Easter tidings

I'm conscious that most of my blogs seem to be about holiday times.  And you might be forgiven for thinking that we are always on holiday out here!  Hmmm.  Not so much....  But part of the reason I blog is to record places and scenery we've enjoyed, hence lots of pictures, so that readers who aren't here can get an idea of what we're up to and what this beautiful country has to offer.

Our weeks, however, are full.  Often to the brim.  We try and set aside times to catch up with each other, hopefully at least one night a week and possibly on Saturdays.  Doesn't always work - but we try :)

And so, after weeks of our Lenten journey we arrived at Holy Week. It was busy last Easter, it was busy this Easter... and I dare say it will be busy EVERY Easter, because that's the nature of priesthood when we are celebrating the most important time of the Christian year.

It was made more emotionally challenging this year for two reasons.  The first was Michael's announcement on Palm Sunday that he is leaving the parish (as I mentioned in a previous blog)   The second was the sudden illness and subsequent death of one of our parishioners: an unexpected massive stroke, at 61.  To a week of reflective and increasingly-intense services was added the poignancy and sadness of a gentle, faithful life ending.  Just as, of course, we were hearing the joyous news of a new life beginning - that of our first grandchild, Elizabeth.

After visiting the hospital and offering 'final prayers' I also knew that I was going to be taking the funeral on the Tuesday after Easter, and that it would present a challenge if I were to get it right.  [I was right, but it was wonderful and also a hugely powerful witness to the Christian faith from those gathered, especially to those who came from the nearby school.]

Anyway, it was quite a week....

The church went from looking like this:

set in readiness for Evening Prayer

To this:

Maundy Thursday, with bowls ready for the washing of hands

Sadly I don't have a photo of how lovely it all looked on Easter Sunday, with white altar cloth, lots of candles, and banners either side of the cross (and of course, no palms).  You'll just have to imagine it.

By the time we had taken 3 services on Easter Sunday, starting with our dawn service at 6.30am, I was a bit pooped.

Roy had already decided that a 24 hour break would be beneficial for both of us and had discovered an unusual B&B about 90 minutes north of Auckland.  We packed for an overnight, taking a picnic supper so we could just relax once we arrived.  And off we went.

Tera del Mar is not your average B&B, anywhere really.  It was built as a colonial-style B&B 15 or so years ago, the dreamchild of Teresa and Marshall, long-term American immigrants to New Zealand.  The house sits on the side of a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean and a wide valley below.  There are only four bedrooms, a wrap-around verandah upstairs and downstairs, and log fires - in the bedrooms!

We arrived, settled down, and just enjoyed the view and the tranquillity.  It was too cloudy to enjoy the fabled sunset - in fact we had lots of wind and rain - but we lit our fire, laid out our cold chicken and salads, kicked off our shoes, and .... just were.  I think Julia Roberts referred to it as 'vegging out... like broccoli' :-)
(love that film!).

Tera del Mar - our room, top floor facing us

Bedroom, with four poster 

A picnic with a view

and a real log fire

Night-time gazebo

Communal library 

and withdrawing room

Early morning spa (and I mean early - 7am!)

Breakfast on the verandah - a happy absence of breeze

Evening view, between squalls (very Lord of the Rings)

Morning view, a beautiful day; the Pacific Ocean in the distance

Nearby Omaha community and peninsula poking out into Whangateau Harbour,

just over the hill from where we staying

17 km of Pakiri beach - 'it's crowded if there's 17 people on it!' 

Pretty special.  Just as well it was only for 24 hours but it was certainly a much-needed haven.

If you're thinking of coming out here, that's definitely one to think about visiting :)

Weekend Wanderings - West Island (aka Australia!)

Well, it had to come.  If you live out here eventually you have to visit the big brother, our nearest neighbour, the country that seems to attract a huge number of Kiwis, more or less permanently.

And we had an added reason. We have Australian friends, Bob and Trish, who have known Roy since the mid 70s when Bob and Roy were shipmates aboard HMS Juno.  These lovely friends have been to stay with us a couple of times in the UK; we've met up with them in London and the west country; they've even been to stay with us out here in Auckland.  So finally, we made good on our promise to go and visit them!

Fortunately Bob and Trish live in Noosa - or one of the Noosas anyway.  That's Queensland.  East coast.  A couple of hours north of Brisbane.  Just 3 hours flight from Auckland.  And three hours behind.  So we leave at 7 am - and arrive at 7 am.  Two breakfasts, if you've a mind for that sort of thing.  An early start anyway (3.45am), but definitely worth it.

