Saturday 30 January 2021

Looking back on January 2021

 Flowering Eucalyptus in January

In the second week of January, Michelle at MyHomeschool ran some free online workshops which I  helped present. The regular Charlotte Mason workshops will be starting up next week so come along and say hi.

The Friday before last we had a sudden unexpected thunderstorm. It only lasted about five minutes, but in that time it split three power poles and brought down a couple of large branches which fell onto the power lines. We're on a cul-de-sac so our road was blocked as well as the access we have up a flight of stairs to the road above us. A friend of mine was visiting and thankfully her car wasn't hit but she was stuck at our place as her car was on our side of the fallen tree. Her husband came to pick her up and we had to walk her through the bush to the road below us to get to him. She managed to pick up a local leech on her way and I found one inside my shoe when I got back home - a very large engorged thing that must have surely have left me anaemic.
They weren't able to get their car until the power poles were replaced and the trees removed. We were only without power for about 30 hours - kudos to the SES for cleaning up the trees and Ausgrid, our electrical supplier, for digging holes for the new power poles, stringing up new power lines and restoring the electricity in that time. I was thinking how incredibly blessed we are to live in a country where services like this are dependable and efficient. The joys of civilisation!


And best of all that happened in January was the birth of our third grandchild, a little boy, three days ago. Our two year old grandson stayed with for three nights while his Mum & Dad were in the hospital. He couldn't visit due to COVID restrictions but he saw his Dad every day and face-timed with his Mum. He was very chirpy during the day but when he went to bed he cried and wanted Mummy cuddles. My husband and I are a little wrecked after some broken sleep. 😫 Here is the little fella...so precious & new.


Aunty and Uncle on duty - a rainy day so it's time for indoor cricket.


Hails has been drawing regularly during January. Here is some of her work - she posts fairly regularly on Instagram.


St Basil's Cathedral, Moscow




I've been enjoying using the Bible in One year App which is free for your phone or may be accessed using email. I like listening to the audio although it may be read as well. It's about 24 minutes of listening each day - Bible and some commentary by Nicky & Pippa Gumbel (the Alpha course pioneers) - great if you're out walking or in the car. There are a few different editions; I'm using the Classic version and it's been the easiest way for me to read through the Bible and not get bogged down due to the way they divide up the readings. It's good to have the option of listening to an audio presentation that is very well done and the commentary is just enough and helps to link the different readings. Highly recommended!!

What I'm Reading


In the Steps of the Master by H.V. Morton
The Return of the Prodigal by Henri J.M. Nouwen
Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
School Education by Charlotte Mason

'Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn't really matter.'
D.L. Moody


11 comments:

Emma at Words And Peace / France Book Tours said...

sounds like a great productive month! Congrats to Hails, am now following her art on Instagram. The job on the eye and the Russian cathedral is so good!

Carol said...

Hi Emma, she will appreciate that! At the moment she's drawing doughnuts!

Brian Joseph said...

Congratulations in the birth of your grandson. Such good news.

Hails work is very impressive.

I cannot believe that it is almost February. Happy reading next month.

Carol said...

Thank you, Brian. Yes! Where did January go??

Aflyonmyhomeschoolwall said...

What a month of wonder. Congratulations on the new grandbaby!!! And the art is stupendous!

TenArrows said...

Exquisite baby boy! Exquisite artwork! Such joys to view!

Carol said...

Anne & Ten Arrows - Thank you both! All the very best to both of you for 2021.

Paula Vince said...

Congratulations on your gorgeous new arrival :)
Wow, what a storm. Glad the damage wasn't even more extensive.

Carol said...

Thanks, Paula. It was t that long ago we had a tree come down from our neighbour’s onto our driveway. A hazard of living surrounded by bush. ☹️ I tried to comment in your Major Pettigrew post but blogger is playing up again for me. Sounds like an interesting book.

Marian H said...

Congrats on your new grandson, what a sweet kid! :) <3

Carol said...

Thanks, Marian. I'm looking forward to getting to know him & watching him grow up. His older brother is very cute. :)