Adjusting along this Journey

 

Where are we now …?

We are still in Esk. Enjoying our walks along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail more than anything else. Getting out into nature along the trail is the highlight of every second morning.

We have 6 weeks to go before the owners return from their trip, and before we head back to Gympie for a month-long housesit there.

After 8 weeks in Esk, we’ve experienced all four seasons in rapid succession. Currently, we’re in spring conditions, but it’s technically still only autumn. At the start of this house sitting, in March, we had such hot days that we closed up the house, drew the curtains against the outside heat and put all the fans on to try and cool the house down. We sweltered, showering twice a day to wash off the sticky sweat. 

That changed after a few weeks as cooler temps arrived. Ah, we thought, relief! It was short-lived. We endured (apparently) uncharacteristically low temps for this time of year, shivering in our boots.  The flimsy clothing we misguidedly brought along (thinking they would be warm enough) was simply not sufficient. We rushed off to the op-shops (second-hand shops garnering funds for charities) and searched for (and found, gratefully!) some warmer items we could put on at a quarter of the cost of new ones. After a few days of low temps, Black Frost came calling. Overnight, all that was green around us turned to yellow, then brown.

And then the rain came. For 3 days and nights on and off, a soft persistent rain has been falling. With warmer temps, the grass is beginning to turn green again. I noticed the lemon tree shooting new growth. All of nature is thoroughly confused.

Adjusting, adjusting ... 

Our emotions have been much like the weather … up and down, warm, happy and fuzzy one day, confused the next. We sink into the cold fear of anxiety and restlessness at the slightest bad/sad/adverse news. Besides constantly hearing promises from our Father – lately, it has been Isaiah 41 v 10 – we have allowed the unseen fingers of insecurity and fear to grip our throats.

‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you;
I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’  Isaiah 41 v10 AMP Bible

We did not stand firm. Consequently, the fingers began to squeeze after a few weeks of individually battling depression, fear, restless uncertainty, and  recrimination, sometimes at ourselves and at each other. Mentally confused, with a straining relationship, desperate because our thinking tended towards doom and gloom, we needed help. The Bible verses within devotional after devotional were crying for us to take note. And still, I was caving, and AJ was questioning more and more. We stopped having a devotional time together. We began to avoid each other, easily accomplished in a large house.

One morning, hiding in the warmth of the van, I was listening to a local Christian radio station. Out of the blue, there was a discussion on depression and anxiety. It was as if that person was talking straight at me, as I was reminded quite pointedly that I should request prayer for us from someone. Not wanting to alert friends and family to our struggles – we can all be so proud in low moments, can’t we? – I approached only one dear person, rock-solid in her faith, who has the very ear of our God, to pray for us.

Within 24 hours there was a significant change. Without going into detail, let me just say that suddenly (and not due to our efforts) we were able to have a civil conversation which we had not had for a few weeks without descending into a quarrel; I recall thinking, wow, that was different. We didn't argue. We began to have a more positive outlook; hope began to creep in. With each passing day our spirits were more lifted, and the Word of God finally came alive again in our hearts and minds. Even the sun seemed brighter and the clouds didn’t matter.

Getting back in the van

AJ had a week of no training commitment, so we took the van and fled off-grid for two days to a beautiful spot 40 mins away, next to a lake. 

It was soul-refreshing and healing. No internet. No mobile signal. No power. Our water only just lasted for the two days, but then, we didn’t go sparingly on the tanks as we knew we were there for only a short time.

We could only watch nature…

... or chat … or sit in silence ... and contemplate. The sunrises were awe-inspiring.

We had taken our devotional Bible to read, and the readings we were on delivered a poignant reminder.

Based on Chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 of Hebrews: "Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested."

 ""What do you know about it? Persons in great pain and misery sometimes throw this question in the face of those who are trying to console them. The rejection is especially acute if the one offering solace has never been through similar misery [them]self. "How can you tell me 'Everything is going to be all right' or 'It's not really as bad as it seems'? You don't know anything about this!"

"On the other hand, someone who has actually experienced the situation the sufferer is presently enduring innately senses what needs to be done or said – or left unsaid. That is exactly what kind of person, what kind of comforter, Jesus is. He was made "in every respect like us" (2v17). He himself suffered, just as we do; He Himself was tempted, just as we are. This is why He is able to help us so effectively – He has been through and understands whatever painful, dreadful situation we may face. He is able to minister as "our merciful and faithful High Priest" (2v17) precisely because He went through suffering and temptation and therefore understands both those afflictions and us. So, says the writer, He is able to help us when we are being tempted, and He offers a perfect sacrifice that obliterates sin when we fall."  (from The Travellers Devotional Bible.)

