E-BLAST - 29 MARCH 2015

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - the rusted girder holding up the rear veranda-garden steps (see next photo). Last week we included a photo of the new rear veranda fence - these next 6 photos in today's E-Blast shows - like everyone else - our Pre-Easter maintenance tasks.

REAR STEPS TO BACK YARD

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - these are the rear steps that the rusted girder (first photo above) holds up. These steps consist of 11 rungs with two heavy steel girders, one of which rusted and wriggles around when walking up or down. Like everyone else - another Pre-Easter maintenance task. 

SECURITY DOOR LATCH

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - the rear security upper roller died with metal fatigue - the new one purchased was right handed, it needed a left hand vertical rod and wheel. For some time the door would not latch, close or lock. Like everyone else - a Pre-Easter maintenance task.    

OFFICE CUPBOARD FELL

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - one of the office cupboard's came adrift - it is being reattached to the wall - like everyone else, another Pre-Easter maintenance task.

RUBBER REPLACED

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - the back rubber for one of the toilets became frayed and the leaking grew from a dribble to more. It was replaced - like everyone else, another Pre-Easter maintenance task.

SENSOR DOOR LIGHT

Timeout in the Tweed maintenance - this sensor door light was fixed yet again. When visitors come at night time, it is imperative they can see let alone for security reasons. Like everyone else, another Pre-Easter maintenance task.

E-BLAST - 22 MARCH 2015

Mr Basil Sellers AM with the Young Writers Leadership Group yesterday Saturday 21 March over morning tea in his Double Bay home. This was the first occasion Basil Sellers had met with the young writers leadership group - a 90 minute meeting - each told their own story, and Basil Sellers challenged them in many areas and to put together a Vision Statement (he said Mark is too old, not to be involved).
photo - around Basil Sellers - Laura Veloso (Melbourne), Sophia Sinclair (Christchurch NZ), Russell Modlin (Sunshine Coast, chair), Sam Gillespie (Sydney), Wesley T (Gold Coast) 

PSI YOUNG WRITERS LEADERSHIP GROUP

Press Service International - Young Writer Leadership Group in Sydney yesterday (Saturday 21 March) where they initially had morning tea with Mr Basil Sellers followed by their meeting to plan the 1 August annual young writers conference in Sydney.
from left: Laura Veloso (Melbourne), Sophia Sinclair (Christchurch NZ), Sam Gillespie (Sydney), Wesley Tronson (Gold Coast), Russell Modlin (Sunshine Coast - Chair) and on the Well-Being Australia national board representing the young writers. 

SYDNEY YOUNG WRITER LUNCH

Christopher Archibald, David Chang and Alex Gillespie were 3 of the 14 at the Sydney Young Writers lunch yesterday (Saturday 21 March). Chris is from the Penrith area and his grand-ma the late Peg Rothwell was part of the initial Praying Ladies. Alex is 2nd year Philosophy at Sydney Uni and hales from Wollongong,  David Chang is the immediate past editor of Christian Today and has become part of the PSI team to liaise with Christian Today on professional matters. There is much mutual respect between the young writer leadership group and David Chang - a good mix.     

BASIL SELLERS AND WESLEY T

Basil Sellers and Wesley T at Basil's home in Double Bay, Sydney after the Young Writer Leadership Group meeting with Basil over morning tea yesterday (Saturday 21 March). Basil Sellers first met Wesley in 1993 when Basil made his first visit to Basil Sellers House (AIS respite) in Moruya. 

CHAMBER SUPPER

Troy Green and Mark planned a supper for four Tweed Heads Chamber of Commerce couples - held at our place Friday 20 March. from left: Mark, Andrew & Karin Bennett, Beck & Troy Green, Peter & Sue Fenton, Delma. Chamber members: Andrew (Channel 10), Troy (CEO Tweed Shire), Peter (Accountancy business). Geeves: friends Bob and Cheryl Blythe from our church served the table in order for Delma and Mark to be part of the supper.  

VERANDA FENCE

Delma has finally got her new rear veranda fence (only taken 5 years) - was a lattice fence. Our new neighbours Blair and Dani - a carpenter suitably engaged while we were away. Next (a friend of Blair, Monty) is the rusted girder on the rear steps.    

