Last Blog

Well I've been writing in this blog for a good, long time now.

Worn it out I think.

Here is the URL to my new, temporary blog-

http://teenmissions-vanuatu.blogspot.com/

I won't be writing on this one again :)

Thanks for reading :)

Vanuatu

Another update!!

on:

Teen Missions :D

I'm going to Vanuatu.

And I'm also going to finish up with this blog.

Why?

Well,

1. It sort of became a bit of a chore for me...


2. I'm starting a new, temporary blog about my teen missions experience.

So yes. It should be interesting.

I hope it goes well.

I hope you will read my new blog.

I'll post the URL as my last blog as soon as I've got the new one ready.

Thanks for reading :),

Some 'That''s

I know I need to blog. I just don't want to start. This is because I know that when I start I'll suddenly become overwhelmed with thoughts like "Oh, you need to write about that too." and "You can't say this without adding that."

I don't like those 'that's.'

They make blogging much harder.

Oh well. Let us begin.

First things first. Our beautiful foster baby.

She is six or seven weeks now. She cries a lot but she also gives the cutest smiles in the world. The kind that make you want to eat her face right off.

We took her away with us to Bourke for Easter. The Easter Service, which I've blogged about a couple of years back, is a freezing event starting at 6:00 in the morning. She was bundled in blankets with a cute, red beanie on. I think she was asleep for most of it. C.o.m.p.l.e.t.e.l.y.a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

Whaaaat else have I been doing?

• Big sister Kylie visited for two weeks. That was good.



• I've decided to go to Teen Missions at the end of this year. (TURKEY, KENYA, OR CHILE??!)



• I'm prepaaaaaring for the Eistedfford in June. It's coming closer. I'm doing lots as I've said. The duologue is going to be with my friend Annabelle. Something from The Importance of Being Ernest I think.



• I know I promised to give pictures from Broken Hill (it was very good, thank you for asking)....but...I lied. Sorry. I meant well. But I didn't many. And. Yeah. Sorry.

Instead I leave you with this totally random picture of me and Emily's camera. I am jealous of this camera. Good bye.

The Good Days

I've been going through our photo albums and found a couple of photos that I've scanned for my blog:

This was my fourth birthday party. Little white-haired child in front of Emily, I don't remember you. Who are you, and why are you at my birthday party?

The one thing I remember about this party was that we closed our eyes to pray before eating that caterpillar cake and when we opened our eyes, the candles had blown out.


When the older kids told me they were going to dress me up, I didn't know that tying a bear to my chest was involved. Oh well, I LOOK happy.


I guess I thought that I was pretty hilarious.

I love you, mummy...

I think Kylie had us dressed up and posing for this picture. Amazing that the centre of a sunflower can be so interesting.


I may actually have a faint memory from this day. All of the big kids were playing and splashing in our above ground pool. I wanted to go too, but no one would help me put my swimmers on so I had to do it myself. Why was there no one to help me?

I love you, Kylie. (5 days, people.)

...Don't EVER Call Here...

I have been pre-etty lazy lately. Reason # 1 being that I am very lazy. Reason #2 being that I have actually been pretty busy, which I actually like because it keeps me from being bored.

So, what have I been up to?

Weell, on Monday it was my mother's birthday (Happy Birthday Mum...!). Mum, Emily, and I went to Orange that day because Mum had an appointment there. When we came home Dad, Kaity and Jenna had made a really nice dinner. Crumbed chicken. SO good.

This is Tessie wearing a party hat.

On Wednesday I got a haircut at Jenna's Salon. For some obscure reason, with Jenna staring concludingly at my hair, and Elle (Jenna's boss) frowning understandingly at Jenna, I felt a little like a lab rat.

I had my hair layered and I also got a fringe. I think I like it, but it's pretty different to what I had, so I'm still getting used to it. I'm going to have to take care of my fringe though. Jen, a workmate of Jenna, threatened my with knowing where I lived if I didn't promise to blowdry my hair everytime I washed it. Scary. Who is Jenna working with?

I'd also like to add that it is only six days until Kylie comes home. It's been more than a year and a half. Even though you hated my new haircut in my dream a few nights ago, I am still looking forward to seeing you, Kylie.

Now this is entirely random, but I WOULD like to comment that I hate it when you people call us and I'm listening to music on the computer with headphones on, and I get up (In a flurry of shock ((Someone is actually calling us?!)) and stress ((I won't reach the phone in time! I won't reach the phone in time..!!!!!)).) And my earring catches on the headphones. And I pull at it. And it hurts. And I pull some more. It kills. So I unplug the headphones and run to get the ever-annoying phone that is singing at me...laa laa laa laa la la laaaa! laa laa laa laa la la laaaa! la la la la la laa la laaaa! la la la la la la laaa la! la la la la la la laaa laaaaa! (That's actually what it sounds like!)...and I answer the phone and realise I can't hear through the headphones...so I tear out my earrings so that I can hear. A VERY annoying process I hope you realise. So. DON'T CALL WHEN I HAVE HEADPHONES IN...!

