In the Winter

In the Winter, we disappear from sight.
But in the Spring, we dance in the light.

by Lizzie Maher, October, 2012.


May God bless you day,

Linda.

I Just Don't Know WHAT To Do With Them!

Well, what else was I supposed to do with the unwanted spray paint? 'twasn't me that graffitied the sheds and left 'The Mahers Rock' message - can't I just blame the kids?

And after all that - the question was - what to do with the old wooden cupboards that were sitting on the verandah? Ahhhh, nothing like a Mum with a massive hammer to take care of that - mwahahahahahaha! 

 
Now THAT was fun!


 Linda.

Goodbyes and Other Stuff.

As always, a big part of moving house is saying Goodbye to friends and family.

Recently, our concert band played at the Clare Show – our final performance as a part of the Clare Valley Concert Band.  We will so miss you guys!  We had a wonderful day, full of music, food and activities, and merrily blurted out all our favourite pieces:  Comedy Classics, Moondance, Viva La Vida, and of course, The Man from Snowy River and Lean on Me.

During the day, we got to meet an old childhood favourite - Humphrey B Bear!

At the end of the day, it was time for the ‘Young Farmers Competition’, and four of our members teamed up to enter – Andrew, Daniel, Orson and Sammi.  They did soo well, having to erect an electric fence, roll hay bales, put out a fire, and the final task was, naturally, a sculling competition!  Poor Orson had a little trouble with putting on his fire suit – clothes went on backwards, braces didn’t quite get there before the jacket, and so on – he was struggling, but it was most entertaining for the rest of us!  The sculling then proved to be an issue for Sammi, although my Daniel seemed to have no problems at all –  then again, he has had some practice lately at all the homeschool camps (soft drink only, of course!).

In the end, our team came in fourth.  Yes, there was only four teams – but they did put in a mighty effort, and not too bad at all for musos. 

Afterwards, we headed south to Adelaide for the evening, where, after dropping off Jessica and Daniel to a party, we enjoyed dinner with Orson and his family, and spent several hours chatting and enjoying each other’s company.  When I was finally able to tear myself away from the lovely evening, we headed off to pick up the others from the 21^st, determined to get home early – it is a 3-hour trip back home, and already, it was around 10pm. 

Oh well, best laid plans!  We just couldn’t help ourselves, and happily gate-crashed the party, and had a great time!  It was my nephew’s 21^st, and we enjoyed meeting many of his friends, and hearing some very interesting stories all about our Patrick, and many of his ‘extra curricula activities’.  The theme of the night was ‘the eighties’, so we fitted in very well.  At one point, my son Daniel was inside, and he suddenly heard someone take the microphone and begin blurting out ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’ along with the music.  His immediate thought was, ‘Well, someone’s having a good time!’  I’m still not sure if he was disgusted or delighted to discover that it was, in fact, his mother – and yes, I WAS having a good time!  My sister-in-law and I were having loads of fun, hassling the young people and having very in depth conversations with them about who exactly should take that last piece of cheese – and how chilli flavoured cheese tastes nothing like apricot, thank you very much!

But all too soon, we decided we really must head home – and instead of our ‘early’ getaway, we ended up crawling up our driveway at 4am, completely exhausted, but still in a great mood – despite having to say Goodbye to our band, our good friends, and family members, it had been a wonderful day.

Linda.

Yep, That'd Be Me!

Thanks to our friend Peter for sending this one our way - my children tell me that this one applies to me perfectly!

Yep, guilty as charged!


Linda.

Update on our move.

Well, things continue to move along, and, after the excitement of the past few weeks, thing have been remarkably calmer these past couple of days.

I'm also feeling much more positive on a personal level, and feeling more than ready to leave the emotional 'baggage'  and hurt behind, and ready to begin a whole new life in NSW.
 
We had an excellent day today, taking several loads to the dump, putting aside a heap of items to be delivered to St. Vinnies, and clearning out two whole rooms.  We are getting there!  

Although we are all very tired, the excitement is building, and the reality of our move is truly setting in.  The children can't wait to get up there and see all their friends once more, and I am very much looking forward to visiting with my own friends up there, and being able to pop in for a cuppa on occasion, rather than invading their houses for an entire week when we make our 'Interstate' visits - how they managed to put up with us for that long is most impressive! We will forever be grateful to them all, and hope we can return some of their kindness by having them over to 'our house' for regular visits.
 
We just can't wait for the next few weeks to go by!  Here's more reasons why:

Every fortnight, we'll be joining in with a group for a shared dinner and prayer evening.

The Clarence River - our new home is right on the banks of the river, and it's going to be absolutely lovely to sit out the back and ponder away the hours while overlooking the water (and maybe, even do a spot of fishing!) 

