Those Things Domesticos

Tuesday, June12

Jerry has been sick for the last couple of days, so Emila took him to the hospital to get some fluids back in him. I stayed home and did the laundry.  It was raining all day so I didn’t mind being inside.  Then I drove Stef to ballet and made dinner.

Wednesday, June 13
To Do: 

-Watch this little one :) Love her

-Pick up ring at car dealership- (I left my ring in Amy’s car, and then she sold the car for the family- so I had a panic, then drove to the dealership and luckily they had found it and held it for me.  Close call…)

-10:30-11:30- Pilates

-Make cake balls for Mark’s birthday tomorrow

Thursday, June 14- Mark’s birthday J

I woke up early and made pancakes for Mark.  He was so excited to be treated special for his birthday.  During the day I took care of Ash and Oli.  Then that evening, I made a special dinner for Mark, with cakeballs and candles at the end. Then Amy and I went to the Park hotel in Frenchs Forest and then met up with Mary for wine at her place.  Yay girl time.

Friday, June 15

I had dinner at Jo’s.  She’s so lovely.  She made a flat mushroom dish topped with pumpkin, zucchini and feta cheese.  We always have real conversations and solid encouragement time.  I’m going to miss her when I leave.

Saturday, June 16

It was raining again, but that wasn’t going to stop Amy and me.  We were determined to go to the horse races.  After all, it was on our list. So, we got dressed and then started the long venture.  We made it to our first two trains, but after that, our bus ran late, which meant we missed our last train that only went once every hour.  We made the most of it, talking and giggling in the rain, but we didn’t make it to the races until 3pm… They end at 4:30, so we didn’t have much time.  However, since we were late, we just walked right in without having to pay!  Bonus! Worth being late, for sure!  We are just so economically and environmentally savy: saving money, using the bus and trains… I mean really, it’s sometimes hard being this cool AND thoughtful. Just teasing.

While at the races, we met some cool gents.  We didn’t have hats this go round, but it was still epic.  We’ll have to go again when the weather is better and we actually make a whole day out of it.  Still, overall success. Then we went back into town and met up with some friends.

Sunday, June 17

Church at 2

Died Mary’s hair

Dinner at Ivanhoe- salmon and mash, then church with Mary

Monday, June 18^th- I skyped with Mom and Dad, checked emails, watched the kids in the evening.  Then Amy came over.  She no longer has a car or Internet at her place, so we talked through that and scheduled traveling.  We watched the first part of Tangled with Stef for some girl time too. What a good movie, love the music. Way to go Disney for finally having a good Disney Princess movie again. It’s been awhile.

One of my favorites from the movie: 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_0Y4aSY1hM

Tuesday, June 19^th- I hiked to Curl Curl for a quiet time.  It was refilling as usual.  Then I took a nap- that was a first. Next, I picked up Mark, took Stef to Ballet, made dinner, and watched the 2^nd half of Tangled with Stef while ironing. Nature and domestic days are always good days. I learned that from my mom. 

A Close Call ... then Canberra

Sunday, June 10- Amy and I planned to work out but we were deterred by a catastrophe.  Amy’s host mom opened the gate for us to back out of the car.  Suddenly, the dog, Tex, ran out into the street and got hit by a car.  It was all very sudden and traumatic.  I actually saw it all happen right next to me.  He was hit by a speedy 4Runner.  After the initial impact, he rolled under the car, hitting his hip and head.  All the neighbors heard the thud and screeching breaks and came running outside.  Amy’s host mom ran over, crying. While she got the car, I held the baby and talked soft words to Tex.  A little boy from across the street brought a towel and we held it on the open wound.  Tex was oddly calm, but the incision on his hip was gaping.  Amy and her host mom rushed to the emergency vet.  Tex had to get over 40 stitches and stayed overnight. Luckily, he looks like he's going to be fine.  What a close call!  I'm glad he's okay. 

After all of that, Amy and I ate dinner with my family and then spent the night at my place. 

Monday, June 11- CANBERRA

Our Day off - Amy and I decided if it was raining on the weekends in Sydney, we would just drive somewhere it wasn’t raining.  We wanted to start crossing things off our to-do list.  So- Road trip to the capital city of Australia, Canberra!

We took off at10:00am and drove for 3 ½ hrs.  It was a nice scenic drive.  Our first stop: The Canberra Wartime Museum. 