Anyway.

I can't think of anything else to say, so now I'm just going to work on my new blog signature and my new template!
Ciao.

Would you rather be in London...or with me...?

Two weeks on Thursday (tommorow) until Kylie comes home...!

Hurry Kylie, hurry!

Dubbo Show

Saturday was Day 2 of the Dubbo Show.

I went with friends at about 5:00, entirely innocent of all bad experiences that come about at shows. I had obviously forgotten last year's show.

Anyhow, upon arriving, it was fun to look at all the rides, lighted up, calling to me, urging me to come, pay, ride, and throw up.

I first went on the rollar coaster. Not exactly a thrill ride, but scary enough to make my insides twist and turn. I didn't know that a picture would be taken on this course of horror and I felt a surge of indignity when I saw a terrible picture of myself flashing on a screen. My eyes were large and my head was back in a way that gave me at least two chins. One of the people I was with commented casually that I looked quite like my sister, whose name I will refrain from saying or I would otherwise be describing them as eye-bulging, double-chinned freaks.



Continuing on, another ride I went on was the Cha-Cha. It should have been called The Extreme Game of Corners as everyone riding with someone more than themselves found themselves being pushed onto the person next to them in an almost awkward way.



I also went on the Dodgem Cars. If I remember correctly, a humorous accident occurred at last year's show in which I, in a crazy, out-there mood, knocked over one of the helpers onto his backside while he had only been trying to help me steer myself out of a traffic jam. He fell into one of the spare cars and stared after me with a bewildered expression that I remember with guilt to this day.

I would not let any such thing happen again. This time I only grinned evilly, gritted my teeth, and knocked into any car that held small children. These, of course, could not take any course of revenge so it was all right. I was quite safe. No such promises for them.

I admit I didn't eat anything that could actually be called 'dinner' that night. I did help eat two, expensive bags of fairy floss though, a few very salty chips, and a few sips of the bubbling Creaming Soda.

I was scared of throwing up.

And I was very careful and choosy about what ride I went on. Some were very menacing such as the No Limits, the Mega Drop, and The Zipper (which looked a lot more dangerous that last year's Zipper.)

..............................
The two other rides that I went on was something of which I do not recall the name (although I do recall the sickening feeling in my stomach right before it started), and the other was the Music Trip.

Not a thriller like No Limits, but still scream-worthy.

I didn't get back till 11:00. Worn out, my head spinning, no doubt looking like I had an immense fairy floss hangover.

And I didn't knock anybody over...(!)

Quite Strange

I don't know about you guys, but this is one of the saddest things I've ever seen. It gets me every time.
(You might need to double-click...)

Sydney II

I know it took me a while, but I finally have the Sydney photos from last weekend.

I'm going to start from where I left off.

After our horrible walk all over the shopping centre we all felt as if we could never walk again. Emily had a dentist appointment early so we walked into town, (even though our legs protested horribly) caught a train, and went to the dentist office.

We had a full schedule that day so as soon as Emily was done, we were off.

Firstly we caught a train to a place called Circular Quay.

Of course we spent much time looking at the main tourist attractions there.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge

The One Legged Duck

The Sydney Harbour Bridge (again)

Three Gorgeous Girls in Front of The Sydney Opera House

One strange thing that we saw was The Tissue Tree. The Tissue Tree was a sort of live commercial for Kleenex. They had a fake tree with fake flowers on it (Very fake if you ask me) and inside the fake flowers was a tissue. You were invited to take a tissue and feel how soft it was. Very interesting thing to look at.

Captain Arthur Philip and I

After we had finished our sightseeing we went to The Rocks. At The Rocks is a huge market place (it's under the Sydney Harbour Bridge) that is held every Saturday and Sunday. They seemed to have everything there! It was all very expensive though. The only thing I bought was a stick of licorice.

Boring old licorice.

It didn't have to be boring though. They gave me a lot of choice.

Sour lemon and lime licorice.

Traditional English licorice.

Spicy apricot licorice.

Yep, I'll stick with the old boring kind.

There was one stall in that market that caught my attention. This guy made masks in his free time. Very realistic looking masks.

Shows the true side of Emily doesn't it?

After The Rocks we wanted to find a place to eat lunch. We were sidetracked twice, firstly because of The Puppet Store, secondly because of The Discovery Museum.

After that we sat down for lunch right in front of the Circular Quay harbour.

I entertained myself by giving bits of bread to the many seagulls there. They flocked to me! In size and numbers! They loved me!

The also loved my bread.

Then, two children, no more than five ran up. Screaming, laughing, shouting. Waving their grubby little mitts in the air.

