Just How Old Am I? ! ! ! ! ! !

Tim, Jocelyn and Glenda, you are really going to laugh at this! Your Mother 'hooning' around on her bike! Honestly, at my age!

Our Sunday didn't quite work out as we had planned. We were hoping to take our bikes on the train to Loerrach and meet our friends Jack and Deanne at the station and then ride to the new FeG near Benzine (they have now moved into new premises and IT IS AMAZING). The Church is called G5! Anyway, it was pouring with rain so we just caught the train to Loerrach and then a taxi to G5. We got there very early as it didn't start until 11am. Great music, people, service, message, etc. (English translation via headsets).

After the service lunch was available for 3 euros. We stayed for lunch. BUT we didn't factor in how we were going to get home. We went to the station and they train we would have liked to catch didn't come (unusual for Germany!!). Anyway, the long and short of it was that we had a 20 minute turnaround to get home and get back on the train to head off for our team meeting at 4pm!! A friend of the lady upstairs from our home was parked in front of our garage so we had to ask her to move her car! Once my bike was out I TOOK OFF!

I tell you, sometimes this is a little too much for this oldie (!) and I feel like saying to myself "act your age"!! But really it is lots of fun and I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world at this time. When I eventually got rid of my bike in Australia (after not riding it for years) I never really thought I'd get another one, let alone ride it like a maniac!

Maybe I'll even let myself have a little sleep in tomorrow morning!

ENGLISH CHURCH PLANTERS BBQ in ZUG

Today Aaron, Amanda, Wolfie (cute Dachshund), Roger and myself travelled to Zug (near Luzern), nearly 2 hours drive from Loerrach, for a catch up with fellow Church Planters. There were around 20 couples and lots of kids! Derek Webster was able to get everyone together (using email) and we had the wonderful hospitality of the Best and Eales families.

We were able to share stories and encourage each other. Truly amazing things are happening in this part of Europe and it is certainly no coincidence that God is drawing us all together to fulfill his purposes in this area. It is so exciting to be part of history making at this time.

Last Friday 'Girl's Night'

l to r - Sylvia, Deanne, Bernadette, Amanda, Tara, Clara and Nicolle. (Johanna, Marianne and Andrea had already gone home). Our little home was rather full, but with lots of laughter and talking! We had a great time and our next 'Girl's Night' will be on 17 November (last one for 2006).

Gathered were 6 German, 1 English/German, 1 Sth African, 2 American & 1 Aussie (!!). Talk about United Nations. And the stories! My goodness it is amazing the connections! Would you believe Andrea (German living in Schopfheim) went to the same school as Deanne (American) but of course not at the same time. Andrea was an overseas exchange student. Now isn't that incredible? Who would believe it.

We have bikes - YEAH !

Roger and I have been given bikes by Wirt and Linda. We are just so excited. Roger had wanted to buy a bike but it didn't seem a priority just at the moment. We are thrilled to bits and are so thankful to our lovely friends for their amazing generosity towards us.SO, last Sunday afternoon off we went on our bikes for an hour's ride.
F R E E D O M !
What an amazing feeling. Guess what? You can cover so many more kilometres on a bike! (Just thought you'd like to know that!!). Sunday was the most glorious day and with all the leaves changing to Autumn colours it was a beautiful ride. Flat as well. We are in a valley here with very good bike paths and drivers who are courteous and considerate. Don't have to wear helmets either, but we will invest in them. Roger thought he brought his with him, but we can't seem to find it!

(Taken outside our front steps) 

Anyone seen this couple?

Last seen in Basel, Switzerland by Roger and Gaynor!! Missing them and wondering how they are getting on. Post a comment on my blog with any information!


 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY

It was our beautiful daughter-in-law AMY's Birthday last Sunday. I'm a little late with this greeting, but we hope you had a lovely day Amy and we want to wish you all the best for a wonderful year ahead. We've been thinking and praying for you very much and we think you're absolutely wonderful and we are very proud that you are part of our family.

(If I was very clever !! - I could have cropped this picture so that Amy was the only one showing).

THIS WEEK

It's Wednesday night already! Where is this week disappearing to? I spent a quiet Monday at home. Didn't even venture outside for a walk (not good). Roger went off early and met the walking group at Basel SBB. He had a fall at Basel Bad (as he turned around to see which platform he should be on) and landed on his b-o-t-t-o-m! Fortunately following close behind him (and unbeknown to him) was Jack and Deanne, so they 'rescued' him! The he fell whilst on the walk, but fortunately he was okay the next day.

Deutsch Monday night was okay! Need to do much more learning and speaking at home, but we'll get there. Have to, we're living in Deutschland!!

Tuesday Roger left early again to go to Zurich to meet up with Derek. Had a great time. I did some housework and computer work. Sabine came to lunch and we had a great chat together. Spoke to Glenda and Tom on 'Skype' and had a lovely conversation with my gorgeous son, which reminded me how much I miss my beautiful kids. Tuesday night we went into Basel for a lovely meal with Nigel and Tara. Nigel cooks a mean Chicken Curry which was very, very yummy. We had a really relaxing evening and it was good to catch up with them both again. Will have to organize a few more evenings together before they disappear back to Abudhabi.

Today we had lunch with David, Simea and little 14mth old Leah. David is the Youth Pastor at the FeG where we go to Church. We had the loveliest time together and great stimulating conversation. Ah, we love people!!

