Crosswords and Codewords

Wayman has been a "crossworder" for years! Even in this age of electronic media, he loves to get the daily paper to do the puzzles. He is always disappointed when the crossword has been done in the Qantas in-flight magazine when he flies.

It has given him a good vocabulary and means that his spelling is usually pretty good.

I am not a crossworder.

Consequently I have a poor vocabulary and my spelling is atrocious!!!!

Thank goodness for spell check.

Today I spent time with Wayman in hospital, it was the one place I wanted to be.

With Wayman enjoying his crossword, I visited the newsagent and discovered codewords.

Now some people might think that this puzzle is even harder than a crossword, but there is a secret dear friends.

You only buy the puzzle books that have the answers in the back!

There is something very special about two 60ish people who just want to spend time together discussing if there is a word in the English language that finishes with uu, or whether murex is a word.

Today I had a wonderful day.

Wayman is tolerating the treatment well, and is counting the days until he can come home. [ he would also love a private room but I'm sure he be will OK, I keep telling him it is character building to share a bathroom with other men]

A set-back for Wayman

I was hoping to share more images from our time at the river with our family with you, but Wayman has had a set-back in his condition and I would appreciate your prayerful support. He loved the time there just watching the families and the water sports, but was unable to be very involved. He was pleased to be home, but his malaise was obvious.

One of the major complications with a glioma is its ability to send blood clots through the body. The medicos don't quite know why, but it seems to happen with many sufferers.

Wayman has been hospitalised today with multiple small blood clots in his lungs, and we think they are also in his legs.

Apart from the obvious symptoms related to this, and excluding one incident on Monday, he has remained pain free.

Over the next week he will stay in hospital to receive a course of anticoagulants. We are hoping this will relieve the situation and help us avoid a major issue.

Please pray that the drugs will quickly dissolve any clots, and that no new ones will form.

Thank God for Waymans lack of pain, and the relative ease with which he is coping with a difficult situation. Praise Him for allowing Wayman good times with his girls and their husbands.

Pray that he will be fit enough to enjoy turning 60 at the end of the month!

Thank you for your partnership.

Miss P tries tube riding

We have enjoyed a break on the River Murray with our family and Miss P at two and a half decided that she would keep up with the boys, and ride the tube.

We are very careful about water safety, and all the adults were a little nervous but her Dad had everything under control.

Aunty Steph saw them off, while the grandparents watched anxiously from the shack.

What have I let myself in for? This looks a bit scary!

Now Dad said I have to hang on really tight, I'd better get this right!

OK...... I'm set take it away!!!!!

Don't worry about Dad he's a pretty cool dude, just going to sleep on the job.

This is really grown-up fun, and I'm loving it.......I think!

I have no idea what our little grand-daughter was looking at here. I wonder if a house boat was bearing down on them, or perhaps a jet ski was up ahead, but the expression is priceless!

Yes, all you have to do is relax to nail this thing, look, no hands!

I can't believe you want a kiss out here in the middle of the river, Dad!

That was such fun, can we go around again?

Well Dad, I think I did OK, don't you?

We think that Angus is in for some interesting times ahead with our Miss P!!!!!

Chapman family Christmas

Our Christmas day was one to remember, enjoying all the things that are precious to us.

Wayman was surrounded by his girls, their men and the grandchildren.

We ate dinner outside on Christmas eve, the boys loved the dessert of brandy snaps and florentines

The girls put the babies to bed early to enjoy the evening under the fairy lights

The children did what all children do on Christmas eve and woke their parents frequently during the night, in anticipation of Christmas day.

We went to church to celebrate with our wonderful family there, then returned home to open presents together

Miss P chose not to wear her hat, it didn't match her outfit!

As we worked in the kitchen to prepare the food, Nath and Steph took responsibility for filling the profitto rolls...........

and during the day Wayman took every opportunity to let his girls know how loved they are.

The end result was more was a pyramid rather than a croquembouche but it tasted delicious!

My photos end at lunch time, because the photographer had to rest to recover from a lack of sleep and too much turkey!

Wayman had a wonderful day, and handled the bustling noisy house very well.

We have had a quieter time today and as we ponder the day we both praise God for the many blessings he has given us.

A Christmas invitation

These kings of concrete castles sit

in lonely power, purport to rule

The earth, and all the hapless throng

Who sit, and dream along

The pedagogues of science meet,

Presume to order cosmic spheres:

To know the depth, the height, the course

Of all, save one impelling Force.

In dropping names, this avant garde,

Called beautiful, adored by all,

See only self whose object, fame

Deludes and recognises not his name

But all men rule and all they dream,

And all they know and all they seek,

All they presume and all they deal

And all they are, ignore what's real.

For all that is and all to come

Was in the humblest, quietest birth

Eclipsed, when God the Son came down

And time stood still, the Meek to crown.

If you live in the hills Wayman and I would like to invite you to come and celebrate Christmas with us at our church. We meet at the Littlehampton primary school in their gym.

Christmas day we will be there at 9am for under an hour, so there is plenty of time to prepare for the mid-day meal.

Round three

Wayman started round three of his chemo yesterday. He has been extremely fortunate and has again had no major side effects. He is eating normally, and aside from sleeping this afternoon he has had a normal day. He even went Christmas shopping this morning, to buy me a surprise gift!

We are slowly decreasing his dose of dexamthazone, as he has no symptoms of the tumour. The issue of being in control of his mind has been one that he is working hard to achieve, and I am proud of the effort he is making, and the success he is having. God is good, and is helping us to live with this disease and to celebrate life.

We are looking forward to Christmas with our family, in our home here at Oakbank.

If you are praying for us, please thank God for His continued care of us. We are so aware of how much we have because he sent Jesus at Christmas.

On a practical level, I am feeling tired, and want so much to be able to enjoy the time over Christmas. I am grateful for the different skills that my daughters have, and I need to relax and allow them to do what they are so capable of doing in my kitchen.

Wayman will have an MRI in January at the half way point of his chemotherapy.

Now all we need is for the Australians to make a few runs, and life will be good!

A boy, a boat, a pond, and his Uncle

Every little boy should have a boat, a pond and an Uncle.

It makes for perfect Sunday afternoon fun. You can loose yourself in the moment.

Do you think there is anything in there Uncle Shane?

I'll just pretend I'm fishing

That's fine for you mate.........

I'm just trying to keep this tiny thing stable!

Over this way Uncle Shane!

Hang on C, at 6'5" I take up most of the room and it is bit difficult to maneuver. To make matters worse, I have to sit with my legs straight to stop us from rolling over!

I wonder why Grandpa Wayman got the smallest boat going? It is almost impossible to turn!

Well done Uncle Shane, Granny wouldn't want a hole in her reeds!

Time to finish C, now I just have to turn this confounded little thing around to bring it in!