CONGRATULATIONS TIM AND AMY

HAPPY FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY our precious son Tim and daughter in law Amy. We trust you have a very special day together, though no doubt you would have been celebrating for the past 2 weeks as you holidayed in Perth, W.A. We think back with much fondness of your special day and we thank God for 2 very special young people in our lives. May you continue to grow in love with each other and we know you will share your love around with those you come into contact with each day.

Thank you for being so special to us. We love you heaps, Dad and Mum xoxoxoxoxox

Tim and Amy were married at St Hilary's, Kew, Victoria, Australia
on 1 October, 2005 at 2pm

 

It's Friday night!

Here we are at the end of another week. The week's just fly by. I am feeling particularly tired, probably because we have just started German classes and I've had to concentrate really hard. I ask myself "when was the last time I sat in a classroom in the evening?". Maybe I shouldn't ask myself that question. I can't remember!

We are off to the Castle in Haagen tomorrow with lots of friends (if it doesn't rain). We will be taking Juro with us as Johanna is away until Sunday and Erik needs to pick up some materials from a special shop for school.

I'm tired. Must go to bed. Can't think straight.

Love you all heaps. xx

Glenda and Tom have bought their first home

Glenda and Tom's offer was successful and here is the home they will be shifting into on 15 December '06. They are very excited about it and have already started packing up their unit. We have been talking back and forth on Skype and I can tell you, they are one happy couple. We are so pleased for them and we know they will be very, very happy here.

Isn't it a cutie?

 

Something trivial for the Girls!

I had my hair cut yesterday. I saw a picture in a magazine my niece Anna brought me from London. I took it to the hairdresser and she has done a great job. Now I know you will all want to see a photo, but you will just have to be patient! I just hope I can manage to blow dry it like the hairdresser did (and you never can, can you girls?)!!

A day at home today (I hope) with lots of learning and writing to do. Can't wait. But now it's time for breakfast with my beloved husband. Talk to you all later.

Gaynor xxxx

Sunday's Team Meeting

Sunday was a long but exciting day. Went to Church with Erik, Johanna and Euro (as usual) at 9.30am. Stayed for the luncheon afterwards. Roger and I then prepared for the Mosaic Team Meeting which we held at the FeG because of larger numbers. We had a nice room upstairs where they hold children's activities.

19 people were in attendance and we had a brainstorming time which was most worthwhile - purpose, needs, skills, small groups, staying continuously challenged, etc. It will be good to continue with the brainstorming. I think we all value each person within this group. Wow. The calibre of people is amazing. We are cherishing this time of really getting to know people.

WHAT A DAY ! ! !

Up bright and early to catch the 8.15am train to Basel to meet the walking group at Basel Bahnhof. About 15 of us (didn't count). Rather strenuous walk and then the rain!! Home to have a nice bath.

First Deutsch lesson tonight went very well. 14 students and 13 nationalities!! The teacher is wonderful. Now it just has to SINK in. I can't believe I'm learning a language at my age. But I am, and I'm going to enjoy myself (well, that's what I keep trying to tell myself anyway!).

Time for a Sherry!! Just bought some today (for cooking with of course, but the chef won't notice I've stolen some out of the bottle. Just won't be able to do it on a regular basis!)

Learning Deutsch

At last! At last! Roger and I begin German lessons at the local Volkshochschule (VHS) which is 100 metres straight down the street from our place. We begin on Monday from 6.30-9pm and again on Thursday 6.30-9pm. Actually, I think I should be terrified, but I'm not. I am very excited and I hope I will be very relaxed about learning German. After all, it is in my best interest to learn (I love communicating to people through speech!!) and we hope to be here for many years. Maybe I'll just become a professional student and keep learning. That would be very different for me! We'll see.

TEAM MEETINGS

Tomorrow (Sunday) we have our fourth team meeting for Mosaic Basel/Loerrach. Up till now we have been meeting in our little home in Schopfheim, but we have rapidly outgrown this so will meet in the facilities at the FeG (Free Evangelical German Church) that we have been attending since we arrived here in March.

Tomorrow will be a brainstorming time for us all - where do we meet when we begin our 'church', time, date, gifts of each of us, etc. Roger and I are very excited that after 6 months we have come this far. What a fabulous opportunity we have to tell people of Jesus love for them. We love meeting people and each day we pray that Jesus will lead us to people he wants us to befriend, encourage, love. Wow. Just writing about it blows me away.

IRENE'S FAULT

Aren't you allowed to say that about sisters?

I've been talking on the phone to Irene in Perth and she insisted I put this photo on my blog. Irene, George, Roger and I were having pizza on the Rhine in Basel last week and this guy from Costa Ricca (can't even remember his name, just that he is one of 14 children and lives on a farm!) was sitting by himself at the table next to us. Irene can be very naughty at times, and I've given up trying to keep her in line. BUT, it is a nice photo isn't it?


















Ah, that's better! Yes, you guessed it - the Thugley Sisters.





















Look at me! Look at me! Aren't I beautiful!!!! Of course you are darling! Inside the Rathaus in Basel. The most amazing building and you have to take time to take it all in, and we did. Most of the buildings in Basel are so very old.

Goodbye my Beloved Sister Irene

One thing Irene wanted to do before she left to go home to Perth was to have a cuppa on the front steps of our little home, so here we are. Mrs Posh and her ordinary sister!!!!! At Gartenstrasse 18 Schopfheim Germany watching the world go by. Oh how I will miss her. 

