A Funeral, a Dawn Service & the Gardens

Dear Family and Friends,

I have been having a lot of trouble both last night and today uploading images to my blog. Sigh! I will persevere with the dodgy connection via the Darwin internet! Perhaps later today it may improve!

At the College I have been getting onto the assignments for TAA (Certificate IV) and have actually put one in. It might come back to me as incompetent in some areas (I find this a depressing prospect) but at least it is in, and some of it will meet the competency criteria (see how I am starting to use the lingo!). There were meetings too of course - none of our meetings is ever short. And I actually taught a lesson - yes, it was a 'pretend' lesson as part of my TAA assessment, but it became a real lesson with a group of 3 Aboriginal ladies from the staff who obliged me and became my 'guinea pigs' to trial a 'Delivery Session'. I enjoyed it and they did too, so that is hopeful. No pics of that but two of the ladies are already pictured on one of th earliest blog entries.

On Wednesday, I attended the funeral of an Aboriginal man from Tiwi Islands, Hyacinth Tungatalum who was the first full-blood Aboriginal in Australia to be elected to Parliament. The Church was replete with MLAs. The Chief Minister up here, Paul Henderson, read the 1st Reading; two MLAs spoke between the Psalm and the 2nd Reading, which was read by Malcolm Turnbull, the Federal Opposition Leader, who stayed in Darwin for the rest of the week then. After Communion (I flitted the coop before this and didn't hear these) were two more speeches, one by another MLA. The Liturgy was a mixture of Tiwi customs and Catholic Liturgy. The electric fans were whirring furiously (they are noisy) and the microphones kept going on and off so at times it was like watching a distant 'performance' up around the Altar where only silence emanated when there should have been spoken prayers!

I sat in the 2nd back seat and this left me with a very low feeling of involvement. Behind me, an aboriginal man who came in late kept connecting with the aboriginal people around him with the conversation continuing intermittently all through Mass. The photo shows an a ceremony that happened after the Readings. You won't be able to hear the wailing and keening that accompanied this ceremony after the people were invited to come forward and put a rose on the coffin [while 'The Rose' was played on a CD] after which Family members and other Aboriginal (and non-aboriginal also) people grouped around the coffin and keened and cried aloud for a quite heart-rending 15 minutes or so, while others came up, placed their rose, and returned to their seats, many weeping audibly. The wailing startd again during Communion as people passed by the coffin. Since I didn't know the man or the mourners I kept a very low profile and was careful not to intrude with any photography. If I ever get any of the photos to upload, you will see that I am viewing from very much 'outside' the groups. Double click on the photo to enlarge it and you will see a bit of the group around the coffin.

For the first time in my life, I think, I went to the Anzac Dawn Service because all I had to do ws to walk down a few streets. I was too late to get one of THE seats, but was behind the central shrine in the corner of a backing (low) wall on which I was able to sit whenever required. It was a lovely ceremony but one who goes to them all, because she had two uncles at Gallipoli, said it was not such a good one this year! However, I was impressed - perhaps more by the crowd of thousands all pouring through the streets in the darkness beforehand - a crowd who stood mostly in silence with only the occasional childish voice asking a question. I didn't take my camera - thought you would see plenty of photos on the News. We had Mass in the Cathedral at 7.30 with a 'Catafalque' party from the Navy surrounding the Altar for the Eucharistic prayer. It was explained this this happens only in Cathedrals in Capital Cities on Anzac Day. I have a picutre of that!

Yesterday was another first - my first wander around the Botanic Gardens here in Darwin since this year. The Gardens have been extended a lot and there is a lot more to see than I remember from the 80s. It was delightfuly green of course, since the dry is only just beginning.

I went up a rainforest walk to a waterfall and along a shade walk. There is a children's garden with all sorts of delights for them, although I didn't actually go through it. I took a picture of the entrance today. I think Kath and John will enjoy it when they come up in July.

I was interested to be able to see the St John's College bridge over the gully now which replaces the 'walkway' on which in the 80s we went down 20 steps and up 30 at a much lower level through the gully. Now there is a very professional-looking structure that goes straight from one side to the other at the top.

