A white Christmas

Last year this part of Ontario had a green Christmas. There was snow before Christmas, but rain and higher temperatures melted it. This year was threatening to be a repeat of last year. Early last week he had plenty of snow, but warmer temperatures (anything above 0 is counted as warm) with lots of wind and some rain melted much of the snow. Thankfully mr. sub zero returned late Sunday, stopping the melt and brought some snow pellets making the countryside white again.

YAY for a white Christmas

Christmas blessings to you all as you celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus.

Adrian XO

Hit the slopes

Yesterday i put my season pass to Blue Mountain Resort to the test. I went with two mates skiing for the first time since the season started and my first ski in about 8 years. I didn't fall over, but today my legs are a little tired from using muscles that have not seen action for a some time. It was fun; the chilling wind on my face, the beautiful view over southern Georgian Bay from the top of the mountain and the gut wrenching terror of flying down the mountain side, legs ready to cramp up, struggling to turn and wondering what is softer, the trees or the snow? Thankfully i did survive and i look forward to mastering the slopes of Blue Mountain.

Next challenge, skating.

Adrian XO

Christmas is coming

Yesterday i went hunting and came home with prey in hand: a Christmas tree. I went out with two families and from a 2 acre block selected my tree, felled it and with help of a friends trailer took my prize home.

Me and my tree

The afternoon was also the occasion of my first snow ball fight. I came under the fire of the wily Pastor Dunlop who has a no-holes-barred approach to snow ball fighting. His sneakiness is faultless and his younger days playing baseball has given him an accurate arm. Pastors children have inherited a fare share of their fathers passion for snow warfare. When hit with canon fire from the hand of Adrian Dunlop i found that snow can indeed go up ones nose. At the end of the afternoon i had a fine Christmas tree, wet jeans, pockets full of snow and a sweat up that rendered the sub zero temperatures harmless.

The Dunlop's and their tree

Dogs love snow and the resident tree farm dog, Tucker, is a snow nut continually whining for us to throw our valuable ammunition his way so he could launch himself skyward and capture the frosty missile.

Tucker in action

Christmas is getting close and the snow is getting deeper. The famous Christmas song that talks of dreaming of a white Christmas will son be my reality. YAY for snow.

Blessings,

Adrian XO

The continued joys of snow

New experiences abound in a land where ice falls from the sky in fluffy little bits. My days starts with starting my car before scraping any ice off the windscreen and brushing the snow off the windows .

Last night i had to give my screen door handle a bang with my windscreen ice scrapper because the mechanism was frozen. Last week i felt a new record low, -13. It didn't feel so cold, the sun was shining and there was no wind: a beautiful morning. I'm told that it will get alot colder than -13.

Snow buildup on the ground is a bit of a yo yo affair. Last Thursday and Friday we had alot of snow, then on Saturday the temp lifted and it rained melting most of the snow. Then it started snowing again on Sunday and Monday. So at the moment we have about 30cm of snow. But the snow is dry so the wind blows it into piles. Just outside my kitchen window the ground is bare, but 10 metres over behind a tree there is a bank 1 metre high.

Last week i drove through my first 'white out.' The wind was blowing the snow across the road, so much so that at one point for 5 seconds all i could see was white: scary stuff. The key is to keep the steering wheel straight and slowly brake.

You know you are in Canada when you wear a toque to stop your ears from freezing. For the Aussies, that's a beanie.


Earlier on I mentioned the snow blowing roster at church. Well this is Bill Sachs blowing the snow from the church car park. For some reason Sandra chose to walk alongside of the tractor. Youthful exuberance i assume.



Winter blessings to you all,

XO Adrian

Snow storm

Yesterday we had a snow storm. It was snowing, horizontally!! The wind was also blowing the snow on the ground so the visibility was down to 80 metres here and worse in other places resulting in a 16 car pile, up as well as many people slipping of the road. It was not so different to a dust storm; except the temperature was not 35, there is no tumble weed, the air was white not red and there was no mess to clean up, the snow melts or you just shovel it away from the door.

To you who live in .ca keep warm, for those in .au stay cool.

