Whoa: I believe in my last family/friends letter we had just had a great YSA activity, that was a
outdoor swim party, movie night with pizza, pop, popcorn and candy; and I mentioned the party
started @ 7 PM and it was a tad cool, but those YSA with their wonderful young bodies took the plunge anyway. Well, we have been in the dead of summer and it is out and out really hot here.
We have 2 fans in our master bedroom, 2 fans in the lounge(living room) and one in our teeny tiny office running night and day with little relief. Well, we wanted to know what it would be like having
summer weather in the dead of our US winter and we are finding out.
Last week, as well as this Tuesday, we had no Institute for obvious reasons; but if anyone would
have shown up, Elder Mac would have been willing to teach. HE LOVES THAT TEACHING!!!
We were so blessed last week; first and foremost, as we celebrated the birth of the Savior, and then because of our 3 invites that we were able to take advantage of (time wise), I didn't have
to make Christmas Eve supper and lunch @3:30 PM on Christmas and supper on the same day @
6:00 PM. Actually for Christmas day, I took a plate of homemade caramel nut cinnamon rolls to both homes and that was it. Lucky me/us.
Christmas Eve as we walked into the home of one our YSA's Mother's home, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. As we walked in, the first thing that caught my eye was a lovely NATIVITY on
their piano and two fully decorated artificial trees with ornaments, etc.; one in their lounge and 1 in
the dining room. And Sister Loveland had all the fun decorations, also, that I love sooo much and was missing. SO I got my fill!! The Lovelands had invited us for supper; which because of the heat,
was cold, cooked shrimp, heads and all, just like we had seen in Spain several years back; cold potato salad and just some really lovely foods. Two of Sister Loveland's daughters were there and
they had apparently done quite a bit of the food prep. We stayed at their home until 11 PM ++, enjoying some wonderful Christmas music performances from Melbourne TV, which really added to the mood, I had seen lacking prior to. Christmas Eve morning, one of our YSA's, who usually comes
over every Monday, around lunch time, as he works close by and we discuss the BOM, as a study for him as a fairly recent convert. And I had asked him if there were many families who had trees and nativities; to which he responded, no, that's an American thing. Joel's dad is an aethiest and
that should have clued me in, but still, the Christmas decorations here are not like being in the states. But then again, we're not in the states.
Christmas day, there was one ward, that had a printed, planned Christmas program starting @ 9 AM
until 10 AM; they call it a Christmas program for the orphans (those of us, who don't have family here). It was a treat, there were probably 40 + people. Their were scripture readings mainly from
Luke, with some participation from "kids" and all the Christmas hymns were sung by all of us in the
pews. It was just enough! We had some down time at our flat and they went to the 3:30 lunch
at the rented home of a Utah/Colorado student here @ ANU. His family tradition on Christmas was
Mexican food, with homemake tortilla's, guacamole, salsa; it was great. Their was a recently married couple there, just married in the Sydney temple in November, (a year after taking the discussions and being baptized), us old timers and 5 YSA"s. From there we went to Brett's parents
house for dinner and games. Brett is one of the recent converts, who usually comes to our flat
every Thursday for a BOM discussion/supper. His 3 sister's and husbands/one fiance were there,
the parents are I believe Catholic. What a gracious family and so kind. They gave us a lovely
cookbook by an apparently well known chef in Sydney. Your dad immediately said he can't wait
until I can try some to the recipes in front of them; I (tried) to gently hand it back to dad and
re-delegate to him.I was amazed prior to the dinner, the father was getting all the food ready
while the 3 daughters and mom sat and played games. It was good for dad to see that; not that it will do much good. At least Dad's better than my brother, Tom, who can probably only make popcorn for himself.
Thursday we had our typical 2nd class of the BOM in our flat with supper for the larger group of
recent convert YSA's.
Friday, I got up early and made Pan de jamon (Venezuelian ham bread) and some of those yummy
caramel pecan cinnamon rolls for the 10 of the missionaries at their district meeting. It was still relatively cool.
Yesterday, Dad bought a great big watermellon for us and any YSA's that eat with us. I'm certainly
wanting to pull back with the baking because of the heat, the lack of air conditioning and my bum
knee.
Monday, New Years eve, miday, Joel was here for the BOM study/lunch and this Thursday, we will have our second BOM study for our YSA"s. Then next Tuesday night, after a two week break,
Dad will be teaching Institute again and loving it.
Last night @ 6:00 PM we went to dinner at an even older couple than us. I had never met Sister
Hay before and had only heard her husband bear him testimony a couple of times, but hadn't talked
to either of them. They are in one of the four wards we alternately attend and because we usually spend our time with the YSA's, hadn't known them. Your Dad knew Bro. Hay, from the high priest
class on Sunday and previously this brother had told your dad, he just couldn't go on a mission, as
they have 7 cats and 2 dogs and just can't leave them. To say I was a bit nervous on the way to
their home is almost an understatement. Amazingly enough the cats, dogs and birds were all our of the house, in their own indoor quarters in their back yard. Sister Hays had prepared a lovely dinner, the conversation was incredibly pleasant; we were glad we had gone. Got home about 10 PM. Mostly, if not all the time, the members are incredibly kind to us and so good to be aroound.
Well, I'd bette close. We miss you all so much.
Love ya, all, momma/grandma mac aka Sister mac
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