A tiny article in today’s Herald Sun newspaper (Thurs 30th July 09) talks about the possible extinction of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. How can this be? According to the article the service is one step away from disappearing althogether.

The Victorian State Government did not renew the contract to run air ambulances in Victoria with RFDS. Instead they awarded it to Pel-Air which is majority-owned by an overseas company. This same company is also trying for the NSW contract. If they succeed it will spell the end of the RFDS. I can’t believe this is happening. What’s wrong with our politicians? They’re not content with destroying lives but seem hell bent on destroying anything worthwhile.

According to the Herald Sun web site  “The Premier said Qantas ran the service before the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the decision was based on money”.

Ahh! Of course it would have something to do with Money. We’ll pay less to a company whose profits will fly across the ocean and in turn endanger the existance of this amazing service established by the hard work and planning of John Flynn. The RFDS is a non profit organisation which relies on donations and sponsorships to keep it operating – a service which is available to anyone, anywhere in Australia for free. But it seems this is of no concern to the Brumby Governement.

Founder of the RFDS the Reverend John Flynn worked tirelessly for his dream to come to become a reality. I hope and pray it will not come to an end.

Royal Flying Doctor Service

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FOR TODAY…
 

Outside my window…

… It’s dark and cold outside. The verandah light is on – we usually have it on at night until bedtime…. nothing much is happening out there. We’ve had rain on & off during the day but all is quiet now.
 

I am thinking…

… about tomorrow’s plans.
 

I am thankful for…

… our warm and cosy home.

From the learning rooms…

… Justice – getting what you deserve

… Mercy – not getting what you truly deserve.

… Grace - receiving what you don’t deserve.
 

From the kitchen…

… pea & ham soup; thick toasted bread.
 

I am wearing…

… black track pants and black ‘v’ neck top.

I am creating…

… a new blog post, lol.

 I am praying…

… for a friend who is recovering from surgery and another friend who is studying overseas.

I am going…

… to see if there’s anything worth watching on TV tonight….. doubt it though.
 

I am reading…

… nothing.
 

I am hoping…

… that patience will not escape me because sometimes it’s too hard to hang on.
 

I am hearing…

… mum coming home from the Rosary.
 

Around the house…

… dishes need clearing, floor needs vacumming, sheets need changing on my bed.
 

One of my favourite things...

… snoozing on the beach on a gorgeously sunny and warm day.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

A funeral to go to tomorrow; more cleaning, sorting, tidying; doctor appointment; a letter to write.

`Here is a picture thought I am sharing…

 … This delicious feast was consumed one night after a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for Adoration. It was shared between five of us….. needless to say that nothing was left on the plates.

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If you would like to join in, please visit Peggy, who hosts The Simple Woman’s Daybook, and also check out other Daybook entries.

While Peggy is taking a well deserved break from her daybook,  Grandmother Wren will be hosting it so we can meet up with those who wish to continue their daybooks until Peggy’s return.

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It’s taken me a while to post this (apologies to Therese). A heartfelt thank you to Therese from Aussie Coffee Shop for awarding me the Honest Scrap Award.

Now…to keep this award, I must do the following:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
2) Share “ten honest things” about myself.
3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
4) Tell those 7 people that they’ve been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it

Here are the 10 honest things about me:

1. I think that by now most of my blogging friends know I love chocolate and coffee – what most don’t know however is that I could easily polish off a whole block or box of the stuff in one day.
2. I’m a procrastinator.
3. I work best at night - usually when under pressure and find this is when I do my best creative work.
4. You might have guessed then, that I’m Not a morning person – you’ll only get a grunt from me in the first 30 minutes after getting up in the morning.
5. I love it that I can talk to my best friend any time of the day or night. I know He listens to me and He loves me. He doesn’t mind or tell me He hasn’t got time. How special is that?
6. I have been a lapsed Catholic but turned back to the Lord many years ago. This probably came about partly because I didn’t really know or understand my faith as I should have (lots of other reasons too but I’m not ready to write a book). Prayers (from special friends) do work and God answers them in His time.
7. I wish I could have my life over again because I would do soooo many things differently, but I accept that spending time in a ‘desert’ is all part of the making of who I am and God has His hand on me.
8. I love sunsets and love being by the beach when the sun goes down because I know that while I’m saying goodnight to the sun, someone is saying goodmorning to it – I just love that feeling – it’s like I’m connecting with people I’ve never met.
9. I am a rather shy person, but my friends get to see my comical side and sometimes my ‘performing’ side …..
10. I feel and act a lot younger than my years ………….. so, how else am I supposed to act?

Now it’s time for me to pass this award onto the following bloggers and their blogs -

1. Grandmother Wren
2. More to follow soon.

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FOR TODAY…
 

Outside my window…

… It’s 10.30 pm as I type the daybook so it’s dark and the blinds are down…. but it’s very windy outside. The wind has been strong and gusty all day.
 

I am thinking…

… about making a cuppa before I head off to bed.
 

I am thankful for…

… the roof over my head, the warm bed I can crawl into at night and snuggle cosily until morning, the food in my fridge and pantry, my family.

From the learning rooms…

… God doesn’t always look for people with ability to do His work but for availablity.
 

From the kitchen…

… a pile of dirty dishes waiting to go into the dishwasher.
 

