Photo Business

I've spent the last couple of weeks, on and off, getting the overseas trip photos uploaded to the laptop. Each day, while we were away, I put that day's photos into a folder, hoping it would be easier when we got home. It was a bit... Some folders copied over straightaway, others couldn't be read, and I had to do each photo individually. Sometimes it was one folder, other times I was able to get 2 or 3 done in one session. All completed now, thank heavens.

As I'm quickly selecting photos to upload, I caught glimpses of places we'd been to, which I'd completely blocked out - from the first couple of weeks, at least. Looking back I think I was exhausted before the trip even started, and then we both got coughs and colds the second week. The escorted tour section was pretty intense, with early starts and long days. I was just hanging in there. But by the third week, I was travelling a bit better, and by the last few days, after the tour had finished, I think I would have been right to keep going for another week of so!

I've had to do a bit of organising of old photo journals from previous trips, just to streamline everything for easy saving and accessing. I'm just about ready to start on "Europe 2026, The Bigger Life"...

This and That for this Sunday

We've just got back from an outing to the Cobden Miniature Railway. After church we picked up some sandwiches from the milk bar, finished off the jobs at home and headed off. Had our picninc lunch in the tea rooms, and then a couple of rides out and about and back again. After that we drove across country to Timboon for an icecream, and now home. 

I've got another couple of projects done this week. You may remember that I'd bought a heap of towels etc with a gift voucher back a couple of months ago. Easy enough to finally get them set up in the bathroom and drawers for regular use. The mental energy went into what to to do with the old towelling. The old bath towels became the bathroom hand towels, and the old bathroom hand towels became the floor rags for floor kneeling and cleaning, but what to do with the old floor rags.  I have rags from back in the day still in good use.  There's a limit to how much old stuff to have in storage, just in case, or for future use....  Op shop, rubbish bin, or church kitchen? 

We both needed new shorts for this upcoming summer. I don't know what's happened to Jim's shorts in the last couple of years, but not fit for purpose anymore (holes in pockets?) and mine were rags. They should have been replaced this time last year, but it didn't happen. So, yesterday morning it was off to Gazman for him, and Black Pepper for me, and we made some purchases. My denim classic long pants will replace my current ones, which will be cut down to make shorts; everything is getting used and reused in different formats!

 

Disappeared...

I was just going to make a few small corrections to a document - the lay reading service order, which I'm leading this Sunday - and it's disappeared completely.  Nowhere to be found, not even in the recycle bin. Too late now to retype, and reformat. A job for tomorrow, and do another search to see if it's ended up in another folder.

Stress all round yesterday, as I ventered forth to Harris Scarfe to buy myself a bra.. I've been wearing the recovery bra from my surgery 6 months ago - reasonably comfortable, but the lycra is starting to stretch and sag. It's years since I've fitted myself for a bra in a fitting room, as I just kept buying the same bra as I always had, just in a bigger size, as required. Anyway, I came home with one, to try out - we'll see how we go. Mmmmm. 

 

Quick Post

I'm between meetings so to speak. Jim and I attended a regional LCA meeting this afternoon, and I'm now doing prep and a draft agenda for a regular church council meeting tomorrow evening.  A few matters have accumulated while we've been away; hopefully it won't drag on too long. 

Our sleeping is mostly back to normal (mostly, but not entirely), and we've spent the last few days catching up - mowing, dusting, vaccing..  I have several projects on a list, most postponed from July/August. I want to get them knocked over before the end of November. The vacuum cleaner used by the tenant in the Back House blew up three days before we left, so the house vacuum went to her while we were away. It's not practicable to have a shared vacuum - I don't want to be running up and down the hill carrying a vacuum every day, or second day as required. So, off we went to the Good Guys, and half an hour later we were back with a new vacuum for the main house. One project ticked off.

School crossing duty started off well, with good weather and everyone pleased to see me.

 

We're Back Home!

We're really, truly back in Australia, and back home in Warrnambool.  Most of our transfers and connections went well, despite being stressful at times. We're loving our flannelette sheets, familiar pillows and regular blankets when sleeping. The home toilet and shower are still the best in the world....

I won't be posting diary refelections of each and every thing we did - it just becomes too onerous and burdensome, but I will post notes and observations from time to time, in no particular order, as they come to mind. 

I'm taking up the reins of church matters once again, and now travel is well and truly behind us, I'm already thinking about what I want my life to look like for the next 2years, 5years, 10years. Hopefully, not too different to what's gone before. The school crossing gear has been packed in the car, ready for tomorrow's start. That's not going to change anytime soon.

A photo from our first day in Europe - at the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A photo from our last day in Europe - medieval building and bridges in Bamburg, Germany.

All Set

Church tasks are all completed; and I've handed over everything I normally do each Sunday to others... We had our first Live Stream service this morning, and it was really good. Our singing was enthusiastic when combined with the singing from the audio, and the presentation from Holy Trinity at Horsham was particularly professional. 

We had a proper packing ceremony yesterday morning, so we're all set to head off on Tuesday. Bins, keys and cars will be sorted tomorrow or first thing on Tuesday. 

That's about all the news.  I won't be posting here again until the 7th October, all being well. The case just closes with its extender zip open!!!

Appointments Before and After

We're both in and out this week with appointments - hairdresser, podiatrist and doctors last week. The same appointments have been booked for the week we get back from our trip. I've finished at the crossing now for 6 weeks. Tomorrow, we're down and back to Geelong for a dental appointment and the car is booked in for a service on Friday. And it's booked in for its regular detail, the day before I go back to the crossing. Anything to do with the car has to be done in holidays, while the gear is out of it. So, we're working through the list of things we need to do before we get away. 

My case has now made it from under a desk to the top of a desk - and is mostly packed - I'll still be needing to wear a few packed items on Sunday - I'm pretty sure I'll get everything in...

I've tried to set up Family Sharing on the phone - Jim can find me and my phone, but I can't find him!! Will need to go to the tech shop on Friday for help; it's something to do with his password...

This Sunday

Today, we had a quietly celebratory morning tea with members from both congregations attending after the worship service. It was a sad occasion in some respects, marking the end of the parish as an entity, but with relief from some of us that another level of administration in our church life is now over. Sue was acknowledged as a long term Secretary for over 20 years, and who lead us through 3 Call processes with colourcoded spreadsheets. Jim was acknowledged as a long term Treasurer for 40 years, happy to use his accounting expertise in the service of the parish. 

 

Last Visit

We had our last visit with the travel agent yesterday; picked up all our tickets, paperwork and finalised itinerary details.  There weren't too many outstanding questions, thank heavens - everything's been organised down to the minute/hour, just the way I like it. I've spent odd bits of time last night and today getting everything squirreled away in the travel journals, in date order, so we're almost all set. Only 12 days to go...

This and That for This Sunday

We had a little outing to Cobden Miniature Railway today. It was a beautiful clear, mild afternoon, just right for riding trains. We thought we'd get lunch at the cafeteria, but luncheon food was all sold out. It wasn't far to travel into Cobden for lunch elsewhere, and then back for another ride.

I'm gradually working through the old Messengers; should have a reasonable display of archival material ready for next Sunday.  I'll be needing to make some notes for speeches... After next Sunday, I'll have to get the troops lined up to do some of my roles there for when we're away.