4 October 2011

Our flat is one of four surrounding a small brick courtyard.  We have a small flower bed on either side of the front steps and a little enclosed back yard with another bed.  Sister Orth has planted some flowers in both, but there aren't any tools, except for a small trowel.  I would like to plant some vegetables, since the growing season is so long here, but I don't have the room, and the owners won't allow digging up the grass.  We are told that a tomato plant can last 3 or 4 years!  The grass here is mostly ground cover and rarely has to be mowed. 

All of the flats are rentals, as are most of the ones where the Australians live.  So we will have an inspection every quarter by the realtors who manage this place.  It's laid out a lot like Liz and Ammon's place--it has two levels and three bedrooms.  In the winter, two of the bedrooms are not used much because they are so cold and we don't have that many space heaters.  The toilets are separate from the bathrooms, and they always have the top half of the window open, just with a little screen (even in winter!) for ventilation, so the seats freeze you if you go in there at night, especially...well, maybe not freeze...

We have a pretty nice kitchen, though there is no disposal, nor blender, nor dishwasher.  We do have a tiny washer and dryer, but you have to go outside to use the dryer because there is no dryer vent in the house.  Oh, I take so much for granted back in my comfortable little home!  There are not fast food places on every corner either!  Though I spent a lot, we both  find ourselves looking over and over in our fridge and our cupboard for something comforting to eat!  I did find some peanut butter and honey here, which we didn't expect, but so many other nice little things are missing.  The Aussies are determined to keep their imports to a bare minimum, so I think many things are available, but I just don't recognize the brands.   Everything is Aussie-made.

I made an attempt at chocolate chip cookies today and made up three plates for our neighbors.  They don't have shortening here, and everything is a little bit different, let alone weights and measures, and oven temps, and a gas oven!  Well, they don't look so good, but it's the thought that counts....sort of.

We had an interesting discussion with an atheist today, or an agnostic...anyway, he doesn't believe in anything except that he is responsible for himself.  He doesn't answer to anyone, in his view.  It was hard to talk with someone who has no common ground on which to build!  Anyway, we are going back, and he is coming to church Sunday if just to see off the Orths.  Everybody loves the Orths.  He lives about a mile from us, up on the hill with the Oyster Harbor in full view from his front window.  Beautiful.

The Orths took us out for a couple of hours to do a little touring yesterday, our P-Day.  We saw beaches and stopped for lunch of fish and chips and squid.  It was very good, not rubbery at all!  We went to the most famous point here for viewing whale, Whale Head Rock, but no one was there because we were told that killer whales have been in the area, and have prevented most of the whales from coming in this year.  This is where they usually have their young and stay around with them for a few months.  One lady said she saw a mother and her calf just last week, however, from that same viewpoint.  She said that some days between July and October you can see 10 or 12 out there in King George Sound.  There's a narrow inlet not far from there called Emu Point that leads to a little harbor called Oyster Harbor, which is skirted on the far side by Bayonet Head, which is where we live.  Maybe you can see it on Google Earth, I don't know.  But it is such a beautiful place.

We are very safe here.  There seem to be no vagrants or homeless or wild-looking people.  I like it very much.

I want to thank those of you who are making comments.  It makes me feel that I'm not really that far away.  I tried again to upload some photos, but after 15 minutes, I didn't even have one yet completely, so I cancelled.  Maybe I'll just have to show you photos when we go home.  Elder Ashby is at PEC meeting now, and will be back soon, so I'd better go see if there is something to fix for dinner.

Love you all,  Sister Ashby