Tonight we have just come in from our Small Group, where 9 of us met at Jack and Deanne's in Loerrach and listened to one of the "Purpose Driven Life" tapes by Rick Warren. It is the series on Worship and is excellent.

So now, it is time for bed - and to bed I must go!

H E L P !

What's happened to my blog? ? I can't believe it has all but disappeared. I'm very sad indeed but can't doing anything about it now.

I'm off to an Awaken Women's conference in Luzern this weekend and I'm very excited about it. Will be travelling in Sonja's car with my friend Lorraine.

Sorry about my blog. Not sure what is going on. Maybe it will be magically fixed when I get home.

Love you all

FOR OUR KIDS

Hi beautiful family, I wanted to post a picture of us in a lovely wooden area but I stuffed it up, so you just aren't going to see us. Sorry!! We "fuddled" at the SBB Station today and hence missed the walk so decided to catch the train to Frick and do our own walk. It turned into the most beautiful day and oh, the walks are quite something else. Not sure how many kilometres we walked but in time it was about 2.5hrs. Not bad for oldies eh? If we'd gone on our planned walk, we would have walked for 3.5hrs!

So, home to do homework, write a letter to dear Amy for her birthday, cook a yummy curry, do a crossword (good for the brain) and then off to Deutsch. Ah, it's just not stickin'. Maybe one day it will just 'click'. At least I'm not the only one not getting it. Lots of work to do and we need to get our Deutsch friends to help us with the learning.

Off to bed now. It's getting cooler at night but we haven't switched on the heating yet! Mind you, I'm sitting here with my overcoat on!

Love you all very, very much,
Your Mum xoxoxoxoxoxox

PS You are welcome to pop in at any time!!

Vitamins Für die Seele

I was one of just over 100 women that gathered at FeG in Lörrach for a day of fun together yesterday. The women who organized the day did themselves proud. We were welcomed with a lovely finger food breakfast and vitamin drink (!!) tea, coffee if we wanted it. There was a talk around the topic "Vitamins for the soul", the small groups, lunch and workshop topics. I chose Back Exercises and Card Making (my lovely daughter-in-law Amy has a birthday next Sunday) and I wanted to do something special BUT I am not "crafty" at all, so I'm not really sure about the card I have made. I think I will need a back up! There were 9 different workshops to choose from (even Line Dancing, what fun).

I didn't care one little bit I couldn't speak Deutsch. No-one in the back exercise workshop knew I couldn't speak Deutsch!

I love these women. So much fun and full of life. What about another day next Saturday?!!

AH ! ! DEUTSCH

We have just come in from our third Deutsch lesson. Oh my goodness. Nothing is sinking in. Singular, plural, infinitive, verbs, pronouns, etc, etc. Haven't heard of these words for years! We are starting at the beginning of the beginning! Just as well we have the loveliest teacher who is very patient and kind with us all. We had 2 new people in the class and 2 absent. Yes, it is a big class with lots of interaction and a few laughs as we struggle to speak Deutsch.

Tomorrow I am going to do some boring housework, have some quiet reading time (I hope) and then in the evening Bernhard and Lorraine are coming to dinner and we are both looking forward to this.

Saturday is a women's day at the FeG in Loerrach - "Vitamins for the Soul" Should be interesting to see how I go, especially as it will be in Deutsch. At least I can introduce myself and say where I am from!!

A Goat Show

While we were driving through the countryside of Switzerland yesterday we came across a 'Goat Show' in a little town. None of us had ever been to a Goat Show before. Take a look at the middle photo. A goat that is dark/light brown and white. Amazing. 

More photos from our day off

Ornamental pumpkins are everywhere for sale at this time of the year. We certainly wouldn't have bought any of these. They were asking far too much money. But aren't they amazing specimens for pumpkin? 

REUNIFICATION DAY HOLIDAY (Tuesday 3/10)

Linda, Wirt and Roger just after our picnic and before the rain!!

















I couldn't think of a nicer thing to do on a German holiday than to spend the day with our lovely friends Wirt and Linda (and in their nice warm car). We drove into country Switzerland to visit a cheese factory, biscuit factory and by chance (!!) a goat show! What fun.

You never know what we are going to get up to next, do you?  

Flohmarkt ! ! !

The young ladies next door holding their own little flohmarkt! So cute. 

WALK ! PICNIC ! EXPORE !

Ulla, Anya, Juro and Gaynor walking to Roetteln Castle

















Juro and Wils

















Our group listening to our guide talking about all the adventures to do with the Castle. The fun took place last Saturday, with not a lot of rain!! The Castle is about 15 minutes drive from our place as you go towards Loerrach.

A special visitor

No Deutsch class tonight. Boo Hoo!! We arrived only to be told the lesson was not taking place. Tomorrow is a holiday in Germany - Reunification Day!!! Maybe this had something to do with not having a lesson tonight. BUT..... this did not stop us from making the most of the opportunity this presented us..... to invite our new friend Michiko to visit us in our home. When we asked her if she would like to come to our home she threw her arms in the air and said 'yes'!! Most unJapanese style!! We laughed at her. You see, it is her night off from her 17 month old daughter Rena! Michiko is here with her husband and daughter from Japan and she is doing the Deutsch classes with us. I think we will have much fun together and of course Roger will enjoy brushing up on his Japanese!

So, at 9pm Michiko got up from the lounge and said it was time to go home. Her Deutsch lesson had finished for the evening!! We all laughed.