Adrian XO

What a day

Yesterday it snowed and last night it was -7, so this morning everything is covered in diamonds. The trees, the grass, the fences, everything is sparking. It was a beautiful drive to church this morning to check my emails.

Yesterday i got a few snaps of the snow.

Snow needs to be kept short too!

Picnic anyone?

Today I'm going to town to laze around, because it is my birthday. Enjoy your day.

God bless

Adrian xo

Snow storm

Today is the first snow storm of the season, albeit a mild one. A snow storm is a mixture of snow (of course) , rain, ice pellets, strong winds and sub zero temperatures.

So to the joy of 20,000 school children, school was canceled today in the Muskoka area.

I drove on a snow covered road for the first time, and because i am writing this blog you can see that i made it safely. Driving in the church carpark was like driving on pillows; no noise at all. I suppose that is what driving in heaven will be like, clouds look the same as fluffy snow.


Here are some things i found interesting.

For that quick snack to keep your going.

Is this where Bobcat Goldthwaite takes a bath?

This is one way of reserving your parking spot at the mall.

It is no wonder i haven't liked any of the Canadian whites i have tried.

Have yourselves a wonderful 24 degree day in Adelaide and i will do the best i can to enjoy my -2 snow storm.

Blessings

Adrian XO

Over night

As forecast the snow came down last night. Looking out of the window this morning i was greeted with whiteness, and it is so nice. The overnight temperature was -2 and the high for today is 2. The 31 forecast in Adelaide may be nice, but it is not as pretty as snow.

This is my house from the mailbox.

Enjoy the weather wherever you are today.

XO Adrian

Pastors and deacons conference

I have been on the road again. Pastor and i spent three days in St Catharine's at the Pastors and Deacons Conference. I was surprised and delighted at the different nationalities of the pastors. On the first night i was asked to join a group partaking in refreshments. In the room were Lutheran pastors who were born in Brazil (x3), Nigeria, USA, Germany, Madagascar, England and one from Australia. What a great bunch of blokes.

A highlight of the conference was the worship. The conference was held at Mt Carmel Retreat, a Catholic retreat centre. The chapel was beautiful and the acoustics amazing. The first night i didn't sing much of the first hymn, i just listened to 60 male voices (the few ladies present could not be heard) fill the chapel with sweet praise rising to God. WOW!



From the conference centre we could see part of the Niagara river, so a walk to the falls was a must. My photos are not the best, but i hope you can imagine the awe that can be felt when one is stand alongside of such great power.

The Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls

The American Falls

The first snow for the year has come and gone. There is more forecast for tonight. For those Canadians who read my blog, the forecast for the weekend in Adelaide, where i come from, is 35 with a possibility of 40 degrees next week.

I still don't want to go back. I want to see a white Christmas.


XO Adrian

Week off pt II

I have been staying in Timmins with friends and the forecast yesterday was for snow. This morning i awoke with to a sight that was heavenly, 7 cm of snow.

The view from the dining room window.

My car in the carpark of the 'Shania Twain Centre' where i bought some postcards.

The view from my car window.

Farmers are the same around the world. They have to have their window down and their arm sticking out. Today i saw a farmer doing just that, except it was 2 degrees and snowing!!

My week away has been great. The north of Ontario is so different from where i am staying. It is rocks, trees, lakes and wildlife. There are very few farms, very little suitable area to have a farm. The highlight as always is the people. I have met many wonderful people who are interested in what i am doing, even those outside the church. And still i have people telling me they love the Australian accent.

Talking of wildlife, at dinner Monday night my hosts told me that their BBQ was destroyed when a black bear who tore it apart looking the meat he could smell. That is what i call living close to nature. The closest we get to a destructive encounter in Australia is a possum living in the ceiling. Maybe it is just as well that we don't bears at home.