Lessons at the Conservatorium: 

Helena - Private Lessons, Concert Band, Stage Band and Clarinet Ensemble.

Daniel - Singing Lessons, Vocal Group

Lizzie - Trumpet Lessons

and Me - Concert Band, String / Flute Ensemble, and I may possibly enrol for some private lessons as well. 

And Bill just may be joining the vocal group, too.

I also have a flute teacher lined up for Emily, as well as, of course, a brand new Sing Australia group for us all.

TAFE - it seems my daughter and my son will be attending TAFE next year, and fortunately, the Grafton TAFE offer some wonderful courses!  Helena's application is in, and Daniel is making the final decision as to which course he'll take.   They are both very much looking forward to taking this next step towards adulthood.  Of course, that'll mean that I'll be only homeschooling four next year - which will be quite an adjustment.

Scrapbooking and Card Making - I am already in contact with a few ladies in this area, and I hope to finally get my Kaszazz business up and running.  I look forward to running workshops and meeting a heap of new friends who enjoy using the 'creative bug' as much as I do!

Art and Craft fairs and opportunities - still following up on these, but again, have been given several leads regarding opportunites for art and craft around Grafton.  Several of us love to draw and paint, and my girls are very much looking foward to showing off their creative talents in our new home town.  

Edited to add:  Also mixing in with the Grafton Homeschooling Group!  How could I have forgotten to mention THAT??!!!
 

Won't WE be having fun????  

Just eight more rooms and two more sheds to clear, as well as about twenty cars to get rid of (I just HAD to marry a mechanic, right?), and we'll be done!

Linda.

Fire!

Well, they say that ‘whatever can go wrong, will go wrong’.  It certainly seems as if it is our time for things to go wrong.

As you know, we are in the process of moving, and part of that involves sorting, packing, and getting rid of the rubbish.  We organised an incinerator, and for the past few weeks, have been busily burning off rubbish, old school books, broken furniture, etc. 

On Tuesday, we continued this process, and as usual, we carefully put on only a little at a time.  Once the fire had died down and was only smouldering, we stepped inside for a break.  I was tending to a few things inside, when I stopped short, as I smelled smoke, and thought that it was a little too much smoke for our small fire.  Then came the terrified scream from my 15 year-old:  ‘The yard is on fire!’  It sure was.  Racing outside, we saw that the fire had somehow escaped from the incinerator, and not only was the grass burning, but the pine tree as well.  As we grabbed water buckets, blankets, and whatever else we could find, we realised very quickly that there was no way we would stop this fire on our own (Orson – where were you?  Of course, by the time he put on his fire gear, I guess it would have been too late, anyway – he does have a few issues in that area (another story for later blog post!)). 

I ran inside and called the fire brigade and was just giving them directions when my daughter screamed, ‘it’s about to get the house!’  At that point, it was time to simply grab what we could, and run.  ‘Everyone to the bus!’   I grabbed my bag, my phone, and of course, my laptop (!) and was just running out the door, when my husband rang, and was merrily leaving a message on the answering machine – ‘Hi, how are you?  Anyone there?’ I grabbed the phone, screamed into it, ‘The yard and house are on fire – we’re getting out  - now -  I have my mobile!’, and slammed the phone down in his ear.  I haven’t actually asked him yet what he did or thought at that moment – must do that….  Poor guy, at the time he was 2000kms away, so unable to do anything but wait.

By the time we got to the cars, the smoke was so thick we could hardly see or breathe, and we all piled in to take off.  ‘Have we got everyone?’ I screamed, and my sixteen year old, who was busily still pouring water on the fire, thought, ‘Wait – you don’t have me’!  and dropped her bucket and ran.  I only found out afterwards that she had just dumped a heap of water over a bush that is right next to the house, and it had just caught on fire.  That simple act saved the house, for that bush lies directly under a wooden beam, which, if it had caught, would have certainly set the roof ablaze. 

With all the girls in the car, we called out for my son, not knowing where he was.  He, too, was busy pouring water over other items close to the house, when all of a sudden he realised that a tyre was burning right next to our other car, and the car was very close to catching fire itself.  He ran, jumped in the car, and drove straight past me and down the driveway.  With that, we slammed the bus door shut, and flew out the driveway as well, heading for the neighbour’s house.

The neighbours (who live about 1 km away), had looked up to see billowing smoke.  Fortunately, they had just fitted fire units to their utes, and quickly put them into action.  We met in their driveway, I shouted that everyone was out and safe, and they took off.  Their actions also saved our house, for they were able to spray water over the house and anything close to it.  I rang the fire dept again, and they said yes, a truck was on the way.