Coincidence? I think not. As believers, we know there is no such thing as coincidence. 

We returned refreshed and renewed. Being in the van for two days had also reminded us of how much we enjoy living that lifestyle. We have decided to limit house sitting after our current commitments end in January ‘24. Thereafter, we will house-sit only when we feel it is necessary. There is a constant insatiable demand for house sitters. We're trusting God on that decision because it will cost us more and increase our towing times as we travel from location to location. Not only that, but we also trust that, at the right time, God will provide a house sitting for us as the need arises.

House sitting is a privilege and a saving. However, it comes with huge responsibilities. On a few occasions, we’ve had to spring clean a home before we felt comfortable about unpacking our bags. And truth be told, I am no longer partial to cleaning a large home on an ongoing basis. And when you hand it back to the owners it needs to be better than you found it. Owners are forgetful.

Likewise, AJ is no longer partial to maintaining a large expanse of lawn. Water is always scarce. Gardens need water. Most homes depend on rainwater tanks for a water supply. Each time you use water you feel stressed … will it rain to replace what we have used? At one home the water ran out while we house-sat. It was not a pleasant feeling. Luckily there was water in the van’s tanks, which we turned to. The owner had not kept track of the water tank’s level as it was underground. There was an insinuation that we had used too much water. We knew we hadn’t. It had only been a week, after all, with no garden requiring water. The current house we are in uses town and rainwater tanks. But even in using town water, you are constantly aware that it costs the owner. After a long stay, we leave an amount for the water bill. 

The house we are in is large and while it is full of furniture and packed bookshelves, display cabinets and rugs, it manages to still feel hollow. Designed to be optimally cool in summer heat, its open plan is cold and its tinted windows make it dark on cloudy days. It is constructed, as many are in Australia, raised from the ground with an open space beneath the floor of the house and the ground below. Consequently, it seeps cold from below. Most houses here are  built from wood, or composite material of some sort, and they creak, groan and whistle as the weather conditions change.

Being in a large home, one is more easily inclined to live separate lives. In the van, we are constantly engaged and dependent upon one another to make each day a success. No, give me my small happy van any day. AJ feels the same.  

“Why”, I hear you say, “are you depressed, anxious?”

“You’re in a good place. In a safe place.”

“You have your heart’s desire”, one person said to me.

“You're living the dream, which few people can!” said another.

“You aren’t going through what we are going through. You’re lucky you aren’t enduring what we have to endure.”

Well, please allow a reply … you too, aren’t enduring what we are. You aren’t in the circumstances that we are in. None of us really know what the other is ‘enduring’. None of us have perfect security. None have total safety. We have all made choices and decisions that affect our lives whether for the good or the bad. And we must live with those choices or the consequences of those choices/decisions. Some were made a long, long time ago, such is the effect of each decision upon life’s journey. (Young people take note.)

Personally, we have had to adjust to a new lifestyle, in a new country. In doing so, we face struggles that no one knows of. AJ has had his fluctuating work hours reduced. I’m working hard at getting a side hustle off the ground. We are presently on a temporary visa, with our permanent visa currently being processed. Our children here, as our sponsors, have just had their interviews with the immigration dept. We were all reminded that, for the next ten years, we are expected to be self-sufficient … if we aren’t, our children will need to carry the responsibility; regardless of whether or not we are accepted as citizens after 4 years, should we apply. Daily we wait for the next step, which is not an automatic ‘yes you can stay’.

Allow me to say, never judge, never compare. Never point … three fingers are pointing back at you.

So many clichés are thrown about by those who are supposedly managing their lives – “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, etc. We all know the struggles: the economic mess causing an endless rise in the cost of living; political upheaval; gender ideology confusing so many; social and community struggles, with lack of support from those that govern; poor infrastructure, deteriorating further day by day; broken individuals that get themselves into endless trouble; a rise in youth crime; a rise in hopelessness. There are wars. Rumours of wars. Apart from all this, we all have struggles with income and expenditure. Dire needs within our closest families. Medical needs and health fears.

And then, worst of all, there is the relentlessness of social media, drawing us down the proverbial rabbit hole of an algorithm-fed diet of covetousness, anxiety, doom, delusions, and false fads. A diet that is designed to tap every bit of strength from your bones, reduce your brain cells, and deplete your system of life-sustaining hope.

We have learned ...

We have learned one thing in this last month … take your eyes off the One who provides all hope, and you begin to drown in the mess around you. Focus more on the news (or social media) and your heart begins to shrink. Focus more on the Word of God and the glimmer of hope springs alive. Read more of His Word than the news, and faith is fanned into flame. Praise Him for what you have, and your heart responds by beating stronger. Find a way to assist/encourage someone else and your bones begin to heal. A dry spirit begins to produce living streams that allow you to pass on hope to a hopeless world.

