James Family Newsletter …

 

2005 – What a Great (mixed) Year !

 

Dunno if it's just my increasing enfeeblement or a real case of increasing complexity, but I just don't know what to write in a couple of pages, in terms of reflections on the year past.  So much has changed.  Our empty nest has re-populated, with Karen living here again this year, Chris visiting from Wollongong, and Adrian resident on an occasional basis. 

 

This time last year we had three full-time students (each with cars, mobile phones and separate accommodations); now there are none, although one of us is contemplating full-time Uni next year.

 

 

Our plan for an all-together holiday in Cairns at the end of last year was consummated, thanks to Richard Branson's budget fares and the availability of a precious little window of opportunity for the five of us being available at the same time.  We met up with Robert's friend-of-half-a-century Max, his wife Pat and sons Thomas and Peter, a sort of pilgrimage fulfilling at last, a promise of the last thirty years to come and see them.

 

Here’s a vertical perspective on our frolics there!

 

2006 brings the prospect that Adrian will be gone to Uni in Victoria or working in NZ, Karen living and working in Terrigal, and Chris returning from India in August.

 

Karen is once again resident at Watson.  She balances a vigorous social, professional and academic life (note the sequence). 

 

One of this family’s great blessings is the loving and supportive relationship among the three “children” (What, after all, is a “child”?).  They have enjoyed some great expeditions together hiking, caving and camping around Kangaroo Valley and Jindabyne.

 

She has been working at the Crowne Plaza on a casual basis early morning shifts (serving hundreds for breakfast from 7am), then full-time on the late shift (3-11:30pm).  Each of these has its pros and cons.

 

Our wee one has finished her studies, qualifying for an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management.  This was achieved by working half-time for eighteen months while in Year 11 and 12 at College, then two years full-time at TAFE.  She finished last week - WHAT A GREAT DAY! 

 

Karen has accepted a new job and a new beach-side life at Crowne Plaza Terrigal (near Gosford), to start in the next couple of weeks, so she will not be here for Christmas.  Looks like we'll be taking a little trip to Terrigal this year!

 

Chris completed his degree in Creative Arts - Performance at Wollongong University on 13 July - WHAT A GREAT DAY!  Working at a strenuous pace as a stonemason by day, waiter/concierge by night and party entertainer / circus performer / soapbox speaker / Master of Ceremonies and prison youth worker at other times kept him on and off the streets.

 

CJ was instrumental on the team organising the Initiatives of Change (I of C) conference "Together ... Making a Difference" in Brisbane in July.  This was a most moving event in the lives of many of its participants, who came from around the Asia-Pacific region.  Chris did a huge job in organising participatory dramatic performances, songs, dances and assorted entertainments, which added sparkle and meaning to the proceedings.

 

With happiness and sadness, Chris departed last month for India and The World, expecting to be away for about nine months with the IofC "Action for Life" programme.  He is travelling with a group of young (and other) people staying mostly at the IofC Conference Centre Asia Plateau near Panchgani, and travelling to universities, schools and exotic places on a range of missions around the theme to "Be the change you want to see in the World".  This will culminate next year in the Asia Pacific Youth Conference in Malaysia, or at Caux in Switzerland.  All of the above must be qualified with my certainty that it is almost certainly wrong, as "reality" is an ever-changing plot in the playing-out of family life. 

 

We are most grateful for the expressions of (financial and moral) support for this extraordinary venture by so many of our friends.  This was brought to a focus by Chris's "Unicycle Marathon", from Sydney to Wollongong (approx 100 Km) in twelve hours.  Departing Central Station at midnight, we enjoyed an interesting encounter with the Police in tunnels under Sydney Airport, and a most memorable descent of Bulli Pass.  Teashirts have been printed to commemorate the feat.

 

Adrian focussed  on  his Diploma of Outdoor Education at Swinburne TAFE, while working with Outdoor Education Group (OEG) at Eildon in Vic.  Yearning for closer access to his ancestral home, he transferred to OEG NSW, working from Moss Vale.  This enabled him to stay with bro Chris at Wollongong, and also with sis Karen and Ma and Pa kettle in Canberra at weekends.