In a nutshell, I learned about:

Australia in WWI, camels, ANZAC/Gallipoli, diggers, Australia in WWII, the bombing of Darwin.

To expand on my short hand:

Australia’s involvement in the World Wars is not often discussed in U.S. schools, so I had some learning to do.  In terms of human loss, the First World War was the most costly conflict for Australia.  Out of a population of 5 million, an army of 417,000 soldiers was raised.  58,132 of those soldiers were killed. Due to its removed geographic location, I had assumed Australia would have been a peaceful oasis, safe from the Great War.  However, because Australia was still a British colony in 1914, it was under the orders of the “Mother Country” who had just declared war against Germany. 

Australia responded to the declaration of war and need for troops with enthusiasm. A majority of the Australian volunteers were sent to Egypt first, not Europe, to meet the Ottoman Empire, Turkey.  Australia fought for British interests in the Middle East and the Suez Canal.

Fighting ensued in barren regions such as Palestine against the Ottoman Empire.  The soldiers were under extreme conditions. So, both the Commonwealth and Turkish forces acquired unique wartime modes of transportation. Unlike trench warfare in Europe, the fighting in the Middle East was more fluid and mobile. The Australian Light Horse was one example of successful mounted troops. However, what I find intriguing is their use of camels as an essential form of mounted units. Camels were mainly used to transport equipment and supplies.  But they also formed the Camel Corps, used to transport fighting soldiers. 

The Australian Camel Corps

Although their stubborn dispositions were difficult at times, the camels were useful and well built for the task. The Australian Camel Corps were involved in some of the more aggressive fighting, however, when the fighting moved out of the desert area the units were no longer needed. 


Trench Warfare

Enough camel talk.  On to other important facts.  It was Apirl 25^th, 1915.  Members of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) successfully landed on Anzac cove in Gallipoli, the European part of Turkey, along with troops from Britain, New Zealand, and France. This sparked a campaign that ended with the evacuation of troops in December 1915. Following Gallipoli, Australian forces fought on the Western Front and in the Middle East. April 25^th is now known as Anzac Day in remembrance of those who fought and died that day.

The fighting continued through 1916 and 1917, with fewer military gains and more casualties and deaths.  However, Australia took part in many decisive advances in August 1918 until finally on November 11th Germany surrendered.

Diggers, pronounced "diggas" 

ANZAC troops were particularly good at digging tunnels between trenches.  This proved beneficial in battle.  These tunnels were difficult to dig, but militarily beneficial when creating pathways to enemy trenches. When both sides' diggers met in the tunnels, fighting would then ensue. ANZACs believed that it was a compliment to be deemed “diggers”, because it implied that you were good at a very difficult job.

Australian Wartime Museum and Memorial

To commemorate the sacrifices of Aussie soldiers

In the years leading up to the WWII, Australia stood side by side with Britain's policy towards Nazi Germany, by supporting its pacification of Hitler and then its fight for Polish independence. Britain threatened Germany to withdraw from Poland but Germany refused.  Thus, Britain declared war on Germany.  Australia then joined WWII in September 1939.  Due to the Great depression in the 20s and 30s, Australia was not nearly as prepared for war as they in 1914.  However, by the end of the war, almost 1 Million Australians served in the Armed Forces.  They fought in Europe, North Africa and the South West Pacific. 

The Parliament House is directly across the Wartime Memorial
You can see the Parliament House behind us

Point A is Darwin, where Australia was bombed for the first time in history

Australia was directly attacked for the first time in history on Feb 19, 1942 in Darwin. When this occurred, Australia then joined forces with the United States and Britain to fight against Japan.  So essentially, Australia fought two wars between 1939 and 1945- one against Germany as apart of the Commonwealth and another against the Japanese in the Pacific. From 1942 until early 1944, Australian forces played a vital role in the Pacific War.  Australia contributed significantly to the Allies in the South West Pacific until the war ended.

After the Wartime Memorial and Museum, we went to the Bontanic Gardens.  We walked through the lush Rainforest Gully and enjoyed the Rock Garden.  It was peaceful.  On the ride to our next stop, we saw kangaroos hopping in the field!  It was epic to see them in the wild.  They were so fast we didn’t even get a picture of them.  Oh Australia and your wildlife. 

