Eight Missed Calls

I don't get why one person will ring another person (who isn't answering) multiple times....but never leave a message!

Sometimes I'll be busy and then get a chance to check my phone and there will be up to half a dozen missed calls from the same person but no message. If I'm at work, I often can't answer my phone so I just let it ring but the caller persists and persists until I finally switch it to silent but then it continues to vibrate in my bag. If I get the chance, I'll send a quick text to that person, explaining that I can't talk now but they should leave a message. And guess what? They don't.

My phone 'policy' is that I don't return calls unless they leave a message. I figure that if they can't be bothered doing that, then they obviously aren't calling about anything important (and some people's definition of 'emergency' is a lot different to mine). It's amazing though when you see the missed caller later and they ask, "Why didn't you return my calls?" Well, leave a jolly MESSAGE!

Why do people do this? Are they just so much of a cheapskate that they don't want to get charged for the call going to Message Bank?

I don't get it. Please explain.

The Pendulum: The Hitchhiker's Guide

Hmmm, here's an interesting dilemma.

Eight days ago, after church, Duncan and I were about to head home after lunch when we noticed a guy probably in his early thirties sitting on a bench with a bag and a guitar. We assumed he was going to start busking but as we were getting into our car, he approached us and asked for a lift. I was already in the car by this stage and I froze when I heard Duncan's cheery voice say, "Yeah sure, no worries mate. Hop in."

This guy had hitched from Perth to Dalwallinu and was on his way to Geraldton. Duncan politely told him that he'd be better going to Geraldton via Brand Highway but that we'd take him to Wubin (where lots of trucks stop) and someone would surely pick him up from there. The guy asked where we were going and seemed to want us to drop him off in Buntine. Duncan talked him out of it by explaining that Buntine was more isolated and he was less likely to get picked up. Plus it wouldn't be fun waiting for hours in the rain.

It was the longest ten minutes of my life and although I tried to be pleasant and make conversation, I was shaking. You hear all these horror stories and just two months ago, a psychopath who bashed a Dally service station owner tried to hitch a lift with a local woman. The guy, as if reading my mind, said "Don't worry, I'm not a serial killer." He seemed nice enough and even offered to pay us when we dropped him off but Duncan refused because we were going that way anyway. It made me wonder though.....if he has money, why didn't he just get a bus?

After we dropped him off, I told Duncan how fearful I was and he said he only did it because the man approached him directly. If someone was hitching along a road, he wouldn't have stopped if I was in the car but, depending on the person, he might have if he were alone or with another bloke.

I've always been wary of picking up hitchhikers because, although many are harmless, there are always the unsavoury ones. Yet, I know some Christians (including women) who will stop for anyone and justify their decision by referring to Genesis 19 where Lot hosts the two angels and Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. In this case, giving someone a lift is not really 'entertaining' but they insist that they don't want to disobey Jesus in case he is setting a test for them.

The question I have is....should we consider personal safety or does that mean we aren't trusting God enough or aren't loving enough? Or is picking up a potentially dangerous person putting God to the test?

Please leave a comment with your views or vote on the poll on the right.

In Hindsight

Hindsight can be a wonderful thing.

Sometimes it's amazing to look back on situations that appeared hopeless, disappointing or just bewildering and see how that particular trial fitted into God's plan. We know in our heads that no circumstance is random but sometimes it sure seems that way and we cry out to God, "Why?"

Last year, I applied for a job as an admin person at a farming organisation in Buntine. I really wanted the job but I didn't get it. As I kept getting knocked back for more jobs, I got more disillusioned and asked God why he was allowing me to go to all that trouble in redoing my resume, answering selection criteria.....for nothing.

This year, I needed to find a workplace that would allow me to undertake admin work experience with them as part of my TAFE studies. I rang up that same organisation that I'd applied for almost a year earlier and asked them if they'd be willing to have me. They remembered me and said yes.

Now in hindsight I can see that although I never got a paid position with them, the interview was not fruitless. I got to meet some new people who could help me when the time came. I've been doing work experience with them for two months now with a few more weeks to go and I've enjoyed working with people my own age.

Sometimes we can see in hindsight why God allowed something to happen....and sometimes we will never know this side of heaven. We just need to trust and obey a loving Father who knows far more than we do.

Glenelg

Glenelg is one of Adelaide's popular beachside suburbs. In the summer, it is packed with tourists but during the drizzly day we visited, the beach wasn't nearly so appealing. The main street is lined with all sorts of shops and I bought a coat at a boutique. We visited the museum to escape the rain and then had to hurry back so we could catch the plane home.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday although I'm not sure my mum and I really should go on a holiday together again just by ourselves. At times, I found myself getting very irritable with her and I apologised later. I just get SO impatient with technophobes......Mum has a mobile phone which she doesn't know how to use so she just has it switched off all the time. I think it's a waste of a phone!

