Over the past 10 years or so, “going bananas” have taken on a different meaning for us. It’s the annual winter school holidays program that St Alfred’s run for the local community. It is a major local community outreach program that galvanises the whole church every year, and the Melbourne Anglican has also written about its significance.
I had signed up, a few years ago, to volunteer for a mid week barbeque lunch. That was the extent of my involvement. This year however, over several Sundays, notices over the pulpit and in the weekly emails kept saying more volunteers were needed. So I decided to take some time off work (only a few hours) and did some car parking duties.
Along with 5-6 others, we managed the traffic flows in and out of a couple of car parks, and just sort of guided towards better organised car parking, as well as safety of kids getting in and out of cars and crossing pavements through the car parks. I went in on a Monday morning last week, when the program was starting and the atmosphere was buzzing. Some 150 kids had signed up and at least an equal number of volunteers were involved. I left within the hour however, as soon as the car park activities had ebbed, and got back to work, returning when the program was finishing and the car park activities flowed again. That took another hour or so. I repeated the task on Friday and the energy levels dipped noticeably. Tired faces were on display, yet the joy and satisfaction didn’t ebb.
Going Bananas does mean going a bit crazy, but in such a good way.
Tress and I spent Saturday morning cleaning. The house had started to feel a bit off, with the constant wet and cold conditions locking us and the 2 boys indoor for the most part, and the dampness and canines getting in and out frequently, meant the house took a beating . It needed cleaning and we invested the time to freshen things up.
Later in the arvo, we went to lunch at Brandon Park and then did some grocery shopping there. Back home, we followed the footy on radio. We had been to the MCG the previous Sunday, where we took a beating at the hands of the Blues. They were very good and kept us goal-less for the entire first half. I don’t think I had seen our boys going the whole hour at the G without kicking a single major, so that was a first. Not at all in a good way, especially when you see Carlton (the Blues) are only a spot above us on the ladder. Well, we lost again to the Giants on their home ground up north in Sydney on Saturday. We continue to rebuild I guess.
Yesterday arvo, after St Alf’s, we went to lunch at the Shangri La Inn, a place we hadn’t been to for a while. Then we went home and I did the usual cooking, before the cloudy overhang day, with threatening rain all day, took Tress and I and the little one to the Brickwork shopping centre, where they allow pooches to wander indoor. He had fun, and has become more confident riding in the car. Part of the reason we took him there is to get him used to rides in the car. He has been a nervous passenger but yesterday, he was more relaxed and didn’t shake at all, which is a bit step up. We probably don’t need to use any meds on him the next time we make the drive up north to Canberra. Fingers crossed. I said to Tress part of the reason why he is nervous and shakes a lot could be we went up in our little hatchback the last time, which being a small car, meant he was closer to the road and the engine noises. I have been on the lookout for a bigger car – probably back to an SUV again (after giving one up some 8 years ago now). That decision for an SUV (or a wagon) was also fuelled by the recent visit of my mum, David and Jean and others, to Melbourne. Our lifestyles as empty nesters had meant we dont need cars bigger than the hatchback that Tress rides in or the Lexus sports sedan that I use. They have however, become a bit small if we are to accommodate changing circumstances. Those beautiful cooing videos of little Abby we’ve been receiving in recent days, always make me want to see them more. They’ll be visiting in a few weeks, and we’re planning to go up again a few weeks after that. I love our cars but these changing circumstances warrant a reversion to a different set of wheels. In the meantime, I am still basking in the glow of how good it feels to be going bananas…
Ante 