Recharging the batteries

We're back from Katoomba Easter Convention! It was, as always, absolutely wonderful. Excellent teaching on the theme of Christian character in an age of image, fun and relaxing time with family and friends and the beautiful Blue Mountains. Joss, Toby and Bethany all love the kids' programmes and playing with their cousins. We go every year and look forward to it so much. Thanks to the Davidsons for having us to stay!

Toby and I went for a walk one afternoon when it was still hot. We were surprised that it was so warm, even though we knew it had been unseasonably warm at home. We had bought new winter clothes specially! Thankfully, the weather did settle into more typical mountain temperatures and the new clothes were needed.

On Sunday afternoon we had our Easter egg hunt. Bethany and Huw were almost incandescent with excitement, running everywhere at top speed. Bethany had five plastic eggs, filled with bits of paper she had written and drawn the story of Easter on and she read them out to us when all the eggs had been found. Actually, there are still two larger eggs and three small ones we couldn't find!

On Monday morning we skipped the last session (we're downloading the talks) so we could pop down to Sydney and see Andrew's parents, whom we haven't seen since last year some time, and Sare, Ty and the kids - including our newest nephew! I let go of him long enough to let Jossie have a wee go and take this photo.

We got home around 8.30 last night, weary but full of joy. We'll need it to sustain us over the next few weeks as we have sold our house and are moving...... very soon!

Visits

On Thursday morning I finally made the trip out to Old Junee to visit Kristy, Jack and baby Sam! Sometimes, when you visit a new baby, you are allowed to tiptoe into the nursery and view the sleeping baby for a minute. I got to hold Sam for an hour or so! He chatted to me, gave me very serious looks, thought about crying but gave it up as too much effort, fought sleep and then conked out. He really is a beautiful baby. Kristy made delicious cheese and chive scones and it was the perfect way to spend a morning in the country.

The day got even better when Mum and Dad arrived. They are visiting us before they head off on their overseas adventure.

They're going to blog about it which means that we can go too (sort of)!

On a loop

Andrew found this Swedish group, called Dirty Loops, and they are the reason we have been singing a Britney Spears song in our heads for around two weeks! When will we get sick of this song?

New hair

We're a bit busy at the moment with work, school, homework and such but I finally got around to making Jossie's hair appointment.

Jossie has been planning this for ages.

We love, she loves it and most of her school friends love it. Next stop, as short as mine?

Skunk

Bethany has been watching You Tube videos about drawing, which is one of her favourite things. They are obviously not Australian videos as this is a skunk. The glitter didn't work out quite as she planned and was whisked away before it could infect the whole house and everyone in it.

The weather has, most definitely, turned. It's dark later in the morning and earlier at night and much cooler. It's a great time of year for being outside.

As for what we are reading and watching: Toby's new favourite book is Toby Alone by Timothée de Fombelle (not in French), Jossie is still all about Percy Jackson and Bethany is writing her own fairy book. I just finished (again) Brideshead Revisited for book club and have gone back to The Submission by Amy Waldman. I am loving Spooks and Great Expectations on TV and Joss and Tobes are watching Lord of the Rings with Andrew! Only seven months or so until The Hobbit! Richard Armitage as a dwarf?!

Relief

Relief and the faintest tinge of disappointment. There had been a lot of talk about this flood being set to rival the big flood of '74 and so, when the river peaked somewhere around ten and a half metres, some of us felt let down that it didn't beat the record.

Andrew and Shep went for a ride of dubious legality and very suspect safety! They went into the closed off CBD of Wagga and along the levee - a levee that was under extreme pressure!

This taxi was caught just up the road from Toby and Bethany's school. Today, we were allowed to drive on this stretch of road again.

That means no more picnics on the roundabout.

This is the highway! For those who are familiar with Wagga, Noah's Ark is up on the left. The large pile of dirt that Andrew and Shep are standing on kept it from coming over to the other side.

So now life returns to normal, at least for those of us not in North Wagga where the houses are still under water. After pretending that Stephen had been evacuated to the country to escape London during the Blitz, we received a call on Wednesday morning to say that the SES had given the all clear for Wagga's CBD. We drove Stephen back to his unit, and then went back to work! At the library (and art gallery) we didn't open to the public but simply put everything back from the higher ground we had found for it. The library opened yesterday and everyone is so very pleased about the dry carpet. I was told that had the levee failed, there would have been two metres of water in the CBD in half an hour. I had only moved two shelves of books up! We're so thankful the levee held!

Jossie and Hannah did not receive a phone call today saying that they would be on Camp Orange. Disappointment with a tinge of relief?

Waiting

We're all at home today, just waiting. The weather is sunny and mild, Andrew and Toby are off riding their bikes. Stephen, who lives in Central so was evacuated last night, is sitting in the sun reading and Joss and Bethany are amusing themselves quietly. Later this afternoon the river will reach its peak and the levee will either hold or it will not. I'm not sure that I will be making it to Sydney tomorrow, which is a shame, but I can enjoy the calm this morning.

This is Bethany taking photos of the water on her DS. We were feeling rather cool as the sun set and someone said that it must be the ocean breeze!