Monday miracles...

I have had quite a good day off. 

2 incident free WOF's

In NZ you have to get a Warrant of Fitness for your vehicle every 6 months. You take it to a garage or testing station and they check tyres, brakes and countless other safety things about the car. (The list keeps getting longer) I have a 1989 van and a 1990 car. Every time I send them for a warrant I get nervous. How many things will need fixing? What is it going to cost me? Well last Thursday the van got a warrant, the only thing the mechanic did was fill up the windscreen washer bottle. And today, "Wanda" my old Nissan Bluebird, got an incident free warrant of Fitness. Relief!

Christmas Day dinner meat...

The main reason I feel good about today is that we called at Marlow Pies to ask if they would cook the meat for our Community Christmas Day dinner. They have in the past. It is THE major item in the Christmas day meal. There are at least 25 legs of hogget (year old sheep) to be cooked. I HATE asking people for free favours. I had tried to email them through their website but I thought it had not gone. In fear and trepidation I went into their store today and asked. "Oh!" the lady said, "You're the Christmas Dinner man! Sorry I didn't reply to your email, that will be fine. We'll do it!" I hope she saw the happiness, relief and gratitude in my face. I just said, "Thank you, it means a lot to us." I am thankful that these people are prepared to get up early on Christmas day morning, go down to their factory and turn their ovens on. Many people would not be as generous, and they have done it for us for a few years now. I was so relieved I felt like celebrating... I had savaloys for lunch in celebration. :-)

Skin is marvellous..

Last Friday I cut my finger with my pocket knife. It was quite a deep cut. For a week I have had to wear a bandage, and it bled every now and then for the first couple of days. But today I went bandage free and it is virtually healed. How great is that? The other thing that astounded me is that I put a substantial sticking plaster on it every day. But each day by the end of the day, just through use of the finger the plaster was very dirty, worn and tattered. I could not help but think that my skin puts up with that sort of punishment day in and day out and doesn't fall to pieces. That's pretty tough stuff! :-)

Gardening...

Even though the wind was cool I had an hour or so in the garden. Quietly on hands and knees I planted sixteen plants. (2 types of lettuce, Chinese cabbage and parsley) I worked into the soil lovely horse poo I bought from horse lovers down the road. It is so relaxing having time to work the soil again, it does something for the soul. :-)

Evaluations positive...

I facilitated a Professional Development day for fellow chaplains Friday week ago. I felt good doing it, it was "me" at my best, using my gifts. I looked at the evaluation forms from the chaplains on Friday and they were glowing in their response..... nice warm confidence booster for a very insecure 61 year old.

Mountain meander...

I finished the day with a nice walk up the Organ Pipe Track up Mount Cargill which over looks Dunedin. "My Mountain". I took Max our old dog who puffed away there, but seemed to enjoy it. It was a nice evening for walking. A bit of wind in exposed places, but the bush walk up there is so refreshing.

Life was good today!

Photos.

(1) Max our old somewhat neglected dog... still loves me. I am astounded, he seems to understand what you say and talks when he looks at you. When I come to a fork in the pathway, he looks one way then the other, then looks at me as if to say, "Which way boss?"

(2) A hazy view of the country side from about halfway up.

(3) Looking like some kind of Biblical altar, a plinth at the top of the mountain has a brass plaque on it pointing out local high points. Unfortunately some twit has plastered graffiti all over it.