Anyway, I'm very glad I got to visit another Australian capital city. Now I've been to four (Perth, Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide).

Oh, and Glenelg spelt backwards is........Glenelg. Cool huh? I wonder if any other places have names which can do that.

That's the end of my Adelaide photos. Back to deep and meaningfuls tomorrow. :)

Glenelg jetty.

Town Hall and museum.

Waiting for the tram.

The City

The second last day in Adelaide was spent in the city. After a 40 minute bus ride, we walked around Rundle Mall and then had a look at the Botanic Gardens. North Terrace is beautiful. Not only does it have the Botanic Gardens but there are also two university campuses and several other historic buildings. Rundle Mall was fun to look around but contains mostly chain stores so in that way it's really no different from Perth.

Rundle Mall

North Terrace

Botanic Gardens

The Bogans From Port

On the day, Mum and I went to Alberton, we had a look around the neighbouring suburb of Port Adelaide, one of Adelaide's historic areas. Traditionally Port Adelaide has had a reputation of being working class but apparently there are plans to revamp it and make it more like Fremantle with restaurants, cafes and buzz.

My auntie is a Crows' supporter but not a hardcore one. I found what she told me about the rivalry between Adelaide and Port Adelaide supporters very interesting. Basically Port tries to pass themselves off the club with tradition and representing the working class and they call the Crows' supporters 'chardonnay sippers'. Hmmmm that sure does sound like another bitter, jealous club we know ;)

Downtown Port Adelaide.

Much wider streets than Freo.

My very own building :)

The port.

They do dolphin-watching cruises here.

Hmmmm not the greatest photo of me!

Photo Friday - 'My Favourite Spot'

I have many favourite spots but none more so than in my hometown of Albany. So many precious memories. I love Middleton Beach.

Day 1 in RAdelaide

Now that I've showed you my writing-related photos, I shall share about the rest of the adventure.

We arrived in Adelaide at about 10pm their time last Monday week and were surprised to see my cousin, Matt, at the airport waiting to pick us up. We presumed he'd be working night shift (he's a nurse) so we were planning to take a taxi. Matt took us to my auntie's (his mum's) place and stayed for a coffee. We hadn't seen them in six years.

Auntie Al is my mum's sister-in-law. She was married to my mum's brother but he passed away in 1987. Now she's 72 and lives with her dog, Max, a Shitzu/Maltese. When I told Duncan what kind of dog Max was, he said, "Ah, a rodent."

Tuesday was spent resting, hanging out with Auntie Al and exploring the area where she lives. Her house is about a 10 minute walk from the beach. I loved staying with her. She's very much like my nan with a dry sense of humour and quick wit.

The neighbouring suburb. Canal living. It reminded me of Port Bouvard.

My mum.

Auntie Al's house.

Semaphore Beach.

Auntie Al and Max.

Obviously a self-taken pic.

Out to dinner with Matt (far right) and his partner, Marcus.

The House Where Brad Lived

Greetings! I'm back and here is the first installment of photos from my Adelaide Adventure.

Last Wednesday, my mum and I caught a bus and a train to the suburb of Alberton where the main character in my book, Brad, spends his childhood. We walked around for a couple of hours so I could get a 'feel' for the place and I took some photos. I was looking for houses, school, local footy oval and corner store that Brad frequents while growing up in the 1980s.

Alberton was quite different to the picture I had painted in my head so it turned out it was a good idea to visit the place for authenticity purposes. It is one of the older suburbs of Adelaide and has older style homes with such tiny front yards that the front door almost touches the fence. Apparently it used to be a bit dero 20 odd years ago but now the yuppies are moving in and seeing these old homes as a renovator's dream. The streets near the railway line are quite narrow but widen as you move further away. It seemed mostly to be a residential area because all I could find was an IGA, a fish and chips shop, a chemist and a deli. The old corner stores stand empty and the streets are lined with jacaranda trees. Overall, Alberton reminded me of Melbourne, Victoria Park and Mt Lawley all in one.

Although I was happy with the time I spent there and the photos I took, I can see that parts of the first thirteen chapters of my book will have to be my imagination. Obviously I can't get inside any houses or schools but I did find taking photos a helpful exercise because I struggle with descriptive writing unlike Tim Winton who takes about 20 pages to describe a beach!

At least I can say I've been to the place now!

Local footy oval

It had a playground next to it.

Potential Brad house number 1

Potential Brad house number 2.

Potential Brad house number 3.

Old corner store.

The streets of Alberton.

Local private girls' school.

School oval.

Alberton train station. Lots of graffiti here.