Blessings,

XO adrian

My week off pt. I

I am on my first break from vicaring and i have spent the last few days in Sudbury, 410 km north of where i live. Among the new stuff i have seen are a beaver, whoa. From watching documentaries on tv i thought a beaver was a bit bigger than a cat. Not. They are closer to a the size of a dog that has spent time in the gym and been on a steady course of steroids. For those Aussies who have seen a common wombat, that is about the size of a beaver. The one i saw was in captivity because he was found suffering from frostbite. Driving into Sudbury i could see beaver dams in the creeks on the side of the road, that is real cool. (Creek is pronounced crik by some Canadian's).

My other new animal, although he was stuffed, is a Moose. That is one big deer with a nose that is best described as a honker.

My third discovery is the Old Rock Roastery coffee shop. Canadian's love their coffee, but it is all percolated. It tastes real weak. Then if you ask for a cappuccino in a coffee shop it is a premix that really is cappuccino in name only. The Old Rock makes real cappuccino with an espresso machine. I had three yesterday. This will be my place when i am in Sudbury. I'm here now using their free wireless internet and enjoying a cappuccino, or two.

Happy working or holidaying, which ever you are doing at the moment.

All the best for those who are finishing assignments, or preparing for exams.


XO adrian

Bread

Last night i heard that Bethlehem in Hebrew means house of bread; beth is house and lehem (lechem) is bread. Jesus, the bread of life who feeds us his body and blood in Holy Communion , was born in the house of bread. How cool.

Jesus said "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread they will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which is given for the life of the world" (John 6:51).


God Bless

XO Adrian

Devotion for the week

On Monday's i write a devotion for the week which i use when visiting people. So i thought i will put it on my blog each week for you to read.

Who is seeking whom?
Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus was a despised man in his community. As the chief tax collector he was the head of the one organisation everybody loved to hate. Tax collectors had a poor reputation because they would add a little to the each tax bill to keep for themselves, and when people could not pay their bills the tax collectors would lend them the money at an excessive rate of interest. In Jericho Zacchaeus was small in height and status.

Zacchaeus was seeking to see Jesus whom he had heard so much about. In fact a crowd had gathered to see Jesus and possibly witness him perform a miracle like healing lepers (Lk 17:11-19). However Zacchaeus soon discovered that Jesus was seeking him to perform a miracle in his life. While listening to Jesus speak in his home Zacchaeus’ heart was pierced by Jesus’ words and faith was created where greed and self righteousness had reigned. Zacchaeus repented of the way he had abused his position as a tax collector and pledged to repay everyone whom he had overcharged.

Zacchaeus learned more than a moral lesson. He learned that salvation is found only in the Son of God, not in the wealth we humans can amass. As Abraham received the righteousness of God by faith, so too Zacchaeus believed that Jesus is the only way to earthly joy and eternal life. Jesus seeks us also that we may hear the good news that he alone saves us, and that we turn from our frantic attempts to bring joy to our life through accumulating goods and wealth. Jesus’ words perform the miracle of creating faith in your heart that you believe the promise he makes it true; those who believe and are baptised will be saved (Mark 16:16). You have eternal life starting here and now. May you experience the joy of salvation as Zacchaeus did, and your life be changed to reflect that joy.

God bless

ak XO

Chips

In the last week i have tried two new flavours of chips. Both are Lays products and my favourite Lays variety at home is Light and Tangy, but they are not available here. The first was Dill Pickle, which i wont be buying again. Too much of a dill pickle flavour and a single dimensional flavour profile as well. The second was much more enjoyable; Ketchup. Yes they do taste like sauce. Now i don't sit down for an afternoon snack with a spoon in one hand and the sauce bottle in the other. That would be disgusting, but in a chip it works.

Snack away

Adrian XO

The important things in life

The fast food industry of North America is something to behold. McDonald’s, A&W, Tim Horton’s, Wendy’s, Harvey’s, KFC, Burger King, Coffee Time, Taco Bell, Pizza Pizza, New York Fries, and Subway. Most of these ‘restaurants’ differ very little: a burger encased in a fluffy bun, a variation on the Big Mac. Although some of these businesses pre date McDonald’s. One of these is a Canadian institution. Tim Horton was captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey team. His fame is similar to James Hird from AFL or Alfie Langer from NRL. Tim, along with a business partner started Tim Horton’s, a coffee and donut shop. Soon after beginning the business Tim Horton died when he crashed his car at high speed. Today Tim Horton’s is everywhere. My local shopping centre Owen Sound has 20,000 people and 5 Tim’s, one you will find in the hospital. Tim Horton’s has 2733 outlets in Canada, almost twice the number of stores as McDonalds and has 62% of the coffee market. Starbucks comes in second at 7%.

