"Who do you think I am?"

...Scene: Supermarket, locked in a checkout queue. I spot Jim further back in the queue.

Me: “G’day Jim!”

‘Jim’: “What did you just call me?”

“Jim!”

“Do I look like Jim?”

“Yes, you do.”

“Do you think I am Jim?”

“Well I did, but now I [am extremely embarrassed and] see I have made a mistake!

‘Jim’, to at least four people standing between us in the queue: “Do I look like Jim?...I don't feel like Jim...I wasn't Jim the last time I looked..."

Help! Get me out of here! Whew...my turn at last…

Formally Relaxed!

...
Entering data into the new and clever data base software has been interesting — even more so as the developer has a laid-back approach...

How about a Sextillion or 70?

...Night skies in the great Australian outback are simply awesome! Sleeping under a sparkling dome of a sextillion or 70 stars has always been a soul-reviver for me. Memories return of laying in my warm sleeping bag next to slow-burning embers of a campfire, breathing the fragrant scent of the bush, and trying to keep my eyes open as long as I possibly could to watch 'falling stars' or spot a satellite or two tracking across the heavens. All too soon sleep would take over, but periodically throughout the night I would wake for a moment to glimpse the changing position of the stars with the rotation of the Earth.

I recall when as a child growing up in Melbourne in 1957, I stood with my grandparents, parents and brother and watched Sputnik as its trajectory took it directly overhead.

Launched by the Soviet Union on 4th October 1957, Sputnik was the first man-made object to orbit the Earth, which it did in 98 minutes. It was only the size of a large basketball.

Experiencing this historic event sparked in me my life-long fascination with the heavens and spaceflight, and my spiritual heart beats faster as I ponder distance in light years, the wonder of creation, of our planet Earth, and my minute yet unique part of history. I yearn for my tiny contribution to make a difference.

Attention all dogs!

...
Dogs, just in case your owners can't read...

R.I.P. (Rest In Pieces) Murray!

...

Here lie the bones of Murray the Cod

Who died not from the hook on a fisherman’s rod,

But thrived for years in a fish lover’s tank

Until this week when he keeled over and sank.

Poor Martin did all for his pet that he could –

And with herbs and a sauce he sure tasted good!

~ Noella Ross 2007 ~

Moose in town - Anchorage

...


These photos were taken at noon on 4th March, by a friend in Anchorage, Alaska. The moose were trying to find shelter close to his condominium from the strong winds which were creating a wind chill factor of -35°F (or -37°C).

It was really cool to get these while we, on the other side of the globe, were melting down in temperatures around 42°C (108°F)!

10 lines from me

...

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

I must remember to remove my glasses before I put eyedrops in my eyes!

Hot Night Delight!

...

At the end of a hot summer’s day, what better way to cool the body for a good night’s rest than a spot of stargazing from under the Southern Cross, afloat on the cooling waters of the backyard pool, palm trees gently swaying in the breeze… I am a tiny dot in this wondrous Universe, yet I have my place in it.

Fire Training

At work I attended the hands-on demonstration in Bush Court on how to use a fire extinguisher.

We froze the bases of several trees with generous amounts of carbon dioxide.

Now I know what to do next time I have a hot flush — just pull the pin and aim...

Healing Flow

...
Tonight I attended a short remembrance service at the hospital chapel, along with about 30 others who were also grieving the loss of a family member at the palliative care unit in the past few months. The Chaplain, gifted with a deep understanding and sensitivity in this area, had the knack of touching hearts and releasing feelings so healing could flow.

It was good to have supper together, bonded by our shared experience of bereavement, and to have faced the challenge of returning to these familiar buildings and garden which had become so indelibly imprinted on our lives.

The quiet love and support from the beautiful staff and volunteers knows no limit! Religion is irrelevant—this is God’s Perfect Love
lived out for the dying and the living at this place.