Interviews, New England, Beautiful Views and Nieces
Categories: holidays, work, hymns, australia, great-lent
Date: 07 April 2012 05:03:50
I'm back. And I look forward to catching up on all your news as I am able. And my warmest wishes and prayers for all commemorating Christ's saving death and celebrating His glorious resurrection this weekend.
A long drive, but a beautiful drive. From the rolling hills of the New England area (having seen some of the rolling hills of England I can see why the area was labelled thus, and why we are 'new south' Wales also from my visit there...) to trees changing to their autumnal colours along the highway (the 'highway' being one lane each way with occasional overtaking lanes...) to lookouts to national parks higher than 1,000 metres and trees and hills seemingly stretching forever to visiting a cave where one of Australia's most well-known and far-roaming bushrangers Captain Thunderbolt hid. Not sure what the trees are in the second photo...: Miss Lisa? Jan? You are native plant experts, among much else...
Edit: thank you Jan: poplars; I had thought they were wider for some reason... I feel informed. Thank you.
Thank you for your prayers and wishes for my interviews. Tenterfield is a lovely small town and I enjoyed staying at a great motel, had a great dinner and enjoyed the face-to-face interview: friendly and lovely people at Tenterfield High School. That interview and the two phone interviews went well I think; they did have the benefit I could have my notes in front of me! My phone dropped out during one interview, where I was at a lookout assuming I'd get good reception!, but they called back and we continued. My referees have been called for all three jobs, which is a good sign as I see it -- I at least interviewed well enough for them to call my referees. Based on this photo, taken in a park in Tenterfield after my first phone interview and while I was waiting for the in-person one, would you hire me? :)
I had a great time visiting my sister, brother-in-law and nieces, dropping off their Easter eggs; we swam in the pool, played hide 'n seek and a game of Skye's making where we had to try and catch people or throw a stuffed toy on them (!), did some headstands and watched Skye and Eden turn somersaults on the floor and Skye do cartwheels. And their mum and dad joined in too. Skye also gave me a birthday letter telling me of an excursion her grade had to Sydney's Darling Harbour aquarium and IMAX; I know she is my niece but she writes, and reads, very well: I on the other hand somehow misread "pagwans" as prawns rather than penguins and was swiftly corrected!
Unfortunately since I've been back I have had a very bad stomach bug with cramps and diarrhoea. I have been resting and eating plainly; God willing, I will be well for Holy Week. With Great Lent ending, we say goodbye to Great Compline now. One of my favourite parts of the services is the chanting of Psalm 150 with the refrain, "O Lord of hosts, be with us, for we have no other helper in times of sorrow but You; O Lord of Hosts, have mercy on us." Below is a recording of it in English and Arabic; I pray it will be remain in my mind, and heart, for some time yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGOiV-8F_D8