Two other important places that Ontarian's visit are the LCBO and The Beer Store, these are the only places where you can buy alcohol in Ontario except cellar doors. What the latter sells needs no explanation. I wonder if it has such an obvious name because beer drinkers have a low IQ, and if the name was anymore complicated they would not be able to find their precious liquid. Entering The Beer Store is just like walking into a big fridge, because that is what it is. The only part of the store that is not fridge is the checkout.

LCBO is an acronym for Liquour Control Board of Ontario. The LCBO is run by the Ontario provincial government. When I arrived at the farm house where I am living there were bags of groceries, one of them contained an LCBO gift card. Yes, our Canadian Lutheran cousins like a drink as we do.

One more thing needs explaining. Ice hocky is the national sport, and national obsession. Canadian’s invented the game and make up the largest nationality in the NHL (which includes mostly US teams). In Canada you can play ice hockey or practice playing various social versions of the game: wearing shoes on ice or on concrete with inline skates or street hockey on a flat surface using a tennis ball and wearing runners. Canadian’s are ice hockey mad. One of the most popular teams is the Toronto Maple Leafs. They have not won the Stanley Cup for 40 years and this year they have got off to a bad start, at one stage they had played 8 games with 1 win. If you don’t barrack for the Maple Leafs you hate them, just like our attitude toward the Crows or Collingwood, sorry Sharni. One of the most high profile Maple Leaf supporters is Canadian Mike Myers aka Austin Powers/Dr Evil.

As you can see Canadian’s differ little from Aussies; they want cheap food, a drink, and for their favourite team to win the flag. Maybe next year Hawks, maybe next year.

XO Adrian

My weekend

I spent my weekend at the Ontario East District Confirmands Retreat at Grace Lutheran Church St Catharine's. There were about 55 participants, most of whom are going through catechism classes which usually takes two years, although some have already been confirmed. The focus for the weekend was devotional life: prayer and bible reading. As with most camps involving this age group sleep was at a premium, so i had catch up this morning.

When the retreat broke up after church, our group of 7 confirmands, 2 leaders and the two drivers went to the Welland canal which connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, then on to Niagara Falls. We were fortunate to see a ship enter lock #1 and be lowered about 10 metres before continuing its journey into Lake Ontario. Amazing process. The height difference between the two lakes is 96 metres and there are about 8 locks.

Far more spectacular is Niagara Falls. The two falls, American and Horseshoe (Canadian), are huge and the amount of water that flows over them is astounding. What adds to the experience is the falls can be seen, heard and felt. The closer we got to the Horseshoe falls the greater the amount of mist in the air. Depending on the wind it would swirl or even stop for a time. Because of the mist and sun rainbows could always been seen. A spectacular place to visit, but if you don't like commercialism don't turn around. High rise hotels and a casino dominate the skyline. It is like sitting on the beach at Surfers Paradise admiring God's handy work, watching the waves pound the beach, to turn around and be confronted with concrete, bitumen and tactless capitalism. Thankfully we don't have too much of that at our Australian natural attractions like Ayers Rock, Flinders Ranges, Kings Canyon, etc.

The American Falls, Buffalo NY State is in the background.

The Canadian or Horseshoe Falls. The Maid of the Mist can been seen in the water.

A close up of the Horseshoe. See the people on the bottom right
of the photo getting a close up view.

A double rainbow.

In case you are wondering, no the falls don't freeze in the winter. Too much water moving too fast for it to freeze.

XO Adrian

Settled

I have settled into life as a vicar in Canada. There has been a fair degree of adjusting from life as a student in to working as a vicar. A different schedule to the day, Sundays are busier than ever and writing sermons, devotions and Bible studies is so much better than writing assignments. To this i'm sure my class mates will join with me in saying AMEN. On top of all this has been the added stress and joy of moving to Canada. Despite the challenge it has been, i now feel like part of the furniture.