Parliament House

Next up, the History Museum and Parliament House. The history museum was about to close, so we had to rush through it.  But we saw models of the Opera House, stuffed Echidnas and Platypus, documentaries on Aborignials, sheep, Kangaroos, farming, clothing, styles and animal life in Australia.  The Parliament House was very contemporary.  

The sun was setting which was exquisite.  When the Parliament House was originally built, it was the most expensive building in the world, $1.1 billion.  It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on May 9, 1988.  It is a place of meeting for the Parliament of Australia, appropriately located in Canberra, the capital of Australia.  Like Washington, DC in the States, Canberra is in the Australian Capitol Territory (ACT).  Just like the District of Columbia (DC), the ACT is a territory delegated for the capitol of the country, separate from the states.  So I guess to mimic America, you could say, Canberra, ACT like Washington, DC.  Maybe not…

After the sunset at the Parliament House, we ate dinner at a cute Italian place.  It was quaint and authentic, with outdoor seating under a covering and space heaters.  We split a delectable risotto with spinach and pumpkin and savored our glasses of wine.  Then we stopped by a local hot spot, an Irish Pub in town.  We had some flavored champagne and enjoyed our own “nook” by the fireplace.  It was simply idyllic.

Our "nook" at the Irish Pub

A Glimpse of Heaven Video Shoot

Friday, June 8^th- I woke up at 5:45am to check out the sunrise at Curl Curl.  Since we are going to shoot tomorrow, I want to make sure we can see on the trail that early.  I also wanted to plan out which spots I want to go to and in what order. 

The sun rose at 6:45am.  It was breathtaking.  I cannot wait for tomorrow- provided its good weather.  It’s funny how God takes care of little things that he shouldn’t care about.  For the past week and the upcoming week, every day is forecasted to rain, except for today and tomorrow.  Talk about divine intervention.   Then I rushed back home to help get Stef ready for school.  After that, I went back to Curl Curl to finish the trail to my secret spot.  It wasn’t easy, but I finally paved the way.  I practiced fitting the harp in the car, then I tuned the harp, and practiced my song.  The song I am going to play for my music video is very near and dear to my heart.   I will be playing "A Glimpse of Heaven", an original composition, in memory of Nana, Grandaddy, and Grandmartha.  I wrote it when I was 13 years old, when I learned first hand about aging, life and death. We filmed at Curl Curl, a northern beach in Sydney Australia because it was heaven on earth to me.  It is special and so is my song.  I can’t wait to play in such a magical place.

This evening, I stayed over at Amy’s since she had to babysit.  We thought it’d be easier to get ready at the same place and leave there together.  Amy is getting up early with me to help out with the harp.  She’s AWESOME! 

Now, off to bed, for tomorrow is a big day!

A Glimpse of Heaven 

Saturday, June 9^th- We woke up at 5:00am and scrambled about, getting ready and loading the harp.  Then we picked up Alex and all crammed in the car to Curl Curl.  I carried the harp up the cliffs most of the way while Amy carried the stool and bags.  (This harp is MUCH smaller and lighter than my pedal harp back home.) 

Alex lugged his camera gear.  Once we made it to the narrow bush trail at the end, Amy and I carried the harp together, like hauling a couch.  We must have looked so silly, traipsing through the trees, me in my dress, tennis shoes and North Face jacket, holding for dear life to the celtic harp, winding through the bushes up the cliff… What a sight.  

It was pretty chilly, but it was quite a work out, bringing the harp to the tops of the cliff.  I managed to step on my dress at the very beginning when carrying the harp through the trail I had made the day before... Fortunately, the harp covers up the dark brown spot on the dress, so you can’t see it in the video.

What an amazing opportunity to play at such incredible places in nature. 

When I played on the cliff, with the sunrise as my backdrop, everything faded away.  It was just me and the world.  It was unreal.

My dress got dirty from treking up the cliff

Amy, my helper, all bundled up

Alex filmed from several different angles with a slider and other fancy camera equipment.  I must have played that song a hundred times today.  My fingers started growing numb, but it was worth it!  Amy was so great, taking pictures and holding my jacket or helping me readjust or move the harp to other locations.  We also filmed on the beach once the sun was up.  The surfers didn’t quite know what to think with me sitting on a rock, playing the harp.  It was fun though, that’s for sure! 

