Our week began with a request to visit the local Boy Scout group which meets at the local school about 500m around the corner. They wanted to hear all about Australia, the cultural differences and in particular what we do in the holidays with the seasons being so different! We had great time, with the boys and pack leaders asking us lots of questions which we all took turns in answering!! When it came time to leave, they presented us with a signed and framed pack certificate with lots of 'welcome to America' wishes.
We met one of the pack leaders when we first arrived when Ken & Barb were still here. I think they were quite involved with the group, and we were very happy to help some of the boys get a merit badge as they learned about another country!!
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| Troop 538, Littleton Colorado |
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| The snow ball is actually quite heavy, & the girls weren't keen to help so I gave him a hand. It took some effort! |
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| Tom and his new mate! After a day or two, the base melted and the whole man toppled over.. |
The week also started with news coming in about the flooding in Queensland thanks mostly to FaceBook and then ninemsn news!! We watched the news reports and comments very closely, feeling very Australian but detached and helpless at the same time. There was a video clip posted by my neice Mel, showing cars being washed away in Toowoomba. It was very intense. We saw parts of the same clip being shown on the nine news, and then finally about 3 days later, we saw it on the local news here in Denver!! (They don't really give a lot of air time for overseas news!) Better late then never!
Michael messaged me today say how they cut the meeting short on Suday and sent all the YSA's out to help in the community! "Mormon Helping Hands!" It was great seeing some of his pics showing our kids helping complete strangers clean up their properties, a very muddy, messy and huge job. It will take a while I'm sure. I think the people of Queensland could teach us alot about being prepared for emergencies.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150358028025551&id=681660550&aid=601293
On Wednesday, I had my art class and we were shown how to 'finish' our paintings!! Wow! I learned I didn't have all the right brushes, but a visit to the art shop fixed that, and I finished mine at home. I'm actually very happy with this first effort so here it is!
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| A work in progress as seen in the last post.. |
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| ..and now, with some finishing touches. It's come 'alive' a little bit. |
We are now working on a 'snow' scene. Very wintry and country looking. I am learning so much!! The test comes when I'm away from class, to have the courage to start a blank piece of paper on my own!
Friday, we heard from Jonathon, or should I say Elder Bennallack. He was able to go throught the Salt Lake Temple the week before, which was a magnificent experience for him, and this week attended a devotional with the Apostle, Elder Holland and several other general authorities. It was a wonderful experience for him. I'm so glad he got to be there. His french is coming along very well, and he looks forward to start the next part of his journey. He is scheduled to leave for Toulouse, France on the 31st January.
Friday night, Rick & I planned on going to the movies which we did! Hot date you are thinking? Well, it had potential, then we ended up all going!! (Funny!) We had a great time seeing 'Country Strong' a Gwenyth Paltrow movie. We thought, 'this would never happen on a Friday night in Adelaide!' But here we are, with both Sarah and Tom at a loose end which meant quality family time!! We have all converted to country music!! Well, Rick was already there with his 'Dixie Chicks' CD.
On Saturday morning, Rick & I went to the Denver Temple. It closed yesterday for 2 weeks winter maintenance, and we aren't sure if this was the reason, or if it was typical, but it was really, really, busy! The car park probably has about 200 parking spaces, but it was all full so we parked on the street. The Denver Temple runs sessions every half an hour. We arrived in the chapel (waiting room) at 8.30am for the 9.00am session. The room is quite large and would seat easily 60 people. But people kept coming and so they used another room for the overflow. The Temple has 4 endowment rooms for the sessions each seating 48. When we had finished, there was an hour wait! The streets surrounding the Temple grounds were also chocka block! It was a wonderful thing to see so many people going to the Temple. It really is a very beautiful and peaceful place!!
Ok, now I have some news!! I am now a cub scout leader of the Webelo's! (10yr old boys) Ha!ha! Now this is something different! In Australia, our church hasn't been affiliated with the scouting program for quite a few years now, but not so here! Its a big part of the kids and youth program. I have my first 'den' meeting on Thursday after school and have a committee meeting once a month.. So lots to learn and something quite different! I'm looking forward to it. (Dib Dib Dob Dob???) Not sure about that but watch this space!!
Sunday night we were invited to the Mercer's home for dinner. We had such a lovely time comparing our lives and countries!! So thank you Donna and Jeff and your lovely family.
Monday (yesterday), was a public holiday: Martin Luther King Jnr Day. It was really good to learn again about Dr King. Oprah had a great show on racism. A very stirring day. Interestingly enough though, the shops were open! At least the supermarket was, I didn't venture too far a field to see what else was open, but I was able to stock our shelves a bit!
Tom went into the 'High Country' which is the snowfields in the Rocky Mtns close to Denver, to learn how to snowboard. They left at 6am and were due to head home about lunchtime. The slope they went to would be about an hour and a half drive away. However, there were heavy falls all week and the road was blocked to come home. An avalanche dropped right on the highway stranding them. Fortunately, one of the kids mum, had a friend with a condo there and arranged for them to stay overnight which was so kind especially as a blizzard came in overnight. By morning, 3 highways were closed. 2 reopened during the day today, but not US40. So Tom and co left using a north detour to take them back to the I-70, the main track back to Denver. What would have been a 1 1/2hr journey took them 5hrs, but they are home. On the news, they showed pictures of the Avalanche, 20ft high of snow, and about 200yards long (sorry, no metric, but thats a lot of snow!) with a bulldozer like machine digging in clearing it. It still isnt cleared tonight. It is forcast for snow overnight with another storm blowing in. If they had stayed, they would've been there until about Friday. I certainly hadn't heard of this reason for skipping school!! Tom of course had a long story to tell, which ends with him being the expert snowboarder now!! We will of course, have to give it a go!
Tonight, Sarah was invited to go with a friend from school and her family to the Ice Hockey game at the Avalanche Stadium, 'downtown'. Lucky girl! That is something that is definitely on the 'to do' list!
Ken & Barb Wolma are due to arrive at our home in Magill this week. I really appreciate Karlie, Nathan and my dear sister Deb for helping to get our home presentable and ready - Thank you so much!! and also thanks for the several messages I received over this past week from good friends and family, they have made the world a little bit smaller (lots of fuzzies!)
Well I think that's about all for now. I am very excited that tomorrow is Wednesday, which is art class day!
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