The Choir Goes On the Road!

The Toukley Ward invited our humble little Senior Missionary Choir to come up to their area (an hour north of the city), and volunteered to host each of us couples for the day. We took the train up, and the hosts assigned to us were Peter and Genny Barr. We met them while we were in Perth--just before they left for him to be Mission President in the Baltic Mission. It was so good to see them. Sister McLaughlin came with us--as her husband was sick and couldn't make the trip.......


They fed us pasta, we laughed and visited, and then they showed us around the area. Down to the sea we went--but it was a windy, stormy day, and the waves were incredible. No surfing for anyone today!

Not too stormy for us all to pose for a minute--just before the rain really hit!

After a fun afternoon of sightseeing, we headed for their chapel for dinner and a program. We were so excited that our new friend, Kylie Giovanni, came to join us. She is a schoolteacher, and we met her at a fish and chips place a couple of weeks ago........

After a chapel tour for Kylie and dinner for all--the program began. There were a variety of different performances, and then it was our turn. Our first number was "Waltzing Matilda." What were we thinking--all of us Americans singing "their" song for a bunch of Australians??? But they told us we gave it a "nice try!"

All the men are really into it--Dad and Elder Osborn singing tenor--right on the front row!
(Sister McKnight is our conductor.)



Dad smiles........................


Mom plays...............

And we ask the audience to join with us as we sing our last chorus of "As I Have Loved You."

Then---Malcolm--the one who invited us, and our emcee for the evening--stands up to say they have a special surprise. They have "lined up" a violin for Sister Nally to play! O my--it was a "clunker" that belongs to the community theater, had been in a moldy case for ages, and had only been played (years ago) by the guy who did those famous notes in "Fiddler on the Roof."

"Da-DAH-da-da-da-daaaaa"--you know--that part?

So---Mom played. ("I Know That My Redeemer Lives"--in two keys.) Thank goodness there was a little pianist who could get through our last-minute "arrangement!"

It was a fun evening, though. And Kylie--visiting here with Peter Barr (our host--and now serving as Bishop of the Toukley Ward) made a lot of friends and seemed to enjoy the evening.

Blankets and Soccer

Mom and some of the sisters have been crocheting baby blankets to donate to a worthy place--and finally found a hospital in the Newcastle area which cares for premature babies and babies with birth defects. We loaded up with Elder and Sister McLaughlin on Satuday--and off we went.

First stop--"The Entrance," a small little village on the shore, where we wandered through the village, visited their craft fair, and enjoyed the sun and blue skies.

Mom and Sister McLaughlin pause to visit with a little "knitting" lady......



The "Fairy Floss Cottage" - cotton candy!

And a little traditional carousel--which has been there for 75 years!

We saw a little boy having a game of chess with his grandpa---

A very "family-friendly" environment...................all on the shore overlooking the ocean.

And--all kinds of little shops! We loved this fishing one.....

Every town in Australia--large or small--has a memorial to their soldiers who have served. They are always labeled, "Lest We Forget," and list the names of soldiers from the particular town who have served.

(Note the reflection of Dad and Elder McLaughlin....)

ANZAC stands for the "Australia-New Zealand Accord"--and the joint army formed for World War I from the two nations.

There was a little train tootling about the area--and the kids love it.

Here we are with the McLaughlins--waiting for our lunch of fish and chips.............

We finally arrived at Cave Beach--a suburb of Newcastle, and met Cassandra Malone, who is president of the women's guild for the children's hospital. She has had five pre-mature babies, all of whom made it! She will see that our little contributions reach the mothers and babies there.

Near Cassandra's house is the beach--of course! Here we are--looking to the right. You can see two ships on the horizon, but we counted 16, all lined up across the horizon, waiting to get into the Newcastle port to load coal, which is mined in the Newcastle area.

And--looking to the left. Beautiful, beautiful!

We ended up at a soccer game, where one of our former elders (Peter Watts) was playing. He was instrumental in helping to form Christian league (from various churches in the area) of teams who wanted to play on Saturdays, rather than on Sunday. "Our" team--the Latter-Day Warriors (in the orange and black), were ahead 2 - 0 when we left.

With Peter at half-time.

Off to Canberra!

This past Saturday, we loaded up the car, and off we went with our next-door neighbors (flat right next to us!)--the Osborns! We were headed for Canberra, the capital of Australia, located in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory), and about a 3-hour drive to the south of Sydney.

As we drove into town, the first thing on the agenda was lunch, and we found a great restaurant: menu looked great, good happy crowd, beautiful view of the water and seagulls and sailboats. Only thing, it was a yacht club, and only members could eat there. So Dad and Elder Osborn joined the club, got their membership caps--and we went ahead and ate!

From there, we headed to the Floriade (flo'-ree-ahd)--their spring flower festival. There were crowds who had come from all over the area (school is out this week), and it was a festive, happy walk among the most beautiful daffodils, tulips, and pansies--acres of them!

Robyn (Osborn) and I love those beautiful colors!

A dunny and a Holden Ute in the background......

And--coming across the grounds, we could hear music playing--like the kind you hear on merry-go-rounds. We came through some trees finally, and saw the most wonderful street organ parked there, playing everything from Disney music to old-time polkas to Sousa marches. It was so charming--and we had to buy two CDs to bring home.