Once a month the service is taped and broadcast on a local am radio station the following Sunday. Some of the members have told me i have a good voice for radio. Does this mean by association that i have a good face for radio?

Yesterday i went to my second winkel which was great. Meeting more pastors and hanging out with them is fun and helps me learn more about the joys and challenges of pastoring. Which is getting closer all the time, God willing.


Blessings to you all

Adrian XO

Chips

I was in a supermarket on Monday and discovered that Canadians have a different range of chips to choose from than we do in Australia. They don't have Chicken or Light and Tangy, nor did i see Lime and Cracked Pepper. On Sunday i told friends that Pie and Sauce chips were available for a while, the girls came close to gagging. In Canada they have Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper, sounds nice. Dill Pickle sounds ok and All Dressed (sounds more like the temperance unions slogan for the mardis gras than a chip flavour). I'm told that All Dressed is spicy. I will let you know what my tongue thinks of these exotic flavours as i encounter them.


Blessings,

XO Adrian

Bit n' pieces

Facebook, huh. I bamboozled, I cannot find my way around that thing. I get requests for all sorts of things, try and play the game, but fail to accomplish anything but sign up new friends. I shall persist, but it is testing my patience.

More on computers:
As many of you know i have almost no skill when it comes to playing computer games other than solitaire. My fine motor skills are like a 5yo child on red cordial, jelly beans and coffee!! So, last night i found myself at some friends house and was asked to play x-box. I told them i was pretty much an easy beat, but i would join in. To my surprise the first game didn't involve using my hands, but my feet. It was a dance game where you have to place your feet on a mat where indicated by the arrows on the screen. It was fun, i didn't win, i don't think. I'm not even sure if it kept score. We then moved onto the racing games and i was the one who spent more time trying to make my own track than sticking to the road. The night was great fun, the food sensational and the company and blast.


You know you are in Canada when:

• Bob the builder and his mates have a North American accent, not the English one he was born with.
• You can buy flannelette boxer shorts.
  
• This one is good, supermarkets display the price per volume along with the overall price, so price comparisons are easy to make.
  
• There are unlocked cars in the car parks, even with their windows down.
• School students have no uniforms and neither do the bank employees. The bank staff look unprofessional.
  

I have started watching a new sport, ice hockey. And i like it. Despite what i previously thought the aim of the game is not to smash the oppositions face into the glass wall. Although you can if you are contesting for the puck. The game is high speed, there are no slow parts so players are substituted every few minutes. Ice hockey originated in Canada and is their national sport.


Blessings to you all

Adrian XO

God speaks

At random times God brings my thoughts together for a teachable moment. God uses Bible studies, devotions, sermon preparations and working among God’s people to speak his truth into my life.

Today I spent the morning studying Luke 17:1-10, the text I’m going to preach on Sunday. In the afternoon I visited a man in hospital and gave a devotion on this text to him and his family. What I spoke about connected with his daughter. What did I do that my speech would speak to another’s heart and encourage faith? Nothing, but… I was faithful.

Faithful in studying and preparing God’s word with prayer. The Holy Spirit is the one who speaks to the heart of God’s children. This is Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. My speech is not the power of God’s word; the Spirit does his work when the word is spoken in truth.

Luther says pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you. God uses his faithful, although imperfect, children to minister to one another. As a vicar and pastor to be, this is my daily privilege as well as a continual challenge.

May the Lord fill you with joy as you speak God's in love to one another.

Blessings

Adrian XO

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day is a national holiday in Canada. They cannot believe that we don't have thanksgiving in Australia. It is interesting to note how Canada has been influenced by the British as a commonwealth country, and what it has picked up from America, it super power neighbour. 75% of Canada's exports go to the US. Anyway, my first thanksgivings, one on Saturday and Sunday, were wonderful occasions of focusing on family togetherness. On Saturday i went to Lloye Wathke's house for lunch with her children and grandchildren. This was a traditional thanksgiving dinner with roast turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for dessert. Everyone is shocked at the weather, 25 and humid. It reminds me alot of the Gold Coast. After lunch i joined in a game of flag football. The non contact version of American Football (grid-iron), similar to touch football. We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the shade talking.

