June 20 2018

Well the weather has turned icy here in Toowoomba ---- Yes I know --- just like everywhere else 😊.
We went out today to watch Mr 10 participate in his School athletics events.  He did very well in the discus and the Long jump.  Unfortunately he didn't place in them BUT he participated.
Thursday they will have their track and field events.  The wind today was making it very difficult for the discus throwing as it was moving it backwards, rather than forwards.

I have had a great time this semester teaching the students at the Primary school with coiling weave.  Some have 'run' with it and others have struggled a little but each and everyone of the young girls have persevered with learning this skill.

 all enjoying their weaving sessions

I was also asked by the High School to teach their year 8 and 9 Indigenous girls with the coiling weave.  We also did string bags.

 string bag making

 concentrating

coiling weave

I had a really great day teaching four ladies how to do the coiling weave on the 2nd June.  The time just flew past.  The ladies managed to make a small bowl each in the five hours and requested another day, so we are having another session on the 7th July and there are currently 11 women booked in to do weaving.  Should be a great day.

 Weaving with Raffia

 Concentrating hard on coiling weave

 My students and their work

We met up with Ben and Brad for Bradley's birthday on 11th June.  It was a lovely evening and the meals we had at Ashmore Steak and Seafood were huge.  I think we were full before we even started

 contemplating his Fettuccini

Can I fit in that Seafood basket????

Nice Steak

   my grilled fish was HUGE

Darryl is good.  He has a review with his cardiologist in July.  We went out to Hogs Breath for his birthday on the 14th June

I am off to the immunologist this Thursday to see if he can shed any light on whether he thinks I do have Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).  My muscles and joints have improved greatly with the prednisolone - so will await his impression.

In September we will be heading to Western Australia for our Australian Caravan Club National Muster at Denmark (on the south coast).  From there we will head to Perth to visit family and then make our way up through the center of WA [hopefully see some wildflowers] and hopefully catch up with more family before moving on to Darwin to visit friends and Darryl's relatives before heading to Wagga Wagga for Christmas.

I also have been booked in to teach four 4-hour classes of weaving to the children, at the Child Safety group here in Toowoomba, in July school holidays.  That should be great as well.

 kits in preparation for weaving and string bags

Ben has moved stores with Woolworths and is now based at Helensvale on the Gold Coast as the Grocery [?long life?] Manager.
Bradley is moving into his second year as a baking apprentice and still loving what he is doing.
Beckie and the children are settled in Toowoomba and all doing well.

 coiling weave basket with twined handle

 twined basket base using flax and raffia and lomandra

May 10th 2018

I tell you time just flies by soooo quickly these days.
We have finished farm-sitting for friends at Groomsville (near Crows Nest Qld) and have moved into Toowoomba and are assisting friends by House-sitting their property whilst they travel.
It was lovely being out on the 40 acre farm and helping our friends Sandra and Tom.  Mr Puss would come to the van every morning about 6am and meow on the step.  He really enjoyed the cuddles every couple of days.  I think he was really missing the company of Miss Pippy (the kelpie) and any human contact.
In town now and looking after this fine property until the end of June.  Whilst here I am helping the indigenous students at Harristown State School and teaching them coiling weave.  We have a great group of 10 students and we talk about aspects of weaving, gathering and community during our 3/4 hour session each week.
Today I had the pleasure of working with some year 8 and 9 students at the high school and showing them how to make a string bag.  The girls grasped the technique and were making good headway within the hour.
I have been doing quite a bit of weaving and have been asked to do an adults class - so this is in plans for the 2nd June.  Fingers crossed I get some participants 😃.  I will have raffia and some grasses for people to weave with.
Beckie and the children have settled into Toowoomba.  Ben is currently over in Thailand with his cousins Julie and Dan and Aurra.  Having a wonderful time.  Once he returns home he is moving stores with Woolies.  He is leaving Victoria Point and moving to Helensvale.
Bradley is into his second year apprenticeship as a baker and still at Helensvale.
Darryl is doing ok.  His hand tremors are worse when handling plates but he ignores it 😦.  His legs are so much better than they were in January 2017.  He wears his compression sock every day and the doctors are very impressed with their current condition.  Hopefully this will keep his cellulitis at bay.  He still loves to play his computer games until midnight when he has access to 240V power.  Otherwise he reads - a lot.  His Kindle has about 700 books on it.
I have been diagnosed with ?polymyalgia rheumatica [PMR].  There is still some query as to whether this diagnosis is true - so have been referred to a rheumatologist - whom I will see in June.  The pain in my upper body muscles and hips have improved by 85% since starting the Prednisolone; and I am now able to change position in bed, pull up the covers; re-position myself in the chairs without feeling like my body is going to explode; get things out of my trouser pockets and I can get up and walk without all those little dolly-steps.  So I am feeling much better in myself and will have to await review at the end of June.
The weather is finally starting to cool down in Toowoomba but it is still so very dry.  Hopefully we will get a wet winter to help during the summer.
That is us for now......