Things Falling Into Place

Can you believe it I’m still working on things at the unit!  I have shovelled the last pile of sand out of the garden area and have been tidying up after the paving.  The pavers that were no longer needed I stacked at the edge of the driveway so that I can sell them or give them away.  I’ve been fiddling around with the old reticulation hoses which haven’t been used for years.  They need a good clean out and a few new nozzles. My tenant has already bought new outdoor furniture and put her pots around the new paved area and the tenants across the driveway, before moving out, offered me some white river stones.  These we have now put in a small garden areas beside the new paving, they look quite good there.

And, I have finally planted the dwarf avocado.  I gently tucked him into his new bed after one day of excavating and folding in the soil improvers and fertilisers.  He now has a lovely conditioned bed to extend his tender roots into.  I built a little four posted bed oops I mean shelter for it with a canopy of green shade cloth and surrounded it with a lighter shade cloth to help protect him from our howling winds which can come hot off the dessert or fresh off the sea.  I hooked up the reticulation, sorry Mr Nursery man I’m not giving it 3 drippers he will have to make do with one as the others are on the natives at this present time.  When the natives are better established then I’ll take theirs and put them on the tender young thing that needs more loving care and attention.

Hmmmmm now I have a problem with one of the drippers it’s not functioning as well as it should!  I think now that I have put on another dripper there is not enough pressure to push the water up the hill to the Grevillia.  Never mind I will just have to keep an eye on it and give it some extra water while I’m still here and pray that it will be established enough to last with just a trickle before I leave.

When you may ask is that?  Well, I had three things on my ‘must have done before I can leave’ list.  The first has been ticked off.  The sale of my car.  I sold my Mazda 2 to a Bible College lecturer of mine, with whom I also went on my first overseas ministry trip with.  Fortunately my sister has given me permission to drive her Golf while she is away.  Kath, is a FIFO (fly-in-fly-out) worker.  She works on one of the boats that takes supplies to the oil rigs.  She works five weeks and has five week off so I have the use of her car for five weeks and if I’m still here when she returns I will have the use of my mum’s car.  There was no point of having my own car too although I did love my new Mazda 2.  At least I know she has gone to a good home.

Second on the ‘must have done’ list was to find a student to board at mum’s place.  Mum’s health has been rather up and down these past few weeks and I didn’t want to leave her all on her own.  I advertise a room for rent with two of Perth’s Bible colleges. Thanks to your prayers I received a couple of responses.  The first was a Korean lady, Jacqueline, who has been in Australia since February last year.  She studied English and is now studying cookery.  Mum told her she is welcome to experiment her cooking on her. 😉  We liked her straight away.  Mum has had many overseas students in the past and finds them very respectful and courteous.  Jacqueline received an email about mum’s room to rent from her friend who is a student at the Victory Life Bible College.  She was wanting to move in on Saturday the 24^th January but because I will still be here she has delayed her move till 31^st of January.  This gives me a little more time to move my things as she will be having the room I am presently using.  There are still quite a few things I need to box up and take down to my friend Grace’s home where I am storing all my belongings while I’m away.  Now I have two things fulfilled on my ‘must have done’ list, I will have to start arranging my departure.

The last item on my list is to sell the business.  That is still in the Lord’s very capable hands.  I had an inquiry lately from a woman who has moved to Australia from the UK.  She has similar training as me and has recently moved to Melbourne with her Australian boyfriend.  Because she is unable to register in Australia, she has been working as a nanny.  She told me the reason she was making the inquiry was because she would love to get back into something more aligned with her profession and thought I might be able to help.  I explained I was not looking to employ anyone but instead was selling the business.  After a short chat I sent her some papers to sign for confidentiality and have been praying she will continue to be interested.  I think she would do well in Melbourne as there isn’t a business of this kind there at present.  Please pray and believe with me that the business will sell soon.

Oh, yes, I almost forgot.  The day before I was leaving my house sit there was a terrible fire to the north-east of me which I took a panoramic photo of.  It was quite amazing to see the sky darken with the smoke.

So what else have I been up to?  I caught up with a few more of my old friends.  My pastor from my previous church which I attended when I lived here last and I also I attended his son’s church on two occasions where I met quite a few people I’d known from the old church. I’ve been having a bit of fun visiting different churches.  It’s amazing who I have met and how I have been greeted.

I have also written over 22 pages, memories from my 1972 diary and, as previously mentioned in the last blog, I caught up with and old flame.  We had a lovely time catching up with what has happened over the years.

I haven’t returned to my Krav lessons although I had hoped to, as I’ve had a few problems with my lower back.  I think that has been brought on by too much back work at the unit.  The physio has given me a few postural exercises which I hope will help.  Mind you this hasn’t prevented me from jogging most mornings.  It’s lovely getting out before most people are awake.  I leave home between 5-6am while it is still cool and jog over the hills towards the beach, then across a nearby oval before cutting through the bush and home.  I think this is the best time of the day.  The sun is just rising, it’s quiet, cool and you can appreciate the sound of the birds before the traffic, and the hustle and bustle of the day starts.

The heading photo is of Mum and my dinner out overlooking the Indian Ocean at sunset.  Mum and I are taking advantage of our time together and enjoying a couple of evenings out.  I have also been able to help her go through her filing system.  I have been able to whittle down 8 boxes of papers to just three.  I have also been able to help her get better deals for her insurances.  For car insurance we brought it down $471.00 for basically the same thing!!!

I’ve started to think at the end of my blog is the better place to write my P & P as I sometimes forget to update the P & P page on the blog.

 

Praise & Prayer points:

Please give thanks to the Lord for all the wonderful people I have been able to catch up with thus far.  I know there are still more and I’d love to have time to reconnect to those I’ve already made contact with but there just doesn’t seem to be the time.

Praise the Lord for the sale of the car and the student soon to move in.  Please pray she and mum will get along well.

Could you also remember to pray for my mother’s health.  She is still having problems with her medications, trying to find which ones will suit her the best.

Please pray for a speedy sale of the business and a smooth handing over of all the legal matters.

Pray also for my pending departure.  The accommodation in Singapore, visas, tickets, and ongoing open ended flights to Cambodia and Thailand.  My departure has been pushed out to leave Perth mid to end of February.

I know these things are all in the capable hands of our loving Lord and in whose perfect timing I have come to trust.  So till next time.  God’s richest blessings to all my readers.