The purpose of this blog post? 

Firstly, of course, to answer the question so many are asking … where are you now?  😀

Secondly, to encourage you, wherever you are, to keep your eyes on the One who gives all life. Read His Word. If you don’t know where to start, John 1 verse 1 is a good beginning. Play the book of Psalms while driving in your car. You do know, don’t you, that there are many Bible apps free to use.  We love the YouVersion Bible App.

For every hour of TV propaganda you watch, resolve to read/listen to one hour of God’s word or a Christian Radio Station. If you don’t have one that you know of, and you have a smartphone, why not download the TuneIn Radio App, which has an option for free use. There, you can find radio stations from around the world. Search for the Vision Christian Radio Station in Australia. Pure Soul Food.

On the above screen capture of my TuneIn app, you can see Vision Christian Radio from Australia, Radio Sonder Grense from South Africa, FM Pretoria, Coast Radio from New Zealand (when I need to dance 😄) and Smooth Jazz Global from California when we need a calm atmosphere. (Another of our favourites, Classic 1027 from Johannesburg, is not on offer on TuneIn.)  

I’m not saying you mustn’t remain abreast of the news. Of course, you must. Know what the contemporary world is touting. Be aware. But ensure that you are reading from/listening to a wide variety of sources, not only one. Remember that algorithm diet … ?

Until the next catch-up, thanks for stopping by.

Thank you for your support. We love and appreciate you.

Blessings.🌼

Social media graphic by Image by 巻（Maki） from Pixabay.

Newspaper image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay. 

Catching up … on us

Catching up on us ...

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

“What do you do?”, asks every stranger we meet. “We travel around to do home-sitting”, we reply.

“Aaah, living the dream, hey!”, they respond. 

It’s known as ‘living the dream’ here in Aus. Hm, we might see it as such, eventually. While we are grateful to be here, following this lifestyle hasn’t been a walk in the park. We see it more as trying to survive and be independent.

“What does home-sitting involve?”, we are often asked. “Why do you choose to do it?”  “How do you cope with the constant packing, unpacking and moving around from place to place?”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

It’s been 5 months since we landed in Australia. It feels like 5 years, so much has happened. For those of you following this blog you’ll know where we’ve been and what we’ve been up to. For new visitors … it’s been an amazing experience … a new country, a new culture, a new lingo, a new lifestyle, new foods, new job experiences, new friends, new roads with new road rules … you get the picture. At 65 when you’d like nothing more than to sit on the porch with your reading or knitting, or to play with your grand-kids, it’s been interesting, to put it mildly! 

Hopefully this blog post won’t be too boring, but if you are interested in the experiences of a pair of nomadic immigrants, stay a moment if you can – we answer some questions and catch up with our comings and goings, battles and frustrations. 😊 If you’d rather read a travel blog, this post isn’t for you.

How is our home-sitting arranged?

Image by Alexa from Pixabay 

We have a subscription to the Mindahome website. For an annual fee your profile is active for homeowners to view should they need a home-sitting service. On one occasion we were approached by a homeowner who found our profile, but mostly we respond to an ad on the system. We do not get paid for home-sitting, but we get to stay in the person’s home for free with utilities and WiFi included. In return, we look after the home until the owners return, we mind their pets and follow directions that they have left for us regarding the animals or the house and garden. It’s a wonderful arrangement albeit hard work in some cases. Before we left Doha we were booked until January ‘23, and for 3 months through to mid-2023. Then after arriving in Australia, we secured another 3 home sits for other periods during this year. For now, we are not responding to any more ads until we are done with the September one, when we will re-evaluate our circumstances.

You have a van, why do home-sitting?

For now, this is the cheapest method of having a roof over our heads. Yes, we have our van, but to teach online, AJ needs a power hook-up. Our van does not yet have the battery capacity to run a training session for 6 hours straight. Caravan parks offer power hook-ups but they are not cheap. Home-sitting helps to save pennies right now when we need it the most. For the times we don’t have a home-sitting, we have the van to fall back on, but for now, we would need to book into a caravan park for power. Eventually, we aim to be self-sufficient full-time in the van, touring around. God willing.

Only at 2 months into it, did we realise the responsibility of home-sitting. Faced with homes with induction cooktops, Royal Doulton ornaments, expensive gadgets/tools, expensive pets, fine bedding and beautiful dinnerware, we stopped short one day after breaking a lovely tumbler and realised that we are probably not thinking this through. 😐 There is the risk of fires and floods too. Wild weather is par for the course here in Aus, where everyone is aware of emergency measures and keeps a grab-n-go bag ready.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay 

But, that said, there is a mutual understanding on both sides of the risk involved with house sitting; common sense goes a long way to keeping everything safe and whole.

