30 August 2020 More mask making and a birthday

Another year, another birthday.  The best post-it I ever received was on our door when I returned from my walk.  Don leaves around 6:45 every morning and is already gone when I get back. But his note, "Happy Birthday, You don't look a day over 40" was all I needed.   I wish I had those 26 years (plus about 20 more) back knowing what I know now, right?  It was a great day with lots of wishes from home with family and friends.  The best part- celebrating two days due to the international dateline!  So here in Australia I was surprised with some  gifts, cake and ice cream and a great dinner out with some friends.  We also had an all Australian mission conference Zoomed from Salt Lake with Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Brent Neilson of the Seventy, and Bishop Dean Davies and their wives on my day.  I thought I might get a shout-out, but apparently not as it was primarily for the younger missionaries anyway, so I just enjoyed the messages.

A Birthday portrait

My walking buddies and fellow senior missionaries:  Elise Christensen, Nina Anderson,

 and Theresa Thomas

Our birthday gift arrived from our daughter Alison earlier this week.  True to form, she has remembered her Dad's favorite team, the Atlanta Braves and what would life be without our all-time loves the Chicago Cubs?  Don always told our kids that if the Cubs ever got to a World Series, we would go to.  Well, last time that happen we were serving in Germany though Alison was able to go to Wrigley Field for part of the series without us.  So maybe it would be best if we took one for the team again.  They seem to do well when we are out of the country.

Some of our young missionaries even were familiar with American baseball and I duly impressed them with the masks.  But the last mask-making project went so well and the masks so well received, that Elise Christensen organized another Friday sewing day.  Another group of missionaries arrived and jumped right in.  They love learning how to use a sewing machine which just warmed my heart to watch them.  And like our last efforts, lots of masks were made for a Cancer Center with lots of joy going into the effort.

I love these smiles and their laughter; it is contagious.

Elder Kaburara told me he had never used a sewing machine but wanted to learn.  I smiled every time I went by as he stayed with it all day.  Sister Christensen is amazing as she had everything organized, set-up, and and prepared the materials.  Of course she was running from one station to another keeping everyone engaged. I supported her as best as I could which is generally to help with the machines, cutting, ironing, and keeping the missionaries on task.  Elder Williams asked me about three times to fix his  machine! Several broken needles had to be replaced and jammed threads cleaned out, but overall, we were able to still get the masks made.   

 Lots of happy faces.  Sister Tamara wasn't sleeping. She was just laughing every time Elder Orro corrected her efforts.  He took delight in pointing out what he thought she needed to do or re-do.  It was a great afternoon of service and fun for all.

 A few weeks ago, Don and I went with Christensens to the South Head so this time we headed to the North Head Sanctuary on the other side of Sydney Harbour by Manly.  A warm, late winter day where one could just feel that spring is coming.

 A bit hazy when we began our hike as fires were being set to clear out some bush in preparation for the coming summer season.  No one wants a repeat of last year's devastating conflagration. With the rains and some drought conditions ended perhaps that will not happen again. 

This is the entrance to the Australia Memorial Walk which commemorates those Australians that have served their country in wartime and peace.  Along the way are five monuments explaining the various times of conflict and the Australian involvement in each.

The monuments along the walk recognize the Colonial Period of conflict, World War I, World War II, Post WWII which includes the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.  Each monument along with the final one for Peace Keeping include information regarding the conflicts and allow for pondering and reflection.

Hiking through the North Head Sanctuary also took us to the North Fort where it was once part of the defense system used in World War II.  The tunnels were closed due to Covid so we couldn't go down on this day. The gun emplacements are still there as this one is in a process of restoration.

This is the Close Defence Battery Observation Post that was manned primarily at night.

We finished up the Loop hike by walking through the grounds of the Barracks Precinct which were part of the defense system to protect Sydney with anti-aircraft and the massive guns to fire at invading enemy ships.  We also learned more about the 1942 "Battle of Sydney" when the Japanese Imperial Navy launched three midget submarines to attack Allied and Austrailian cruisers in the harbour.  

Another great day to be living in Sydney and learning about this wonderful country we are calling home for another year.  

16 August 2020 A little outing after a busy week

 A busy week with our missionary responsibilities. The Auckland office wanted to celebrate Don's birthday along with our Area Legal Counsel Gordon Tanner's who had a birthday Tuesday.  So I made cupcakes for the Australia office and they had a cake for Gordon in NZ. After a virtual party - about 5 minutes to eat cake - it was back to work as they had their weekly staff meeting and I went back to my other duties.

Yesterday we went back to the Hyde Park area to see the Barracks which we were only able to view from the outside two months ago.  Now open but with registration and strict social distance guidelines, we went with Theresa and Mike Thomas to see some of the early convict history.  Three floors to view the building and listen to the self-guided recordings explaining the history of the building.  After it closed to convict labor, it became a house for immigrant women.  Later, it served as an Orphan Institution and then the top floor was used as an Asylum for Infirm and Destitute women with no means of financial or medical care.  It closed in 1886 for this purpose and then became one of the number of buildings in the area used for the court system.