In the end, we actually five or six trucks from all the various local towns, as well as several police cars and water trucks.  The flames rose around 30 feet in the air, and they reported exploding fridges, sheds filled with flames, and burning cars.  But, they saved the house.  In a couple of hours, the fire was contained, and the trucks were able to leave.  They certainly were not happy with us for burning off our rubbish, and gave me and my son a terrible serving of abuse.  I could understand their frustration, but we were not burning in fire-ban season, it was not windy when we lit the fire, we had taken steps to ensure the area around was clear and we only burned in the incinerator.  Still, the police say that someone may need a ‘rap over the knuckles’, whatever that may mean – I guess charges may be coming my way – we shall see.

There used to be a heap of trees and bushes between here and that line of trees.

Apparently, the heat that came out of these fridges was unbelievable.

 

Jessica's car - first wiped out by a kangaroo, and now by fire!

Later that day and all through the night, we checked for hot spots and wandered around with buckets of water, and the neighbours continued to check with their ute as well.  During the night, shock began to set in, and understandably, there were several tummy upsets, headaches and lack of sleep.  By morning, I found I was short of breath and struggling to stand – it had certainly been an experience.

On examination, the electrician decided that power would not be restored to the house without a lot of expense and work, so for now, the house is without electricity, and given the age of the house, it may remain that way. 

Yep, I'd say this one is totalled....

As we inspected the damage that day, we found that one shed had been completely gutted, as had three cars.  But somehow, the house was saved, the main big shed (which was the closest to where the fire had started) was fine, as was our other cars and the shearing shed. 

I’ve spoken in recent posts about miracles, and I believe we just had our third one in a fortnight!  How our entire house did not go up is absolutely amazing; when we sped out the driveway, the fire was about to take it, and I was positive we’d be returning to nothing but a pile of smouldering ash.  But no, we still have a house.  However, with no electricity, we decided to move into my parents’ home, 15kms away, which has been standing empty since they made their move into the Old Folks’ Home a few months ago.  The plan now is to sleep there each night, and go out to our house to finish the sorting, packing and moving during the daylight hours.

Can I just say that I have the most amazing, brilliant, children?  Even in the event of a fire sweeping towards our home, they kept their cool, worked together wonderfully, and with cool heads, saved our home, our car, and even grabbed the dog.  The past couple of days has been an incredible experience – not one I’d like to repeat – but just watching them and realising just how much they have matured, even in that short space of time, has been an honour and a privilege.  And again, we have spent time in prayer together, holding hands, and thanking God for his providence once again.  

Bill's Tool Shed

Bill's Tools and Work Table

As if my last post on moving was not convincing enough, now we are certainly moving!  Our whole focus now is the cleanup and packing up, and heading off.  Bill left NSW the day after the fire, and is now back with us (praise the Lord!).  I still can’t quite believe we got through the whole affair without him, but, we did, and we are still standing tall.  And I discovered a strength within myself I never knew existed.  They say what doesn’t kill you makes your stronger – and this month, October 2012  – has certainly made me a much stronger person.  I think by the time I get to Grafton, I’m going to be the strongest woman out; maybe it’ll be my turn to sing, ‘I Am Woman’ at our next homeschool concert! 

We are alive. We are safe. And we are together. 

And..  umm..  I guess we’ve taken care of that yard cleanup.

Linda.

Left with No Doubts

Today, I am left with no doubts.  We are supposed to move to Grafton; God has chosen this path for us, and has shown us, without doubt, that it is where we are meant to be.  We have known for some time that were to move on, and for the past few months, Grafton has become the obvious choice – we tried Dubbo, Wagga, Adelaide, and other centres, but each time, the doors firmly closed, leaving us frustrated and confused.  But in Grafton, the doors swung open.

Firstly, the job.  We arrived in Grafton for our ‘holiday’, the Thursday before our annual homeschool camp.  Dear hubby, Bill, looked online for work, and found a job he thought he’d apply for.  He sent through his application on Saturday, had an interview on Monday, and was offered a weeks’ trial straight away.  Now, he has not started in that work as yet – due to lack of rain, current work opportunities are minimal (it’s at a lawn mower workshop), but he has been told once, and then again this week, he is at the top of their list, their employee of choice, and once the rain arrives, the job will be his.  And even if it doesn’t work out, Bill has a great sense of peace that there is a job waiting for him, and it will come at just the right time.

Next, the house.  With work looking promising, the hunt for a house began.  We applied for several, and were knocked back.  But all along, we knew that if possible, we did not want to go through a real estate agent.  So, we put up signs, and put an ad in the paper.  On the very morning we were leaving to come home, we received a text message about a house just 10 minutes from Grafton.  The house contained 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and overlooked the river.  We went to inspect it, and both Bill and myself felt such a sense of peace in the house, that we knew, despite the fact it was a much smaller house than what we have now, that it was ‘the one’.  It was also private rental, so no real estate agent, and was around $100 per week cheaper than any other house we had looked at.  Perfect!  And, after spending hour after hour filling out forms to apply for rentals, providing identification, proof of income, etc. etc., this house was offered to us on the spot – no application forms required – it was just ..  easy.