The video should be completed and posted in October 2012.  When I return I will professionally record the song.  Right now we are using a lesser quality track I recorded with my own equipment. Once I lay that track, then I’ll have my final product. J

It's amazing to be making my dreams a reality. From the moment I stepped foot on these cliffs, I knew I had to play my heart song here. In this special place, I could see a living painting of what I had been hearing for years as I played the harp. It was out of this world and perfect: it was a glimpse of heaven.

Babies!

Tuesday, June 5^th- I watched my other little ones during the day.  During their nap, I had a nice quiet time and then Amy came over with the cousins for a play date.  They are precious. 

Wednesday, June 6^th – I went grocery shopping for Emila with Emma’s littlest.  She has the brightest blue eyes.  Several shoppers at Coles stopped to compliment “my little girl”.  I let them think she was mine.  She’s just so adorable.  I also worked on laundry and ironing. 

Then, I went to Mary’s to catch up while she babysat her kids.  

We watched Fantastic four with the kiddos, drank wine, and then said goodbye (she’s going to Brisbane to see her new boyfriend this weekend). 

Thursday, June 7^th- I my “other children” and ironed.  Whoo Hoo!  I’ve been taking Granny’s advice, and every day I tell myself that I love to iron.  It worked!  I actually like the calmness of ironing.  And it’s an excuse to watch a movie or show while I iron… so it’s not so bad after all!  Thanks Granny!

Seahorses and Nannying

Tuesday, May 29- 

So maybe I shouldn’t have swam in such cold water… I’m sick L

So, I stayed in and worked on my Blog, talked on skype with Gretch for 2 ½ hours, and then caught up with Granny and Paps.  Amy came over with Nix and we played with him while doing laundry.  Then I taxied the kids to ballet and soccer, then made dinner.  I went to my bible study in the evening.  This was our last new group meeting.  Then off at 9:45 to Manly Wine with Mary. Yay for more girl time.  

Wed, May 30th- still sick, grocery shopping, blog, kids to soccer, dinner

Thursday, May 31

http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/view-image.htm?gid=7857

I had a dream about seahorses last night.  This led to my research and discovery of native seahorses.

Below is an article on Seahorses in Sydney:
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/seahorses-thrive-on-shark-nets-expert-20090519-bdqw.html

Seahorses are fascinating marine organisms; these creatures are bony, scale-less fish, with equine-like facial features.  Seahorses swim upright, unlike most fish.  They also have flexible, well-defined necks.  What I find most interesting about Seahorses is their courtship and mating rituals.  

"True Courtship Dance", prior to mating

Baby Seahorses

Before breeding, Seahorses court for several days.  The male approaches the female. They begin to flirt under the sea, changing colors as they swim side by side, holding tails.  They fratrenize closely, gripping onto the same seaweed.  They even perform a "pre-dawn dance" in unison which leads to a "true courtship dance".  After this pleasant soiree, the couple lets go of any anchors and drifts upwards, spiraling, snout to snout.  The female then deposits up to 1,500 eggs in the male's frontal pouch.  The male carries the eggs for 9 to 45 days.  (In other words, the male is the pregnant mate in this scenario, i.e. role reversal.)  


Watch this beautiful video of the courtship dance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvGRVWGpdNg


Depending on size, Seahorses can birth anywhere from 5 to 1,500 babies.  Most, however, have around 100-200 young.  When the male gives birth, the couple no longer cares for the young.  Because there is no protected gestation, the survival rate is less than 1% for these tiny upright swimmers, hence the large litters.  Talk about every seahorse for himself.  These little guys have to grow up from the moment they slip into this world. 

Pygmy Seahorse, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
http://underwater.com.au/image/id/9502-pygmy-seahorse/

In my Aquatic Science class in high school, I studied the Leafy Sea Dragon.  This large and special type of Seahorse adapts to its environment with leafy appendages, camouflaging it in the seagrass. 

Leafy Sea Dragon, South Australia

Enlightening Documentary on Leafy Sea Dragons in Australia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuI4ncViU4Y 

In my neck of the woods:

I hope to find Seahorses holding on to the Wharf nets in the swimming pool.  Unfortunately, they are said to disappear during the winter months (June-August), potentially in deep water, so I may not spot any.  I'm just so fascinated with the male pregnancy and overall physical attributes of the seahorse.  I would also love to scuba dive in South Australia and see the Leafy Sea Dragons, but I don't know if I'll make it there this go round.  Some day though.    

