December started with a funeral of a friend’s mother. I volunteered to help Marleen and Frank at their home with the lunch after the funeral. I thought it was a nice way to repay them for the washing machine they had given me. I picked up an order of sushi, let myself into their home and started preparing food ready for the guests to arrive just after 1pm. It was nice to be able to help with something I enjoy doing – preparing food. I also had the benefit of enjoying some of the snacks as well as taking some of the leftovers home for mum.
The following Saturday, I drove to my friends in Gosnells, south of Perth to join them in a drive back to Brookton to collect some of the furniture I had bought from her mother. It’s a good feeling when you can help recycle useful things.
I do love driving through the country especially at this time of the year when, although things have begun to dry out and the fields are golden with dry grasses, there are some wildflowers still in bloom. The blue lechenaultia along the roadside was amazing!
We didn’t have time to do much of a clean-up, just collect and stack the things I wanted on the back of the trailer before heading back. I measured their fridge but unfortunately it was just a fraction too big to fit in the space I had. The rest of the furniture including a queen size bed and bookshelf were strapped on securely before the two hour drive home.
Helen and Lloyd kindly helped me unload all my treasures. 
The bookshelf in the study nook was a perfect fit which was amazing. I’m hoping to get a small desk here to put the bookshelf on which will make a perfect place to put my laptop. In the meantime the bookshelf sits on top of my old chest which was full of books and photo albums which now fill the shelves.
The queen size bed which had to be dismantled to fit the trailer was erected where I hoped it would stay. It was very heavy even without the mattress. Little did I know what was to come.
That night mum and I attended an Afghan fund raise at church which was catered for by a Muslim couple from Afghanistan who were friends of our church organiser. We had a lovely time meeting new people from various places, the food and stories about Afghanistan were amazing. Once again we went home with containers of curry and rice. Thank you Lord for your provision!
Monday was a hectic day. Firstly taking mum to an appointment then shopping before rushing back after remembering I was being picked up by Elaine, who I had met at the church busy bee garden clean up. Fortunately she too was running late as after arriving back at the unit I received a call from church saying the desk I wanted was being dropped off and was I at home. I said I was and then had a moment of doubt in regards to whether I had room for it! Now that the bed was in would a large corner desk fit? I sent up a quick prayer. Lord, you have provided these things and You know the space or lack thereof, please help them all fit.
T
he desk arrived along with three arm chairs which would be very handy in the lounge. Just at the same time Elaine arrived. Perfect timing thank You Lord. She was able to help us move first the bed to under the window to make room for the desk and then manoeuvre the desk through the glass side door in the lounge area then into the master bedroom. It was a bit of a juggle but we finally had it in. There was not much room for anything else! The desk was squeezed along two walls with only enough space to squeeze between it and the bed! It wasn’t the ideal arrangement. I had no time to think about it then. Elaine whisked me off for a coffee and a chat at her place before dropping me back to help mum with her gardener to check and fix her reticulation.
It was lovely getting to know Elaine and Steve a little better and to see the renovations Steve has been doing around the garden.
I arrived a little late for Mum’s gardener who had already gone to Bunnings to get some spare parts but all worked out and we eventually had mum’s reticulation sorted, ready for the summer.
Glenn, my builder came later that week and partly put 
the range hood up. I say partly as the range hood had a dent in one side. I asked Glenn if he could put it up with the dent facing the window so it was not so obvious and couldn’t be seen as easily. There were a few questions he had and as I wasn’t around at the time he left it and came back the following week to discuss it with me. He also needed to finish putting in the bottom shelf of the pantry cupboard which should have gone in as it was being build but as I forgot these instructions it was left out and then couldn’t be inserted due to the lower fixed shelf. So Glenn thought the best thing was to cut it which would also make a space for a rubbish bin. I thought that was an ingenious idea and very functional. He also finished putting in the cantilever hinges in the two overhead cupboards. Still to finish were the finishing off touches to the range hood, tea towel rack and glass shower shelf and soap holder. I’m hoping all these will be finalised before my home opening on the 3rd of December!
In the meantime the plumber who had forgotten to come earlier in the week finally arrived on Thursday morning. By then I had a list for him. In the bathroom there was the washer to replace on my new vanity sink and change over the red and blue tap identifiers. I’m glad it was as simple as that. Out the back we discussed the plumbing needed for the laundry trough and water tank. I wanted to be able to use the waste water on the garden which meant a wastepipe which I could open. Unfortunately the plumber didn’t have one of these in the back of his van so he too would need to return at a later date. This time I suggested he come after the water tank was installed. That would give me time to work out what was to go where.
T
hursday Kath returned. It was good to see her again. We went out for dinner at a place she recommended which has of course, being a chef, good food. Kath was only back for a short while as she was driving her car (no it was never my car) to Melb and then on to QLD where she and Jen (my second youngest sister) have bought and are building on a property there. I will of course miss having her car but I’m sure I will get use to public transport. Although if anyone knows of a car that is available for the next 6 months, I’d be most appreciative.