But as if that wasn’t enough, after being knocked back for so many other houses, it was as if God said, ‘and just to show you I mean it – here are three other houses for you’.  Yep, one was through a real estate agent, and two others were offered to us because of our ads in windows.  So in the end, we would have had a house, whether that be through the real estate agent, the signs in the windows, or the ad in the paper.

Anyway, we returned home to begin the packing.  The whole ‘removal truck’ thing concerned me, for we currently live in a rather rural location, and I wasn’t sure how to go about finding a suitable removal company.  One email later, I had a company willing to do it for us, and they so happened to have a truck coming through our area two days later, who would deliver the boxes.  We were on our way!

But you know, it seems that whenever God is doing something great in people’s lives, the devil is there, willing to do whatever it takes to prevent it.  And he has tried.  Some people began to spread lies and vicious rumours.  With great sadness, I told my parents and close friends the news, and the next visit to my parents turned out to be one of the most difficult days of my life.  They had both sunk into depression, and I left the homes terrified that one (or both) of them had given up on life, and were now simply waiting to die.  With the stress of it all, I collapsed, and nearly ended up in hospital.  My health has suffered greatly, and in the end, I was simply unable to move on the date we had set for the removal truck.  But, we packed anyway.  And my husband headed north with the truck, leaving the rest of us here to finish the packing, cleaning and sorting. 

Some wonderful friends then stepped in to help, although, they said, it would be with sad faces, as they would greatly miss us.  In the end, we had two families helping us out.  But in the two weeks that have followed, one family hit a kangaroo and totalled their car, leaving them unable to help, and the second family were rear-ended, leaving them also without a vehicle.  And so, we were back to just the children and I to complete the task. 

But, it doesn’t stop there.  First came the near accident that I wrote about in a previous post, where we nearly wiped out the bus (and ourselves).  A miracle of God saved us that day, and more were to come.  Earlier this week, we were driving along with my son at the wheel, when another driver turned without looking at a t-junction and nearly hit us.  My son handled it beautifully, swerving quickly to the left, and going out and around the shocked driver, who suddenly became aware of our presence as we darted around the front of his vehicle.  But the most powerful sign was today.  On the way back from Port Pirie, I took the wheel as my learner driver was feeling rather tired.  We were travelling along a straight stretch of road, when I looked up to see a taxi driving towards us.  Slowly and gradually, the taxi started to drift, and suddenly I realised, the driver was asleep at the wheel, and his vehicle was headed straight for us!  I slammed on the brakes and pulled off to the side of the road, but still he was drifting in our direction.  My son braced himself to rip the wheel out of my hands and take us further to the left, when suddenly, the driver straightened up and yanked the wheel to take him back to his own side of the road.  As he scooted past, we came to a complete stop – but he didn’t, and casually kept going down the road (thanks a lot!). 

And with great trials come great graces.  On Sunday, we were privileged and blessed to be able to attend the Port Pirie Cathedral for Mass and veneration of the right arm of St. Francis Xavier.  For an hour, we knelt in prayer, as well as praying before the relic itself.  It was a powerful morning, to be sure, and I left with a sense of peace and purpose I had not felt for weeks.  I knew God was about to do some marvellous works in our family, and all we needed to do was just keep going.  And he has.  Over the past fortnight, He has shown us marvellous works, protected us, and taught us powerful lessons in trust.  He has shown us things that normally we would not see; let us know some of what awaits us in Grafton, and shown us perhaps a little of the unexpected.  .

And now I realise.  Situation after situation, disaster after disaster, and there is no doubt.  We are supposed to go to Grafton.  There are those who oppose it, and those who are definitely making things difficult for our journey.  But there are others who have encouraged us, held my hand, and threw their arms around me.  Some have helped us here, and others and have supported us across the miles. And I have learned the true value of friendship, and who our true friends are.  After today, I am left with no doubt.  Our family will be in Grafton, and we will arrive with joy and thankfulness, and no-one, not even the devil, is able to stop it, because we have God on our side.  He is the one who has chosen this path for us, and we will follow wherever He leads.

May God bless you day,

Linda.

  

St Francis Xavier, Pray for Us!

The Midnight Assassins

Well, it's midnight!  And the Midnight Assassins have been hard at work.  Although there have been a few changes to our original plans regarding dates and such, the boxes still needed to be packed, as the truck arrives at 6am tomorrow (er...  make that today).

The last box has officially been packed and sealed, much the relief of the packing team:

Next step - dismantle beds, grab a little sleep (and yeh, probably in that order), and pack that truck!

