House-sitting Tales in Noosa, Queensland

Well there has been a lot of rain indeed here. But the house (and the street) is high and dry. (not to worry, we are fine).

My sister, Linda and I took a long walk along the Noose River area in town around sunset last night it was remarkable!
Heaps of parakeets and white snowy cockatoos roosting in for the night. The water on the river was almost even with the walkways.
There are permanently placed exercise machines facing the water for anyone to use. They are paired up to do with a friend too.
The evening and people there were very mellow. Some of them were BBQ'ing in the covered picnic areas along the way placed under the big shade trees.
I think that taking a slow stroll, walking along that river too, wouldn't be fun often. Young families were playing close by, and lots of others walking their dogs along the paths. Though it wasn't crowded, and it felt so peaceful.

There is a riverboat with a sunset jazz cruise passing by all lit in little blue lights.
I hope Clair and I can take that cruise when he comes up for a visit on 15 May through to 19 May. I miss him too.

My time with Linda has been limited because she recently was offered a great counseling position in Noosa. She has been after it 5 years now.
Linda is so happy she has 4 days a week with a solid employer doing something she is very good at.
So her time is limited and we get together or talk nearly everyday.

My time is taken up with Emma (the Maltese) we are getting along extremely well. We walk twice a day usually learning different streets and path in all directions.
She is a very well behaved lady indeed. I like her company, the exercise is a positive plus as well. Last night, I was watching TV and saw something out of the corner of my eye. High up on the vaulted ceiling was a little snipe. Its a kind of tiny gecko, small enough to slip under the door. It was the first time I saw one inside the house. They are harmless can't bite or harm people and good for controlling insects. StillI I smiled as I wondered what my friends might do in reaction to seeing it. In the morning it was gone.
Life here is getting very interesting indeed.
House-sitting for a neighbor which just "happened" to be a neighbor for my sister, is great fun!

6 months in Aussie Land.....

Recently, I joined FaceBook. If you haven't been there recently, it might be fun to check it out. Since last Thursday, I have nearly 50 friends and loved ones who are also on facebook, and have confirmed I can add them to my friends list.
It may be that facebook will phase out this blog; but for now, both will exist.


The greatest part of being on facebook is that one can choose to personalize the settings. I chose for my page to be seen only by persons who are my friends or family. So anyone else who is searching for my name will see I have a facebook page, but will not be able to see more than a link with a thumbnail image. They will be required to ask for confirmation from me. But once you are linked, everything added to a friends page sends a message to each friend a notice of the post or picture or message. So in essence, it is a way to simultaneously keep in touch with everyone in real time. Now THAT is networking!

Advice from an Aunt

As is our custom, we write and share things with each other. So when I read the advice sent to me by my Aunt through marriage, I felt it was worthy of sharing on this blog. Consider it a creedo to happiness and wisdom:


1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does..
12. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. GOD heals everything.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________.
Today I accomplished _________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
Please send this to everyone you care about.

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Our first Australian Spring.

Of all the things we have experienced thus far in Canberra;
The seasons are remarkable. It is mid October, a few weeks into Spring.
The Floriade Event in Canberra truly brings the beauty of flowers in the thousands.
We've never seen anything like it. It attracts thousands of people all over Australia. It's a privilege to have it minutes away. The air here, especially after a gentle Spring rain, is fragrant with fresh flowers and plants. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see some images from Floriade.
I can't quite imagine what Christman during the Australian summer will be like.
Right now, it's a full moon and floral carpeted gardens which capture my fancy.

Newest Images

Putting down some roots in Canberra

After nearly four months here, we have accepted a house to rent for a short time over the next several months. We came here taking no furnishings, only clothes, electronics, some household goods and linens. It will be interesting to experience the home of our own for a while. Up until now, we have found house-sitting to be a very economical way to settle in Canberra. One can learn more of the community this way, at a fraction of typical housing cost. Now we will have a bigger bite to swallow each month. Alond the way, we adopted the mindset that "anywhere we happened to be together, was home." We determine what home is between us. It's reassuring to consider it is the people we care for which create a home. Things come and go, and so do places. It is what we take along within our hearts that matter.