So Fast

Well, I write this just days before leaving (3 months early). This virus has changed a lot of things for a lot of people. I am reminded of the verse

James 4:13-15

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 

Next time you hear from me (hopefully) I will be in quarantine in Sydney. Bored and on FB or here way too much I am sure.
Pray for safe and uneventful travels for me. Atlanta to Houston, Houston to San Francisco, San Francisco to Sydney. All on Tuesday and Wednesday of this next week.
Pray for people out there with me, that they will remain healthy and safe.
Pray for the leaders of the United States as they try to deal with all this a day late and a dollar short.
Pray for my family in Australia as they know they can't see me for two weeks even though I will be so close.
Pray for my Georgia Family as they don't get to tell me good bye.

She Returns

Well, hello,                                                        
Three years later and I am finally back blogging. This in anticipation of my MOVE BACK TO OZ!!! This move has been prayed over, sweated over, put off until one day God just said (seriously) why not? And all I could think of was the reasons why...Sam, Tahlia, the rest of the fam and kangaroos. I mean really I can play with kangaroos.
I am a little scared, I admit. I am 59 starting all over again... but I am brave (it runs in our family). And now I said family. I do have more family and framily here, but "I have a son". That's it. And grand-kittens. Heard this song. It says exactly what is on my heart.

Prayers needed for moving...what to sell what to throw away and general organization of those things. I am not good at that. I can organize the heck out of anyone else, not my self. Physician heal thyself. And for a new forever home for Toby.

Anywho. I have a hope to blog again. Although it really was a Heidi thing...those of you who knew and loved her. My new boi Toby (Tobias Concern Goodboy - Toby C. Goodboy) is small and just now learning to talk, so wisdom and words from God are not his forte, yet.
So I will introduce him here. He is two, has a Halloween birthday (yikes he hates Halloween) and loves squeaky toys.  That's all for now. Hope to return soon.

Tobias Concern Goodboy (Toby)

P.S. Hamish Puppy (that cat) is happy living on the land at a farm in the area. sightings of him say he is happy, plump and wild. just like he liked it.

I'm Back!

Well, I'm back. It has been a few years and much news later...
For those of you who need catching up here -

• I've been back to Albania and to Romania
• My sweet Heidi passed away last April 2016
• I now have Hamish (a very mean and bad cat, but when he acts like a puppy he is ok)
  
  
• I am going to Australia June 8 to see my boy, his girl and Julie as well as many nieces and Harry!

So, watch this space, I will put all my Australia pictures here and Facebook, but descriptions of days will be here.

June 25
I had planned to sleep in, Ha! So I got up and had golden syrup on toast and the best tea EVER! Oh and just FYI, Australia will mess up your iphone calendar. It will try to compensate for lost or added days and do it wrong...Can you really have a lost day? So I am unsure of what today is, or where I am supposed to be, normal you may say.
I walked to Sutherland shops (about 5 blocks from Julie's) for coffee. I fore-goed the "White Horse" coffee, which is the best for internet at Gloria Jeans. Then I couldn't get on it! Augh! Guess I'll drink and move on. The wind is incredible, Apparently there is snow in the mountains like never before and crazy winds in MElbourne and Sydney, over 100km, you do the math. I walked home after groceries and a pork roll for lunch. Luckily I found a shopping bag (you need to bring your own), so I had two, because the groceries sort of over took me. So I schlepped two heavy bags and my purse home 5 blocks.  Ahhhh Australia.

June 27
I helped Julie at Inaburra, made cards at my friend Paulettes, won a prize with my challenge card! and Bob made us sandwiches.

June 28-29
Left for Bowral/Berrima for a wedding. THe hotel we stayed at was beautiful, but way too many stairs and unhelpful staff. the room was small, and the beds on rollers. Couldn't sit in the bed to watch tv or draw, the bed would slide out from under you! Tried a bubble bath, but the bathroom's fan ran constantly, making a breeze over the tub! I went to bed.
The next day we got up and went into Bowral for breakfast at Palate Pleasure. Met our friends, there - Donna and Paul and Helen and Richard. Did the wedding  in a beautiful 1800's Anglican church. Then back to the hotel while they all went to the reception. I hung around the bar and varandah then off to bed.