Linda.

The Hand of God

Now here’s something I’m not going to miss when we move:  Dirt Roads!

In all seriousness, today nearly saw the end of all my worries.  It had been raining, and as we drove into town along our dirt roads, our bus hit a soft spot, and was sent zig-zagging out of control for about 250 metres.

We slid directly for a clump of trees, and just as we were about to hit, the bus scooted off to the other side of the road, straight for another tree.  But somehow, we again managed to miss that one, and once again, the bus slid over to the right side of the road, heading yet again for another bunch. Twice the bus was completely sideways.

All the time, I was praying (loudly) for heavenly protection, and Bill was silently at the wheel, keeping as calm as possible, correcting the steering wherever he could.  I truly thought, though, that this ‘was it’, and I remember at one point, as we plummeted directly towards one tree, that all I could think of was my orphaned children. 

And yet, somehow, we managed to not only survive, but to miss everything – every tree, every curb, and every dry spot that would have otherwise made controlling the vehicle impossible.  We did take one branch off of the middle tree, but apart from that, our harrowing ride came to an end at the end of the hill, when we calmly and slowly turned the corner.  At that point, my husband turned to me and simply said, ‘Good Prayer’.  Later, we went back to view the skid marks - and were absolutely amazed at how close we had come to not only the trees, but to the edge of the road, where each time, somehow, the bus had missed the edge by a hair's whisker, and changed direction.

Do you believe in miracles?  I do.

Linda

An Empty School Room

Our schoolroom, usually completely crammed with books, resources and whatever else will fit, currently looks like this:

 

And our Living Room looks like this:

Why?  Because we are packing, and we are moving house!

We are currently on an incredible journey, where as a family, we have learned much about trusting in the Lord, stepping out in faith, and building our family relationships.

Although we had not originally planned to move so far north, in the end, we have decided to move to Grafton, NSW.  The removalists arrive with the truck on October 16th - so we have just over a week to have everything packed and sorted.

It all still seems a little surreal - we have talked about moving for the past couple of years, and seriously for the last 4-5 months, but talking is one thing, and making it happen is quite another! 

On our recent holiday to Grafton, Bill picked up some work in nearby Coff's Harbour, and the house-hunting began.  We were knocked back on several houses that we applied for, but all along, I had hoped we would be able to find a house to rent that did not involve a real estate agent.  We've always had private rentals, and life is so much easier that way! 

A dear friend suggested I put an ad in the local paper, and on the morning that we were leaving to come home, we received a text message about a 4-bedroom house near Grafton.  We drove out for a look, and later rang them to say that we would like to rent it - and they agreed to have us!  It's a beautiful house on the Clarence River, and just minutes from Grafton.

After all these years coping with only one toilet (to share with our seven girls!), I'm delighted to report that we also now have two toilets, and two showers!  I know that may sound funny to some, but it's one thing that has been quite a challenge at times - so it's delightful to finally have a house with two!

And, we have music teachers!  Grafton has a lovely Conservatorium, and while we were there, we met with the staff and teachers, and we are very much looking forward to being involved with their various bands and ensembles.  We will also be involved with the local choir, and look forward to meeting with our new group soon.  As well, there are several art & craft groups, and I'm already in contact with a few ladies who are involved with scrapbooking, whom I am looking forward to meeting face to face once we arrive.

We also have the bonus of having several other homeschooling families in the area, and we are all excited to get to know these wonderful people more.  And, I have two nieces just a couple of hours north of where we will be living - so maybe I can finally find some time to spend with them as well!

How it all worked out is a long, wonderful story that is still unfolding;  and as I am able, I will share some of the exciting developments, especially in the area of our faith, friends and our family;  our relationships with God and with each other have absolutely blossomed these past few weeks / months, which has been very special to witness and to be a part of.

For now, though, it is back to sorting and packing, and making ready for our move!

God bless,

Linda.

Our Wonderful Digital Artist

Copyright Clickcritters.com 2012

One thing I've always tried to teach my children is that, despite any difficulties or your own limitations, you can do whatever you want to do, and be whoever you want to be.

Our Adnil Press business is one example of this - despite the fact that we live in a very rural location and have limited resources, over the course of the past twelve years, we have worked to build up our business, and in doing so, have secured several international printing contracts, including of course, our exclusive Australian contract with IEW.

Well, it seems all that encouragement is paying off. Our darling 15 year old dd is now our one and only 'working' child.  She has a passion for digital art, and has impressed one business so much that they are now buying her art for their online site!  This week, she received her first payment, and has stepped into the world of professional digital artists.

I also received a lovely email from the owners, who praised our girl for her talents, and indicated that they are very much looking forward to working with her.  Usually, they only purchase art from experienced artists who are at least 18 years of age, but her work impressed them so much, that they wanted her to begin with them straight away.