The quarters for convicts who were used for manual labor could sleep 70 men in hammocks, but another 70 would be crammed in to sleep on the floors with the rats and other vermin also taking up quarters.  It was said they were only given one pair of pants, shoes, shirt and were responsible for taking care.  They would just put them back on if they could ever wash since if they were left on a peg to dry, the clothing would likely be taken. Overcrowding was an issue for all uses of the building.  

 We went on down the street to see a World Press Photography display in the State Library.  Loved the photography in addition to the permanent displays.  The windows and main reading room are beautiful.

We've been by St. Mary's Cathedral before but just like the Barracks, it was now open to public again.  After registering for Covid purposes, we were able to enter and enjoy the beauty of the 

View of the sanctuary from the crossing, the four arms of the cross of the cathedral.  The other picture is the rose stain-glassed window and organ. 

Chapel of St. Peter, with Jesus entrusting priesthood keys to Peter.

A really lovely day to be out with friends and see wonderful architecture of the Cathedral and view historical and current cultural displays in the library.  

3-9 August 2020 Anniversary and Birthday Week

Monday was the day we settled into our new office spaces for the Office of General Counsel.  Don's, of course, looks like an attorney's office while I have my own little cubicle right outside.  Right now, I am all alone which is fine but others are moving here next week so I will have neighbors.  I already like that I have my own space and he can have consultations privately without me around to listen in!  And I just come and go as I please anyway.  My other office is upstairs so really having two places to work is a little over the top.  

This week we celebrated another milestone.  Forty-five years ago-a lifetime it seems- we were married and neither of us have regretted that decision or looked back in any way.  So we thought to honor our day by going to a little Italian restaurant not far from our home.  We walked several blocks, but when we arrived we found it was still take-out only due to ongoing pandemic restrictions.  So, we ordered, had our gelato first, and then carried our food home as fast as we could trying to keep it hot before it started to rain.  At least the rain held off and microwaves are convenient even if the food was forgettable.

Three lovely sister missionaries came in to see me as Sister Zhan is able to return home this week.  Some of these young missionaries will be serving long after their scheduled releases as flights back to their homelands are spotty and many are still not open to international flights.  After visiting and a little non-distant good-bye hug, we headed downstairs to sew some masks for a local cancer center.  It was quite entertaining in  many ways.

 Sister  Anderson directs the cutting of the material for masks.

 Sewing machines were new to some of the missionaries but others like theses twin brothers were not at all intimidated.  In fact, our three elders who used the machines turned out excellent quality masks.  They weren't according to the directions, but they seemed to know what to do!

The senior sister missionaries like Sisters Christensen, Parton, and Mata'utia were busy helping re-thread, change needles and give instructions on use just like Jennifer Chandler.  I don't know how well our quality control was, but they all seemed to enjoy the opportunity to be doing something meaningful and spending time together.

I have no idea why they were kneeling as they put the layers together but it didn't seem to bother any of them.

Since it was not only our anniversary but also Don's birthday this week, we thought about driving to Canberra for a little weekend get-away.  However, the weather forecast was for thunder and lightening with lots of rain. Additionally, many areas are becoming hotspots as the virus is growing again.  So, we opted to stay closer to home and found the Australiana Pioneer Village to visit just about 30 minutes north of us.  We weren't in Snowy River country, but it looked like we could have been.  This village is full of dwellings that were originally located elsewhere but moved here intact to become representative of a pioneer past. Most of the buildings were from the late 1800's with a few exceptions.  Many similarities to our own pioneer heritage and activities that my former 4th grade students would recognize such as butter-churning and sheep shearing.     

The Main Street of the Village, also called Green Tree Road.

Water pump 

Looking toward the barber shop and the beginning of  Main Street

One of the cottages showing two rooms, it was used as the Post Office.  The postmaster and his family lived in the two rooms with the post office dealings in the other end of the building through the bedroom door. The linings over the iron bark timber were hessian bags that were washed with cement. 

Next door to the post office cottage we found honey for sale in the Bee House.

This was called Kenso cottage I believe.  Again, you see the Ironbark slab construction.  

 Kitchen was on the back porch with a fire pit fenced in.  I would not have wanted to cook outdoors in either stifling hot or cold weather.

Undertaker and cabinet maker shop with a casket in the carpentry building.

 As their mother churned butter using a crank and paddle similar to my own grandmother's, I watched her children play noughts and crosses and take turns being locked in the pillory stocks.

This stable was built using mortise and tendon joints with wooden dowels due to a shortage of nails.

  

This was the doctor's hut which shows medical journals and logs and equipment of the time.

 Examination table and medicine cuboard

St. Matthews Church

 Eight small pews and a pump organ at the back of the church

 Village blacksmith

The privy with a bucket under the seat

The school house complete with school bell

 The smoke house and an example of a prospector's campsite. 

The village also includes a bank, police station, stables, shearing shed, farm machinery, general store and authentic restaurant food including damper.  Picnic and BBQ areas are around the small railway express.  A fun way to spend a day before heading back home.