Not long now...

A very recent photo of DsD2...38 weeks! 

She has now finished work. And of course the Baby Shower was two Sundays ago. 

I had planned other gifts for the new parents but when I discussed my plans with DH, he thought what I suggested was a bit odd/daft etc. But when I spoke to the young couple, telling them what I  planned, they were very agreeable! 

A nice quiet weekend...

Originally Saturday was going to be a bit hectic as I tried to be in 2 places at once! Yep...the Inner City Combined Churches fete  clashed with the Knit and Natter at Grovely. Usually DH and I do a lot of preparatory work for the BBQ stall that our parish has at this fete. All the planning was done via the organisers sending out emails asking for volunteers for the various tasks. Other people answered these emails before DH and I had even read them...and they 'took' all the jobs! So this year we weren't organising the meats, cutting up onions, tomatoes and lettuces etc...what a shame! lol  Here are some photos from last year...first a photo of DH, wearing swimming goggles, helping slice onions...we'd read somewhere that wearing the goggles stops the eyes watering as you peel and slice the onions!

DH manning the BBQ in 2011

I knitted a few scarves to be my contribution to the parish stall.

I knitted 4 scarves, but pulled out one because I ran out of wool before it was long enough

Close-up of the scarf made with some fancy yarn that I bought in the shop at Bendigo Woollen Mill

DH had volunteered to go early and help move the BBQ from St Johns into another parishioner's ute and then drive over to the venue for the fete, and help cook and serve. The plan was that I would drive over a little later and give a hand serving but leave in time to get to the K&N by 10. However, Thursday and Friday, I had developed a bit of a cough and on Saturday, the thought of all that rushing back and forth, as well as standing in the cold shady park, wasn't as attractive any more. So I rugged up, sucked on some 'Fisherman's Friends' lozenges which eases the coughing, and went to Gaby's shop where I sank into a comfy chair and knitted and chatted.

I parked in the station carpark. That's the shop adjacent to the carpark

Plenty of car spaces left...now that doesn't happen on a week day!

It actually worked out well as DH reported later that there were plenty of helpers and very few customers. In fact very few hamburgers were sold and my 3 scarves weren't sold either. Last year the scarves hardly sat on the counter and we sold nearly 200 sausages. Sign of the times I guess...I wouldn't mind having the scarves back to give to the needy but I guess that's not very polite to ask for  them back! Unfortunately lack of customers will mean the funds raised will be down a bit.

Another 'action-packed Saturday! lol...

Saturday, we awoke to rain. Normally no big drama, a wet Saturday, but yesterday was the annual Inner-City Churches fete. This event brings together a number of parishes who are small these days compared to years gone by when each raised funds by hosting an annual fete. There just aren’t enough people to run a fete individually in each parish so we combine our resources and have one event. We are a variety of denominations too and as this fete has been held for quite a few years now, we tend to know each other and support each other’s stalls. But we need lots of people to come to buy our goods and a wet day in the park is not that popular apparently!

I have helped for years but DH has gradually found himself also helping.  Our stall is mainly a BBQ but we also have baking, plants, books etc. DH and I were responsible for the organisation of the BBQ again this year which includes buying provisions, slicing onions and bringing along tools etc needed for cooking and serving. This year at my urging the committee agreed to drop the hamburgers from the menu. Myself and another lady would make the 100 meat patties each year and I thought we could have a break...also tomatoes are very expensive because of shortages after all the floods so that was another reason to drop the burgers.

DH wearing swim goggles to lessen the effect of the onions, slicing onions with the V slicer

My job was to peel the 6 kg of onions...

That just made things so much simpler this year as we had to cram our tables in under the gazebo because of the rain, so there wasn’t a lot of room for cooking and serving. Rain drizzled throughout the morning but the mood was buoyant. We did lots of chatting between customers, of whom there were very few. I guess it is the same group of us who help out at these things so we’ve become good friends over the years.

In January this park was under several metres of water from the flood. The school in the distance was closed temporarily because of severe flood damage

DH manned the 'barbie'

The various stallholders, all in the same boat, came and supported each others’ stalls. Five scarves I knitted got sold and quite a few plants and secondhand books. We probably sold 112 sausage sizzles so we had heaps of ‘bangers’ to go into the parish freezer! Talking of freezers...the weather was quite cold for Brisbane so it was nice to pack up at 1pm and head for home. DH had some extra things in his car...we won the raffle! A laundry basket of items donated by people in the congregation including some items we donated! Lol

Our raffle prize

Four of the scarves I donated for sale

Not so good news...

Later on in the day I opened an email from my niece J who is in Germany at the moment after a ‘dash’ there with her husband and baby last Monday. Her husband E’s mother had gone missing. Sadly the news in the email was that the lady had been found; she had taken her own life. E’s little sister has no one now...What awful news for the little family...it’s so sad.

The poor and unfortunate of San Francisco...

Paper cups just like this one really upset me when we first arrived in San Francisco. It wasn’t anything to do with the fact that such cups contribute to the huge pile of rubbish that this country must have. It was the fact that the plethora of beggars on the streets near my hotel, hold out these sorts of cups as people walk by. The sheer numbers of these poor people was overwhelming. DH estimated that there would have been 30 asking for change as we walked 4 blocks. I felt quite helpless, whereas at home, I collect and donate blankets and other items such as foodstuffs and feel as though I’m doing something to help, albeit a small part. I was planning to have some money changed into $1 notes so I could give something to some of them...especially the beggars with dogs and puppies!!!

Before that happened, I was able to talk to a local, our bus driver/guide on the Muir Wood tour. Rich patiently explained that begging was a problem especially where tourism is concerned. But the authorities tended to err on the side of leniency and allow begging and also people sleeping in public places. So then I explained that I was involved with various groups at home who try to help unfortunate people. Rich said there were a number of such agencies in the city, including one in the next street to our hotel. He said that all such citizens may not get a bed to sleep in (and many don’t want that) but he said there are plenty of places to get food from. I felt so much better after my talk with Rich and today we saw the agency in the next street handing out Foodbank food just like the church in Everton Park, the suburb where I live!

People collecting items from the Foodbank truck in O'Farrell St, San Fran