After researching much on Seahorses, I worked on my blog.  Then, I met up with the sister of Amy’s host mom.  She has two kids she needs me to watch a couple days a week.  They are 1 and 4.  I figured I could use the extra money for my music video project and future travels.  I’ll watch them during the day while my other kids are in school.  It’s nice because Amy and I can watch the cousins together. It reminds me of growing up with my cousins.  We were all around the same age and inseparable.  I hope to raise kids with my sisters too.

Friday, June 1- I made breakfast, took Stef to school, babysat Ollie and Asher while the kids were in school, picked up Stef, took her to hip hop, fed them dinner and then, at 8:00pm- time off! I went to Amy’s to get ready.  We left one minute late which led to us missing not one but two buses….so we were 2 hours late to meet up with Mary in Manly.  It wasn’t that great of a night.  Public transportation can get old after awhile… I just need a private driver…hmmm… not a bad idea.  

Saturday, June 2^nd – It was pouring outside so Amy and I watched Vampire Diaries and ordered pizza for lunch and Thai for dinner.  We were total bums but it was definite bonding time.  We caught funny lines like “cool as a cucumber” that we now use on a regular basis. 

Sunday, June 3rd- I went to my Redemption class at 2pm and then met Jo at 5:30.  Jo is the wife of one of the assistant pastors at St. Matts.  She’s hilarious and chill. I’m so excited to get to know her better.  Then I went to church at 6:30. 

Monday, June 4^th- We had a momentary fiasco with Stef- she didn't inform me of a project she had to turn in today… It was an oral presentation.  So I worked on it with her early in the morning and we fortunately made it to school in time, notecards in hand. Bullet dodged.  So, I still had the day to myself- I went to my beach, Curl Curl, to cut back bushes and make a trail to my spot on the cliffs.  I found a videographer that can work with me on my music video.  He even lives in Manly.  It looks like my dream is coming to a reality!  However, since the spot where I want to film is on a remote cliff, I needed to forge a way for us to get the harp up there.  So, today was "cut-back-trail-through-forest-to-cliff-dream-spot" day.  No biggie.  Others may call this insane- pruning a trail to record and play the harp at one of the more difficult spots in Australia... But for me- I had to do this.  I saw myself playing here, and so I was going to. So gardening day it is.  We'll record this Saturday, the 9th.  I hope it doesn't rain.  It's been raining on and off for the past several weeks.  Say your prayers...

Curl Curl Ocean Pool

Monday, May 28^th

7:00am- Wake Up

7:15am- Make scrambled eggs and bacon for kids

            -Clean kitchen and dishes

            -sweep and tidy living room

            -Help Stef get ready for school

            -Pack lunches

            -Send Mark off to the bus

            -Help Stef clean room

8:40am-Drive Stef to school

9:00am-Sheets in the wash

9:30am-Work on blog

11:00am-go to Curl Curl

11:30am-Swim laps in ocean pool

2:00pm- Shower, change, rinse wet suit

3:00pm- Pick up Stef

3:15pm- Make kids snacks, go through backpacks, help with homework

4:15pm- Leave for swimming

4:30pm-Swimming Lessons

5:30pm- Cook Dinner: Pork Tenderloins with sautéed mushrooms and onions with a side of mashed potatoes and corn

6:30pm-Wash dishes, clean kitchen, talk with Emila

7:30pm- help with homework, read with Stef

8:00pm- iron clothes, Blog, Facebook, quiet time

Best part of the day- Swimming laps in the ocean pool! SOOO cool. I forgot how much I love it.  I haven’t been in awhile to Curl Curl because it’s autumn here now.  But today was a little warmer, so I thought I’d slip on my wet suit and grin and bear it.  When I tip- toed into the water, a chill went up my spine.  It was much colder than I anticipated.  However, I remembered Granny swimming in the cold water well into winter back home and simply saying it was “fresh”, so with her as my inspiration, I plunged in. 

I swam laps in the ocean pool with my snorkel and mask so I wouldn’t have to worry about taking breaths, and instead was able to enjoy the aquatic life below me. 

