Captain's Log...

Have just spent a happy half hour finding out more about blogging (reminder: that's short for "weblog"). Some frustrating bits, but some pleasing bits too! You'll see there is now a collage of assorted Hoys and hounds (and a rainbow, with our house at its end!); and also an ADVERT!!! Shock horror. Yes indeed, I have signed on to earn...We will see what appears there, and if you or I don't like it, I will unsubsrcibe with all due haste.
We had a prayer meeting for the Kids Work at church today - great time of worship, then prayer in several short sections. One section revolved around various words/ prophecies received over the years regarding Kidswork, and this picture really fired my imagination: people, including kids, on a mountainside. They formed a line up to a treasure-filled cave. They were passing handfuls of treasure - gems - down the line, down the mountain, into the dark valley below. There, the gems glowed with light that soon began to lighten and fill the valley... What a wonderful picture of the treasure we have in Christ, and in God's word! I plan to get a few bucketsful of semi-precious stones, and let our Rockets kids (age 4-7) look for their favourites, and then connect their choices to verses/ themes in the Bible, so they can take home concrete representations of the treasure that is in God's word!

Design Indaba 2011

Our two hours at the Design Indaba 2011 filled me up to overflowing. It leaves me energized, motivated, satisfied...My mind will dwell for hours to come on all the wonderful ideas we saw. There were felt toys, and hats; animal skin cushions (beautiful!--flower designs sewn onto the cushions, and from Pietermaritzburg!); flower jewellery; teaspoons with handles cast in metal and originally moulded from twigs; complex glass lights like miniature rain-forests; furniture that was functional yet deeply satisfying to the eye... Just an outpouring of creative talent, innovation, use of natural materials, colour...and all SOUTH AFRICAN! One perceptive stand (for Visi magazine) had jars of sweeties from which you could help yourself while browsing thier back numbers--the boys got handfuls of jelly tots, and nearby stall-holders were also dipping their hands in... So many deft, creative touches to the stalls themselves too--one jewellery stand used old wooden display cases, hangers, and even microscopes to display their pieces... Watch this space for more memories from this wonderful experience!

Dry days

It is embarrassingly long since I have written. Dry days. Busy days. Days of tunnel vision, working, organizing, doing homework, making meals, getting to bed, getting up again...Some brightness-es along the way: an inspiring dream in which a friend just went out and rented a shop for the two of us to run, to sell bright and beautiful things, and good books... In another dream we went shopping!
May I make a book recommendation? "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" has been quite a revelation, with plenty of insights, "aha!" moments, encouraging "oh yes, we do that" and sad "If only I'd known this sooner"... Lots to be gained.
I will try to write much more regularly - permission to alert me if I fail in this is hereby graciously granted...

Touch-down

Steve's plane should be landing as I write - he's been in Jo'burg for a few days. He no longer has his own private pilot's licence, which I think is very sad - but he says it's not such a big deal. He is enjoying flying his new model aeroplanes, made of very light foam-like material. I've also been "touching down" in this past week in terms of some forgotten dreams and ideas...One that I have resumed is singing in church again - we had a practice last night, in sweltering heat! It was great to share ideas and catch the enthusiasm of a diverse group of musicians. Another is to perhaps tread the boards again, or at least do some radio or voice work...
Yesterday's weather was amazing: real Natal weather, with oppressive, humid heat all day, culminating in a thunderstorm in the late afternoon. We were with friends, and all the kids were in the pool with cold rain pelting down - they loved it! We did get them out when the storm was close by. My friend Barbara had to sweep out a few gutters for the rain, a very odd task for the middle of the hottest summer month!
It is such a treasure and delight to see William and Alexander discover and enjoy things for the first time, like swimming in the rain. What a privilege to be part of the building of someone's chidhood memories...