The Grimes' Special Merry Christmas Wish to you

Hello to our friends & family (on every side of the globe), 14 December 2011


It is with mixed emotions that I write this year's Christmas Letter.  Most of you will have heard that Peter and I were planning on visiting Canada this Christmas and had booked our trip in July and had arranged to see the Miracle of Christmas with Mom and Dad in Pennsylvania and we were all very excited.  But alas, Dear Dad went home to be with the Lord at the end of August and we moved our trip up for obvious reasons.


Whilst it was a very bitter sweet trip, we were also able to catch-up with a lot of family and friends and at times the trip seems so surreal, but we captured some great pictures and below are a few collages I have created.  There were so many highlights of the trip; for Peter – the Blue Jays Baseball Game and for me – the lovely afternoon at Niagara-On-The-Lake with Mom and Peter, not to mention all of the wonderful visits with family and friends.  I have also included an awesome picture that was taken of Mom and Dad just the week before he took his final flight home.

So, we will be spending Christmas at home in Springfield Lakes this year but a lovely bonus will be seeing Chase on Christmas Day.

Our year started with the devastating floods in January and Peter and I had the opportunity of helping a couple John and Gael from the Centenary Suburbs and we have since caught up with them over a lovely dinner and heard the story of their house being rebuilt.  Even now as I have started writing our letter, I am sitting along Brisbane Terrace in Goodna that was completely under water and it seems so surreal to imagine that it even happened, but I only have to look across the street and I can see the evidence as some houses are still bare, waiting for reconstruction of their walls and residents waiting for insurance settlements.  They are predicting another wet summer again but they are keeping a close eye on the levels of the dam this year.  I still remember our drive back to Brisbane from Gladstone after spending Christmas with Beth (Peter's mum) and how the road was closed because it was flooded, and even when it was finally clear for us to pass, the level of water was so high to the bridge, it was incredible and scary all at the same time.  I have included a picture which might help you appreciate it a tiny bit.

Water

Water - what can I say about it?  It is wet...lol  I remember hearing that our bodies are actually full of alot of water; so I went to Wikipedia and had a quick look to see if I could find some statistics.  Voila, on average, our bodies are 57% water.  That is also why I heard that we find being by the water so soothing and relaxing.  I know that I sure do!


In addition to living in Brisbane which is reasonably close to the beautiful beaches of either the Sunshine or Gold Coast, we live in a suburb that has been developed around a man-made lake and the suburb up the road, another man-made lake.


Peter and I particularly enjoy Fish & Chips by the lake up the road.  Below is a collage I put together of two of the lakes; we were enjoying breakfast at one and had just finished fish & chips at the other.


Ah, water - you are a beautiful thing!

Eye-Catching Jacarandas

Jacaranda season is upon us in Queensland at the moment - a favourite time of year for me because it reminds me of Spring Blossoms back home.  They give off a soft subtle scent, too, which is just lovely.


Just a couple minute drive from where I work is Goodna; one of the suburbs that was devastated during the floods earlier this year and whilst some of the beautiful Jacaranda trees were destroyed, many survived and have come up looking as gorgeous as ever.

This coming weekend is the yearly Goodna Jacaranda Festival which features the beautiful trees and there are lots of activities for the whole family.  Peter and I are involved in an Emmaus weekend, so we might not make it down for the weekend activities, and just to be sure I did not completely miss out on all that beauty, I popped over during my lunch today to snap a bunch of pictures.

So, hey, if you are in the neighbourhood, I encourage you to head out for a drive; if not to check-out the weekend festival, why not take in the beautiful sight of God's glorious creation.

Take a moment and stop and smell the roses....I mean Jacarandas!

Now Is The Time To Get Motivated

Yep, its time.  It has been too long since I have been working towards getting fit.  I was on the road to fitness, but alas, my surgery set me back a bit.  My bike broke, so that was a bit of a setback, too.


I started looking on Ebay in the hopes that I would find another bargain like my first bike, but no such success - no bargains to be had.  So, I have begun my search for "the" exercise bike.  It is a bit confusing.  They say you get what you pay for...so how much is too little and how much is too much.  I want one that is welded well, so it doesn't break like my first one.  Hopefully by the weekend, I will be the owner of my new bike so I can get back on track with my fitness regime - I am ready to get back into gear and into shape.

Let's get motivated!

Apartment Gardener "Al" - Visualizing Next Year's Masterpiece

When I wrote my last blog about our new Rose "Jack", I mentioned our neighbour Al and how he continues to work his wonder on the garden at the apartment building where my parents live, since moving there and leaving his house.  Well, alas, I was just going through some more of my pictures from our recent trip to Canada and discovered a perfect picture, showing Al doing what he does best - tending to the garden.

I said to mom recently, "I do not know how he gets through the colder months of the year, not being able to garden", but then I had an epiphany, he probably visualizes what it will be like next year and that keeps him going.


A good lesson for us all, I reckon--to be setting those goals and to be reaching for something not yet achieved, rather than just staying at status quo.  I know that Peter and I have a few dreams and we are dedicated to keeping them alive until we see them come true.  How about you?