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.