old friend, and I thought rather than eating my lunch with C, I would just quickly visit him in his area, and say goodbye.

Cs teacher saw me coming across the yard, and I heard her say, "Here she is Charlie!"

He had worried that I wasn't coming. He had saved half his lunch for me,

two rather battered triangles of vegemite sandwich and the left over crumbs from his muffin.

He shared his drink bottle with me, I am glad his Mum has provided the type that does not allow any "backwash"!

I felt very loved as I sat awkwardly on the common area floor.

Gods plan to put us into families is pretty good, don't you think?

The war of the roses

I love my roses. To live on my property, you have to love roses, there are dozens of bushes, and that means a lot of pruning and spraying, and caring.

At the moment I am at war to protect my roses!!!!

I don't mind the usual enemies, things like black spot, or aphids, I know how to fight them, and currently I am winning these battles, as my gold bunnies attest.

But there is a more sinister enemy out there that is trying to decimate my bushes.

These beautiful native rainbow lorikeets are everywhere here in the hills, and they are extremely destructive, orchardists have to net their fruit trees to stop them eating their crops.

This is what they do to my precious roses:

Before:

After:

Again, before:

and after:

I'm sure you would agree this is very disturbing, as they are simply being destructive, sucking the sap out of the new shoots, leaving the flowers to wilt, and the plant with no new growth.

Here is an example of their work......

so I have declared WAR on these monsters of the sky!!!!

They strike, when I am at my most vulnerable, using guerilla tactics, usually swooping before dawn. Now, I have been through an exhaustive investigation of the tactics available to me and here are my findings:

1. I could run around flapping my arms in my PJs at 6am to scare them off, but that really doesn't appeal to me, and could be a bit embarrassing if I am spotted by the neighbours.

2. I could hang CD discs from the bushes to scare them off. This has been tried by others with limited success but I like to listen to my CDs, and besides I think a garden full of shiny discs hanging from bits of string looks a bit naff.

3. I could put nets over the bushes, but what's the point of having them if I can't see the flowers?

4. So this is my preferred method of attack:

I boil up a mixture of these potent ingredients, and spray them on the bushes!!!!!!

The poor little birdies don't like the taste and go away!

And if this doesn't work my gardener has some really foul smelling stuff that is my last line of defence.

Chemical warfare .............as a last resort!

Be afraid pretty little birdies, be very afraid!

Please be aware that the aim is not to harm rainbow lorikeets at Elmbrook simply to stop them from ruining my roses!

Lions of Singapore..... and other things.

Lindy and Gus invited me to share their family trip to Singapore which was part holiday and also an opportunity for them to connect with Gus' sister and her family there.

The children coped well with the flight, and arrived ready to greet the Lions of Singapore.

First were the statues in front of the Takashimaya shopping mall....

We were much more interested in the interior of the shopping malls, but that had to wait!

Then we saw the Merlion.....

Miss P had just been harassed by a group of Japanese tourists who wanted to take her photo, and she was a little un-nerved by the experience so we have the back of her head!

We then discovered these cute little versions on our way to the Marina Bay complex...

The Marina Bay Sands hotel is simply mind boggling!

and as we walked through the mall we discovered this lion was coming to town!

Lindy and Gus had dinner at the top of the hotel to celebrate his sisters birthday... I declined the invitation to join them to mind the children, and to avoid having to go to the top of that building,

however....

a ride on the Singapore flyer was the next activity!

[you can see it in the distance in the photo of the hotel, it doesn't look very high but it is nearly as high as the hotel}

Can you see the cars on the freeway? we were only half way up!!!

C was also a little anxious, and at about this point, he strapped himself into the stroller for protection.

No-one had the heart to tell him the facts of gravity and strollers, and very great heights, after all he is only 5!

We visited the zoo, the lions there were asleep with their backsides pointing at us, so I didn't bother with a photo shoot, but C fed the elephants with his cousins.

We then had a morning at the childrens' science centre ,

Miss P played the chimes

And C served his head on a platter for us

It was a wonderful time with this dear family doing all the things that little people enjoy. But I did see some of the arcades with the amazing array of designer boutiques and even dropped in on a fashion parade!

The highlight of the week for me was really rather simple. I had time with Belinda just the two of us, something that is in short supply, as she is busy young Mum, with many responsibilities. She is a woman with great general knowledge, and can talk on many different topics, and I loved having time with her discussing history, politics and our christian walk.

Her Dad would have loved being in these conversations.

I can't finish this blog without including one last Lion.

I shared my room with C and he was a wonderful room mate.

But if I needed to have a little "Grannie" time I would turn on the TV to the Singapore cartoon station and he would happily watch Tom and Jerry.

So this lion became an integral part of our days, roaring at the start of each cartoon.

The same cartoons were probably playing 23 years ago when Wayman and I took our family to Singapore for their first overseas holiday