I went to St Martin de Porres Church in the northern suburbs today where the Darwin Aboriginal Community gathers each Sunday for Mass. Apparently the official starting time is 10 am but it depends when the pick-up bus arrives. I will be going there regularly to become more aware of Aboriginal concerns and customs.

The picture shows the children dancing when they returned from Children's Liturgy while everyone sang and clapped to "This Little Light of Mine". In the background you can see the Easter Banner that was obviously painted by a parishioner. I enjoyed being with that Community for Mass. It was very alive and friendly and informal and I look forward to going there regularly.

Love from Rita

Back in Darwin

Dear All,

This will be just a fairly short blog. I returned today and will share a couple of photos from the air. The one on the left shows a view over Brisbane as we took off. You can actually see the William Taylor Bridge if you look closely for the white pillars at either end. the one on the right shows the view as we came down from across Darwin Harbour over the coast in Darwin. You can almost see the tide flowing - with a 7 metre tidal range at its highest, the tide can be powerful.

Last night - on the actual day and date, Saturday 18th April - Mary and Jim had their Golden Wedding celebration and renewed their vows during Mass. There is one picture I took - a bit fuzzy, but quite a good memory.

The Thesis has been 'put down'! I have withdrawn from the BCT Masters (and thesis) and as soon as I get the official academic transcript will apply to continue with ACU (Australian Catholic University) which has an online Masters of Practical Ministry Course for which I should get most of my BCT subjects credited and then it is all course work and no thesis. I got the idea from talking to Colin, I think, because he was telling me he is completing his Masters (IT of some species) at QUT and it is course work only! I was a bit envious.

Actually, there is the opportunity to do a 'Special Project' subject I believe with the ACU Masters and perhaps I will be able to extract the juice from my retired thesis and do the 5000 or so words in that area. We will see. I will start some subject in Semester 2 and in the meantime will be able to put my energies into completing the assessments for the Certificate IV course which will qualify me to be a VET teacher and which have to be all 'sewed up' by June 30th, and also I will be able to put my mind onto Nungalinya matters. It is a relief to have no thesis consuming my life, although I felt a bit sad when I sorted through my notes because I have had such engagement with the topic and have done so much work.

Anyway, I am back in Darwin. It is hot (surprise) and tomorrow, I front up to work again and it is my turn to cook the tea. Ho hum! Back to 'normal' life. That is what tends to happen. However the stay in Brisbane was excellent. I must also post a picture of the RCIA ceremonies at the Easter Vigil which were beautiful. It was great to be there. You can see everyone who was involved in that RCIA group, including moi!

It was really lovely to be at Corinda where everyone was very kind and welcoming. What is more I had unrestricted (well, almost!) use of my previous car for the time I was there so was able to flit over to Rochedale, to Banyo, to Tricare, to family, to the City etc. The most tricky trip by far was over to Banyo and one day, when I left there to return to Corinda at an 'unsuitable' time (traffic-wise) it took me and hour and a half to get home! Groan!

Love to everyone

Rita

ARDS Conference: Bridging the Gap

Dear All,

Today was the first of two days with Richard Trudgen and others, whose names I can't spell, at the ARDS Seminar here at Darwin Crown Plaza. I walked down, so that was nice.

There are probably about 70 people attending and I have met some interesting people eg. a girl who finished study at Griffith and is back with her family wanting to work with Aboriginal People in setting up Tourist businesses; a young woman from Melbourne, now in Alice Springs, working for "Life without Barriers". She is a Social Worker and is setting up arrangments, including home living support, for young people who have been in trouble. The next person was another woman from Melbourne, Jewish, whose history has been the Womens' Movement and who is a Dr of Education working in Alice Springs to support trainee Aboriginal Teachers with one day of full-on study in their home Communities between the rest of the week teaching. Then I met another girl from Esperance who had been a 'Fiery' there but who always wanted to work in Darwin and was working in the Red Cross in Disaster management (in between disasters as well and before such) with the most vulnerable people - mostly Aboriginal.

