Rathmines reflections. The first week of 2016

Our Rathmines Bible week is over. The attendees have all packed up and headed to their homes. K is pottering around dealing with the final clean up and minor repairs. We have emptied the fridges (its amazing what people forget they put in the fridge when they got here). The last song is sung, the last scripture read...until next time.




The kookaburras have sung most days. There were three in the trees by the lake this morning. I tried to get close but without food they ignored me. You can just see them high up in the branches.

 

We have had the pleasure of the company of the Brisbane family again this week, but they are off to QLD now. Won't see them again  'til we take the caravan up later in the year. Last hugs, last cuddles. I met K's baby nephew for the first time this week. They head off to Adelaide tomorrow.


One of the grandsons sang a little solo in the Song and Praise night on Friday. Very cute, although a grown up 8 year old might not appreciate that choice of adjective. I sang for half the programme then took my sore lungs (I'm still a bit tender on one side from the collapsed lung) off to the orchestra and played my viola. A very kind local family babysit my viola between our visits to Rathmines. She doesn't like the caravan very much, or rather the change in temperature and humidity. I do love to play her but sadly I no longer do her justice as I am so out of practice. I hide in the lower registers and try not to wince visibly when a bad note sounds.

 Last night was the children's concert. Always a delight. Talented kids directed by inventive and enthusiastic leaders. Of course our grandkids shone, at least as brightly as everyone else's. Not proud much....


There were a number of keen knitters and crocheters here. We chatted away over coffee and cake creating hats, afghans, baby clothes, scarves and other wonderful things that appear magically when some sticks are waved around in the vicinity of coloured yarn. My grandfather called it "gentle witchcraft". My project was to make something from  a set of packs of 5 colour coordinated balls of yarn I picked up in a 2 dollar shop. I was in the mood for circles so four circles, a square and four triangles later here is the as yet unblocked finished baby rug. This one was fun and had everyone including me, if the truth be told, guessing how it would turn out. I joined all the ends of balls together in random order to do the border. Not a scrap of yarn left. Frugal.

I have started a much more gentle afghan now. A bed size cover I think if I have enough yarn.

I get asked all the time who the rugs are for. Usually no one in particular. I just enjoy painting with yarn. But I do need to sell a few items from my finished afghans before the caravan bed won't go down over them. (The as yet not adopted finished items live under the bed)


It has been a truly wonderful week and an uplifting, refreshing beginning to 2016.

We are off to a friends' place for dinner then back to our caravan on the farm tomorrow I think.



Cheers Sue
A Ferg on the Move