15 March 2020 First week in Sydney

And the toilet paper was found!! But like the rest of the world the shops' shelves are quickly emptying of many products. Total aisles of paper products were gone as fast as they had been stocked but also many food stuffs were also being snatched up which I found interesting.  No yeast or pasta in the supermarket I went to this week.  Many other items were sold out too. The Costco stores here are looking very much like those in the U.S. with check-out lines clear to the back of the store and again, no toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant or hand sanitizing supplies.The office and temple are directly across a main thoroughfare to the shopping centre where two large supermarkets and many shops like Target are found.  It's easy to just walk over and pick up anything we need. Don's gym is also on the upper floor so he can be found there 6 nights a week 

Regardless, an interesting week as we settled in to our office, met the people working around us, and dealt with cancelled meetings and activities.  Our office is located as part of the historic Buckland House with additional office and administrative spaces in the back.  It was originally built by the Church of England to house boys ages 6-18 mostly as an orphanage.  It closed in the 1970's when the children were placed in group home settings.  Other cottages on the property are also now used for various offices like Family History, Welfare/Self-Reliance, and Seminaries and Institute.  

                                 Buckland House                                   Other buildings on campus

We were on schedule to go to Auckland, NZ this week, but that was cancelled by the church last week before New Zealand closed their borders.  We are pretty much in self-isolation anyway since Don is now the only attorney in the office.  Our office is at the back of Buckland House in a wing that was added on after the church purchased the campus. With just a skeleton staff in the building anyway, we are a little on our own!  The mission offices are upstairs on the second floor where there are about 7 other couples that we interact with on various occasions.  I began preparing with the Self-Reliance missionaries to help teach ESL to some of our young missionaries.  I was really looking forward to beginning on Friday, but with all meetings cancelled, Elder and Sister Songer sent out lessons by e-mail.  We will see what the mission president directs this week.

Our office

This map in the office shows  Australia, New Zealand, and all the island countries -circled in blue- that are covered  in our Pacific Area.  We don't expect to travel to any especially with the current virus crisis.

The weather has not been very conducive to venturing out yet as we are anxious to explore areas of Sydney that we have not seen.  We are still adjusting to driving on the left though Don thinks he's got it down. (I'm not so sure!)  So on Sunday, between rain showers, we took off on a hike around our area to a Wildlife Sanctuary.  Right in the middle of a suburban area we found the Hunts Creek Reserve and followed the paths.  This was the traditional land of the Darug people where 4 differing clans used to meet for various ceremonies and corroboree (aboriginal  dances) before Europeans  colonists arrived.  Then like our own Native peoples, their lands were taken from them and they no longer had access to the land or resources like the water it provided.  The Darug were decimated by disease, starvation, and armed conflict.  We enjoyed our little hike to the "Water Place."

The Water Place was also used by early illegal distillers to make peach cider from local fruit.  The water was said to be the cleanest in the area in the old days.  Also, this area was use by bushrangers such as "The Wild Colonial Boy," Jack Donohue and his gang as a hiding place with the many caves in the area.  They would rob those people travelling on the roads between Sydney and other communities. 

One of the things that we've enjoyed this week is listening to the screeching, cawing, tweeting, of the many birds in the trees and on the ground around us.  I was in our bedroom the other day and with the windows very long and low, I saw an Australian magpie basically looking right in at me!  I was startled to say the least, so now I keep the window coverings drawn as I'm dressing!  The cockatoos are so large and LOUD to say the least.  So many colors and behaviors- I need to get a book on Aussie birds to start identifying them better. 

                                                  

As we were shopping at Woolies, we took notice of this offer for parents shopping with their children. We thought this was a better treat for children that the doughnuts and cookies our stores usually give out.   Spending most of Saturday inside, we did a quick cleaning only to have Don realize his lost his wedding ring down the toilet drain.  This makes for 2 rings he has lost.  He lost the original after two years of marraige at a place called Paradise Hot Springs near Featherville, Idaho (maybe an omen?!) and now some 42 years later he lost it "Down Under." 

Finally, we were thrilled to hear from our first grandchild, Sam as he received his own mission call.  He will be serving in Tempe, Arizona beginning in June.  We are so happy that this is his desire.  As classes at BYU-Id are going online this week in response to the coronavirus, he will be returning home to Colorado to finish up his first year of college online we suppose and then begin mission preparations.  His parents, all grandparents, siblings, and other family members are delighted for him.

And today (Monday in Australia) . . . a torrential downpour with wind blowing too. 

                                                                          Our Sam