Sunburnt Suburbia

Bryony and Will's big decision

At 9pm this evening, Bryony and Will dropped in on their way back from the fourth anniversary date. They announced their engagement. Susan suspected that such news would happen, but I got caught out.

Bryony is 19 and Will is 18, so by today's norms they do not have many years on which to base such a big decision. However they have been together for 4 years, and do appear to talk decisions through carefully. As parents I do not think trying to disuade them from marriage would yield any positive outcome. They need to make their own decisions. 

Beach holiday

Australia Day fell on a Thursday, and Campbell and Melissa invited us to Rye for the holiday. We all took Friday off and made a long weekend.

On the way down we stopped in at the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park. We regularly visit there, as it has constantly changing sculptures and lovely lawns for a picnic. This time we found a large labyrinth. 

On Friday we went to the Sorrento Back Beach, which at low tide has a particularly flat rock plateau inset with small and large rock pools. 

We swum in the large pool, and then someone who liked our colourful bathers offered to take this photo.

Later that day Findley and I started a game of CrossFire, but the siren of the beach called again, so we went to McCrae Beach for the sunset. 

We finished our CrossFire game with the morning sun creating wonderful shadows across the gaming table. The beauty of gaming tables dense with terrain provides one of my main reasons for playing CrossFire. 

By late Saturday morning we had returned to the Sorrento rock pools; this time with the Millers. They showed us the location of a ledge which places you behind a waterfall when a large enough wave washes over the outer rocks. The world teems with such serendipitous delights. With God's love, we can see them all.

By Saturday afternoon, we had exhausted ourselves, so we sat around reading and eating - a great finish. 

Callum moves out

Callum's friends on the Monash Uni Dance Sports committee have been nagging him to come share a house with them. He has hesitated, as he knows that living at home has its comforts. However they found a new townhouse offered at a reasonable rent, and so Callum had no justification by which to reject their overtures. He did some budget calculations and decided to move out. 

Today we hired a trailer and I helped him. We got everything into the trailer, unloaded it at the house, and then went down to Rye to pick up a kitchen table for him. 

Callum now shares a large townhouse with 1 other man and 3 women. They have been friends for some years, and have had several holidays together. That bodes well for them running a successful shared house. 

Once Bryony moves back out, Susan and I will have the family home to ourselves. I look forward to that change in our lives. 

Strolling around St Kilda

With the hot weather Mark and I decided that a stroll around St Kilda would expose us to the sea breeze. We met in the Cleve Gardens and wandered out along the pier. We then returned to buy ice creams, wander through Luna Park, buy a beer on Ackland Street, wander a bit more and then buy a coffee to counter the beer. 

To finish the afternoon we went to watch the kite surfers. The breeze had brought them out in the tens, and they made for a wonderful sight, like big butterflies swarming around the beach. 

Christmas at Rye

After our white Christmas of 2010, we return to our traditional Christmas celebrated with close friends the Miller family at their Rye beach house. We arrived at lunch time on Christmas Eve for a relaxed 4 days in which almost all our Christmas rituals unfolded. Repeating the pattern of Holy Days reminds that God has blessed us with another year of life, love and good fortune.

On Christmas Eve Bryony and Abigail made a gingerbread house, one of the first rituals of the season. 

Christmas Day started with the church service, this time to the Anglican church at Sorrento because it's child-friendly. The minister reminded us that we still have the opportunity for more sharing in the Kingdom of God through the thoughtful discipleship of Jesus. After church we return home to open presents, typically with the assistance of a friendly elf. 

The rest of the day passed with our Christmas feast. We had nibbles during present opening, and then the turkey and ham for a late lunch. After a walk on the beach, we finished the day eating our desert. 

Boxing Day brought more relaxation, with some walking of dogs, and a trip up to Arthur's Seat for another walk involving a car swap. We always do a good amount of walking around Christmas. We also demolished the gingerbread house. 

 

Rod reaches 80

Today Susan's father celebrated his 80th birthday, and Susan's family celebrated their Christmas gathering. All his children and grandchildren gathered at the Kingwill residence to help him. Of course we had an excellent meal, and just enjoyed being together for a few hours. 

Callum and Bryony caught up with their Kingwill cousins. They have a good relationship with their cousins, better than I had with mine. Notice the past tense - I have no relationship with my cousins now. 

Callum's girlfriend Olga came along too, as Susan and Callum invited her. I liked having her there, as it represented part of Callum's growing up and another family milestone - the involvement of our children's partners in family events. 

MOTAT with cousins

For our last day trip around Auckland, we went off to the Museum of Transport and Technology. I have enjoyed going there since a child, and this time I take my children and their cousins for probably the last time. With Callum about to leave home, and Bryony about to leave again, such museum trips have a undercurrent of poignancy. 

All the cousins shared fun in the activities that exist at MOTAT. Though much of MOTAT feels just a little old and run down, there does exists activities that engage wide age ranges. That makes it a great place for cousins ranging from 4 to 20. 

Catching up in NZ

A few days ago we flew into New Zealand for a week's holiday. We needed some time to catch up with my family and old friends in New Zealand. This time we rented a holiday house in Torbay on Auckland's North Shore near may parent's house. It gave us lots of space, and also the facility to host my family for meals. 

We have passed several days relaxing and mucking around with my family, such as walking the dog, shopping for some presents, and other bits and pieces. On Sunday afternoon we had a family lunch, with all my siblings and all the cousins (almost).

On Saturday evening we had dinner with Andrew and Ellie Murley, and their eldest boy Jordan. It was nearly 18 months since we last saw Jordan, and he has matured a great deal over that time. It might sound a cliché, but the saying 'he has grown up' describes accurately what has occurred. 

On Sunday evening, after a family lunch, we had dinner with Greg and Bridget, and their children. We did lots of catching up, and what particularly surprised us was Greg and Bridget's adventures around the world resulting from a fellowship that Greg had been awarded. They had spent many weeks of 2011 travelling, with some weeks in Italy and weeks in the USA being the highlights that I remember. 

These short reconnections every few years do help us maintain a relationship with old friends who go back 30 or 40 years. They make our relationships like a comet's orbit - much of the time out sight, existing in the background, and occassionally coming into the light for a brilliant experience. 

Craig Wyton's memorial service

Today I went to Craig Wyton's memorial service. He died at 46 from a massive heart attack. It was a surprise. Though he was overweight, he exercised. He also did not drink or smoke. He left a wife and four children, all teenagers. 

I knew Craig because he introduced Callum and I to Nunawading Wargames Association. He did a good job, as I still attend regularly. For NWA Craig organised Cheezecon, a light-hearted war games tournament for several years. I certainly enjoyed playing in the tournament - it was the only one I played. 

The Salvation Army hosted the memorial service, as Craig was a member of the congregation. The service impressed me. Three people - his brother, his boss, and his close war gaming friend - spoke about different aspects of his life. That moved me, along with several of the NWA members who attended. 

The service closed with the pastor asking all present to think about their relationship with Jesus and God. This surprised me, but it felt right and didn't seem to unsettle anyone. Certainly a friend's death provides the trigger to consider such big questions. 

Cup Day hats of particular excellence

Celebrating the Melbourne Cup horse race with a holiday takes us to the Miller's house for some drinking of sparkling wine, being with friends and casual millinery.

Our 'tradition' for Cup Day includes making our own hats and dressing up to watch the race on TV. This year our hats were particularly creative. 

Matching the hats in the two photos allows you to see who has which creative style.