Scaring away my seagulls!!!


Huh!



Well, when children finally noticed that there was no more seagulls to chase away, they ran away. Glad, I started throwing bread again. The flocked to me once more.

And were once again chased away. I gave up. I went to watched a sort of street show that was being held.

Apparently Bend E Em was very flexible and could fit into a square box, not much bigger than an average computer screen. I wanted to see how this was possible, but I was hurried away. We were going to catch a ferry to Manly and we didn't want to miss it.



We missed it.



So we sauntered over to the Opera House, took a look at it, and went back to catch the next ferry.

I wanted to go out front but mum was convinced that we would get wet.

Ha ha. Silly old mum. We were old enough not to get wet. Couldn't she see that? Finally we were allowed to go, dad promising he wouldn't let us get wet.

So we went out to the front deck, the wind blowing in our face. How could mum possibly think we could get wet? There was no way.


Then up we went over a big wave, down we came, water sprayed up, wind blew water, water wet us.



I hid behind Emily.



Emily was soaked. Me, being only half in view, got half drenched. Having a cold and no spare clothes didn't help.

Mum gave us the eyebrow and an I told you so look.


There were many interesting things to see in Manly. We didn't really have time to see them all but two things there did catch my eye.

1. A man walking easily down the street, with a large black and white cat sitting on his shoulder.


2. A small boy doing huge leapfrog jumps over street pillars.

After Manly we went back to our caravan park. I sat outside on the deck because it was nice and quiet and I didn't have to walk anywhere.

There, up in a tree sat a kookaburra. I don't see these very often so I sat and watched it. It wasn't very interesting to watch. . I decided to take a few photos of it. When I had finished I turned around to put the camera on the table. What was sitting on the rail but a large kookaburra. I turned around and saw the other kookaburra still on the tree branch.

Two kookaburra's in one night! That's a bonus.

I heard a sound behind me. I turned around a again and there sat another kookuburra on another branch.

Weird.

But cool! Three kookaburras! Jackpot!

I turned around again and on a rail, even closer to me, sat another kookaburra. It clicked it's beak and hopped forward. I turned to the tree again and noticed a further two more kookaburras.

Then (Oh no! Not another sound) yet another sound behind me. A turned around, foreseeing in my mind a bunch of evil kookaburras coming towards me, clicking their beaks evilly.

Nope, this time it was a lorrikeet. Perfectly logical of course.

I got some bread and tried to feed the lorikeet. It bit me on the thumb. I tried again and it worked! I had it eating out of my hand. Then, one of the rail kookaburras hopped forward clicking it's beak. It tried to snatch the bread out of my hand, making me jump, and drop the bread.

I went inside after that. I lorikeet can bite pretty hard, but I'm sure a kookaburra can bite harder.

We watched a movie that night at the caravan park. Nobody suggested going to the mall again. Instead, after the movie was done we drove to an Italian restaurant for pizza.

Thank goodness we didn't have to walk.

Jordan

Book Review-Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists
Written and Illustrated By Mike Venezia

‘Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists’ is a series based on many different artists.
It teaches children and adults to enjoy art. The books are filled with the artist’s most famous pictures, funny cartoons, as well as the artist’s history put into an interesting and easy-to-read context.
While reading the ‘Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists’ series you will learn about the world’s most famous artists including ‘Michelangelo’, ‘Paul Gauguin’, ‘Henri Matisse’, ‘Rembrandt’, ‘Pierre Auguste Renoir’, ‘Monet’, ‘Picasso’, ‘Johannes Vermeer’, and many more.
I enjoyed reading these interesting and sometimes amusing books. I would suggest them for kids of all ages to read and even adults will find them enjoyable.
Mike Venezia has written several other series including, ‘Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers’, ‘Getting to Know the U.S Presidents’, and ‘Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Inventors and Scientists.’

Jordan

Chocolate Eclairs

A friend came over the other day bringing these with her. They were absolutely delicious. She wrote out the recipe and I thought I would share it with you.

Chocolate Eclairs

Makes 13.

1 cup cold water

120g unsalted butter

1 cup of plain flour (sifted)

4 eggs

Method

Bring water and butter to boil. Take off heat, add flour, and mix. Return to the the heat, cook until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Cool mixture till able to put your finger in it. Add the egg gradually. About 1 tablespoon at a tume. Put onto tray and cook in a 210 C oven for 20-30 min. (Depending on oven)

Jordan

Lichen

Now I know I said I would tell you the rest of the Sydney story in my next blog but I'm still waiting for the photos so for now, for your enjoyment, I will do another science narration.
Can anybody tell me what this is?

Yes? You in the cheap, striped, mauve tie? Why no, it is not the remains of someones bringing up of pumpkin and cauliflower salad . It is, in fact, lichen.