Day 2: Still interesting and more great conversations at lunch. Today there was an RFDS woman from Cairns (nursing background but into managing some of the service); a Service woman from Darwin (into helping people set up businesses); and the Doctor from yesterday.

1) Richard Trudgen 2) Recording Yolgnu words with help of * Linguist Dr Elly?, *Tjunina, *Warrawir??? - Yothu Yindi member, and *Richard; 3) The three Educators who came in with comments during the talk and illustrated things.

I have learnt some interesting things which I did not know previously about Aboriginal culture (most of the examples were up in north-east Arnhemland where Richard Trudgen has been). At the end of it all I can see that Aboriginal people are well able to learn all that we can and more, but the channels of communication between our culture and theirs are not open in many ways. Some concepts have no 'cross-over' (my term) . A few facts anyway:

in 1980, 95% of the Yolgnu people were employed and the Milingimbi and Warrawi had one of the highest population growths in the world.

The first cyclone-proof house after Tracy was built by a Yolgnu team, and some of their companies came out under cost. Now it costs up to #1 m for a 3-bed house (contractors love these contracts!). The Government sent in quick pre-fab builders who could build 6 houses in 3 months. This shamed the local builders who did 3 per year with materials they prepared themselves. Aboriginal builders walked away unrecognised and gave up.

Yolgnu men operated all the boats in the Gulf and didn't lose any in storms, but were forced out of business by a Government decision to burn all their small, personally-made boats and provide one very large boat to do the work, operated by a Skipper with a Certificate. This white Captain like his drink and moved the big boat to Alyangula. The industry collapsed within 12 months and there was personal loss too in 'named' boats that had been burnt. The Aboriginal sea men were upset, felt let down, their skills were not recognised. This action destroyed the community.

1990s: 95% employment was with English-speaking workers. There was a low growth rate and diseases.

Fish knowledge previously was protected and breeding grounds were protected. Fish were plentiful. Now they are netted and it is not worth going out fishing.

2009: The results of the Intervention are mixed. There is still a high death rate and in 2009 Aboriginal clans are becoming extinct in Australia.

That was only some starting information. Since then we have covered The Boat Wars, The Pastoral Wars, Sacred Sites (really, sites for protection); the Culture of Silence; "Naming" and categorising other cultures: Law; Language and Communication. Too much to write about here. I'll see if I can load three photos (I lost a heap yesterday- pressed a wrong button!)

Two other Nungalinya Theology Staff are attending so I have someone to sit with and share with a bit. It is very helpful and interesting.

You would get a glimpse of why the Seminar was called "Bridging the Gap: Building Capacity with Indigenous Communities".

We have a DVD to watch so I'll see what is on that.

It was very helpful.

I'd better start packing for the midnight + 40 mins plane!

Love from Rita

First Aid

Dear All,

I have a First Aid Certificate again! The first one since 1956! Wow! The two-day course was held up near Casuarina Shopping Centre at the local St John's Ambulance Station. There were 12 participants, and only 3 of these were female! We paired off (I was with Max, who was excellent to work with) and after Sharon talked and demonstrated, we did whatever was to be done - eg. CPR on a dummy. Then we recorded what we had done on assessment sheets. I did a fair bit of crawling around on the floor on my knees, which wasn't something I do often if I can avoid it, but it was OK. I really enjoyed the two days and, lo and behold, passed the final test without error and was given the certificate (which was already printed!) Success! Here are some pics:

1) Sharon explaining; 2) Sharon, demonstrating with the help of David & Kurtz (participants);

3) I have Max all ready for transport with his 'broken' leg!

