A Fresh Start

   
     We folded up our school house last year on 23 November.  It was the final day of school forever for my older son! and No 2 and I were well and truly ready for the break.  We had blisteringly hot days here over December and January, which meant I spent a lot of time in the air conditioning.  This limited what chores were done but the reading opportunities were great .  I spent a very relaxing, fun filled week at the coast with my older daughter and her four cherubs coming back home with the intention of starting school immediately after Australia Day (26 January).

My older son (second left) his cousin and mate (centre) and friend
on Homeschool Graduation Night.

     Ah...the best laid plans! On the night of 25 January, a Sunday, I had a heart attack!  Needless too say this put a spanner in our well laid plans.  I spent five days in the CCU here in Rockhampton and then flew to Royal Brisbane hospital for an angiogram.  Alas, as previous angios have shown, there is nothing that can be done for my very blocked veins and arteries other than medications to relieve the symptoms. The good news being that the three by passes that were done ten years ago are clear and working well.  God is good.  Though somewhat disappointed I was not shattered as this was the same outcome as previous tests had shown.

Grandad and Mumma enjoy Saturday night tea,
usually my boys,  my older daughter and the fab four.

     That week my two eldest grandsons started Grade One!  Third little man began Prep and the twins started a couple of days a week at Kindy.  Somehow those years have just flown by. And so it is that I am back in the class room with just my youngest beginning Year 11. He's had a late start, today being the first back to normal routine, but we've begun as we intend to continue.  So it is with renewed energy and "vision"  that I launch into my twenty third year of Home Schooling.  ( Anyone who actually knows me or has read my blog before will remember that I have very little energy and not so great vision so I jest)

   Today, I am pondering the character traits which I need to work on.  Primarily my own,  love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. 

     As my son begins a unit on Peace and Conflict, problem solving and mediation are  topics which are coming up naturally. I am loving this season of life with grown up children, where discussions are fruitful for our spiritual growth. 

Back yard cricket.  I has to be extremely hot to stop my guys from
getting a game going.

     Ooops, it's such a long while since I have blogged that I am rather rusty with the finer points of placement etc but I will do my best to improve on that.

Today I Still Remember

We will remember them...

It is ANZAC Day and amidst all the nostalgia and remembrance of our loved ones and ancestors who fought and died for the freedom we enjoy today, I seem to keep drifting back to thoughts of Dad. 

He wasn't a veteran but he was my hero.

So much of my knowledge of the wars and what life was like "back home" comes from my own parents.  I think of my Dad now, when still only a teenager, who felled a paddock of scrub country using only axes, with his older brother in 1942. The following year his two older brothers went to the war in the Pacific and Dad was the eldest at home and much depended on to keep the farm going.  He did apply to the army but his colour blindness and the fact that by so late in the war the farms desperately needed fit people to keep them going, kept him home.  I have always been thankful for that.  My dear Dad was a very tender soul who I think would have struggled to recover from such an experience.

I have been enjoying afternoon tea each day with Mum in these past two weeks.  The days of our mourning.  What a wonderful, stoic and resilient woman she is! But the realities of grief have hit her and also the frailty of her own body.  She has been quite miserable and unwell. She is tasting loneliness. Her memory is very poor. Sometimes when I mention something about Dad she can't recall it....and that is hard, painful.

"Today I still remember, just like yesterday,

'Bout a mighty big man with a mighty big heart

And a mighty few words to say."

Here's a link to one of my old poems

Remember

Lest we Forget

The Week that Was

Many's the time I have grappled to think of something to write to update my blog.  Occasionally when life is hectic, I have lots of material but little time to "put pen to paper" ( in the old speak) : This last week has been so hectic, and with very quick changing scenarios, that my head is swimming!

Last week flash flooding and terrific wind from Cyclone Oswald caused quite a lot of damage and flooding here and even more so right down the coast of Queensland and into New South Wales.  We have grieved with the city of Bundaberg which experienced its worst ever recorded flood.  Houses swept off their stumps, roads with huge craters carved through them from the violence of the water.  The power of the wind and the waters are extrordinary!  The power of our great God!

Now we wait as the Fitzroy River steadily climbs to its expected peak of 8.7m.  This is 50cm below the 2011 flood but still hundreds of homes and businesses are flooded.  For many of us it is "business as usual", yet for those valiant souls along the river flats it an anxious wait, hoping that it will not go higher than predicted.  The last thing they need is more rain ~ which has been forecast :- (

Rocky airport 1/2/2013
Taken this morning
Closed this evening except for emergencies.

GS 2

First day at Kindy

The big day arrived and my two oldest grandsons started at their kindergartens.  I've mentioned before my mixed feelings about this and I think I was more churned up by it than the little boys, or their mothers.  All went well.  The girls have begun the long years of school drop offs and tuck shop and all the related to-ing and fro-ing.