The fish were very lively today.  The shells seemed even more bright and diverse.  I have a fancy snorkel that allows you to dive down into the water without letting any water come in, so you can start breathing right away when you surface.  This proved useful when several waves came crashing over the barrier on top of me.  I was a little frightened at first, of their sheer magnitude.  It’s critical to stay closer to the reef in the pool and further away from the wall, so when the wave comes in, you don’t get smashed against the wall.  It makes swimming laps much more interesting, that’s for sure.  But I had my trusty snorkel on so I could breath fine, even when the waves came pounding down.  Eventually, due to the chill, I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes.  So I decided to call it a day and made my way back to my free parking space, just 20 minutes walking distance. Free is free. 

Whenever I swim, snorkel or dive, I always make up my own soundtrack in my head of what I’m experiencing.  I wish I could make those songs come to life, or hear them for real while I’m exploring the world under the surface.  It truly is incredible. 

If I could listen to my ipod while swimming, I would listen to the Avatar soundtrack.  And that gives me a thought-  someone should make underwater ipods.  I would invest. Swimming laps to a beat or favorite song would be awesome. Just an idea. 

Harps and Lawn Bowling

Monday, May 21^st

We woke up early to drive back to Townsville before my flight at 2.  The countryside was gloomier on the way back, with heavy rainfall.  No wonder it’s so green here.

The kindle is a traveler’s best friend.  My flight was delayed but I didn’t mind at all because I was happily in another world with my kindle and ipod.  When we did board the plane, I quickly nestled into my seat, unfortunately not a window seat this time. Sad day.  I continued to read until we made it to Sydney.  It was tragic to watch the sun flicker on the seats but not really be able to see what was just outside the window.  I can only imagine what the sunset must have looked like over Sydney.  It was painful for me to not be in a window seat but I made it, just barely.  Then, I exited the plane, ready for my long trek back home via train, bus and then car.  Tired but back in Frenchs Forest, I walked in only to find…. the harp!!! Jerry picked up the rental harp while I was away and it’s now here!! I was so excited.  I started screaming and found nail clippers right away.  I can’t bare the sounds of long nails on a harp.  Then I tuned the harp.  Once all tuned, I sat down and started to play.  This 36-string lever harp has a surprisingly full sound.  I was so impressed and delighted.  My fingers instantly remembered what to do and danced on the strings, making music to my heart.  I was one with the harp. I was whole.  What a perfect ending to a wonderful weekend of adventure and exploration.  I could express those feelings through my music.  I let out a big sigh through my notes and released the songs in my head that had been trapped momentarily.  The wheels in my head started turning.  I will play this harp on the cliffs at Curl Curl.  

Friday, May 25^th- 

I skipped over to Amy’s to get ready after work. We went into the city for the light show on the Opera House, but we were too late for the main production.  It was still neat to see images projected on the shell rooftops of the Opera House. 

Then we meandered into an Irish pub and talked over a beer.  We took the ferry back to Manly to meet up with a few of Amy’s friends.  I love water transportation.  Then I spent the night with Amy and watched Glee episodes.  Overall good night.

Saturday, May 26^th

I had to watch the kids while Emila and Jerry went to a school function.  Amy came over to have a fun game night with the kids.  We splurged and got KFC and then played a bored game, card game and Just Dance.  We couldn’t stop laughing.  Once the kids went to sleep, Amy and I watched “How I Met Your Mother” with a glass of wine.  I love that show!

Sunday, May 27

What a sunny and fresh day!  We woke up and I made pancakes for the fam and Amy.  Then we made our way to lawn bowling, an outdoor sport in Australia, similar to pin bowling.  The object of the game is to roll weighted balls as close to the "jack" or "kitty" at the other end of the flat green.  Amy and I were the only bowlers under the age of 50.  I have to say, I really liked the sport and demographic it tends to allure.  We were the out-of-country, backs-not-hurting, legs-still-working, hair-not-greying celebrities. The Roseville Lawn Bowling club was having a recruitment day.  They taught us how to bowl, had us for free lunch and a beer.  We socialized with our new elderly friends and then said good-bye, hopeful of returning.  It was legendary. And I wasn't half bad at this outdoor bowling.  It's difficult to judge how the ball is going to curve or how hard to toss/roll the ball.  But it makes for an interesting sport. 

After snapping back to reality, Mary and I met at a bistro for hot chocolate and caught up.  We also ate dinner at the Stein Hotel on the beach.  It was yummy.  At 6:30pm I made my way to church.  It’s great knowing a lot of people at church now.