On Sunday i had dinner with Dennis and Lorraine Heeber's family and there friend Amy. This was a non traditional thanksgiving dinner; BBQ steak and salads. We then went hiking on the Bruce Trail at Loin's Head. We only got back to the vehicles just on dark. No we didn't see any bears. The walk was great to burn off some of the calories, and the scenery was brilliant. I love the different trees they have here. The day was closed by having apple pie on the beach.

The thanksgiving day adventurers.


The cliffs at Lion's Head were we hiked.

The glorious sunset


The Lion's Head, can you see it?

Happy thanksgiving, XO Adrian.

This is the life

I have just had the most wonderful afternoon. I visited a church member who lives on the shore line of Mc Cullough Lake. Unfortunately I didn’t take my camera, but the view is simply amazing. At her place I saw my first chipmunks. They are the cutest animal I have ever seen.

Coming back to the church I took the scenic route at a leisurely pace. Driving down a winding dirt road the scene consisted of Maple trees ranging in colour from green to orange to crimson red and every shade in between, stunning looking horses belonging to the Mennonite farmers, Mennonite children walking along the side of the road, a monarch butterfly crossing my path, a chipmunk racing to avoid the car and the autumn sun bathing the countryside in warmth. To top it all off, the radio was playing the Glen Campbell classic Like a rhine-stone cowboy. Can life get much better… yes if you were here.

God is unendingly brilliant in creating beautiful things for us to enjoy.

Tomorrow I am planing to go to the Blue Mountains and on to Collingwood. The locals say the best fall colours are over that way in the Beaver Valley.

Enjoy your spring, I’m loving my autumn.

XO Adrian

Pepe Le Pew

I walked into the church last Saturday and was greeting by a strange new smell. After catechism class i was told that new aroma to my nose was the smell of a skunk!! Us Aussies get a lot of our education in things North American from Walt Disney and for this aussie traveler skunks are no different. I knew they had powerful odor, but when you are experience it for the first time it is something else. Thankfully, the smell in the church comes from the little creature opening his lunch box while walking past the closed door, and is not a full blast of his arse-nal. Two traps are now set outside of the holes he has dug under the back of the church and all the doors are open to air the place out.

I have been told that if i am going to take a photo of a skunk not to get closer than 5 metres or he will get me.

XO Adrian

The wildllife

Canada has a many animals we don't. I have seen raccoons on my way home from ladies guild, a mum deer and her two kids on the way to church and last Friday saw my first Coyote. I have Friday's off and went to Tobermory at the top of the Bruce peninsula. There i went on a boat cruise around the islands just off shore which are so beautiful. They are densely packed with White Spruce, lots of nice rocks and crystal clear water. On Flowerpot island the captain of the boat pointed out a Coyote (double click on the photo below).


The reason the island is called Flowerpot.

More of beautiful views

I have also seen my first bear. It was actually two black bears and despite what you may have heard about bears they are not so dangerous. I think they are just misunderstood and want what most humans want. The two i saw were so consumed in what they were doing they didn't even notice me.



See ya, Adrian

Mmmmmaple syrup

My taste bubs have been put to the test sampling maple syrup combined with a variety of foods. In Canada Tim Horton’s is franchise that mostly sells coffee and donuts. It is very popular. I had a coffee and a Canadian Maple donut, which has maple syrup frosting and a custard centre. Verdict: I will be buying one again.

Friday I had a maple syrup flavoured waffle cone. This I can also highly recommend.

For supper (dinner) Friday night I had baked beans in maple syrup. If you like the idea of eating dessert as a main course, then BB’s in maple syrup is for you. I would not have them again because I like tomato flavoured beans.

XO Adrian

We love your accent

Canadian's love the Australian accent. Many people have told me they love my accent. I don't why, i just say "thank you, i have been working on it for 35 years."