4) The Dummies look cute - especially the baby. In the background you can see a Darwin teacher, then in the corner, a Refugee from Nepal (but Bhutanese) whose family was given Refugee status to come to Australia (Tassie) last August after 17 years in a Refugee Camp in Nepal! The girl was married 15 days ago to a man who talked to her parents and her over the phone and was acceptable (they are Hindu) and now she lives in Darwin with her husband! Her English was fair because they had school in the Refugee camp with an English teacher but she never left the camp and said that often were short of food etc. She works in a migrant centre and says there are about 7 other people in Darwin from Bhutan and about 70 Nepalese. Her husband is studying at the Uni. The man on the right of her is Kenyan, here with his wife and two young children to give the children a better chance in life. He is a Chemist and doesn't know of any other Kenyans in Darwin, although he has a sister in Adelaide (I think - I may be mixing him up with the girl)

5) Here are James (from Montana, USA, but living in Darwin with his Australian wife - first baby due in October) and his pal Darren. Both are studying for boat licenses - one to be a Coxsin (??? how do you spell that?) and the other for his Master's. They have both been with the same company on the prawn trawlers in the Gulf and came across to Darwin from Cairns. James has left that job and is looking for other work.

6) Max is getting my arm in a sling to help me with my 'broken collar bone'! Max has been through the 'wars' having suffering countless breaks coming off/crashing his motorbike(s?) which he loves. Name a bone and he has probably broken it. He was very sanguine about it all. He has two young daughters who he says are wild about motorbikes. (I didn't ask him what his wife thinks, but then, she married him!)

The First aid started at 8.15 am and was scheduled to finish at 4.30 pm but we finished at 4 pm both days, which gave me time to head up to Nungalinya College (one block down Dripstone Rd) and check emails and what was going on. Much is going on in planning for next Semester.

Tomorrow and Thursday I will be at the ARDS (Aboriginal Resources and Development Services) Conference here in Darwin City with the speaker being Richard Trudgen who wrote that book Why Warriors Lie Down and Die. That starts at 8.15 am and finishes at 4.30 pm. It should be worthwhile. I will be able to walk to it. People here speak highly of him.

Sufficient for the week! I head off to Brisbane this coming Friday morning at 12. 40 am and won't be in Brisbane until 8.05 am having come via Sydney. No choice up here. I couldn't get the plane which leaves at a more 'respectable' time because I am giving a Presentation on my Thesis on Friday evening at Colloquium which starts over at Banyo at 6.30 pm. I am the 3rd presenter for the evening so I hope the audience perseveres. Anyone interested is welcom at the Colloquium in lecture theatre 1, under the library at ACU. Hope I am conscious enough to make sense.

Looking forward to catching up with everyone in Brisbane, but finishing the thesis is first priority!

Love from Rita

Various Snippets

Dear All,

I haven't put anything on for more than a week. As I said, the thesis presses and, although it is not going along any faster than it was, I found out this week that I have a month more than I thought I had, so I'll celebrate by doing another blog!

I know some of you took part in the World Day of Prayer on March 6th. Well in Darwin it was held here at St Paul's Catholic Church in Nightcliff and it was well attended. As you would expect, it was hot and all the doors were open (which is most of the side of the church) for fresh air. As we arrived we were amazed and delighted to find we could not find a park near the church. Wow! This is going to be the best attended ever, we were saying to each other. Of course there was a school disco or similar on and people were there in crowds for that. What is more, the children were careering around on the lawn in the dark beside the open doors of the church, so we had an especially 'youthful' atmosphere for the service. There were adults supervising them, and they kept them about 10 metres from the church, but they were still very audible. The service was prepared by the women of PNG and the speaker was an Anglican Priest who had worked recently up there and who spoke about women up there. The PNG choir from the Casuarina Uniting Church sang, and a Salvation Army woman led the Service (mostly) although there was also a 'Sr Rita' there - she is the Parish Sister there! A strange situation for me! A young Nigerian / Sudanese man was on the keyboard (no music) and he was brilliant. That's an idea for Rochedale, although I hear that another famous 'Rita' is helping there!

The TAA (Training and Assessment) Course has finished the face-to-face component and now there are the assignments to do. The thesis takes precedence over them for me until after I get back from Brisbane on 19th April. But I do bits when I have time over at the College and am well advanced in the first Assessment out of 14 altogether, and hope to email it to the 'Trainer' before I head off to Brisbane. Some of the assessment is practical and will involve some teaching at Nungalinya, but that is a bit hard to organise at the minute.

