Return to Routine

We continue to have above normal temperatures and humidity. January was the hottest on record. Today we have 100 degree temps in the Church with no air conditioning. Even I am sweating! It also makes me not want to do anything. Tomorrow is forecasted to be another 100 degree day!

Our visiting student friar, Thomas, is heading home on Monday. I am sad. Had fun with him around. We shared one last outing to the downtown Sydney Observatory (1-4). There they show the sun through a telescope with a special filtered lens to protect the eyes, every quarter hour, when the clouds are clear. We were able to see it peek through a bit, but mostly just clouds. Here's the old telescope (1-2) and here's the east one through which you can observe at the sun (3). From the top of observatory hill, you have a nice view of the Harbor Bridge (4).

Our Holy Innocents Chapel grounds are well. The ibises have returned (5-6). Ungainly yet fun birds, especially when they walk. Br. Jerry put in a new shrine to St. Joseph (7-9). He did the mosaics himself, though he'd never done one before! Pretty nice job.

Here are some nice sunrises. This was earlier in the week (10-11). Notice the odd cloud formation in the lower right of photo 10. Here is the detail in 11. This other sunrise was from hot and humid today (12-13).

On Friday, our school kids had a "swim carnival" (14-16). When I heard that they were having one, I pictured a water slide and a ferris wheel in the pool! Instead a swim carnivasl is equivalent to our "swim meet." The school (grades 3-6) divided up into four teams, each with it's own mascot. I designed their shields (16) and the kids love them. The site was at an outdoor, community pool (14). Here's a shot of some teachers with the school vice principal "photo bombing" (15).

I love this plant (17-19). When n bloom, it reminds me of 4th of July sparklers! It's very vibrant the contrast between the red and the green!

Late in the week, I went to see Bishop Vincent Long, OFM Conv. about the parish renovations. The meeting went well. Here I am with "my lord bishop" as they say here, though he really doesn't like such titles (20-21). Leaving the Chancery parking lot, I dinged the bumper of my car against a pillar (22)! It is so tight in the car spaces at the lot that I had to crawl into the back seat to get out of my car's door! Hope they can just pop the bumper back into place as I really didn't crack anything.

Finally some photos of Br. Thomas' dinner last night, which he made for us as a thank you for hosting him: Chinese cabbage salad (23), caprese (24), and a squash filled with glazed onions and port soaked raisins (25)—Yum!