Challenges we have faced

We have learned that a month is very short! If a home-sitting is for a month, we plan all sorts of interesting sights to see and tasks to do in that period, but inevitably life gets in the way. In the first few days we unpack, set up our computer stations, carry in our supplies, and make the space given to us in the home comfy for our use. Settling in and getting used to new surroundings (and a new bed 😅) is not easy, but you have to get on with the job of everyday living. Simultaneously, we also need to get to know the animals in our care and they need to get used to total strangers in their space.

In a blink, it’s over. Just when you’ve settled, it’s time to pack again.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Shorter home-sits of 7 to 10 days, are a bigger challenge. Soon after attempting to settle in, it’s time to clean up and pack again. We chose this lifestyle, so we knew that we would be packing and unpacking. But until you actually have to do it, you don’t fully realise how tough it can get. We have lost things, ‘donated’ things (aka, forgotten things), driven off with house keys and had to mail them via insured mail; we have packed an item belonging to a homeowner, only to find it a month later stored in Nadya’s garage with our ‘to sort’ items. We’ve had multiple bags to cart  … a grocery store, a supply of cleaning materials, clothing fit for purpose, tools, medical supplies … bags and suitcases galore. I haven’t even mentioned our computer gear, screens and printer. It’s embarrassing! We arrive looking as if we’re moving in permanently. 😣

The day before the homeowners return, we clean the house from top to bottom. We like to do a really good job, just in case the owners have a memory lapse and think we had messed up. 😅 

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

This is no easy task, but we love to hand over a sparkling house. If we can. Some homes have been sparkling when we walk in; a couple have needed a good cleaning here and there at the start for us to feel good in. 🥴

When it comes to the gardens, AJ is the one who makes the work harder than it should be … he has OCD when it comes to seeing a leaf out of place. So he is constantly at work with the rake in his hands. Have you tried to win against the wind?  😅 

I water the plants, always praying for God to help me not kill something off – gardening, especially with indoor plants, has never been my strong point. 😊 We’ve also constantly prayed for snakes to bypass us … so far God has been gracious. (This time we’re minding a snake, but it’s in a very secure cage otherwise AJ wouldn’t be here. LOL. )

He’s a beauty … a rainbow python from the Northern Territory.

Language issues

And then there’s the language. You would say that since we are in an English country all should be good, right? Well, we learn new words and sayings every day. We speak English but we might as well be from a different planet much of the time. How can something as simple as ordering a cup of coffee with a brekkie wrap be so stressful? 😳 Learning the slang is a must! 😄 Here's a clip, just for a giggle.

Image by kalhh from Pixabay

The next question everyone asks is, “Where are you from?” Their response? “Aaah, I thought you were from South Africa!” Thankfully most are welcoming and helpful, but with a few, we have noticed the fleeting resentment. 

Not everyone is open to immigrants, and you can’t blame them.

Relationship issues

 

Thrown together 24/7 we are in a whole new ball game in our relationship. We are adjusting, some days excruciatingly slowly. Sometimes we are fraught and at opposite poles. We have days where he’s from Mars and I’m from … not Venus… let’s make it the furthest one out… Pluto? Or is it Neptune? 

42 years of experience seemingly has not helped. We both have faith. We hear God’s promises. We are both aware of how immensely blessed we are. However, in a new environment, with new struggles, doubts and income anxieties seemingly grow into giants. Did we do the right thing? Did we follow God’s leading? Are we on the right path? 

Image by Alexa from Pixabay 

We have had days when we do not see a way forward. On such days we wonder how this will ever work – living in a caravan?! Thankfully, issues are eventually ironed out.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay 

Giants are slayed, through the mercy of God. No, we are not the perfect couple. We are sinners, saved by Grace. Still enduring the pruning process. Painful, but necessary for growth and preparation for future times.

 

Other frustrations/challenges:

• having to shop at different stores for groceries each time;
• easing into the process of filling up with fuel (Oh my word! You help yourself here in Aus, and don’t forget the pump number or you risk getting a telling off from a very tired till operator, while you delay the queue.)
• learning the layout of new towns and finding the places we need to be; 

Image by PixLoger from Pixabay 

• cooking in unfamiliar kitchens;

• constantly meeting new people;
• encountering local wildlife (including midges 😑🙄, frogs, spiders and rats inside a roof on the ceilings);

JonRichfield, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

• visiting new churches (which, mind you, on EVERY occasion, has been a major blessing);
• learning the quirks of each family’s pets (we’ve had dogfights, aged dogs with little bladder control, young pups bounding with energy, a dog that chewed everything within reach including the door frames, and pets that became joined at the hip to either one of us, crying when we visit the loo. 😁) At present we have a horse that would come inside if she could 😅 … 

Depending on factors that play a part on any given day, these can be fun or a pain. We know that everyone has these and other far more difficult struggles, but in a country sans old friends and extended family, away from comforting colleagues, far from all that is familiar, it can feel very intimidating.