I knew long ago that my children did not feel the same way as me about schooling, though being home schooled themselves or perhaps because they were home schooled :- (.  I suppose it is just another matter in which I have to say, "Thy will be done." and leave it in God's capable hands. We made our choices with which the children have not always been happy.  Now we see them having to make choices for the next generation.  God give wisdom and knowledge to each of us as we need it.

This ol' house, in which we have lived for 14 1/2 years is back on the market.  It has been bought and sold a couple of times since we've lived here and each time we have been able to continue renting.  This time it is much more weathered than previously and we have not really had a chance to "tidy up" since the family moved out.  Again, I am seeking to trust in the Lord for our needs.  I am so pleased that my daughter was able to move into a good place before the ordeal of having people look through the house started.

With our home, our city and the state in such upheaval this week we made only a brief attempt at school each day.  Oh, it is hard to get back into the harness!!  I think the only thing the boys and I have enjoyed about it is starting the book "Twice Freed".  Reading is not their favourite pastime but listening still is :-)

I trust that all who read here are safe from the ravages of fires and floods which have swept our diverse country in the past few weeks.  For all getting back into the academic year I wish you the best. 

The Lord is on my side, I will not fear.........

A Half Century

Yes, I've made it!

Tomorrow is my fiftieth birthday!

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful life. 

For an extraordinarily fantastic family. 

For the blessing of faithful, prayerful and supportive friends.

For healthy, beautiful children

For thriving, inquisitive grandchildren. 

And most amazing of all I am thankful that  ~

You have called me and redeemed me.

Amen

For everything there is a season

And a time for every purpose under heaven

I woke up early last Saturday morning and drifted back to sleep with happy thoughts of my family gathered in Melbourne and a prayer for my gorgeous niece who was to marry later that day.

When I actually got our of bed a few hours later I was greeted with the tragic news that there had been a shooting in a school in America.

Sometimes, all  the seasons seem to happen in one day.....

So while I spent the afternoon waiting for pics to come up on Facebook and visiting my parents, there was a very sombre cloud over the day, even here so far away.

Ecclesiastes 3

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

And so it has been for most of this year.  A season of casting away but also gathering and regrouping.  A time to keep silence on some issues but with others to voice our opinions. And we have had lots of times of weeping and sadness and trial but also many memorable happy times ♥
And so it seems, it has been all my life, as I look back from this high pinnacle of fifty years.  The ups and downs, the good times and the bad, sickness and health.

The one constant in my life?...............My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
For even before I knew of my need of Him, I can see now that He was always leading and guiding my steps.  Before the Lord became the centre of my life, the love of my life, through many "dangers, toils and snares" He knew me and was working all of my life together for good and for His glory!

This is great consolation for us when we are travelling through dark valleys. And when life is going well and we are able to see all the wonderful blessings and glimpses of Glory that God has bestowed on us, we can also look back and see that the same faithful Jesus led us through that difficult time.

I know now that my niece was an enchanting bride. She  and her lovely husband are honeymooning and everyone is talking about just how special their nuptials were.

My heart aches for the the families of the sweet children and their teachers from Newtown.  I selfishly hold my children and grandchildren close, unable to fathom what pain they feel.

We do indeed "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
As we come to the end of another year, when there is a lot of rejoicing and thanksgiving, I want to give praise and thanks to God ~ for His mercies endure forever! "The JOY of the Lord is my strength" and no matter what comes our way in 2013 "Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ which is in Christ Jesus"!

Thank you all for your friendship, encouragement and entertainment during this very eventful year.  God bless you  xo

Rawr!!!!!!!!!

"Three little words"

You know from my blog that I am a genius ~ mwhahahahahhaha!!!
Truth is I am often ditzy and unco-ordinated.  It goes without saying that I don't read maps well :-)

So last week I ordered a new bed.  One of those bunks with double on the bottom and single on top.  The boys have been back to sharing a room since our daughter and family have been here and it was very crowded, so this seemed to be the best solution to give them some space.  The picture looked so nice!  The salesperson was very accommodating and we bargained a good price - alas, those "three little words" that I dread -
 Ready to assemble!

All you Ikea loving, allen key toting readers may well laugh...  But for me, this is no laughing matter.  It strikes fear in my heart even looking over the instructions!!!!  Fortunately, other members of the household are not deterred by such confusing pieces of paper and the bunks look just fine.

                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My third grandson turned three today! They are all growing up so very quickly, it is hard to fathom where the years are racing to.  GS 3 is one of those absolutely gorgeous cute little boys who is into every conceivable mischief he can find!  So I can finish this brief post with those other three little words ~  "I Love You" ♥♥

Three Amigos!
Birthday boy in the middle.

