Packing

I am all packed and I leave tomorrow morning for Melbourne to stay the night at Brenton and Shirley's place with Mum and Dad. On Tuesday morning we will meet Debra at the airport and fly out for Toronto at 11am, arriving at 11pm the same day.

No, Toronto is not 12 flying hours from Melbourne, it is about 16, plus the waiting at airports it will be a long day.

Adrian

Winter

July is the coldest month of Australia's winter. And in the past I have described certain days as 'freezing!' But after spending a winter in Canada the term freezing has taken on a new dimension: freezing means ice and snow. And although we don't have snow and ice in Adelaide, Sunday was yucky walking to my car after church when it was 12 degrees, and the wind blasting the spitting rain in my face, I just couldn't bring myself to say it was freezing.

Adrian

I'm still here

It has been a while since I have blogged. I haven't been feeling the best since starting back in class. Settling back into the routine is difficult. Things have looking up since our mid trimester two week break started. I have finished one assignment, have a good start on another and will finish a third later this week.

I have spent most days working, but I am going to the Barossa Valley on Wednesday wine tasting. Yummo! I have tried wines from around Australia, and a few overseas, but I think the Barossa has the best reds, so I'm looking forward to the trip.

In just over two weeks I will going to my second favourite country in the solar system: Canada. My brother Brenton will be marrying Shirley in Vancouver. I have the privilege of preaching at their wedding as well as showing Mum, Dad and my sister Debra around Grey/Bruce county to see where I did vicarage. I'm excited to see my friends again. Who knows when I will see again?

See you Canucks in a few weeks eh!

Adrian

My weekend

Last weekend on the farm was great fun. We got our hands dirty on the Saturday working with the cattle, including the calves as you can see.


The foggy mornings, eating Mums fine fare, driving around the farm in the ute with Dad, talking with my siblings about work, life, food and hunting was all good for my soul. And i got to bring some of it back with me. One of Mum and Dad's apple trees went silly this year and produced 160kg of apples. So they sent two big boxes with me back to Adelaide to use and give away to my Sem mates.

By the way, i got two votes for my photo in the facebook competition. I didn't take it to win a prize, but to preserve a memory.

Blessings,

Adrian

Going home

I arrived back in Australia 3 weeks ago, but I haven't seen my family yet. So with the long weekend coming up I am going to my parents farm at Edenhope, Victoria.

Going back to the farm connects me the years I spent farming between leaving school and studying at Sem. 'You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.'

Being on the farm recharges my batteries like nothing else can. I am looking forward to sitting in the same room as my family, driving around the farm looking at the cows and calves, and getting my hands dirty doing whatever it takes. Being a city boy these days I love going home to the farm: there is no traffic noise and the water smells and tastes like water. Not like a shower cleaning product!

I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Enjoy your long weekend (sorry Canucks)

Adrian

As many of you know I love my photography. So, when I saw on facebook that I could enter a photography competition I jumped at the chance. The current theme is vehicles and I entered three photos like this one.

It was taken from the Auckland airport on the way back to Australia. We left LA at 5:30pm Sunday and arrived in NZ at 5:30am Tuesday, just before the sun came up.


I will let you know how I go.

Adrian

Adapting

Many of you will know that when I went to Canada I regularly wrote 'you know you are in Canada when.' Well, moving back home after living overseas for an extended time means that adjustments have to be made and old things look new. So...

You know you are in Australia when:

• You use the wiper controls (mounted on the left side of the steering column) to show other drivers which direction you are turning
• You use the indicator control (found on the right side of the steering column) to put the car into park
  
• The price of petrol (not gas) is $1.55 and diesel $1.82. Canadian $1.47 and $1.72 respectively

Blessings to you all

Adrian