E-BLAST - 15 MARCH 2015

Midge Point Markets are held the 2nd Sunday of each month at Stan Camm Park adjacent to Midge Point Beach. We were able to attend the markets after church. They have a small number of stalls but with goodies from home made jams, clothing, babies wear, bric and brac, white elephant, plants, garden needs, palm trees ... great place to meet the locals.

FISHING COMPETITION

Midge Point Fishing Club held a competition day on 8 March along Midge Point Beach. Held several times a year, both children and adults come together for fishing followed by awards and a barbeque. It's a good venue to catch up with many locals.

BEACH RESTORATION

Midge Point locals have been busy once again working on the beach sand dunes with a canvas cover over the sand sewn together for 2.5 ks. The problem at the moment is that on very high tides the water covers the canvas and gets in underneath the canvas pushing the sand out.  

WASHING MAVHINE COMPUTER PART

Washing machine at the Laguna Quays Respite on the back patio a hand's throw from the cloths line. The "spin cycle" computer component failed and it's taken 10 days to get in the part. The total cost is $240 as the white goods electrician had to make 2 trips from Proserpine. We made use of the Laundromat $4 each time we washed and then hung the clothes out at the cottage.  

DELMA'S CARDS

Selection of the many hand crafted cards Delma created during our visit at Laguna Quays Respite. One of the bedrooms is converted into Delma's office with a desk, craft material and a sewing machine to sew the tatting to the cards. Delma thoroughly enjoys creating these hand crafted cards.

ROE JACKSON

Roe Jackson passed away while we were at Laguna Quays Respite. We visited Inas and the family and attended the funeral. 79 he already had three heart by-pass surgeries. The respite cottage was bought from Roe in 2011, his family insisted he start selling as at that time the family was concerned. Mark and Roe had a coffee chit chat each visit while Inas took on coordinating the Basil Sellers Art Prize. Good friends.  

E-BLAST - 7 MARCH 2015

Pastor Nelson Pervaz Pakistani evangelist met me in Melb, with his brother Tariq in Pakistan (IT) - has 17 churches, one 300 people - watch his weekly messages on Skype. Plus diaspora in Germany, England and Belgium. Some may recall in 2004 I gave Pastor Pervaz a painting of hockey players with the late afternoon sun's shadow upon the hockey sticks creating a "cross" on the Pakistan hockey pitch. My Christian Today article on Pastor Pervaz will be published 17 March, Tues week.

LAGUNA QUAYS RESPITE

4 years ago our support network helped us raise the $1670 necessary to have a nurseryman professionally plant these 5 foxtail palms. A tractor dug the huge holes, the nurseryman trucked them in from Airlie Beach, then planted them along with 3 bags of assorted fertilizers for each one - plus special soils - and lots of water - the neighbours helped with the watering over several months. Now look at them - in some sense the street took ownership (the neighbours).    

AIRCRAFT OVER MIDGE POINT BEACH

Thursday morning Midge Point Beach - our walk was interrupted by this brightly coloured light aircraft fitted for landing on both both water and land. It was quite a pleasant experience watching it fly up one way over the beach, then the other, around the large hill at the southern end and back again.     

280 TREES PLANTED

280 trees were planted by the locals along Midge Point Beach to help retain the sand and soil with the cyclical rising and falling of the tides statistically revealed over the past 100 years. In this period the water line has steadied 700 metres every 30-40 years out from where it is now - and the 15-20th year(s) between - it has come up to the current positioning. Midge Point Beach has a long slight slope into Repulse Bay. Many old timer locals speak of buildings and one house 100-200 metres into the Bay.  

MIDGE POINT SHOPS

Midge Point shops have a fish and chip shop, a laundromat, a hair dresser, Post Office, a General Store, a shared office (electrician, developer), a real estate office and a short term space run for classes of one sort or another.
The General Store is under new management with Doug and Lesley putting out this fantastic sign near the main road. 

DELMA BEACH WALK

Each morning 7.00am at Laguna Quays Respite we drive to Midge Point Beach where Delma does a hearty walk and run work out for 30 min and Mark walks along the beach where he takes photos of interesting colourful leaf combinations for his Christian Today articles - 4 per article.