Congratulations, sweetheart - we hope it will be the beginning of a wonderful career!

.
Click here to feed me a piece of food !

Get your own at Click Critters!

 Linda

Eighteen Years Old!

Our only son, Daniel, turned eighteen today!

It was a quiet affair - just a simple cake, and a ton of junk food, then off to choir - but he's looking forward to the party we are organising for him in one month's time. 

It has been an absolute delight to see this young man grow and develop over the past few years, and we are certainly never short of entertainment whenever he is around!

He is currently deciding what he will do next year, after he finishes year 12, but whatever it is, and wherever he goes, we will most definitely miss him. One thing is for sure - he has the confidence and the ability to do whatever he choses with his life.

Daniel, we are very proud of you - Happy Birthday!


Mum.

Thinking About Moving

Hi all. We are considering up and moving our family. For 20 years, we have lived in (well 15kms out of) a small town. There are no other homeschooling families in our town, and no other large families. It's been tough, and we've been very isolated, but we stayed because I had (have) a responsibility to my ageing parents, and we have been blessed with a large farm house and very cheap rent.

However, both my parents are now in the Old Folks' Home, and so we are now considering moving. As well, the children are now older, and opportunities are scarce - there is no doubt that all the children will eventually have to move far from home for any sort of employment opportunities, or to study. As it is, we now have to do a 350km trip (each way) once per fortnight, just so my daughter can have a clarinet lesson - I am completely fed up with the isolation and all the travelling, just for a basic thing such as a music teacher.

But where to go? That is the question!

Here's what we are looking for:

Somewhere with a small-to-medium population - around 20,000 would be ideal.

It'd be nice to have some other Catholic families around - ideally, a thriving Catholic Community would be ideal.

and it'd be nice to have some other homescholers around!

We'd also need a great post office and an office supplies store for our Adnil Press business - and somewhere that services photocopiers.

We're not into sport, however, we are into art and music. Music teachers, opportunities for concert band and / or ensembles, and a choir would be wonderful.

Opportunities for art would be also wonderful - perhaps somewhere with a local art gallery, and a few art and craft groups around the place.

One sport we do like, however, we do like ten-pin bowling - so a bowling alley would be good.

Some sort of higher-education opportunities. Not necessarily Uni, but TAFE or equivalent.  Music again comes into consideration here, as my 16 year old wants to follow music as a career, so she'll be needing opportunities to study and follow her passion.

It'd be great to have a larger town or city within driving distance - up to 300kms, so we can travel for any specialists or other services if need be.

And most definitely, I want to go somewhere with trees and greenery! Rural SA is so brown and dry most of the year.

We'd most likely be looking at a rental property - preferrably a farm house within 10-20kms of town. It'd need to be about 4 bedrooms, as we still have 6 at home, plus the business. I'd like to think we could purchase a property, but with dear hubby unemployed, that will not be likely.

Now, after reading through that, if anyone knows of such a place, please feel free to make suggestions! It's all wide open at this stage - maybe northern NSW? Maybe closer to Adelaide? Maybe near Perth?

It'll be interesting to see where we end up!

Prayers for the Lord guide us in this decision would be appreciated. Thankyou!


Linda.

August 11 – and the Reality of the Road

It’s quite a joke in our house when ‘Mum’ cringes in the back seat of the car whenever a learner driver or young P-plater takes the wheel.  I’m afraid my nerves do not cope very well with the whole ‘young driver’ situation, and while this can seem funny to those who witness my reactions, I do have my reasons.

When I was sixteen years old, I met a young man by the name of Tim. We’d first met at school, and found ourselves staring over the desks at each other.  His dark hair, piercing blue eyes and infectious laugh took my breath away.  It wasn’t long before we began dating, and soon we were very much in love.  As a hopeless romantic, he often showered me with flowers, soft toys, and jewellery, and we were often seen ‘out on the town’ for dinner dates and spending time with our friends.  For nearly two years, we loved, laughed, and had an absolute ball.

Unfortunately, being so young and in love does have its drawbacks, and as time went by, we began to question whether or not we would eventually marry.  But question would never fully be answered.  I had moved to Adelaide for University, while Tim remained in Port Augusta, working for the railways.  One Sunday, I travelled home on the late bus, and we had arranged to meet up the following evening – on the Monday, after he had finished work.  It was time to make a decision in regards to our future. Whatever the decision, we knew we loved each other deeply, and would forever more remain good friends at the very least.

