Marsha's Blog

 Good Morning All, Well, I figure if you've had a good Thanksgiving, half of you are travelling and the other half are still sprawled out in a food coma.  Actually, I always enjoy the leftovers more than the feast itself, as it's far too exciting and busy to take it all in the first time.   You'll recall that we had our 'family' dinner last week to accommodate the kids, so I'm fully recovered now ....... and am in packing mode, as we leave this next Tuesday for our 4-week nostalgia/working and sightseeing trip. But something very comforting caught my eye this last week as I was reading through a VERY long book of the Bible, Ezekiel.  If you haven't read it, strap yourselves in because it's (mostly) definitely not boring. But my ears began to prick up, and a bit of comprehension started to set in when I finally got to Ezekiel 37. Keep in mind that Solomon’s original temple had been destroyed by Babylon so many years earlier. And yet God says to the prophe...

 Good Morning Friends. This coming week, we release the brakes and hurtle into Thanksgiving celebrations. My Southern Hemisphere friends having been asking me to explain all the hype, and I discovered once again the subtle differences between us.  “It’s basically a harvest festival,” I began, then realized that the seasons here are opposite; so Australia today is in more of a planting time than a harvest time. “Well, the first pilgrims to America nearly died from the hard winter ….” No, that doesn’t work either. A “hard winter” on the Gold Coast is when I have to fasten the top button on my shirt. “Football …” nope. “Indians helping the pilgrims …” Well, that had a small chord of recognition, but on the other hand, I’m not sure exactly what part the Aboriginals here played in the lives of the first settlers, who for the most part were convicts. One thing we could agree on, though, was the need for a time to remember family, and get together. Whether we’re enjoying a big turkey...

  Good Morning,   This week has been a bit crazy but in a happy way.  I hope you’ll forgive me for being rather shallow……..We’re  sitting in a  MacDonalds right now, waiting for our plane.   I mentioned last week we’d be taking our second grandson for his birthday trip (at 13) out to Dubbo, an outback town about 600 miles from home.  We’ve had an absolute ball, going to the very large and famous zoo, as well as the observatory, the interactive station of the Royal Flying Doctors (who take care of the huge outback) and heaps of games and pool fun in between. Our bed will look good tonight.  No regrets, but I haven’t had much time to think lofty thoughts for this blog. But I did pick up one great reminder ….. in a movie of all things ….. “Red One” with Dwayne Johnson of all people about Santa getting kidnapped for Christmas. I am not recommending the movie, but it didn’t make me mad either. Anyway, at one point, The Rock says, “We choose every day w...

 Good Morning,  Last year when we were living in Hawaii, I found myself sitting alone in Taco Bell one day. I had decided to walk myself to a thrift store that I'd spotted earlier and kill some time while Tony was teaching.  I had determined, and still hold this premise, that it isn't worth my time to relearn how to drive in the US. The short times we're there my brain doesn't have time to switch from left side to right side as easily as it used to, so my feet were fine....until they weren't.   Unfortunately, after about a mile, I realised I didn't know where I was going. It was hot, so I stopped into a local Taco Bell to get a drink ...... and an education. No sooner than I had settled down under the air conditioning, a homeless man walked in.  There are a LOT of homeless people in Hawaii, even though Honolulu is second only to New York City in 'most expensive places to live'.  He was wrapped in a big blanket and held a phone to his ear.   "...

 Good Morning Friends, It's said here in Australia (as in most places), "One should never talk politics or religion." And as I expect, the failure to follow that advice has come a long way to getting us where we are today.  Last week we voted on the “Liberal” platform here in Australia, which is almost identical to the Republican party in America. And much to our delight and anticipation, our state of Queensland was wrenched out of many years under the Labour (think “Democrat”) in a huge landslide.  With groceries averaging  $100 a bag, we're all ready to see what the new conservative government can do.  Fun fact: in Australia either you vote or you are given a $150 fine.  It's not only a privilege but a duty backed up by legislation.  You might say that interferes with my freedoms, but it's nice to know I took part in the government I'm living with. But I digress.  For my Bible reading lately, I've been in the book of Jeremiah.  I doubt he h...