The twins check out the new quad bike

Our United Nations

Hubby and I and the boys are home from a great weekend in Brisbane.

We travelled by train and managed to catch up with lots of people even though it was only a four day trip.

On Brisbane trips we always stay with hubby's mother. (You may remember she was eighty in October).  We got to relax and chat with her as well as a nice little shopping trip and coffee for us ladies.

No kids around, so the boys spent the first two days very quietly.

Here they are on the train but the ear phones got a good work out during the trip down and back and when adult conversation just droned on for too long!

The reason for our visit was my Father-in-laws eightieth birthday.

Hubby is obscured but this is him with his sister and half brother and spouses.

Despite ongoing illness, Papa was very enthusiastic at his party!

Coming home from the celebrations, I couldn't help but ponder

about the contrast between

my own family and background and my in laws.

Hubby's dad migrated from Italy in the early fifties. His mother has a wonderfully chequered background with French and Scottish forebears.

The story of how his French great-grandparents ended up in  

Australia is fascinating and I

hope one day someone writes a book about that!

They are part of the history of early Cairns remembered by such place names as

Frenchman's Creek and Josephine Falls.

My husband's parents separated way back when he was about five. 

After that he didn't see his dad again for twenty five years!

He was raised by his mother (and grandmother).

His father remarried a much younger Philipina and had a son.

Can you imagine the scene in the restaurant where the party was held?

The excited high pitched voices of the Philipino ladies and the rich rolling

depth of all those Italians.  What a babble!

Many of their friends we had meet on other visits.

Michello, Giorgio, Mario, Giovanni.

Aurora, Rosalinda and Maria!

After the luncheon we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening

 just with the family members.

As we sat to share dinner we noted that there were we few "Aussies" with an Italian,

a Philipina, a Korean and a German! All of whom have arrived here as adults.

Before eating, hubby's half brother commented "Bon Appetit" and we all roared laughing.

All those languages to choose from yet he used French!

"Bon Appetito"

The eighty year old corrected in his beautiful throaty accent.

It is almost 25 years since we first re-established contact with my husband's father.

This weekend we realised how blessed we have been to have that

area of life "resolved".

Looking on, I believe my father in law must be very pleased to have been

re-united with the children he left so many years ago.

"UTOPIA" Revisited

Well, lovely readers, I have given you a short break after the wonderful Centenary Celebrations of my family, from my dabblings in history.
I love history, though I admit it is a love I have developed as I've become older and in the broader sense have enjoyed learning along with own children.

But Family History has become something of a passion for me:-)

• 
  

Therefore, in this 100th year of my father's parents settling at Jooro, I am excited to also be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the landing of the migrant ship "Utopia" in Keppel Bay.  The passengers of which then came up the river to Rockhampton.  The year was 1862 and this was the first ship to bring immigrants directly to Rockhampton. The 324 passengers swelled the population of Rocky by about 50%!

Descendants and History buffs are invited to attend the celebrations being held next weekend (3/4 November).  The launch of a book by a local Historian at the Public Library, Lunch at the North Rockhampton Bowls club which is along the Fitzroy River not far from the arrival point and a bus tour of historic sites. These include the memorial stone to mark the arrival of the "Utopia", other old establishments along the river and the old cemeteries.

Several of my own family will be enjoying the day with me and many of my more extended relatives.  My father's maternal great  grandparents, (on both sides) were passengers on the "Utopia".  Two young couples, the Bonds and the Rattenburys.  Each with two small children arrived here among the adventurous souls who travelled from England's fair shores to the blistering heat of our Australian summer.

Each family had quite a few more children after coming to Australia and my  great Grandfather, Charles Bond went on to marry Sarah Rattenbury.  As you can imagine in a large country town like Rockhampton there are still many descendants of those first pioneers who lay claim to this wonderful piece of Aussie history. 

If you would like to read a little about the ship, her voyage and arrival and the good folk who travelled on her , follow the link:

The Arrival of the Utopia

The article concludes with a photograph taken at the fifty year celebration of the "Utopia" and my ancestor, Richard Bond is in it.  He is the gentleman with the bushy beard.

(Hahahahahahahahahhahahaha)

Great great grandparents
Richard and Mary Bond

In family folk lore, and also other articles, it is told that the crew of the ship mutinied and that the able and willing men on board performed the crew men's duties to aid the captain to bring her to her destination.  It is mentioned in this article that the men were hand picked according to their skills and trades.  This was a great boon to the newly settled area.

The Bonds became dairy farmers. 
A friend of mine now lives in Bond road close to the place where they once lived and worked.

The Rattenburys were also farmers and Dad was telling me recently that they also dabbled in mining. There were several mines in the area in the early days including 

gold at Mt Morgan.