 

Chris and Adrian started the year with gusto on our Cairns visit, by hiking over Mt Bartle Frere, the highest in Queensland.  Remember that NO-ONE hikes in mountains there in the middle of the monsoon, where rainfall is 12,000 mm per year.  If you love leaches, you'll love hiking on Mt. B-F in the monsoon!  And if you love a touch of Giardia, remember to swim in tropical streams in the first week of the monsoon!  AJ took a giant leap from Cairns to Hobart, for his rafting of the Gordon-Franklin, one of the World's great white-water challenges.

 

AJ took a little stroll with the Oxfam Trail-Walker event: walk/run continuously in a team of four, for 100Km through the parkland corridors of Sydney.  He finished in 25 hours, resolving to do it again next year with a team which will not cramp his style.  The event included 400 teams, and raised over $800,000 for Oxfam.

 

As a professional group leader and outdoor educator, AJ has spent the year leading school groups on expeditions skiing, hiking, camping, abseiling, bike-riding, canoeing and learning about nature, group-life and themselves.  He is not sure whether next year will bring more of the OEG experience, full-time Outdoor Ed. studies at La Trobe Uni, or perhaps ... Doesn't NZ offer some rather special extreme sport opportunities ... ?

 

Jeanne recovered at length from her knee injury (see last year's newsletter), and had a great time in Cairns.  J & R & K were content to survey the grandeur of Mt. Bartle-Frere from the confines of an air-conditioned leach-proof hire car, but we did have a close encounter with the corals of Green Island and the coffee shops of Kuranda.

 

She has taken the plunge out of permanent employment in ACT Govt. schools, now working in casual and relief capacity while continuing with Masters study at Canberra Uni. and Diploma at the TAFE.  Some of the schools encountered present a rather attractive prospect for next year, including particularly the Rudolph Steiner School.

 

JJ continues her ESL tutoring with a Mon (Burmese) family, who have become good friends.  It seems that ESL has always been more rewarding for her than "mainstream" classroom work.  JJ has discovered a particular passion for Art Therapy.  She has greatly enjoyed her weekend programme this year, which continues next year.  She would like to explore the prospect of working intensively in this area.   Jeanne survived a major bowel surgery, now recovering well.  Thank you for all the prayers and expressions of love and concern from friends and family.

 

Jeanne's mother Lola, living in a nursing home at Mosman (Sydney), has had a difficult year of variable health.  Despite the expert professional care, her kidney dialysis process is a huge factor in here day-to-day life.  Jeanne's bro Frank is a loyal visitor and supporter for his Mum, and the rest of us visit on our Sydney trips as often as we can.   She is looking forward to spending Christmas with the family.

 

Robert (your  'umble writer) continues a rather steady pace. 

 

Here I am with Boramy from Cambodia in the “Life Matters” course at Initiatives of Change. 

 

Pretty strenuous work, as you can see!  The three children have participated in “Life Matters”, and I put my two-bobs’ worth in from time to time.

 

I've survived longer than both of my parents, so I consider each day a bonus.  But looking at a chart of life insurance entry-points, I note that there are not many lines between my present age and the bottom of the chart! 

 

I labour by day in IT work that has become more arduous but also more rewarding.  Each year we are presented with crises and challenges quite unforseeable  a year ago. 

 

After hours I engage in a range of family and community pursuits, which seem to require more energy than I would have thought necessary.  Notions of "discretionary time and income" still seem rather remote and academic.  As for being "the master of one's own destiny" ... maybe I'll be able to start on that next week!

 

This year saw the marriage of Chris (my sis. Kathy’s son) to Fiona, and the birth of li’ll Sasha to Kathy’s daughter Rebecca and Richard.  Joyous adjustments to our family tree!  

 

Bibs appears to relish everyday life in a way that most of us find quite impossible.  She loves running up Mt. Majura with AJ in the mornings, and even seems to make allowances for the less athletic style of the other household members. 

 

Have a wonderful festive season and New Year 2006.  We hope to keep in contact with you along the way.  Don’t forget that our five bedrooms are normally not fully occupied these days, so you interstate visitors are most welcome to stay.

 

All the best, from

Jeanne & Robert, Adrian, Chris and Karen.

 

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