We had our community Orientation (for what is left of the year after 15 March) day and Sr Yvonne who was in the my Novitiate Group came in from Wadeye (Port Keats) and Sr Anne Gardiner (who I know quite well) from Bathurst Is, as well as Sr Lorraine from St John's. That doubled our community for the weekend - especially now Sr Mary Chan is living at Salonika. Yvonne has been 15 years at Wadeye - this time. She is a nurse but is mostly involved in the Alcohol Awareness program nowdays. Sr Anne is currently getting computers into her 2nd hand clothes store so the women who come there can become proficient on them.

I've put a few pictures in of Darwin at present. The weather is changing to the Dry and there are many signs. We had this sharp and savage little storm a couple of nights ago and I believe the winds were up to 100 kph and the temperature dropped (briefly!) to 22! The rain was incredible and sounded like hail. It swept in everywhere. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, the very heavens were shaken (remember? But I didn't seen any little pig curl up his tail and run to save his bacon!) A long carpet runner in the top corridor here rolled up and went around the corner - later I nearly tripped over it in the dark and it took quite a bit of dragging to get it back on place. The next morning when I went for a walk there were a lot of large palm branches snapped off. Later I heard a council woodchipper on its rounds. Sr Jo commented at breakfast that it could have been a 'knock-em-down' storm - typical of the start of the Dry.

I managed to get three pictures onto the blog but the internet has gone on strike now. I'll try again shortly. However these three show:

1. A dragonfly which turned up on our TV room wall the other night. Dragonflies herald the dry and are being seen about everywhere at present.

2. The garden in our courtyard is quite nice, but it will be drying up from now on with a lot of hosing to keep the plants alive (no water restrictions here - yet!) Since nature is profligate with water up here, so is everyone equally lavish.

3. This is the area near Mindil Beach, just along from the Casino, where Darwin's well-known markets are held every Thursday evening in the dry. They are very popular and I hope to get down there sometime (when the thesis is finished!) You can see how green it is and the lovely shade trees.

I called in at Mindil Beach on the way home from work yesterday - just on impulse. That was where I took the photo of where the markets will be soon. The "Danger" sign greeted me and brought back many memories, but I was surprised there was nothing about crocodiles because two of our sisters had a narrow escape with two crocs swimming towards them when they went for a 7 am dip years ago at Mindil Beach. If it hadn't been for a couple of beachcombers who had been there all night and who came running towards them, gesticulating, they would never have known and the crocs may have got them. Sr Anne, who I was living with at the time I heard the story, said she kept on having cold shivers all day when she thought of what might have happened.

1. The Danger Sign is the first picture- Double click on it to enlarge it and you will be able to read all the directions about what to do if you get stung. People always take vinegar with them to the beach up here.

2. The second picture is of a tree common up here - I think it would be a Banyan.

3. Looking along Mindil Beach itself towards Bullocky Point where you can glimpse a bit of Darwin High School. No golden sand, because there is iron stone rock around here, and it is red. You can double click and enlarge that one too - it is only the middle picture can't be enlarged.

Well that will have to do for this week. I will be down in Brisbane quite soon so you may not get another blog before I come down. This coming week I have two days on a First Aid course (instructions not to wear a skirt!); and two days at a Seminar with a well-known authority on Aboriginal People - Richard Trudgen, who wrote the book Why Warriors Lie down and Die which I found today on my bookshelf over at Nungalinya and have browsed a bit, as advised before Conference. It is very very interesting but quite horrifying in places. He is talking about one lot of Aboriginal People in north-east Arnhem Land. Yothu Yindi came from there. Enough

Love from Rita

The Thesis presses!

Dear All,

This week I think I will give you just two cartoons which might tell you a bit about my life this week. You can enlarge the one on the right by clicking on it, don't forget, but you might be able to see what is going on anyway! Apart from the Thesis, there have been meetings at Nungalinya as we work out how we are going about the rest of the year. At this stage it is looking more likely there will be classes in the second half. But much, much work to get things up to scratch by then. However, I would prefer that, having come up here to teach - and, by then, the thesis will be out of my hair. It is due by 24th April, so I really have to have it up to proof-reading by the time I hit Brisbane. I probably need to get it bound and everything down there, but ....... eeeekkkk!