Wirt's 50 something Birthday!!!!

It was Wirt's birthday last Sunday. We waited patiently until Tuesday to celebrate! Wirt had to pose with 'his' birthday pavlova as it's my first success since I've been here in Germany (after 5 tries - that's right, I don't give up easily). We celebrated in style and with great company - Wirt, Linda, Irene, George, Roger & myself and an Aussie Roast and Pavlova.

It was such a success Wirt even suggested they might delay their retirement until after his Birthday next year!! (Wirt and Linda plan to retire 31 August 2007). Boo Hoo. But we don't think about that.

And I've just had an idea..... Wirt is a 'bit of a tease' and I've realised I have something over him - A BLOG!! I can make all these 'careful remarks' and he can't respond!! Plus, I know he reads my blog, so that's even better. LOOK OUT WIRT! 

Visit to Rotteln

ON OUR DAY OFF (!!) we took Irene & George on the train (4 stops) to visit the Schloss in Haagan. It was quite a walk to the top but we managed it. You can tell Irene is 2 years older than me (sorry Rene, that was said purely to tease you!!!!). It is amazing to see these old ruins still standing. It was certainly very interesting looking around and the view was spectacular. Coming down was much easier!!  

Working

At last! A photo of us working!!! What a shame we look so happy!!
Meeting our new friends Jack & Deanne to discuss our new ministry plans. Please note Roger's diary and glasses. Picture taken in Loerrach. 

Having too much "FUN"

Someone very close to me pointed out that Roger and I seem to be having more fun than working!!

I have pondered this for 2 days now.

What am I to think?

I am in the process of gathering information, so be prepared for something heavy!!(Not really, I love blogging and I always want to have fun).

Irene and George's 2nd visit

Roger and George at Dinner in Schopfheim

















The "Thugley Sister's" (George's pet name of us!!)


















View in Schopfheim. We're having a lovely few days with Irene and George, and now that I have written down all that is happening in the next couple of days, George will stop asking me what is happening!!! Of course he might not read it at all, but I can 'shove it under his nose' anyway. The weather is just beautiful at the moment and we are making the most of it. Will write more soon. Am going to turn in for the night. I'm a very tired little possum!!

Jocelyn and Glenda

Here are our beautiful daughters, Jocelyn and Glenda. This photo was taken at Mt Lofty in the Adelaide Hills in November 2005.

Jocelyn is off to Japan tomorrow - we think. There has been some delay and we are unable to contact her. We have no idea where she is at this time, but assume she is somewhere in Melbourne!

Jocelyn is going to Japan to teach Adult English for 3 months. She will be based in Osaka. She is certainly going to have a lovely time, I am sure.

THEN she will come and spend Christmas with us. What a treat that will be. Can't wait!

Glenda has not been well today. We talked to her on the phone this morning and we all had a cry. Yes, we miss our beautiful children - Tim, Jocelyn and Glenda and Amy and Tom. Wouldn't it be great if they could all just pop over for a Sunday Roast. I WISH!! 

Picnic on the Rhine

We have just come in. It is 8.30pm on Wednesday night 6 September.

We met Wirt and Linda at the office in Loerrach and took them by train and tram to Basel SBB, the main railway station of Basel. They had not been by train and tram and wanted to learn the way.

We surprised them with a picnic tea! We sat on a bench next to the Rhine and watched the world go by - swimmers (brrrrr), kayak's, a large barge and of course people walking along the river. How very civilised! We just love spending time with Wirt and Linda. They're such fun to be with.

A Bus ride

Yesterday I took a bus ride to Wehr and then my friend Marianne picked me up and drove me to her place up in the mountains. We spent the afternoon looking through one of her English lessons and discussing good ideas for teaching. It was lots of fun and we both enjoyed ourselves.

Marianne drove me home as she wanted to take me to an Aboriginal Art Gallery which is just up the hill from our place in Wiechs (2 km's). There was no-one there. The Gallery is only open on Saturday afternoons.

I took her to a lovely Guest House which overlooks the valley and Schopfheim. You can sit out on the 'verandah' and have a meal or a drink. It is simply gorgeous. We didn't stay, but one day Roger and I will walk up there and check it out. Would be fun.

Girl's Night

Okay, so you're all wondering how the Girl's Night went! There were 4 of us and I was the only native English speaker. We began to watch the BBC mini series, "Pride & Prejudice" but didn't get very far (this won't stop me from watching further episodes on my own!!!). We had a delicious dinner together and then a little more of the series. It was a great evening and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The concensus was that we should have them regularly - once a month! And so we shall!

What happened to Roger during this time? He caught the train into Loerrach and was going to do some study at the Library, but of course it is closed on a Monday, isn't it! He did a bit of shopping and then met one of his German friends for a beer. He enjoyed his evening!

Plotting and Planning !

I'm currently organizing a 'Girl's Night' for Monday 4 September and I'm getting very excited - probably more for myself than anyone else. I'm excited to see who turns up, excited that at long last I've managed to get a suitable date to meet, excited to be watching "Pride and Prejudice again" (great BBC mini series). Have to think about FOOD today! Could be interesting.

Yesterday, late afternoon we went to a little German village that has storks. Erik, Johanna and Juro took us to this place. It was a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed very much the company of this lovely family. We then went to Dinner at their place. They had been into France and bought crab meat. Very yummy.

Are you getting sick of me saying how blessed we are to be living in Schopfheim, Germany???