Hi Everyone:
I am SORRY I have not written on my blog for so long. Interacting with my grandkids - that's just been so much fun - I'm sure lots of you can relate to that!
The past weeks have been wonderful. I did have quite the time releasing all my thoughts about Kenya. Had read a book, "Re-Entry," which talks about what you will go through when you have been on a mission to a third-world country and are leaving/have left. My first indication of what that book talked about was when I got to Qatar airport and had a five hour layover. From Nairobi to this oil-rich country - quite the cultural difference. The transfer area at the Qatar airport was immense, glitzy, full of items to purchase duty free stores, even had it's own mosque inside it - gorgeous. I had to go to a corner and face the wall for awhile as the amount of people and 'things' were not interesting to me...yet! After awhile I did browse around. I have told some of you this story, but as long as you want 'details' I will give them to you! The Qatar airlines serves very good meals on their flights. I had not been used to food like that, and of course I ate everything that was served! By the time I got to Qatar, I was thankful for the five hours layover so I could use the toilets over and over and over again. I have told the team still in Kenya to remember that little tidbit of advice!
Flight from Qatar was very interesting, as we left at night and all the oil fields and pipelines are lit up. Interesting part of the world - in my next international trip, I'd love to visit there longer (not that I'm planning another trip soon!). I arrived in Melbourne at 11:55 p.m., and there was Jim, Annie and Fenn. Two years since I had seen them - naturally Annie and Fenn had grown taller and so mature. Jim mentioned I looked more like my mother than before. Guess my almost white hair helped. Got to Traralgon at 2:00 a.m. Both Claire and Patrick got up and we had a great visit for two hours.
Jim had two weeks off, so we went on day trips from Traralgon. You can go one hour from Jim's house and you're at the ocean; or go another direction one hour and you are at the forest; another direction farm land. We visited the forest area where one year ago, February 7th, 2009, the weather conditions were perfect for the worse natural disaster in Australia's history - bush fires everywhere with the intensity of tornados. It as 46.6 degrees that day, very little rain for a couple of years, and the winds picked up and blew one direction then changed to the other direction. A total of 173 people lost their lives (most staying trying to save their house). We watched a special on the disaster last night on television. Nature's power - there are times you must honor it. I will try to post a couple photos of the forest a year later.
Then we went to the ocean and visited two beaches there. One was called squeaky beach as the sand was so fine and white that it squeaked everytime you walked on it.
Another trip to the Dandenongs, a forested area up from Melbourne. Took Puffing Billy train trip through the Dandenongs. Then up to another area where the forest fires hit. That area had a trout farm, so Fenn and Patrick each caught a fish which we will have for dinner soon.
Another fun trip was to Paynesville, where we took a five minute ferry ride to Raymond Island. There we saw lots of koala bears in the trees and got very close to them to photograph. Hit the beach there and had fun collecting shells.
There is an outdoor pool and a mall close to Jim's house, so the kids and I will walk to one of those areas after school/dinner. Or we also have gone for a short ride in the evening to see the kangaroos hopping around.
I have enjoyed joining into Jim/Claire and family's daily life. Oh, I must mention Sally the dog, the newest addition to the family, who is Annie's total responsibility. She has waited years for a dog and she has done a great job training her and taking care of her.
Gibsons Elementary's Grade 5 class(Ms. Knecht/Mr. Angelus are their teachers) sent an envelope of letters. I enjoyed them so much, and just to let that class know that responses to your letters are on their way to you right now.
Jim is off this week (Feb. 8 - 12) so we will take off for 3-4 days up to a place called Merrimbula, an ocean resort good for families. We're all looking forward to that.
A huge hello to the Kenya Team, still working hard at MCCH. I keep in touch with them - they have kept well, although Trudy still has trouble with her ear/hearing. The Team has made a playground with swings/tires for the children there. I also understand the chicken (kukus)and tomato businesses are doing well. If you want more information on what is still going on in Kitale, go to the Team's blog site.
Have to chat about the grandchildren. Annie is now in Grade 6 - she's very tall and beautiful! Fenn, Grade 5, continues to entertain with his theories of godzillaand life! And Patrick - will be 4 in April and is the happiest little curly-headed dimpled sweetheart! Claire's brother Simon and his family have moved here in the past couple of months, so Annie, Fenn and Patrick are enjoying the get togethers with their three cousins who live only a couple of blocks away.
I will write another blog when we arrive back from our trip. Love to you all.