March, a bit of a rainy season, but nothing to deter. We haven't seen rain here in New Zealand for 10 weeks, so it's rather refreshing - and warm....   A hire car gets us up the coast, and we arrive at their house near the Sunshine Coast just after 11 am, as planned.  It's Friday, so we have most of the day, all of Saturday and Sunday, and most of Monday before our flight back in the evening.  That feels good.

We are both rather tired, so the break is most welcome.  And our friends are great hosts.  It's the perfect blend of easy, relaxed, gentle and genial.  When we tell friends in St Heliers we're spending the weekend in Noosa there's much nodding of heads - 'you'll love it', 'oh, it's a great place to go'.  We soon see why.  There are three Noosas - Noosaville, Noosa Heads and Noosa itself.  They are each different, but each complies with the original concept for the area - low rise, no big blocks of apartments or hotels, no traffic lights (though there are now one or two).  The result is charming :)

Every picture tells a story ....   We spend the weekend:

walking along the river Noosa

(the boys)  preparing a BBQ breakfast on the public BBQs available in the park, free!

eating our BBQ breakfast by the river, under cover

watching the surfers and paddle-boarders in competition

watching the DOG surfers, also in competition. Yes, really!

buying prawns (that's Trish)

EATING said prawns

visiting Eumundi market nearby

viewing beautiful beaches (tho I have no photos of the nudist beach we had to negotiate as part of our walk, luckily!)

(another one - wonderful Pacific rollers)

going to dinner by boat along the river

admiring the sunset

enjoying dinner at Ricky's - that's a smoked salmon rose, not a tomato :)

loving the variety of eucalyptus - this one....

and the paper eucalyptus, whose soft bark was used for centuries as .... paper

enjoying some local music

admiring Brisbane

strolling along another river, this time mid-city (the River Brisbane, apparently the longest 

river in Queensland)

comparing the Brisbane Eye to its London equivalent (it's MUCH smaller)

visiting the Art Gallery, and viewing an eclectic mixture of art

(see what I mean?)

and occasionally enjoying the odd glass of wine/beer!

Quite amazing how much you can do in such a short time and still feel really rested and refreshed :)

PS  I also swam in the breakers and for the first time in many years I got my head and ears wet!  Ended up diving under the waves like a kid, actually.....   Must be the Australia effect.

Good news, bad news

Let’s begin with the good news, shall we?

We are grandparents!  Elizabeth Amelia Ann Clare was born on Good Friday, weighing around 7½ lbs.  Gillian had a shortish labour (just 5 hours) and all is well, bar the usual tiredness.

[Elizabeth, about 2 hours old]

Definitely one to celebrate.  We’re much looking forward to meeting Elizabeth when we're back in the UK in a few weeks’ time for our annual trip.

The bad news is not so bad, really.  But it still came as a huge shock.  After my sister curate Nyasha left in February to take up her own parish, Michael announced that he, too, is leaving the parish, in July, to become a full-time naval chaplain….

I’m glad he didn’t tell me until I’d done my first solo weekend (whilst he was at a baptism in Christchurch), which had included 2 services, a baptism, and leading our Lent study.  I loved it!  Then Michael broke the news.

He’s been a really good training incumbent, supportive, affirming, confidence-giving.  He’s generous with no sense of ego, and has allowed me to participate fully in all our services and things since I became a priest,  sharing out fairly and equally ministry opportunities every week, giving me the chance to say yes or no (I usually say yes!), which is great.  And always makes time to talk me through things when I ask for some advice.  

We’ve had a lot of fun in the office, too.  There’s good teamwork, and a great atmosphere, and we complement each other, I think.  We’ve got used to each other.  So, I’m going to really miss him.  And Rebecca and the girls.

Not quite sure what it’s going to mean for me.  It is just possible that the Bishop might ask me to become Priest-in-charge during the transition period (though I am of course still under training); it’s also possible he’ll bring in someone else to cover those few months.  I’m just waiting to see what will happen, and trusting God that He has all this in hand; and that if I’m to step up He’ll equip me, and if I’m to support someone else it’ll be a chance to learn more from another experienced priest…

So, watch this space.  ‘Let go, let God’, as someone once so wisely said to me.