Also never far from our minds, is the fact that we are still only on a temporary visa. Waiting, waiting, waiting for the permanent application to be finalised.

Why a caravan?

Unsure of income and dependent upon casual labour, digital or otherwise, a fixed rental is ruled out. In any case, the smallest unit rental is now beyond our means. We cannot live full-time with our children who are also renters, but we also need a place we can call our own. The least expensive way is the caravan. 

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Free camps in Australia are many, where you can usually stay for 24 hours at no cost. Some for 48 hours. But for these, your van needs to be self-contained (power, ablution, and water on board).

 

Low-cost camps are many too, where you can stay for anything between $10 and $20 per night. However, not all low-cost camps offer power plug-ins. Some don’t have mobile reception. Some don’t offer water. It is rare to find a low-cost camp that has it all. For that, a regular caravan park must be booked. They can cost anything up to $75 a night. Even more, the closer you get to a tourism hot spot. 

Image from NRMA parks

So, when not home-sitting, we travel – full time. At least we get around and have a different view every so often.

 

The caravan

 

The caravan! So much to learn. Even after watching hours and hours of towing and camping footage on YouTube, we still have many questions. The traffic accident shook us to the core. Loud bangs, sudden mishaps on the road, and unexpected conditions, all have us hyperventilating and sweating bullets. And now we have to tow a caravan. This insecurity will pass, we know … it will become easier. But we are nervous.

After taking delivery of our van, we had planned to fit it out over the month-long housesit during December/January so that it would be ready for us to live in. For several reasons that proved slow going. Eventually, we did what we could, when we could. Because the property we were on over the Christmas/New Year season was so large we were able to take a few opportunities to ‘pack down’ the van (pack up and stow everything away, ready for towing), hitch it, tow it (if only for 20 metres), practise parking it, unhitch and set up “camp” again without going onto any public roads. 

We were immensely grateful for these practice sessions. AJ proved to be a star with reverse parking, and this was proven at the next home-sitting when he had to reverse park it into the narrow downslope of the front garden in Kingaroy.  👏🏻😅

During one of these sessions, the shower door fell off its screws. 😣 We also noticed that the rear light was cracked and had rain water in it. We scrutinised the photographs of the van taken on the day of handover in the dealer’s yard and sure enough, there was the crack. They had not picked it up and neither had we when we took delivery. Another fault is that they forgot to install a full oven but only a griller. At the first service next month, all these will be corrected. One can expect any new van to have teething problems. Fortunately, these haven’t been major ones.

Trying to make the van “homely” has been a challenge. 

There is only that much one can fit into 17’ and the weight has to be considered too. We’ve had to constantly make concessions. In requesting an outdoor kitchen, we reduced the capacity to load stuff into the van by almost 50 kg. But after living 24/7 in the van for the first time last week, we are very happy about that outdoor kitchen! While AJ teaches, I can cook comfortably. We were gifted a ‘porch’ awning to provide shelter for the kitchen from the sun and rain. A huge blessing.

Moving around inside the van is an art! It forces us to move very slowly. 😆 One can’t do anything fast or you knock a knee or an elbow, or you bump something off the benchtop. The roof is high enough, but we’ve taken turns at bumping our heads on the overhead cupboards and at knocking things around. We have opened cupboards only to have an item drop out on top of us (we still need to put shelf dividers in to secure things). Rome wasn’t built in a day they say … well, it feels like the van is going to take a long while yet, as we budget a few pennies monthly to fit it out. It’s amazing – as prepared as we were with lists of items and gear that we would need, so unprepared we were for the little things that are needed for various reasons.

Our first full week in the van in a low-cost caravan park was exhilarating! Thankfully, we both enjoyed it immensely. Andries gave instruction online from the van and everything worked perfectly. As long as we have good Telstra reception, he’s good to go. 