Nope, not the skin disease. This is the other type of lichen. The plant kind. Now, I don't find anything hugely interesting about this plant. But one thing I do find interesting about it is that it can survive in anyplace. It grows in hot places, (as in deserts) cold places, (as in Antarctica) and just about everywhere else. It is also used for blue hairdye.

One kind of Lichen was thought to be the 'manna' that the Israelites ate in desert. Now I'm not suggesting that you should go off and eat this mossy, pretty, plant but if you are hungry and in a desert and ravens are bringing you mossy plants, you may think about eating them.

That's all I have today so..er..thats all folks......

Jordan

Sydney I

This weekend my family and I went to Sydney. It was a crazy trip. Starting at 4:00 AM and ending at about 12:00. We had to leave early to pick up my older sister from the airport. It seemed very long and after a few hours my sister and I were naming drinkbottle brands for something to do. (Literally)

We also had some fun with the camera in the midst of our boredom....

I can't show all the awesome photos I got in this blog because my dad took the camera with him when he went away, but I can show a few of my sister's photos.

(It was cold and rainy the whole way to Sydney. This picture is a car-view of us about to drive over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. )

When we got to Sydney we went first to the art musuem. Lots and lots of old stuff there. I couldn't take any pictures though because that was a big NO-NO there. There was a lot of cool pictures there though. Some of them were HUGE.

One thing that there was plenty of in Sydney was statues. Statues, statues, statues. So many statues. Everywhere of everybody. Anyone who ever did anything for Australia was cut out in stone or marble and placed in Sydney.

Of course we saw plenty of The Sydney Harbour Bridge and The Sydney Opera House, icons of Australia.

One thing that I will not forget about that day was our little night...er...incident. We went to Macquarie Shopping Centre for dinner and a movie. The movie ended about 9:30. By then, some parts of the shopping centre were closed off.

One thing I forgot to mention about this mall was that it was enormous. With many levels, and many carparks it would have made a fantastic maze. Unfortunatly, right then we weren't looking for a maze. We were looking for our car, and we seemed quite unable to find it. We searched everywhere! Up and down car ramps, through fire escapes, up and down stairs, going up levels, going down levels. We finally decided to ask for directions. The first guy we asked looked like a janitor so we went up to him and asked him if he might give us some directions?

No.

I don't even think he spoke English. He seemed totally vague and bewildered. He gestured and pointed but in the end it came down to nothing. We were back on the search. We must have asked at least seven people for directions that night. Some tried to help, others were in the same boat as us. We finally asked two men who were riding on a golf cart sort of thing. They gave us their suggestions, just like all the others had. They started to drive off but we stopped them and asked if they would lead us to the place they had suggested. I think we were all getting frustrated and we weren't going to let them drive off until they took us to our car. They did. Eighth time lucky I guess.

By the time we got back to the motel it was about 11:30. We had taken an hour and a half to find the car. We were all pretty tired and I don't think any of us were ready for the things that awaited us tommorow....But that's another story. Tune in next time for Sydney II. This is Jordan, over and out.

Jordan

Jeanne Darc of Doremy

Joan of Ark and Her Marching Orders

Written By Phil Robins and Illustrated by Philip Reeve

Jean D’arc was born in Doremy, France. She grew up in a village where she was kept busy milking cows, playing with her friends, and sewing with her mother. Little did she know that in a few years she would be fighting battles, sitting in prison, being questioned non stop by her enemies, and being responsible for the crowning of a king. Known as Joan of Arc or ‘The Maid’ she soon becomes a hero, winning wars for France and encouraging the wimpy dauphin to get crowned.
I truly enjoyed this fabulous book about Joan of Arc that tells many interesting facts about her life, from her childhood to her horrible end. It also includes funny pictures, easy-to-read history, as well as how Joan of Arc, a teenage girl, gave an entire army it’s marching orders. This book will be enjoyed by ages 9 to 15.

Jordan

St. Andrew, and his...spider.

Today in science I learned about St. Andrew's Cross Spider. Now I know that you're all probably freaking out like I did when I heard the name. Your mind must be full of questions. Who's St. Andrew, why does he own a spider, and what does a cross have to do with it?????

You must understand, I know your pain and great curiosity on this matter. I hope this http://http//www.waratahsoftware.com.au/wp_spiders_st_andrews_cross.html or this http://http//www.walkaboutpark.com.au/index.php?id=60 explains it. If not, too bad.

Jordan

Utes in the Paddock

This afternoon my parents and I went for a drive. We came across an art form called 'Utes in the Paddock.' I thought I would share some of the pictures we took. By the way, all of these works of arts are actually utes.

'Golden valley wealth gained from rural enterprise.'

'The Stockman'

(This one is my favourite.) 'Clancy Stops The Overflow'

'Drizakubra'

'Clean Running Backed by Ned'

'Circle Work'

Jordan