At 8:03am, on the morning of August 11, I suddenly awoke from a deep sleep.  For those who do not believe in ‘spiritual connections’ with another person, I can tell you, they do exist.  I knew something was wrong – the best way I can possibly explain it is to quote Star Wars – ‘like I felt a great disturbance in the force’.  No, I don’t believe in ‘the force’, but that was what it was like.  I simply knew that something horrible had happened. Instantly, I arose and tried to call Tim.  His mother told me he’d left for work, so I waited a few minutes, then phoned the railway station.  He had not yet arrived, but they would have him call me when he got in.  However, that call would never happen.

Two hours later, his mother rang to let me know the heartbreaking news.  As Tim rode to work on his motorbike, a utility had pulled out in front of him.  Without more than a second’s warning, they collided, and Tim was sent catapulting out of his seat and through the air.  He was dead the moment he hit the road. 

On that day, my life would change forever, and I would witness the devastation a family goes through when a young driver is killed in a horrible, senseless accident.  I remember his mother, clutching her grandson on the seat in the backyard, rocking back and forth, as she cried, ‘We only had him for such a little while, such a little while’.  

Does one ever get over the loss?  Nope.  And each year as the anniversary rolls around, we remember.  We learn to live with it of course, but there is a hole left in our hearts forever.  Never again do I wish to experience the death of a young person on the road, or to look into a grieving mother’s eyes as she tries to comprehend her loss.  And never again do I wish to experience the terrible pain of losing a loved one in such a horrific way. 

So to my teens and other young drivers, if you see me cringe or wince when you are behind the wheel, please bear with me.  Such an experience can never be forgotten, and the sense of loss always remains.  Please remember, it’s not you I don’t trust, it’s the unpredictable road. 

Drive safely,

Linda.

Our Centenary

This past Sunday saw a huge celebration in our town;  the Centenary of our local Catholic Church.

 

The bishop attended, along with our current priest, a previous priest from our parish, and of course, our own Sister Moreen.  The church was packed, not just with Catholics, but with people all denominations and creeds.  Many people took part, including our own Daniel, who was called upon to read the prayers of the faithful. 

After Mass,  we headed out to the cemetery, where the Bishop blessed the graves of the faithful departed.  While there, I managed to find the grave of my late Step-Grandfather, who is the one, sole Catholic in my ancestry line as far as I am aware. It took a while to find the grave, as it was sort-of facing the opposite way to most of the tomb stones, but, find it we did.  The Bishop handed me the holy water, and together, we blessed his grave.  I then proceed to tell him the story of 'Robbie', who I never met, but had only heard the story of how one day he was drunk and swore at the visiting priest.  'Well, that'd be why we made him face the opposite way to everyone else, as his punishment', commented the bishop, and with a big grin, turned to move onto the next grave.

Later, it was time to head to the bowling club for lunch.  Now, it is a long-held tradition in the Maher family that the children, no matter how unruly at home, know how to present themselves in public, be well dressed, and behave in an orderly way.  I think we're definitely breaking with tradition there.  :)

There I was, giving a well-prepared talk to my three youngest girls on the importance of waiting before taking second helpings or taking too much one one's plate, when two of my darling teens arrived back at the table - plates ready and loaded with  - yep, seconds! 

 

Next, I turn to see my twelve-year-old looking like this:

And, it just got worse! 

Adorable, arent' they?   Yep, it's official - we are who we are, take us or leave us....   I've done my best! 


Still the bishop didn't seem to mind - in fact, both our local priest and the bishop eventually joined our little gathering for a laugh and a chat.

Still, sometimes we question why the people of our town think we're a little 'strange' - just can't figure it out.....

Linda.

An Experience I'd Rather Not Repeat.

The good news is, we are home safely from band practice.

The bad news?  Our car is totalled.

About 1/2 way home, a huge kangaroo decided to jump out on the road, and we collided head-on.  I am absolutely astounded just how much damage can happen in a split second, and how much a car can crumple with one thump.

Fortunately, we were able to continue our drive home, all be it with a very buckled bonnet, and a front door that will probably never open again.

Of course, the best news is that all four of us are fine.  However, it's an experience I'd rather not repeat any time soon.  :)

Linda.

My Dad...

My Dad is 91 years old.  You could say he was 'old' even before I was born. Not that I've ever thought of him as 'old' - to this day, he remains the 'youngest' 91-year-old I've ever met, and is still ready for a laugh and some fun!

I was the youngest in our family - quite a shock, actually - my next oldest sibling, my brother, is 11 years older than I, so my parents had thought their family was complete.  And yet, Surprise!  Along came Linda. 

Dad has led a long, full, and fun life.  However, it seems age is finally catching up with him.  He now lives in the 'Old Folks Home', is almost blind and suffers with severe hearing loss.  Because of this, he doesn't get around much, and spends most of his days in his comfy chair listening to his radio.   However, as soon as he has the opportunity, he is always ready to entertain his listeners with stories of the 'old days', and to tell what he and his brother got up to, back in the days of 'life on the farm'.