We also had to start using the composting toilet, and as with anything new, it took a few times to begin to feel that this was normal. 😁 In the beginning we had to remind ourselves that this was good for the environment AND that we did not have to visit regular (sewage) dump points (which, we have heard, can be really yuk! 🤢) 

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Rest assured there is zero odour! The pee bottle fills up rather quickly because we drink lots of water. Especially in this heat! Luckily we have several bottles. When we pop in to visit our kids, our bottle(s) go with us for dumping in the loo! 😂 Apparently, when diluted, it serves as fertiliser for the garden. We haven't been that cheeky yet. 😆

Composting toilets are humbling. Very humbling! 😅  

When we walk into the van, it already feels and smells like a familiar place. It’s home. You know how you feel when you walk into your bedroom and you get that peaceful feeling of belonging? Yep, that’s how we are beginning to feel about our little space. 😍  

Counting our blessings

I hope you don’t read this post as one big gripe. It certainly isn’t meant to be. We have been in the country for only 5 months, yet it feels like a year. We have been tested, tried, and tempted. But, we have forged lovely friendships and met amazing people. We have lived in beautiful homes with adorable pets, in amazing locations, blessed beyond measure. We have discovered interesting little towns and visited interesting places and museums. We have learned a few things about Australian culture and history that will stand us in good stead going forward. We have been gobsmacked at the kindness of folk. We know how fortunate we are to be here, and on a national medical plan. We are grateful to have children nearby to assist us when we need them and vice versa. We are thankful for AJ’s job, even though the terms and conditions were changed by the company after 3 months, potentially halving his income. 😧

Most of all we are grateful to our Father God, who has repeatedly promised “Do not fear…I will be with you.” When the demon of fear comes calling, we call on the only One who can slay him. Being on team-Jesus is the biggest blessing of all.

We are in Gympie now until mid-March when we leave for a 3-month home-sitting in a country town south-west of Brisbane, called Esk. From Wednesday this week, we will be in our van 24/7 until we begin home-sitting in Esk. This month is set aside for sorting storage items, keeping appointments, servicing the van in Brisbane, servicing our tow vehicle and having the van weighed. 😟 

On the 18^th of February all will be revealed pertaining to the weight of the van and the tow vehicle and whether we are within legal limits or not. 

Each time we think of it we sweat bullets … 😅 Come what may, I don’t think I can stand off that outdoor kitchen. 😆

Hoping to post again in March, God willing, from Esk, with tales of our travels south. Thanks for stopping by. Stay well and stay safe. 

We appreciate every one of you. 🌼

Hello, Hervey Bay!

 Where are we now...? Hervey Bay!

Image capture from Google Maps Data (c) 2022 Australia 

As you can see, Hervey Bay is a city North East of Gympie, a 1½-hour drive. Situated on the Fraser Coast, it is a bustling town, thriving from whale-watching tourism. At the moment it is whaling season. Apparently almost $11 million is injected annually into the region from whale-watching tourism. Hervey Bay has been named as the world's first Whale Heritage Site by the World Cetacean Alliance. Nearby is Fraser Island (or K’gari, as it has now been named) – a popular destination for tourists and locals alike for fishing, camping and 4WD expeditions, only accessible by ferry. 

There is much to see and do in Hervey Bay alone. In the coming days we hope to make up a list of places we’d like to visit in the mornings and on weekends when AJ doesn’t work. We look forward to discovering the area. Sadly, the house is a 20-minute drive from the beach, so there are no frequent beach walks – we are trying to conserve our fuel consumption.  

The weather at present is moody and cloudy. We still feel cold. Coming from the desert it will take a while for us to adjust. The current temperatures here are winter temps in Qatar. As tourists, we truly look the part! The only ones covered to the chin when we go out. Locals are dressed for summer, and along we come in our jackets. 😁

Those darn peskies!

The house we are minding now is in a suburb of Hervey Bay, called Eli Waters. Saltwater canals fed by the Eli Creek, wind between immaculate houses. There are walking/cycling paths along the edge of lakes where we walk each morning for about 5.5 km. 

The area is a mangrove wetland.  We have been warned to look out for snakes, yes, but also for sand flies, aka, biting midges, aka black flies. 😣 The locals could use any one of the three names for these pesky creatures, but they are one and the same. They are especially prevalent when there is no breeze. Tinier than a mosquito, they pack a nasty punch, which begins to itch sometimes only 24 hours later.  We were told that if we wanted to sit on the patio, we would need to put the fan on to blow them away. Sunrise and sunset are when they appear the most. They are worse in rainy weather (thankfully it’s been dry) and at full moon or new moon. A complex insect if ever there was one. The smaller ones are able to fly through the mesh of fly-screens … 😖

Image from Indefiniteleave.com.au

In Tandur I was bitten by what I thought to be mozzies on the one occasion that I didn’t spray my feet and ankles and went walkabout in the garden. I was in agony for days, and I’m beginning to wonder if they weren’t biting midge wounds. Yes, I call them wounds! 😣 I am allergic to mosquito bites, but this was so much worse. They have left scars on my feet and ankles that I’m hoping will eventually fade. We are constantly spraying ourselves with Sandy’s Essentials' Peskies-Off spray when we step outside. It seems to work, and that makes me happy; I’ve had one bite since we arrived, and it was the day I relied on the wind to stop them and didn’t spray myself to hang up the washing outside. AJ, who never gets bitten, is suffering from multiple bites because he thought that, like mozzies, they would not bother him and chose not to spray himself on the first two days. He quickly discovered otherwise, poor guy. 