More on this after the event!

Haha, if you missed the joke I know you didn't look at the link!

   Two special people♥

21 October, 1972

My eldest sister's wedding day. 

Happy memories even though I am bawling!

Looking Back....

You know what it is like.  You plan and organise every detail for a big event, like your wedding, and then blip.....in the blink of an eye it is all over.  There's a high, then a sort of deflation right afterwards.  Then, as time goes by you remember the great event with happy satisfaction and it is stored away in the archive of happy, golden memories that will always be treasured.

So it is with the great family Centenary Celebration!  We've had lovely thank you emails from many of the travelling relatives.  I notice this is mostly the older generation, and remind myself to be more diligent in sending Thank you notes and encouraging the children to do so. I wrote an article for the Local Paper and was thrilled that they edited it very little and printed all four photos that I sent.  It was a full page article on Saturday, so everyone was very thrilled!

Our littlest grandchild had his first birthday on the day of the reunion, so we celebrated jointly with his dad, on the Monday public holiday.

He is such a cute little fellow and despite being a little off colour

had a wonderful day being the centre of attention!

Birthday Boys!

My two boys had a great week  with their friends at the Gold Coast.  As they all get older, start jobs etc.  it is becoming more difficult to plan times when they can all meet up.  They really enjoyed it, as always, and also got to meet more of the boys new friends.  The reality is that over time their lives will diverge more and more.  "Jasmine" their mother is a special friend of mine and I relished the short space of time we had to catch up on Friday when we collected the boys.  She is one of those rare to find friends with whom I can immediately fall back into conversation.  It is almost as if we just took up where we left off about 12 months ago! I pray that our children will enjoy the same closeness of fellowship in years to come.

Friday was my mother-in-law's 80th birthday!  She is a very with it woman with a lot still to offer and enjoy.  She still teaches music students (piano) and I think she will do so for as long as possible.  It is her great passion and I think it keeps her going!

We had a lovely family dinner at a Community Sports Club in Sunnybank.  Everyone was there except my two girls and their children.  I loved meeting two great nephews who we had not met before. Hubby and I made a very quick two day trip for the occasion but we hope to go back again soon for a longer visit.

Nana had a wonderful 80th surrounded by her family.
Here she rides happily back to the car park and enjoys the well wishes.

So, after all the excitement of the September holidays we have now to get back into school mode.  I can scarcely believe that Term 4 is on us already.  We always find the heat of first and fourth terms challenging.  This will be the first summer term for many years where we are not doing swimming on Fridays.  Perhaps I'll incorporate that anyway.  There are end of year events to think about and school work returns and .............

Have a great week everyone, especially if you too are back to school.
Remember to hug your children. Try not to  let those precious opportunities pass, when you can show your love, grace and forgiveness to others.  Life is so short.
I am reminding myself to send that note of thanks or comfort and share a little of the blessings which God bestows.

One Hundred Years of Farm & Family #3

One Hundred Years of Farm & Family #1 & #2

are the two previous posts.

When the melee of the tree planting was over

(we had decided they would all be planted at one time

to prevent a long drawn out session)

the men started up the branding fires for the branding of

the entrance gate and fence.

In real life, branding cattle used to be a very hot, smelly event.

The gas burner still get hot and the one doing the

branding needs to be careful.

P7J

Formally Dad's and now my youngest brother's.

Planks were branded for any who wished to take

home a memento.

6GD

Grandad's brand and now my cousin's/

Another cousin and her husband constructed the gate and fence

and put in a watering system for the grove.

Note the old cow bell hanging on the gate.

Dad can no longer see.

He listens carefully as my sisters read out the brands.

Of course, he knows whose each one is.

Sunset at the top of the world!

With wine and cheese

we soaked in the splendid view from the highest point

on my brother's place.

A 360 view of the Callide Valley and toward the Dawson.

Westward ho!

The local school bus driver, and family friend

loaned his bus for ferrying folk around.

My grandkids loved the bus ride but being

almost dark, fell asleep on the trip up the mountain.

Memorabilia displayed on what was once my grandparent's

family table and later hosted many happy occasions

at my own childhood home.

including my Family History Albums.

(And my sweet grand-daughter behind)

Old photos hanging in the corrugated iron shed

plus old implements, cream cans etc

added to the rustic feel.

My youngest son and his cousin give my two

grandsons a ride on the quad.

In our day, visiting kids got rides on horses.

My brothers are both horse lovers and good horsemen and

use them for mustering,

but many farm jobs are done on bikes these days.

And so it is over......sigh.

Our celebration and reunion were well worth all of the effort

that went into it. 

Every detail seemed to fall into place.

Thank you for reading and sharing in this special occasion.

100 years of Family and Farm