The Elephant Boy Cafe - very cool

Monday June 23, Tuesday June 24

Monday, June 23
Came into Inaburra School with Julie and she had the Author Jacqueline Harvey who writes

 and
 She cam to speak to the girls about her life and about these two character series. She was a very good speaker.
I watched Julie do an ipad lesson with a book. Very good. Ask me if you want ideas.

Tuesday, June 24
I stayed home and Sam came an picked me up and we went to pick up Tahlia at one of her schools. We went to Woolies (Woolworths) to get some stuff and a sim card for my Australia phone. Then we just hung out and watched some TV. Sam  worked on editing and Tahlia and I chatted.  Sam cooked us a veggie burger for lunch. And after Tahlia had gone to the bus, then had the bus cancel, and returned home...we had to leave to take her to her school, and take me to the school to meet Julie. Hangin' with my Boy!
That night I had a massage...ahhhh.... with Val, and I had a chance to share with her about my tatoos. She is christian but has merged onto new agey stuff. Lots of sorrow in her life.... So if you are inclined pray for Val.

Wednesday, June 25
I had planned to sleep in, but can't! So I made toast with "Golden Syrup" on it. I will bring some home for you all to try. Also had lots of "cuppas"  cups of tea.
Just an FYI, Australia will mess up the calendar on your iphone or ipad. It trys to compensate for the lost day...can one compensate for a lost day? If this day is lost, where is it? So anyway you don't know where or when you are...Karen!
So I walked "up the shops" or translation is walked up to the shopping area of Sutherland for coffee and grocery and a look around. I forgoed (is that a word?) the good coffee at White Horse for so-so coffee at  Gloria Jeans to use the internet...couldn't get on .sigh. The wind is incredible. They say it is cold...it isnt really, but it is better than what you all have back

Departure and Arrival. June 20 and 21. Sunday 22nd

Ok, so these lovely ladies took me to Memphis to catch my flight. My travelling buddy - Ronda, and my sweet Annie. It was way too early for anyone to be up and driving!

This is the Mississippi River just after take off, Tennessee to the left (east) Arkansas to the right (west).

This shows some weird kind of circluar fields, not sure what that is all about?!?!

 I thought this was cool, where green instantly goes to desert. Not sure where we are but thought it looked interesting.

A different view of plateaus. Cool to see the flat tops and how they are carved down from there.

Coming in to LA lots of  "little boxes".

 No sir, that is not another freeway next to the freeway it is the California Aquaduct. Yes, it is dry. It is California.

 Yay, Smog City.

 You gotta love those cloverleafs.

 So I had 11 hours in LAX. This is me waiting with my luggage for the Virgin Australia gate to open. No, I was not happy!

 I spent a lot of time hanging out here at the Tom Bradly International Terminal.

 Feeling a little like "The Terminal" here...Tom Hanks!

 My departure lounge finally, only 5 hours to go....

 Wishing this was me...sigh

 Finally boarding.

 The view from my seat.

Coming into Sydney...finally.

 So,
I made it. I'm back in Sydney. Its been not only a while since I was here, but also since I have blogged.

I survived the dreaded and now famed 11 hour layover in LA (I will NEVER do that again, but alas, I said I would never fly Delta again and....). Sam, Tahlia and Julie met me at the airport at 7 am on Sunday. In an effort to keep me awake, Julie made me go to morning church at Gymea Baptist and then also to night church (the younger crowd). I was allowed to go to bed at 10:30....wow.

I thought this was hilarious. In the Home Depot type store called "Bunnings" the isle with the nuts, bolts, skrews, etc..is called "fixings". 

Sunday, service at Gymea Baptist..just two short excerpts.

Wanted: Time or Tips
I looked at this blog the other day and realized I have been to Australia twice and had a whole school year (practically) since my last post. Not that nothing is happening in my  crazy upbeat life, but that I have way too much going on for a single, __ year old mother of a CairnShitzu.