AJ's legs showing midge bites

😬 The thing is, as soon as one sees or feels a bug, you feel as if your skin is crawling all over with them! 😅 There'll be no relaxing on patios while we are here! 

Remedies? We have been given all manner of remedies … the most popular local remedy is a spray made up of equal parts of Dettol and Baby Oil. Another remedy the locals believe in is consuming large amounts of Vegemite. It's the Vit B, they say, that the midges don't like. 😅 (... one midge to another, "Ugh! Don't bother with that guy, he's on the Vegemite bottle!" 😂) This Aussie staple is Australia’s version of the beloved UK Marmite … except that it honestly has a more medicinal, albeit salty taste. 😄 Believe me, you can buy Vegemite flavoured Baked beans, Vegemite Pizza, and more. There are recipes for Vegemite hot cross buns, and Vegemite roast potatoes. The Aussies are crazy over their Vegemite. We’ve started eating it on toast, but vast amounts… nah! 😅

© CC BY-SA 3.0

Heavy-duty insect repellents for tropical areas are sold in the stores, but these are no joke – they have a high concentration of DEET (diethyltoluamide). I can’t imagine long-term use of that yellow goo and what it could do to a person's system. Natural repellents sound far more appealing of which there are many on the market here. Especially when you're practically bathing yourself in the stuff all day long. 🥴 We’ll continue to test my mix to make it effective. I perfected a spray to repel Qatar’s flies 😄 … I’m hoping to beat this annoying midge as well. In the meantime, it’s a running joke that we hear from everyone ... "midges love international tourists!" The locals have seemingly become immune to them. 😄

God’s grace and mercy    

People call us lucky!

“You're so lucky”, they say. We disagree.

Why? Well, six years of planning have come to fruition. We sacrificed a load of things over those six years to save for this. We worked our butts off and were content with staying home when others went away or had fun times out. We planned carefully and asked our Father many a time for His will to be done in our lives. Not lucky... blessed. Blessed by pure Grace. We are amazed at how God has facilitated things for us. How many times did we run to Him, put things before Him, ask for His will, and beg Him for guidance along the way. Pure grace! Grace and mercy. No, these two concepts are in no way similar. Here is a lovely explanation of their difference.

We pray that we will never take his kindness for granted. Yet, there are times when we stray, stress, and rush, and forget to ask for His guidance. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He’s silent. But mostly, we are gobsmacked at how He has worked things out for us. For weeks on end, before we left Doha, we felt that He was giving us the same promise of protection from His word. Our blog post in July discussed this. Eventually, we sat up and took notice, but our stress levels ran high regardless.

 

Upon our arrival, our family facilitated our stay with a warm welcome. We launched into getting the equipment for the van and the Ute. The cost of everything caused us to break out into a sweat. But because the van will be our home, we pressed forward with what we needed. Thankfully, AJ was retained as an instructor by his company in Qatar. What a help and what a gift from our Father! More mercy and grace.

 

After 2 weeks AJ began to work. A routine that has taken some getting used to. His ‘workday’ starts at 13:30 and ends at 21:30. The first week of training was a struggle in the family home because of the busy, playful, children. But then came the first house sitting. There we were, in beautiful quiet surroundings, with ample space in a large home and AJ ensconced in a study. Caring for the dogs was a joy! Towards the end of the week, the homeowners called and generously offered their home to us for an extra 2 days to avoid having to move in with our family for only 2 nights. They remembered that we had said we were leaving for the coast on the Monday after they collected the dogs. (That house is their weekend home – they live elsewhere full-time.)

‘That would make things easier’, we said, ‘thank you’!

Two hours later our daughter called to say they were all ill with a mystery virus. It had hit some of them in the family harder than others. We were amazed at God’s provision and protective hand, as we could not afford to be exposed to a virus and then move on to meet the next homeowners directly before they travelled abroad, possibly infecting them too. Also, we do not have a medical card or cover yet. Our application was delayed in the mail due to some unknown factor. God’s timing and goodness left us speechless. Mercy! Grace! (The family in Gympie are only just recovering from the nasty virus, almost 10 days later.)

In Tandur the dogs were collected as planned. The last two days were spent packing up, cleaning the house, and catching up with online tasks. AJ was given an unexpected course to teach and was able to spend the last day preparing material, well into the night. Early on Monday 3 October, we departed for Hervey Bay. The drive was pleasant, along a different route to the last time when we came up to meet the homeowners. We arrived early enough to do a quick walk along the esplanade in Hervey Bay. It was so good to finally see, and smell, the ocean. 

