Destined for foreign shores....

Our time in Australia is fast drawing to a close. We arrived here with plans and dreams for grandiose things and were praying and hoping for God's blessing upon all of it. While our stay here in Australia has not been what we had entirely hoped it, has been a successful venture in many ways.

As expected, Dee and I have gone through trials that come when we walk the roads lesser travelled. It is the kind of thing that either draws you closer or drives a wedge between AND really brings out the base emotions, feelings and attitudes. You can't hide, there is no veil that goes between to cover the little differences.

In regard to our marriage and relationship it has been a tremendous success. Dee and I have had several deep discussions that reach into the heart and make one look at motive, love and desire.

In regard to my working life and where I feel I should be I have come closer to discovering my ultimate goal in life. I have learned that there is still the possibility to "learn on the job" and that some folks are still willing to give "a fair go".

I have learned a new computer program that I may have otherwise not had a chance to learn and advance my drafting skills and design knowledge. While I had the fundatmentals of how a building fit togather I have now learned why "this is that way" and "that, is this way". I know the measures of what things should be and how and where they should be placed in relation to other things.

On October 5, we will be headed back to the USA. Our first stop will be Hawaii, we need to collect our bags and transfer them to the Hawaiian airlines terminal ourselves. This is a result of having booked our fares independently of each other but this also saved us a great deal of money. Next stop is Portland, OR where we have hotel for the night and catch a flight next afternoon to our Boise, ID destination.

It would have been nice to stay for a full Summer here in Australia because there is a lot more that goes on here during that part of the year, including the Australian Tennis Open, the Cricket, all kinds of concerts and performances at a variety of venues, some free, some not. There is always a huge variety of places to eat including (but not limited to), Mediterranean, Lebanese, Italian, Nepalese, Greek, Chinese, Indian, French and of course, Australian has now developed its own distinctive style.

A meal at an Australian restaurant might include, an entree of a dozen fresh oysters or 6 Morton bay bugs followed by a main meal of seared kangaroo over garlic fried grated potato or fillet of Barramundi grilled and served with a tantalising sauce. For the final dessert course, you are likely to find a pavlova serving for one, an unimaginably large souffle with a berry coulis or if you are very lucky you will find Peach Melba. Done right this dessert will defy anything you ever thought it could be.

The other day Dee and I ate lunch at Angelucci's on Chapel. (For those uneducated in the Australian way, when something becomes well known, we no longer use "Street, Drive or any other designation cos' everyone just knows what you're talking about). All we had were panini's but they were delicious. Mine consisted of a lightly toasted 8" bun, with sliced lamb (about 1/8" thick) drizzled with Tzatiki and topped with thinly sliced and grilled eggplant and olives. A side of hot chips and small salad. The filled bun was then cut in 3 sections, skewered and served with the rest.

We went and surveyed some of my stone cutting handiwork in the Jam factory cinema complex. Many years ago I worked as a stone cutter and I cut the stone for the steps leading upto the cinemas in the Jam Factory..... Pink "stone" that had a "jam" look about it, I guess. (not my choice, I just cut it).

There are several places to visit in Melbourne if one is looking for great food and shopping, these are Chapel Street, Toorak Road, Lygon Street, Collins Street among others. Deanna spotted a "boulangerie/pattiserie" in Toorak road that she has visited twice now for "divine" pastries. I also introduced Dee to a small cafe, in Geelong down a side street that if you blinked you'd miss but has some of the best food in town.... very classy.... one of her fav places to go.

To say the least, we have enjoyed our stay here but now it is time to move on and find new pastures. We hope to find the place we will call "home" for many years to come but of course, that all boils down to God's will and where he leads, we will follow.