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| Gum trees frame the view |
The flight was on time from Christchurch, which was impressive given the situation. I sat beside a returning rescuer from a Trauma Team from Brisbane. Two weeks ago, he’d been helping his mother sort out the flooded wreckage of her house in Queensland, and then he was suddenly in Christchurch. I wished him an uneventful, good long rest, we disembarked into Sydney, and there was George, in shorts and T-shirt, waiting in the Australian heat. Loaded into his silver 4*4, we were soon racing out the highways, gum trees on both sides, and catching up with family news on the way. George is Bill’s mother’s sister’s son, and he and his wife Moira are therefore our cousins. After about an hour, as the sun set in molten gold along the tree-lined horizon, we arrived at George and Moira’s beautiful home. Situated on a hilltop in an area of vineyards, it has a wonderful open view to distant hills.
The house itself, which George and Moira designed, is extremely spacious and comfortable, with its own billiard room and cinema, a kitchen to die for, and a lovely garden overflowing with fruits, flowers and vegetables.
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| George and Moira's home in Picton |
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| Unexpected water feature |
In the morning, we woke to the orchestral efforts of a whole host of birds in the eucalyptus grove beside our window. It was led by the Bell Birds, who, as you can probably guess, have a clear, bell-like call. Then we went to get a shower, only to discover there was no water. It was also raining. What on earth is the infection that seems to trail in our wake? No-one will ever invite us back to visit a second time. We bring plague (‘flu in Porirua), earthquake and drought wherever we place our feet. It turned out that the water meters here protrude from the ground at the end of the drive, and last night someone had run into it, resulting in a most impressive fountain at the edge of the pavement. This was soon repaired by two water company men, one of whom commented that it made a very nice garden feature and perhaps should be left that way.
Church turned out to be a friendly little fellowship in the next township. I was invited to speak about the Christchurch situation, and I was actually grateful to do this as we had been feeling really disempowered in that we had been so completely unable to help. At least now I could inform people and ask them to pray.
It was slightly surreal to sit in church listening to a preacher who hailed from Paisley, and then go home with two friends of George and Moira’s who were originally from Dumbarton and Springburn. Are there any Australian’s in this country or are they all back in Glasgow?
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