Hope the Baptism goes swimmingly on Sunday, so to speak! I should see a few photos in due course. And Kath and John arrive up in Brisbane on Monday for Simone's 4th on Tuesday. Hope Sarah's birthday went happily today. I was thinking of you and praying for you Sarah.

Time for some more comments on my blog. Thanks for your text message Ruth - nice to hear from you. All you people who are reading and not responding ....... what can I say? Be brave and try.

Love from Rita

Ash Wednesday - Lent

Dear All

That is quite a sombre title I have given this week, but I was so 'holy' on Ash Wednesday I didn't wake up until 6.20 am, which was a bit late to get to 6.30 am Mass! Luckily, it was a Thesis Day and I was home and able to go to the 12.10 pm Mass. There is a definite increase in daily Mass-goers here from Ash Wednesday onwards. There are quite a few men there, some quite young and alone. In the congregation we will have Filipinos, Chinese, mixed race, Europeans etc. The priest is Indian. Outside, before the light dawns properly about the time 6.30 am Mass starts, there are prone figures on the cement landing at the side entries to the Cathedral - sometimes up to 6 sleeping at the same angle on the cement. About 6.45 am the 'First Response' people in their orange jackets come around and wake those who haven't woken themselves and moved on. The sleepers would normally be all Aboriginal men - perhaps from out of town, perhaps not. There are always groups of Aboriginal people around the streets in Darwin and when it rains they congregate under awnings of buildings at entrances which are not used much. Some are drinkers, some are not. I am told these people sleep on cement back at their communities too. I would be acutely uncomfortable sleeping on cement, but I suppose the alcohol helps! That's a sad side to Darwin and you won't get any photos of that.

Today after work - close to 6 pm (remember it doesn't get dark until well after 7 pm) I went for a walk along the Esplanade and, near theParliament building there was a caravan serving hot meals with a lot of people lining up looking pleased to get one. It was raining lightly and I used an umbrella for the whole walk. The people I saw getting meals were mostly white, but there were dark people as well. There was a young white fellow on the McMinn Street bridge out of town on Friday morning as I drove to work. He had was wavinga cardboard placard : "Work wanted". The ABC reported on him in the news tonight and he is only 19 and came to the Territory because he thought work was plentiful up here, but that hasn't been his experience. Perhaps he has no skills? I haven't heard if he got a result for his effort.

All the planning and preparation work is continuing out at Nungalinya. There is a possibility we will not have regular Theology classes this year !!!!!!!! but that is not decided yet. I would be unhappy about that but there is a lot to do. There are groups coming in for FACS and CIF (Family and Community Service and Creating Indigenous Futures) The latter has started already with 17 young Aboringal people, mostly from difficult situations getting picked up daily and doing a variety of things - many of them off-site; while the former group starts next Monday for 5 weeks. In the middle picture below you can see the corner of a white board behind myself and rob and the writing on it is the notes from a planning meeting by FACS teachers in preparation for the new group. The Theology Department is still working out its 'salvation'. It doesn't fit readily into a VET framework (Vocational education and Training - like TAFE) so that is all being sorted out at multiple meetings. The FACS group invited the Theology group over for afternoon tea yestersy, so I have a few pictures of that to treat you with.

1) Some of the group sitting around a table in the 'work' room for the staff of FACS. They use the upper level of an ordinary house. On the left is Lorraine, who is from Theology and opposite her are two of the Aboriginal ladies I photographed earlier, plus Gail, who is attending the Certificate IV course with me and who has a part-time role in Theology where she deals with Wholistic Health. She is a lovely and capable person and would do an excellent job.

2) This is one of those self-set photos and Rob, the esteemed Theology Co-ordinato, is hamming it up for the camera

3) You can see Rob (the white speck) walking from the FACS house back to the Admin building in the distance . Students in FACS have their sessions over at the building with classrooms to the left of the admin building which you can't actually see in the photo.

