Tag: Family

A wonderful long weekend


26 Jan is a public holiday – Australia Day, contentious as it has been in recent years, remains the official day where we remember the origin of modern Australia. Tress and I took a day off on the 25th, and we went up to Canberra.

We left the little guy with Heather at about 9.30am, and drove to Tullamarine to catch the flight up to see Kiddo, Mic and little Abby. We arrived just after 2pm, went to lunch at the old parliament house, after which we stayed there for Abby to play in a warm and homey playroom there. That night, Kiddo cooked a barbie dinner for us.

The next day, we went to the arboretum. It was a cloudy day but there was some wind about and kids and adults alike were flying colourful kites when we arrived. The National Arboretum has become a beautiful place. Back when Kiddo first went to Canberra for ANU, it had just started to be planted. 11-12 years hence, it has become an attraction that for me, is a must visit for folks visiting Canberra. It is probably the best thing Julia Gillard did for Canberra. We walked around, soaked in the almost carnival like busy atmosphere, and then had lunch at the cafe. Later that arvo, we went to Belconnen after Mic took a wrong turn – we had wanted to go into the Canberra Centre in the city. That wrong turn turned out to be fortuitous (serendipitous?) for me, as the Myer store there had a great deal for Levis jeans and I picked up a black pair that I think I can use for work. Being at my present workplace after 2+ years has watered down my work garb. I now dress much more casually, probably also as a post covid thing. Still, wearing blue jeans may be a tad too casual so I thought a black pair would be a safe compromise. Tress, Kiddo and Mic also all picked up stuff at Belconnen (it’s a Westfield mall). That night, Mic cooked us dinner – a congee that we all enjoyed, not least little Abby.

On Saturday, we caught up with Mic’s parents. They had asked to meet when they found out we were visiting, and we had waited to line something up as we wanted to fit into whatever Kiddo and Mic were planning. We met at the club at Woden – the Chinese restaurant that has become a convenient meeting place for this catch up. I tried to be social and by and large, enjoyed the occasion, but I must say I often feel uncomfortable in their presence. Maybe one day I will distil why this is. Later that night, we caught the ladies tennis final of the Australian Open, where a certain Ms Zheng from China, played and lost to a Belarusian. Zheng is the first finalist since Li Na, and we tried to barrack for her but her opponent was far too strong.

On Sunday, we attended Kido and Mic’s church at the Namadji School. Southside Bible Church is a conservative church, and we have attended there numerous time – every time we’re in Canberra. We left later that arvo. Kiddo, Mic and little Abby came with us to the airport. We got home just before 6pm, after picking up the little guy from Heather’s. It has been a wonderful trip. Seeing Abby grow up and her parents continuing to work hard and do well in being wonderful parents, has been so very rewarding. It made me sleep so well last night, with a “body battery” measurement of a perfect 100% this morning. I am in a good place right at this moment.

Remembering not


Officially it was 30 Nov. In reality, no one really knew. It could have been 29 Nov. So every year I start remembering my dad on 28 Nov.

On the morning of 30 Nov 5 years ago, my dad was found to have passed on. I still have to think hard to recall the last time I spoke to him He was a man with free spirits and though that was what probably sent him packing earlier than he should, it also made him the man that he was. The fact that he was the eldest in a family of 8 siblings didn’t dilute that one bit.

Every year for the past 5 years around this time I get a bit moody.

I still cant remember the last time I spoke to him.

 

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Marriage and Family – Dont LIke The Old Model? Think Again


Gay Couple with child
Image via Wikipedia

A report by a family law professor has found “…adverse impacts on Australian children of the rapid changes in family structure, including the rise in parental separation due to divorce and the breakdown of co-habiting relationships.”

See the news articles here and here.

That law professor is Patrick Parkinson from Sydney University and was a key policy advisor which shaped the Family Law Act 2006. The report was commissioned by the Australian Christian Lobby and you’d expect sneers arising from this to suggest somehow the report may therefore carry less weight but any reasonable consideration must not ignore the expertise Professor Parkinson brings to the subject.

I’ll make the obvious extension to same sex relationships. I have alluded to this in earlier entries, going back some years now, but it needs to be said again. We don’t know yet what the abandonment of traditional nucleus family of a heterosexual relationship, legally married, does to the well being of children and society as a whole. This model for a nucleus family is being abandoned principally to accommodate individuals who prefer to decide for themselves what is – or feels – right. That appears to be no different to what Eve and then Adam did in the Garden of Eden. It’s the age-old issue of rebellion against God and putting ourselves up as gods instead. Some call that sin.

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Coming to terms with my new world


After over a month’s hiatus, I was back at the MST library on Sat morning, trying to work out the research load for the essay for this semester. It was good to be back researching something to write about again. Later that afternoon we went about our usual chores and errands before visiting a mate’s home for his youngest’ 2nd birthday.

On Sunday, after church and lunch thereafter with a bunch of people including pastor TF, Tress and I went back and attacked the house cleaning tasks, hoping to make it a touch cleaner before the home group meets later in the week. When everything was done it was close to 6 and I was just settling down on the couch for a breather when I was letting out choruses of snores within minutes. It was just for a few minutes before I woke to fix kiddo’s dinner.

Earlier this arvo a mate texted me to say he was near my office so I ducked out for lunch with him and his family. It was the first time I visited this place although it’s just a minute away (across the street from the office).

It has been a really busy but strange day in office – I was the only one there. In an office of just 3 full-time employees, it is easy to have days like  today but when it happens, it’s a strange mix of being busy with loads to do but being all by myself. Thankfully there weren’t any tricky tasks – just loads of little things to do. I had to put up little notices on the door a few times today, when I had to duck out for something and leave the office unmanned. I remain happy and satisfied with work however, and am very grateful for this.

It’s a different world for me these days…

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