Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Between Flights

Learning how to take photos when I am alone!

My little bubble of time at the Shutters between one trip to Canberra and the next is coming to a close again. I really enjoy my periods of seclusion and quietness and look forward to Billy’s arrival for a weekend to add to the excitement or my trips to Canberra or Brisbane. I am living the best of both worlds and loving it. On Friday I fly back to Canberra for ten days to celebrate Father’s Day with Bill and the Paolino’s and to catch up with my friends in Canberra.


My study course is going well and I am ahead of the timetable at present. I am really enjoying the reading I am required to do, love having the discussions with Dympna and other friends that my study encourages, and even enjoying the discipline of trying to put my thoughts to paper when I have to complete an assessment paper.
However the best part of all has been the interest and input from my children. They responded to a question I put to them and I am still working my way through their wonderful insight to faith and theology. I was inspired by them, in some ways I think they could write my paper much better than I could.


My other study methodology is to have long and interesting discussions with Bill. Our trips to and from the airport have been very useful for this exercise. I am looking forward to being in Canberra and having similar discussions with Ally. I am a communal student!!
The dinner setting at Dympna's last night.

During my time at home I have managed to get through a good lot of my study course so I can relax in Canberra and have wined and dined with family and friends. Family life for us has always revolved around the dinner table. Since coming to Ballina I miss the immediate family that was always near to share our food and laughter with.
Sunday lunch with family - Dympna, Ret, Pete and Billy.

Dympna and I often have our evening meal together, at her place or at mine so there is pleasant company but I do miss the noise of a gathering of different generations. I hear there is some research happening around the need for retirement villages to ensure a broad range of ages in the retirees in order to remain happy and healthy. I am protected to a large extend by my frequent family visitors and hope to encourage more!
Dympna and I displaying our fridge magnets from Rose.

Here at the Shutters I am gradually developing a great group of new friends so dinner parties and lunches are still high on my weekly agenda. In between times I have helped Dympna redecorate her unit; kept my garden growing nicely; and read another enthralling book from Sara Douglas.
My little cumquat tree is a joy to behold and inspire.

Oh Dear, I forgot to mention that we have had a family session on the Wii machine and I am now totally committed to the competition of getting healthier!! I hope the feedback from the little machine is more positive when I return from Canberra. But I am enjoying it!

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