For the record (of those who complain to me about their 5 hour shift), I wake at 5:45 am, take Heidi out, shower, dress (for unpredictable West TN weather), get coffee, maybe breakfast, leave for school. Hang out with 850 screaming kids from 7:30 to 4:00, head home let Heidi out, change, head to The Red Door Cafe (best restaurant in West Tennessee),  work the usual 5:00-9:00 or 10:30. So If I say I am a little tired...you probably should believe me and not try to top my story.
Granted this is my schedule for 2 days.  But I am ____years old.

I would love to excersise, I even have a treadmill and bike at my disposal, but by the time I get home at 4:00 (the days I don't work at the wonderful cafe) I am dead.
So If you have some time left over from your day can you roll them over to me? just asking. Or you could treadmill for me? Will that work?
Augh!
Maybe you should just come the The Red Door Cafe and leave me a big tip! Yeah, that's better.

Zentangle link

 

Room 315, The NEW Art Room

made with Photosynth app on iphone...

Art and the New Evaluation Tool for Teachers

Yep, I predict a worse education system in this country and stupider kids, yep I said stupider. All decent careing teachers will quit, all new teachers will not pursue the profession, and who knows what will teach our kids. We teach because we want kids to learn, we are excited and get pumped about kids learning. NOT about paperwork, forced lessons by rote or reading and writing in Art. Art class is for ...um...ART.

This is an excellent read:
http://artwithmre.blogspot.com/2011/09/tn-new-evaluation-system-one-size-does.html

WHY TEACH ART?

WARNING:  Soap Box is placed and I am standing on it!
    
  With all the "evaluation" crud coming down upon teachers, I am yet again agast at the idiotic ways the "government" thinks we should teach and be measured for our teaching. The new evaluation model, without exception, stifles creative teaching, adds more stress to teachers and therefore students, and asks for teachers to teach in 55 minutes what in all reality would take days. With all this is the "testing" issue. My subject is not tested by standardized tests, and note here- IT SHOULD NOT BE!

       But then how can the "state" evaluate me?  So now, I am evaluated upon what other teachers do or do not teach as reflected on how a student scores on their test. Need I even mention here the kid who sits and in the last five minutes of the test creates a sailboat in their bubbled in circles. Yep, that's fair.

I found this website www.whyteachart.com and I highly recommend it as a good read. If only I could get the government and the powers that be to read it and believe it! Here is a small excerp....

"WHY TEACH ART? I am certain there are more answers than one can conceive, and much has been written about this question, which seems to be as big as the infamous daunting one, ”What is art?” But the question that truly interests me is, “Why teach art in the 21st century?” Why teach art in an age in which so little importance is given to the subject in a school curriculum? The answer is so simple that it is almost absurd. We live in a global economy, in an age in which infrastructure is the key word to explain economic dynamism, and mobility is the requirement that insures one is ahead of the game. In a post-modern world there is an increasing demand for creativity, seen as the competitive key to innovative ideas and the continuous development of the marketplace. The search is constantly scrutinizing candidates who are attentive, problem solver, and who can make decisions without hesitation. Those three elements are the answer to my question. To teach art first means to learn about art, and then to make art. Learning art requires attention, and develops the analytical skill to dissect and interpret a situation (a work of art) by focusing on each component and being alert of unexpected paradigms. Art students not only make works of art, they also make decisions, and must take full responsibility for choices that are wholly theirs. They learn the skills to address unknown situations and all issues that rise from it; whether it is a technical problem, a conceptual issue or an unforeseen logistic wrinkle. We teach art in the 21st century because the 21st century needs creative minds that can face the complexities of a multilayered reality, offer solutions, and follow through their completion and successful outcomes. Art teaches abstract principles that fully prepare the young mind for adult life. Once acquired, they can be applied to any subject and any aspect of life." Thank you