I am wearing…

… my pink ‘cheeky monkey’ nightie.

I am creating…

… colourful giftwrapping for a birthday present.

I am praying…

… for direction and guidance.

I am going…

… to bed after I finish my daybbok (and cuppa).
 

I am reading…

… lots of other daybooks :)
 

I am hoping…

… that I will be sensitive in my heart to the moving of the Holy Spirit.
 

I am hearing…

… morning mass on EWTN coming to an end.
 

Around the house…

… dusting and vacumming – but that’s for another day.
 

One of my favourite things...

… icecream.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Attempting some carpentry work in the garage; doing some more walking; Adoration; bookkeeping.

`Here is a picture thought I am sharing…

 … This plant is in our front garden. I don’t know what it’s called but it’s turned into a giant. These photos were taken in May of this year when I first noticed this ‘trunk’ thingy growing from the centre. I’ve been taking progressive photos of this plant becaue the centre keeps on growing taller and taller.  We haven’t a clue if the centre thing is going to flower or not but we’re all waiting to see what happens next.

If anyone know what this plant is called and what the centre thing does please let me know.

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If you would like to join in, please visit Peggy, who hosts The Simple Woman’s Daybook, and also check out other Daybook entries.

While Peggy is taking a well deserved break from her daybook,  Grandmother Wren will be hosting it so we can meet up with those who wish to continue their daybooks until Peggy’s return.

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I received this story in an email so thought I’d share it with you…. 

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each
morning by eight o’clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved
perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After
many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled
sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he manoeuvred his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description
of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,’ he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just
been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven’t seen the room; just wait.’
‘That doesn’t have anything to do with it,’ he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is
arranged … it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
‘It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the
parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful
for the ones that do…
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new day
and all the happy memories I’ve stored away.. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you’ve put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank
account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing.
‘Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

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FOR TODAY…
 

Outside my window…

… I’ve been complaining about the winter cold again. It’s been such a dull morning with a few showers and now …. the sun takes a peek out of the clouds. I think the Lord is trying to tell me something……

I am thinking…

… about having the discipline to work on my business plans and put them into action.

I am thankful for…

… the Lord’s protection, even those times when you don’t know you’ve been protected from something.
 

From the learning rooms…

… ”My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is greatest when you are weak”. 2 Corinthians 12:9
 

From the kitchen…

… for lunch – creamy asparagus soup and toasted cheese sandwiches.
 

I am wearing…

… I think it’s the same as last week … but clean I promise, lol.

I am creating…

… new order in our home – declutter, throw away, stow away, a place for everything and everything in its place!……. it’s going to take some doing though, lol!

I am praying…

… for Father Dishan Paul Candappa, who was ordained on Saturday, and celebrated his Thanksgiving Mass yesterday.

I am going…

… to help my son deliver leaflets.

I am reading…

… you must all think I’m hopeless with this one as I’m never doing any extra reading of any significance….. it usually puts me to sleep, lol.
 

I am hoping…

… my son forgets about the leaflet deliveries.
 

I am hearing…

… the kettle about to boil – almost time for another cuppa.
 

Around the house…

… the same old thing – washing in the laundry, floor needs a mop, ironing to be done, dinner to be prepared, sigh….. must do it all in love and without complaining.
 

One of my favourite things...

… champagne

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Preparing to celebrate the 1st anniversary since World Youth Day 08; our cousins’ get together dinner; a temporary farewell dinner for a friend continuing the 2nd half of her NET ministry; do the ‘around the house’ things.

`Here is a picture thought I am sharing…

This time last year it was our Days In The Diocese (DID) but before that began the WYD Cross and Icon came through our Bayside suburbs. This is the starting point at Xaviour College. St Anthony’s band begin with a few hymns – my son is the one playing the front keyboard…

… most of us got the chance to carry the cross – here are a few or our parishioners. My son is back left and I’m front right of the cross. It’s not a very good photo but it brings good back memories.

…. Here we are at Brighton Beach, one of the prayer stops along the way. It was partly cloudy at this point – love how the photo captures the cross overlooking the city of Melbourne in the distance.

If you would like to join in, please visit Peggy, who hosts The Simple Woman’s Daybook, and also check out other Daybook entries.

While Peggy is taking a well deserved break from her daybook,  Grandmother Wren will be hosting it so we can meet up with those who wish to continue their daybooks until Peggy’s return.

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Youth for Life Australia now has a web site. It’s only just gone live so more information will be added to each category as time goes on.

The youth of Australia are on fire with the fight against legalised abortion in Victoria. Their aim is to have an abortion free Australia and they will keep working on it until that goal is reached …. and beyond to keep it that way.  Here is an excerpt from their About Us page …..

Youth for Life is committed to educating this generation with the truth about human life and exposing the lies of the abortion industry. Our members are dedicated to activating this generation to take a stand for the most innocent of Australian citizens who are slaughtered every day by the abortion holocaust. Youth For Life understand the importance of training the youth of Australia and empowering them with the knowledge needed to combat the death camps of this nation. We will not allow apathy to grip Australia as innocent human beings are being killed in the name of choice. …… more

Please do visit Youth for Life and take a look around. This work is all voluntary by the youth. You may wish to support them in some way ….. prayers are always needed. 

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