Today i was asked at Bible study, "Do Australian's really say fair dinkum." I told the lady that although there are hundreds of slang terms they are not all part of everyday language.

For the dinkum Aussie at heart, the pastor at the other Lutheran Church in Desboro is called Pastor Sheila! Another name that is a little odd to my ears is Randy. I just tell myself, "Remember Adrian, Randy is his name, not a reflection on his personal character."


Some of the sunsets here are as good as any i have seen. I took this photo from my house a couple of days ago.

XO Adrian

Roundabouts and winkels

I have been on the famed ‘roundabout’ at Waterloo. The driver didn’t use it as it should be used. A car was almost on the other side of the roundabout and we waited for it to exit before we entered. In time, I’m sure they will learn.

What is a winkel? A meeting of pastors. We would call it a pastor fraternal. This was a meeting of the pastors in this circuit (6 pastors) to discuss pastor things. It was ok, one of the retired pastors is the funniest man and he made the day go a whole lot faster.

You know you are in Canada when

• People eat pie (the generic term used to describe any fruit pie) with a slice of that orange cheese on it. And they rave about pie with cheese. Haven’t they heard of cream?!

• You are reading your devotion in bed and hear Coyotes howling in the background? It was a little spooky, but pretty cool all the same.

Bye, love Adrian

Oh the colour

Autumn is starting and the colours are fantastic. The locals are saying that this year the colours are lacking intensity because of the dry spring and summer. It all looks good to me and I’m getting some good photos. The nicest thing is that the whole tree does not change colour. So one tree can have a few branches orange and the rest is still green. The contrast is brilliant.

New experiences abound. In this area there are about 55 Mennonite and Amish families, and many more in the south of Ontario. This means that last week I passed a horse and black buggy on the road. Many times I have been in the church office and heard the sound of horse hooves pounding on the bitumen. I race to the window to see a scene of technological clash: a horse and buggy sharing the road with a gravel truck. These people are well respected in the area. Sure their simplistic way of life has some attractions. But it is their hard working, wholesome lifestyles that earn them much admiration. They also offer unique skills such as making simplistic and functional furniture made to order.

I think there is a little bit of Amish in most of us. Don’t we all want our lives to be a little simpler. I’m sure you girls don’t want to wear a long dress and bonnet everyday (only navy blue is allowed, no colours) . But to have nothing making demands on our time but another human would be nice. No blog, facebook, emails, mobile phone, telephone or tv would free up a lot of time for people; and after all, is that not the better thing (Luke 10:42).

Blessings for your day

Adrian

The fun of it all

The time has arrived for the next instalment of

You Know You Are In Canada When...

• You walk to the right hand side of your car to find that the steering wheel is on the other side, oops
• You get behind the wheel of your car and reach over your right shoulder for the seat belt, oops again
• The big news everyone is talking about is the roundabouts that are coming. And everybody knows that they have a roundabout at Kitchener, 1 1/2 hours south of here.
  At the moment they have cross roads with four stop signs. Everyone has to stop and the first car there that is not turning goes first. (bring on the roundabout)
• You live on the county line. I live on the Grey Bruce county line. Go Dukes of Hazard
• You can buy Baked Beans with maple syrup. I will let you know how they taste
• You are told by pastor that "On Thursday we are going to the winkel at Hanover." Stay tuned to find out how my day at the winkel turns out.

Blessings to you all as you live to the glory of his name and in his glorious presence.

Adrian XO

Friends

I have always appreciated my friends and acknowledged the import role they play in supporting and encouraging me. Coming to Canada and being without my friends affected me more than i would have realized. I didn't have any de-brief time like going down to the bakery with Luke and Paul, or throw the frizbie with Joel, a cuppa and chat with Rach, drop in on Chels to see how the teaching student world is ticking, or any of the other things i do with my friends that help me relax, be stimulated and be re-charged to face the world . I deeply appreciate the things you did to mark my leaving Australia. I love you all and cherish you very much.