Sunday morning, we were off to Church to say Hello to Elder Harold and Sister Yvonne Dopson, who had served with us in Perth. We were so happy to see them!

But what a surprise to also find--in that same ward--Elder Chris Seumanutafa, and Elder Livai Ofiu (who actually lives in Sydney, but who was home in Canberra, visiting with his wife's family), and his wife and 3-week-old daughter.

After Sacrament Meeting, Elder Ofiu's in-laws (Mark and JoAnn Travers) invited us to their home for dinner. We explained that we were with another couple (in their car, actually!), and they said to bring them too. So--we did!

What delightful people! And what a joy to go into their home and to see signs of what is important to them: temples, missionary work, family, the prophet, etc.--and to feel the spirit in their home. Sister Travers had fixed wonderful Chinese food, which we loved, and we ohed and ahed over the baby, and had a fun time visiting.

It is a wonderful thing to find sweet Elder Ofiu--these few years after his mission--righteous and happy--doing such good things. We feel such love and gratitude for him. He was an elder who ALWAYS smiled--and he is still smiling today! Great!

And then--there we were, sitting at the table, when Elder Osborn (our neighbor who was with us) realized that he had known the grandmother (Trudy Bell) 40 years ago, when he served his mission here in Australia. We all could NOT believe the connections!

Here we all are--a lovely evening: Nallys, Osborns, Mark and JoAnn Travers with daughter, Danielle, in front; Grandma Trudy Bell, and Elder Livai Ofiu and his wife, Kylene, holding daughter Hilia.

The next day, we headed to the Australian National Museum, where we really enjoyed all the history and displays. Here we are in the courtyard of the museum--a very modernistic building!

This is a piece of Aboriginal art which we liked. It's entitled "Sisters," and shows two girls, one European Australian and the other, Aboriginal Australian. There was a lot of history, much learning, and great displays throughout.....

Then off we went to Parliament House--to have a look at another form of government. We even saw the old, ornate desk which Queen Victoria had used when she signed her "asssention" to Australia's becoming a separate country in 1900. They even had the inkwell and the quill pen, plus the document itself. While there, we saw the House of Commons, and the Senate, and Kaye took a moment to help the Queen out a bit--and straighten her picture, before we headed off to see the National War Memorial

Here we are on Parliament Hill--with the War Memorial in the far distance--a beautiful view!

A beautiful day--and a great TRIP!

Dragon Boats and Opera

What a wonderful couple of weeks we've had! A visit from the New Zealand MTC president, Lynn Wood and his wife, Shirlee; working with Mission Presidents near and far; teaching seminars on "Who Moved My Cheese?" (definitely not our idea, or our "thing," but they asked us to--and we did it) because of the possible upcoming changes in the Area Offices here; running into our former Perth missionaries--life here is good. The weather is turning into spring, and everything is all abloom, so things are great. We miss home--but it's good here!

During the week, we heard that everything in town was booked up because of the International Dragon Boat races. Dragon boat races??? We checked into it, and went to see the opening ceremonies in nearby Parramatta. Apparently, it is quite a sport, with boats that have (yes!) dragon heads on the front and dragon tails on the back, and the team sits in a row down the boat--and paddles. (They do not row, we found out!) They even have a drummer in the back of the boat to help the paddlers keep in rhythm! The whole concept originated in China, but has become quite popular, and teams had come from all over the world--about 2000 participants--to compete. The opening ceremony was held on the Parramatta River--close to where we live, and the actual competitions were throughout the week out at Penrith, at the Olympic Rowing site. And yes--the US has a team, and they were here!

On Saturday, we left early to catch the 7:15 a.m. ferry into Sydney. These rides are fabulous--down the beautiful Parramatta River we go, and the ride takes about 45 minutes to land us right at Circular Quay (pronounced "Key"), which is the hub for catching trains, buses, or other ferries to different parts of town. This particular morning, we had a few minutes before catching our next ferry, so stepped onto the wharf and had an apple cinnamon twist for breakfast! Yum!

Our next ferry took us across the harbor to Mosmon Point, where strolled out--in lots of wind and a little rain--to a beautiful point on the water, looking across the bay toward the city. (Good thing we combed our hair!)

From there we strolled around Mosmon Bay, with the water on one side, and beautiful old, elegant homes on the other.

Some wonderful dedicated couple had, out of their own pockets, planted acres of beautiful gardens along the pathway--full of blooms and trees and bushes and buds of every kind, fountains, rock pathways, arbors, and rock gardens that were so beautiful!

And there--so beautiful, was the little bay, with boats bobbing in the water, gulls flying overhead, and the six of us Americans--grateful to be there!

At the back end of the bay, we caught another ferry back to Circular Quay, where we had an early lunch at Vittorio's--right on the wharf: excellent Italian food--and such a sight and atmosphere!

After lunch, it was a short stroll to the Sydney Opera House for a marvelous matinee production (sold out!) of "The Gondoliers" by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is so light-hearted and fun, but was done sooooo well, and we loved it.

At the "interval" (intermission), we strolled out into hallways made of glass which looked over the water and across to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. With the water lapping at the shore right beneath our feet, and with the waves from passing barges, ferries and sailboats, we had the sensation that we were on a cruise ship--having the time of our lives! Marvelous!