Before Kath arrived she had contacted me to ask if I knew anyone who might like to join her on her drive across the Nullarbor. I put a notice on Couchsurfers and had two responses. One was from a young German guy who had been looking for work in WA but had not had any success so was looking to share a lift over east. The other was a couple and as Kath was taking a car load of stuff with her she couldn’t take two. It all worked out well. She met Chris, whom she said was really not her type and smoked, and together they arranged for Chris to stay at mums before they left at 5am on Monday morning.
Friday the 11th of November during the Think Spot at our regular church craft activity morning we had a minute of silence to remember all those who had given their lives during war.
Then on Saturday afternoon, Diane, a friend from church shouted me to the movie “Hacksaw Ridge”. This movie is based on a true story of a young guy who went to war as a conscientious objector who, because of his convictions, refused to use a gun. It was, although very graphic about the horrors of war, an amazing story and well worth watching.
Getting in early with booking flights to Sydney, I took the plunge a 
few months back and rang my Syd dentist to book a visit in January but was told he was booked till Feb 17th! Oh well I’ll just take that thank you. So now with that booked I had to arrange my visit. I was going to go to Melb first but after inquiring about how I could help promote Wakisa Ministries there I was told it was not a good time to come as people were on holidays. So instead I will be going straight to Sydney, NSW. I had already booked a cheap flight for my return on February 18th and as Jenny was in Perth for a few week early January I thought it would be nice to have some time with her before flying out on the 27th. Look out Sydney here I come! I do hope I can catch up with as many of my Sydney friends while I’m there.
I woke early on Monday, sent Kath a text and prayed for her journey. They reached Norseman by 5pm and stopped for the night. It has been a stinker of a day, 37 degrees. Mum’s friend Jane B came around that night as she had invited us to go with her to view the super moon. We drove to somewhere south of us where she knew there was a high hill and from here, overlooking the park we took some amazing shots. Kath later told me that she couldn’t sleep very well that night due to the brightness of the moon all night. The following nights they camped under trees to help lessen the brightness.
Earlier in the month my neighbour Ann, had asked me to drive her to get her eyes tested at the hospital as she wouldn’t be able to drive back with drops which caused her pupils to dilate. I dropped her off and met up with my Nigerian friend Grace at McCafe as Grace wanted to see if I could do some alterations on some of her skirts and blouses. A challenge in itself as I haven’t sewn garments for over twenty five years! I’d only been doing straight sides on the baby wraps! A new challenge to face and who knows I might just get back into it. It’s a good thing I like a challenge. But not the type I was about to face! Not with technology!
While we were there I used the cafe’s wifi to update my phone. It took over an hour. Then while installing it, the phone displayed an image indicating I’d have to plug it into iTunes on my computer! WHAT!! I hadn’t brought my tablet and I was twenty mins away from home and now I was locked out of the phone as I couldn’t get past this last instruction! I was furious! Fortunately Grace and I had finished our chat and I was loaded up with her skirts and blouses for mending. Ann had called to say she was heading home by bus so I headed home. I wasn’t happy that I couldn’t pick Ann up at the hospital as I had planned.
Plugging the phone into my tablet another message popped up saying I needed to be online! Come on give me a break! I only go online through my phone which is now inoperable due to the update! Quick thinking, I grabbed everything and headed to the church where I was very kindly allowed to use their wifi. Little did I know it would take two hours! It seemed the download had to start all over again!
During this time I contacted Apple letting them know in no uncertain terms that I was not happy with this system and many people like myself these days did not have wifi at home and most free wifi connections were for a limited time thus making upgrades difficult. Then having to plug into the computer which I’m sure not everyone has either would make it doubly difficult for their customers.
Finally! After much prayer, stressing out cos I couldn’t use my phone for over 4 hrs, frustration and wasted time the phone was once again operable all be it with a new system which I now had to navigate! Well I did say I liked a new challenge!
Don’t forget this Saturday is the second house warming so if you’re available and in the area please drop by.
Photos: 1. Super moon 2. Book shelf in study nook 3. Queen bed and super desk 4. Range hood 5. Corner pantry finished 6. Kath and Mum 7. Holding the super moon
Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for His constant protection, provision, leading and guidance.
Praise Him for all the little things that have taken place and are continuing to take place as I work on making my little place a home.
Praise the Lord for all my supportive friends and prayer partners. I really do appreciate you all.
Praise the Lord for family and friends. For mum’s continual good health and for His wisdom in how I am to support her. Praise the Lord she has settled in well to the Friday Share In at church and has made quite a few new friends.
Thank you for your continual prayers for Mum especially with accepting some of the things that come with age especially with the loss of memory. She is finding this very challenging and is often feeling down because of it.
Please also continue to pray she stays safe on the road.