Some Outings and Life churns on!

Dear All,
Another week has moved by and, as always, there are new experiences. The Principal of Nungalinya commented that when he needed a bit of space he went to 'Dripstone Cliffs'! So I made it my business to find them and it is a nice area where you can park and walk and look at the ocean. It is less that 2 km from Nungalinya so I went there and sat in the car (with the air-con on) and ate my lunch. Here are three pics.

1. The sign at the beach has quite a lot of information. Double click to enlarge and read it.

2. You can't enlarge this one, but that is the view to the left of that sign.

3. And here is the walk you can do along the cliff tops .

Quite a few cars came and went while I was there. Some were there when I arrived. It is not too far from the Darwin Hospital, so I guess it would be a good space to sit and reflect if you came from the Hospital after visiting a sick family member.

Catherine, Jane and I (who you saw on a previous blog at Cornucopia Restaurant near the Museum) went to Mylly Point House last Sunday for 'high tea'. It was very relaxing out in the breezeway between the house and the fence in the greenery. The house itself is a Darwin original and as soon as you walk in you can see how well suited it was to the climate. It had a light, airy, cool feeling - probably oriented very well to breezes, well insulated, and plenty of ventilation and shade in the right places. It was wood and up high. I didn't think to take a photo but here is one of the three of us enjoying the delights of outdoor afternoon tea. (Or rather, waiting to do so!)

On Thursday evening, while Sr Anne was still here from BI, the four of us in the house went for tea (with Srs. Mary & Lorraine from Salonika) to Stokes wharf where there are a few restaurants ('up'- and 'down'- market!) where you can collect a meal and sit around one of the dozens of table provided along the wharf or eat in an enclosed area with ambience. I bought fish, chips and salad (imported Hoki, sadly) and others bought what they fancied. We were shaded from the western sun by the wharf building and behind us lay Darwin Harbour and a variety of shipping from tugs, to fishing boats returning from the day's endeavours, to a big liner. I took several photos and, if I can load them you will see a few views, including a Darwin sunset which came out OK. We had been going to go there for tea after our Orientation Day in March, but the weather turned against us. The tide was almost fully in by the time we left. There were large fish visible in the water below the wharf - various shapes - swimming in the light there. They might get lucky from people at the tables often enough to keep coming! My battery had expired by the time the fish appeared so you will just have to imagine them.

1. Myself with Sr Anne at table - Darwin Harbour behind. 2. The view in the other direction of the two storey building containing takeaway places and restaurants. It wasn't as crowded as usual because it was the first day of the Mindil Beach Markets which open in the Dry.

3.This picture turned out nicely - up the far end of the wharf where you can see the two tugs 'parked' for the evening (I am sure there is a nautical term!). On the right in this photo are the plants which surround an open air restaurant with waiters etc - more 'up-market! The sun is just setting and the you can see the lovely tones of the sky and sea.

1). The colour in the sunset is lovely, isn't it. It may be a bit unfocussed if you enlarge it - I am not sure. Plenty of street lights silhouetted! I zoomed in to get the best picture.

2) Here are the other Sisters at table, before the meals came: L - R. Srs Anne, Mary, Lorraine, Elizabeth, and Jo.

3) I think this is a fishing vessel and you can see another vessel in the background as well as a tank at the refinery on Channel Island. Once again, this was a 'zoom in' photo so focus may be a problem! The water was a lovely colour at this stage. Kath and John, we'll have to do this one evening you are here.

Well, that is another week nearly over. We have a long weekend now, but I don't know what I will be doing except a few assignments, some housework and a few walks. We'll see what eventuates. Sunday is our monthly Retreat Day but I'll go out to St Martin de Porres Mass at 10 am. The weather is dry and there is a strong breeze today. The lawns etc are drying out rapidly now so it won't be so green soon. Humidity and rain were predicted this weekend and may still come but so far it is the sort of weather where your clothes dry within minutes of putting them out on the line. The temperature at 11.00 am was about 32 degrees.

Much love for this week from Rita