My Family and Other Vegetables

After a little break, I'm back. Updating the blog fell in my list of priorities following the birth of Parker. It happened to coincide with a couple of busy weeks here at the centre, so I've been waiting for the opportune time to catch up.

Things have been going well with the new arrival. He's very happy and contented, only waking from a deep slumber to feast every now and then. He's a bit like Dracula, but in wrinkled infant form.


Ruth's parents are in Canowindra with us at the moment. They're down in the Southern Hemisphere visiting Ruth's sister in New Zealand and us here in Oz. Hopefully they're having a nice time, but we've had pretty much a week of unbroken rain here and it's giving something of a false impression of Australian weather.


With the change of season we've moved from picking vegetables to pruning grape vines. It's less heavy lifting and more sociable hours so seems to be more popular with the mob here. It is, of course, an occupation that has plenty of Biblical imagery associated with it so there's something to be said for it. What I will say is that there is something deeply satisfying about physical labour, especially something that is providing for basic human needs. I don't think that it's accidental, but rather reflects something of God's original purposes and plans for work in His creation. It's hard work, but it's been great to spend time getting my hands dirty and reflecting on what God has made.


Yesterday was a Bank Holiday (i.e. public holiday) in honour of, of all things, the Queen's birthday. The Aussies can't quite believe it when I tell them that we don't do anything at all to commemorate this occasion. I reckon they'll just take any excuse for a day off work.