I once wrote down one of his stories, and I thought you might enjoy it.  I entitled it, 'Holy Boulder' - you'll soon see why.

Holy Boulder!

            

The year was 1933. Things were different then – no television, no computers, and certainly no PlayStations – a kid had to make his own fun.

Ernie was twelve years old. He was a skinny kid, with thick black glasses and straggly brown hair. He also had an uncanny knack for getting into trouble. But not today. He was staying at his Uncle Frank’s house, and he was determined to be good.

Uncle Frank was undoubtedly Ernie’s favourite relative. He was tall, slender, and hardworking, and always had time for the youngsters. He also knew how to cook up the most delicious damper and the best beef stew. Without a doubt, the farm was Ernie’s favourite place on earth.

“Well, c’mon, Ernie”, Uncle Frank called, “How ‘bout helping me build my wall down at the creek?”

“Yes, sir!” Ernie responded – he was always ready for some good, hard work, even at his young age.

            The horses and wagon were organised, and soon they were rambling along the rough dirt track. “So, no hassling my horses this time, eh?” Uncle Frank asked. 

“Er, no....” Ernie began.

Uncle Frank smiled. “Last time, you know – they took weeks to recover - I trust you’ll be keeping your nose clean this time?”

“Yes sir, I’ll be on my best behaviour – thinking before I act, just like you taught me!” Ernie replied, full of determination not to let his uncle down.

            In no time at all, they had reached the creek and Uncle began working on the wall. “Right then, I’ll gather some stones, shall I?” Ernie offered.

“Here, take this”, said Uncle Frank, handing Ernie the crowbar. “There’s some good ones up on that hill – see if you can fetch some”.

“Yes, sir!” replied Ernie, eagerly taking the crowbar and scooting up the slope. Quickly, he began digging at whatever stones he could find, and with a quick tap, sent them tumbling down towards the creek. And then, he spotted it. Up on that hill stood a large boulder. Many a time Ernie had tried to shift it, but it just wouldn’t budge – but today, he had been handed a new, shiny crowbar – and had actually been told to gather some stones!

            Glancing back to ensure Uncle Frank wasn’t watching, he quickly made his way along the top of the grassy rise, and reached the boulder in no time. “Hello, old friend”, Ernie said, grinning to himself. “Let’s see if we can move you today, eh?”

Ernie began working quickly but carefully, digging the dirt out from around the boulder. Then, placing the crowbar underneath, he gave it a hefty heave. It moved! Only a little at first, but then suddenly, it began to roll. Faster and faster it moved down the hill, heading directly for the creek - talk about perfect positioning!

            Unfortunately, a slight bump in the hillside sent the boulder slightly to the left. “Damn”, Ernie muttered, “Now it’s going to head......” Ernie stopped short – for he realised it was going to head for not only the creek, but the horses as well – which also meant Uncle Frank!

The boulder was gathering speed at a tremendous rate – Ernie tried to cry out, but his throat just seemed to close – there was no time, nothing he could do, but stand there and look on in horror.

Glancing up from his work, Uncle Frank had just had enough time to cry out “Holy Cow!” before the boulder hit the clump of rocks on the edge of the creek. The rocks sent it hurtling skyward - over the heads of the horses, and as Uncle Frank ducked, it flew straight over his head, too!

In spectacular fashion, the boulder then plummeted to the ground and crashed straight through the netting fence on the opposite side of the creek, tearing it to shreds. Eventually, it came to rest, surrounded by a cloud of dust, a little way beyond the fence.

Cautiously, Ernie made his way down the hill. Uncle Frank turned slowly to face his terrified nephew. “Ernie....”, he began.

“I’m .... I’m sorry Uncle Frank – I... I... I though it would go over there..”, Ernie stammered – his arms wildly pointing off to the right, along the creek-bed.

            “Ernie”, Uncle Frank slowly continued, “I know I told you to gather some stones – but do you think you could leave the hillside there?”

            Dropping his arms, Ernie simply stared at his Uncle, tears and frustration welling up inside him like burning fire. “I… I….” was all he could manage to stammer.

“Well”, Uncle went on, “It seems, young man, that you will not be coming to Church with us tomorrow, as you have yourself some work to do!”, and he gestured towards his netting fence, now laying in ruins. And with one final, fierce look, Uncle Frank turned on his heels, and staggered towards the wagon to calm his startled horses.

            “Oh”, Ernie gasped, his disappointment now complete. For Sunday was the only chance he had to meet with boys of his own age, and now that opportunity had vanished. And as Ernie turned to survey the damage of the netting fence, he wondered to himself if it wouldn’t be several Sundays before he would be allowed to go to Church, or anywhere else for that matter, again.

ends.

Linda.