Party Prep and Execution of Boy's 21st

Spent the week preparing for Sam's 21st Birthday party at Julie's house. So Thursday I bought a pork shoulder, and when Julie got home we shopped for other stuff in the worst rain in history; flooded lanes, lights out, craziness.
Friday, I went in to finish helping Julie re-organize her office, then rubbed down the pork with a dry rub (thanks Paula Deen), and while it marinated in the fridge we went over to Donna's (I knew her in High School) to sit by her fire. Then when we got home and I put the pork in the grill to "get a nice bark" as Mark put it. (Thanks Mark for the instructions and moral support). Then into the oven at 200 F  at 11:40 pm, basted at 3:30, 7:30, and 11:30, house smells awesome!
Got up Saturday and made baked beans from scratch, and a BBQ sauce from scratch. The pork continued to cook. Julie cleaned the whole yard and patio by herself! And voila! We had a party.

Facebook link to pics

The videos, while lacking in execution, were well received. For those involved, yes, we brought him to tears, he misses you all so much!

tuppaware, it all ends here, and too many kids

Saturday, July 16
Julie had a tupperware party, so cleaning, snacks and Tim the Tupperwareman were the adgenda. Once they all left we went and saw HARRY POTTER: THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Part 2.  Woot! So excellent!


Sunday, July 17
Set up the room for the Art component of Kids Activity Day at Gymea Baptist. Here are some pics

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A VERY long day. Got there at 730 and left at almost 6 pm.

Tuesday, July 19
I was sick today. too many kids, and a sore body with a cold. Sweet Sam came by and got me medicine and I gave him lunch...while I continued to sleep. Crazy cold wind, all night and big rain for around here.

Saturday in the Park

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The Reason I'm Here and Uncle Bruce

Sunday,July 3 to Friday, July 15
These two weeks were mostly filled with Hope Street-Urban Compassion preparing for the Kids Activity day at Gymea Baptist.

Helen would pick me up at 745 and we would weave thru traffic into Woolloomooloo (Sydney) See map

Woolloomooloo is a dicotomy of rich and poor. Within blocks of each other you have the highest concentration of homeless people in Australia and the most expensive condos. I spent my days there helping Helen with the year end receipts on computer, mail merging and stuffing envelopes. I would also take time to go "down" to the Back Shed Cafe or the Art Space to see who was hanging out and talk to them. Then around 430 I would climb the hills up from Woolloomooloo to  Kings Cross Station (quite a steep hill), and catch the train for about an hour back to Gymea (Where Julie lives). 

I went in Tuesday July 5, Friday July 8, Wednesday July 13, Thursday July 14 and Friday July 15. I will  blog in more detail about that.

Across the street from HopeStreet,
A local guy who feeds the cockatoos each morning

The desk I was at had a very fun and creative owner..
thanks Tim for sharing your space.

Yes, this stared at me as I worked for an urban mission 

View walking down from Kings Cross Station

The city

Outside a tenement house

The station

Alley cut thru to the cafe

This square houses the most homeless in Australia,
and if you walk to the end of it you see Finger Bay Warf
where the rich and famous like Russell Crowe live.
....literally blocks from Hope Street.

Government housing

the train track over Woolloomooloo in the city

Tim, Helen and Beth at Hope Street Urban Compassion

Pray for Hope Street Urban Compassion with all the ministries they support. Pray for continued government and Baptist support, for financial and prayer partners and for the staff of Hope Street.

I also had meetings for the Kids Activity Day at Gymea Baptist Church.

While this week passed we also went to visit our Uncle Bruce, my Dads, sisters husband. He is one of our favorites. Sadly however the week prior he suffered a stroke, in his spine! And now he is paralysed from the waist down...odd huh? But Uncle Bruce is a "glass half full" kind of guy, I guess from running the Baptists here for years (ha ha). But he has a fantastic attitude, goes to Physical therapy every day to build up his core and upper body. Please pray for him, we are praying for a miracle. He has had a miracle healing before and his with us still for a reason! So we went North to the Northern Beaches to Forster to visit with him for two days.

Uncle Bruce and me

Julie with Uncle Bruce

Forster Beach

Ahhhh relax and watch