In the meantime, I am trying to get my head around the Certificate IV assessment tasks in any spare time I have at work. I feel a bit discouraged about that because on Friday I had a good slab of time and was still struggling to complete Q 1 out of 6 in the first Assessment task out of three. Sometimes I feel just plain dumb!

Today we farewelled one person and celebrated three birthdays at the regular Friday Devonshire mornos in the Dining Room. You'll get glimpses of the dining room behind the photos I took and the kitchen staff there really take a pride in making it look attractive. Apparently that is the way they have the dining room all term. All the students get meals there as part of their accommodation and staff join them if they wish and can pay a small amount to eat there as well. Someone was commenting what a small group we were in the Dining Room! which shows it is usually quite full. The cook, Ken, and his off-sider, Del run that side of things. Here are the pics for the morno:

1) Nearest the camera is Jane, the Deputy, one of the 'Birthday' people. There are a mixture of staff with her - from admin, theology, cif, and a former groundsman. In the background you can see a corner of the dining room and the finance person, Catherine, making her getaway!

2) Here's the 2nd Birthday person, Keith, who hails originally from French Island near Philip Island in Victoria. Del is lighting the candle on the cake which was scrumptious. A different corner of the dining room in the background.

3) Kerry, the departee (part-time in Theology Teaching) who is moving to Groote Island to work there for the Anglican Church, is looking at the camera. Staff in the background are spreading these lovely fresh scones with jam and cream. Yum! Can you see the pot plants and decorations which make the place very attractive? I'll throw in a couple more pics with little commentary.

You get some good glimpses of the dining room decor as well as of different staff in the above three photos.

The first picture shows Valda and Dorothy? and Helen.

The middle picture shows Del, the cook who arrived late because of the floods on the Barkly highway with Valda, a cute little Aboriginal staff member.
The third picture shows Tim, originally American but long in Australia, (Theol) and Judy who does the pay. I'm sure she does other things too.

1) Finally, I took this 'fantastic' photo of myself grinning triumphantly at the self-set camera and holding my 'dog tag' aloft . We are supposed to wear this ID all times while on site. I am sitting at my desk behind the computer. Just bear with me! .

2) Then I must 'edify' you with a photo of my Office, which looks OK on camera, but needs a lot of serious work which it is not going to get in a hurry.

3) The final photo shows the top of my bookshelf in my room at home and I thought I would put it in for the interest of Rochedale Parishioners who watched as I was presented with this memento of St Peter's. It was too heavy to put on any wall hook, so it looks very nice where it is - surrounded by some family photos and a few mementos. I just noticed when I enlarged the photo in the blog that the ceramic sheep (a 'Mum' memento) looks as though the St Peter's rock in the picture is on its back! !! Well, it isn't. That sheep is roaming free! The three name tags from parishes you might observe on the shelf, are there because I don't know what to do with them except throw them out and I haven't had the heart to do that yet. That is all in what I call my 'previous life'. I used that term at a meeting the other day and everyone looked at me as though I had come back from the dead!

On that note I will finish for this week. The weather is not too bad at present - one of the Aboriginal ladies at FACS said she felt a 'dry weather' breeze the other day, and someone has seen a dragon fly (they arrive in swarms in the dry) but I think the dry will not arrive for a while. We had a couple of hours of heavy rain yesterday early in the morning and then a couple more hours of downpour about 3 pm as well as the light rain I walked in.

At last, (it is 11.20 pm) I think the hoon outside has ceased operations. He (surely not a she?) has been round and round the area multiple times for hours. Sleep may be possible. Uh, oh! Here he comes again! He (or one of his friends) has a 'woofer' too - I think that is the name. If it is not, then it should be the name because it suits.

God bless. Hope John's big O went wonderfully. Sarah comes next - 8 years old on 5th (growing up so fast!) and Simone comes after that- 4 years old on 8th (Wow! ). Then of course, comes Brian, ready to get what Aunty Rita used to call the 'Wool cheque!"

Love from Rita