Little things in my day remind me of you. For example; i live 10 km for Desboro so everyday i drive on the David McNicol Highway, go Lauren. Or when i prepare my veges at night i use the peeler i was given before i left Australia. Who would have guessed that the house had everything thing i need for cooking except a peeler. Thanks Rach

I must go, a fight between a couple of bears has broken out over some cans of salmon. I couldn't possibly send pictures. It would be to much to bear, and you would all grizzle.

Love, Adrian XO

The mystery solved

For those of you who have been with bated breath a $2 coin in Canada is called a toonie.

What a day yesterday was. I preached and it was the most nervous i have been for a while. Thankfully the second service went better. Then the congregation had a 'potluck' lunch, what we call a shared lunch, including a Welcome Vicar cake (see photos). After lunch the annual Klages Memorial Shoe Toss was held. The aim of the game is to throw a horse shoe thing around a steel peg 40 feet (14m) away. I was paired up with the champ of the last two years and after 21/2 solid hours of competition we won. I also got an individual trophy for the first and last 'ringers' of the day (a ringer is when you get the shoe around the peg).

This is Katie tossing showing her style.

The champions Bill Kuhl and me.


Me and one of the locals posing with my cake.

Thank you for all your comments. I am refreshed every time i read my blog. I can hear your voices in your words.

God's blessings to you all

love, adrian

XO

Internet at last

Sorry about ignoring my blog. The church has just upgraded from dial up (almost impossible to blog on), to highspeed 100 mbps. That is super fast.

Im planning to have a regular spot called "You know you're in Canada when... "

So for my first installment

You know you're in Canada when

• A squirrel runs out of the church garden
  
• You have to drive around raccoons on the way home from a ladies guild meeting
• The cheddar cheese is orange (apparently it is colouring, right)
  

• The vicar car is a V8 gangster looking machine

• 8 of the 12 preset stations on the radio are country! Yeeeeeeee Ha
  
• A dollar coin is called a 'loonie' of course the $2 coin is called a ...
• Your church has a snow shoveling roster
• Your house has a basement, and so does everybody elses
  

There has been degree of culture shock. Mainly that everything looks similar but is slightly different or has a different name. Get this; the jug on the altar that holds the spare wine is called a flagon. The worst is I miss spending time my friends. But you were travelling with me, see:


Love, Adrian

In Desboro

After 27 hours travelling from my unit in Adelaide i arrived at my hotel in Toronto. Was that a good sleep. Unfortunately i picked up a cold along the way which makes me even more tired than i would have been just from the flying.

Desboro is a pretty place and the church has the most beautiful surrounds. Pastor Dunlop and i get along real well sharing many good laughs already. The house they have prepared for me is an older building, but but more than adequate for the job. I will be installed on Sunday and preach the following week, the 16th.

After much planning and uncertainty about if i would make it to Canada, vicarage has finally started. I am feeling more comfortable by the day with my new surrounds and i'm excited at teh prospect of ministering fulltime.

I will send photos when i'm not on dial up.

God's blessings to you all

Love Adrian

PS Thanks for setting up my blog Rach, miss you lots

PPS thanks for the chocolate frogs Chloe, they helped pass the time from Auckland to LA.

From LA

I have made it to Los Angeles.

Approaching Auckland I discovered why NZ is called the 'Land of the Long White Cloud'; it was covered in one big white cloud. Thankfully we made it through the white mass and landed at Auckland airport at “ten past sex.” That was the short leg of the trip.

After the 11.5 hour trip to LA I’m hoping that my bum regains feeling before I encounter the sub-zero temperatures of Canada. Otherwise frost bite might set in and I suffer from frostius maximus.I have a 2.5 hour break before the last leg. A 4.5 hour flight to Toronto where a hotel bed awaits me. YAY for sleep!!

This photo will put you in the picture about the shape of this blogger.

The journey begins

Finally there is writing where it is supposed to be.

My trip to Canada is about to begin. This morning i packed my bag and it was only 16kg and I'm allowed 23kg. Time to be extravagant and pack things i thought i would have to leave behind. The first items added were two bottles of wine; one as a gift for my pastor and one of my best reds. Other items will be extra clothes and photos.

Desboro, Ontario will be my home for the next 9 months. Check out the church's website.

My first Post

this is where we do the writing!!