This one is for Barry!

Earth Angel

It's time!

...

Eight months down the track...

* I have started a new job at the same institution but in a different discipline, and have been both grateful and humbled by the struggles of re-learning everything at age 60;

* We have bought a block of land;

* And a house to be built on it;

* Sold our home after months of preparation, opening on the hottest day this summer;

* Carried out marathon clean-outs and decluttering;

* Packed more boxes of my books than everything else we own put together!

* Fulfilled numerous regulations, repairs and maintenance before departing;

* Moved throughout summer's worst heatwave;

* Celebrated our 36th Wedding Anniversary along with the removalist's van;

We are grateful to God for a new beginning at this stage of our lives, and we deeply appreciate our supportive, faithful friends!

When Angels are sent...

...

Two of our lovely graduates with Leonie and me

June 2009: Just two hours earlier, we had received the news that under the restructure we no longer had places in our School. These beautiful young women didn't know that when they came to thank and hug us and have photos together. Truly these Angels were sent at exactly the right time!

Leonie and me (holding Nick - the graduand bear)

Jason is on the poster at the side!

It is times like this that are the best reward for our service in the School that has been our home for 19 years.

But other opportunities were to open...

When others care...

..

A gift from some thoughtful friends
from half-way around the World,
this symbolic Willow Angel has
brought me comfort in the
disappearance and loss of
my two beautiful cats
in just 21 months.

My cats' names:
~Willow and Angel~

Still grieving our beautiful Willow

...

It is 2 months now that our beautiful cat, Willow, has been missing. I can hardly bear that my previous cat, Angel, similar in colour and fluffy fur, also disappeared nearly 2 years ago. Both were sterilised, tatooed, inoculations up to date, and Willow micro-chipped. All our searching and asking has unearthed no clues.

Our heats ache with missing Willow's sweet and playful personality. She was a real lady. She had these cute little paws with tufts of fur sticking out between her toes. I keep wondering, does she live on in someone else's home or ...?

It's been a while...

...
At last I'm back on board and intend posting to this blog regularly again. Change has been taking place, and will continue in just about every area of my life—mostly very good, but not without its challenges. God is good and faithful.

Barry wants me to be clear that I haven't changed him! That is, we've both changed as we've grown, but we're still a team!

Now massive decluttering is taking place. Yeah, it's all mine! Too many life events, too many interests, and working...and people will always be more important to me than housework. Barry says too many books, but you can never have too many good books. Besides, I haven't got the whole set yet...

I have developed my 30:30:30:10 Plan for decluttering:

30% chuck out
30% give away or sell
30% keep
10% can't make up my mind.

Now, to the future...

De-light!

...

This piece of art took took my fancy!

Any idea what it is?

Time Out...

...

..

Thank you for visiting Australian Night Owl.

It has been necessary for me to give time to other priorities for a period, but I intend to be posting regularly by the end of this month.

I have some interesting photos...so please do call back soon!

Business as usual...(don't mind me)!

...
"Hello!" said the voice from the cubicle beside me.

"Hello!" I responded, wishing I had taken more notice of who entered the Ladies Room behind me.

"How are you?" the voice asked.

"Well, thanks," I replied, still trying to recognize the voice of someone who obviously knew me.

"What are you doing?" the disembodied voice enquired!

Now this was a dilemma. Who would want to know what I was doing! This was indeed a most unusual conversation! I didn't want to be rude, but I just may have to enquire about the identity of the mystery friend next door.

Fortunately, I was spared from this as the voice from the cubicle continued as she went about her business whilst conversing on her mobile phone!

Stone the crows! I didn't know her from a bar of soap – and I really didn't need to hear or be enticed into the private conversation she had publicly initiated either!

I retreated as fast as I could!

Good listeners

...
Looking through my party pics, I noticed some wonderful expressions of the rapt attention of good listeners!

Barry, Phil and Robbie

Sharon & Daniel (and Buddy)

Kerrie & Christopher

David, Bev & John

Barry and Gail L.

Naomi and Gail V.

Roma and Helen

Sharon, Alister, Merv & Viv, Roma and Helen

Piet & Robyn, Ken & Julie

Ken, Hans & Robbie

Mary & Geoff and Raymond

Shirley and Viv
[Thank you to Shirley for taking most of these photos]

Bryan, Christopher, me, Daniel and Rina

Raymond, Alister (behind) and Roy
[Raymond has just had a bright idea!]

Me and Phil

[Multi-talented] Phil

Martin [appreciates good tucker]