We planned to stay the night in a motel, as we needed to be at the new house sitting early the following morning. We had to be at the motel and checked in by 14:00 so that AJ could begin teaching a group in Doha. A few minutes before the time I went to check us in, while AJ used a hotspot from his phone to connect his laptop to the internet, in the Ute, to link up with his students. In true digital nomad style, he transitioned from the Ute to the room like a pro. 😊 He settled himself into a corner of the room to teach, while I went off in search of some supper. Fresh fish and chips sold from the nearby Marina. 

 

The next morning AJ was up at 05:00 to continue prepping for the new course later that day. We had to be at the house-sitting venue by 09:00. We gobbled down a small brekkie with coffee and rushed over. We had offered to give the homeowners a ride to the station in Maryborough, the town where Mary Poppins was born! 😊 (Yes… I sense a blog post in the making … 😉). From there they would take the train to Brisbane International Airport. Before they left, we were given the rundown of instructions, acquired the all-important Wi-fi password and were presented with a fabulous lasagne lunch, along with salads no less, to enjoy later in the day! They had catered a delicious meal for us, at a time when they were packing and preparing for a major overseas trip! 

“The pantry is yours; the wine rack is yours”, they said. “Use the meat in the freezer! Please help yourself to anything you need. The vegetables in the garden are yours. We bought you brown sugar.” (They remembered, from 3 weeks ago when we came to meet them, that we preferred brown sugar in coffee!) They moved all their tools around in the garage so that our Ute would fit in. What an amazing couple! Such a blessing for us. 

Grace and mercy abound.

Returning to the house after the ride to the station, we went into unpack mode and well and truly moved in. We were speechless at God’s care, evident through this secular couple. As we had no groceries yet and were feeling a little lost and strange (and hungry!), we were overwhelmed with gratefulness for the lunch. AJ had to begin teaching at 14:00, and once again the space was just perfect for his use – well away from the hub of the house and the noise I might make in the kitchen. Later, I did my first solo shop for groceries. I took a wrong turn and got lost. Only then did I decide to activate google maps 😆. Arriving at the store, I felt jitterbugs… strange aisles, strange faces, strange names for things, strange brands. Strange checkout methods too -- vegetables are weighed at the till and the till operator packs the bags. It all felt so unreal. And to cap it all, I had had to park the Ute for the first time, in a very small space, under pressure, with a queue of cars behind me waiting to pass. 😅😆 And the jolly thing felt huge – I was expecting a bump or a scratch at the very least. Lol. Before we could blink, our first day in the house in Hervey Bay was over.

There is more pressure to take care of this property. They are clearly very particular, with absolutely nothing out of place! Everything was sparkling clean and neat when we moved in. The lady of the house used to be a nursing sister, so the house shouts clinical cleanliness, all in white, minimal style. The kitchen has white stone benchtops. Gulp! But so far (a week in) so good. There are strict instructions on how and when to water the plants, with specific plants mentioned. After 21 years of not having a garden worth mentioning, there’s me, running to Google to find which is which. 😊 No animal to take care of this time … their beloved dog died 2 months ago before we arrived in Aus. His name was Jack. On the list of plants is ‘Jack’s Gardenia’, with a note that ‘this plant is very important’. (Jack’s ashes are in an urn on a shelf in the study. 😧) Trust me – I cannot see a Gardenia in this garden. Not for the life of me! And I know what a Gardenia looks like. 😖😬 I even checked that I had it right by googling Gardenia images. 😯

 

They return on 5 November at 7 in the evening. After handing over the keys, we’ll spend the night in a motel nearby to avoid driving at night. The next day we make our way to Brisbane to take delivery of the van on 7 November. The time is getting closer. Not once have we practised what we were taught in the towing course 😣… we had better get our noses in those course notes. 😅

 

Andries is teaching 5 days a week. While he teaches I write, plan, budget, and catch up on correspondence. I’ve managed to put a bucket list together of things to do and see while we are in Hervey Bay. After a week we’ve managed to cross off 4. Three weeks to go. Grace and mercy sustain us.

My workspace in the kitchen

Last Sunday we visited the local Baptist Church and received a mighty blessing. So pleased we went, even though that age-old enemy tried to keep us away. We pray grace and mercy over them as a congregation. We pray over you as our followers and prayer partners; over South Africa, our birth country; over Qatar and our children and friends there, during this difficult time of the FIFA World Cup event; over Australia too, that is fast becoming a secular, Christian-averse country. 😕 Over our children and grandchildren who live here, for a future in the Lord, and for many chances to witness to them of God’s beautiful plan for salvation for all mankind.

 

Friends and family, we appreciate you. We pray for each of you. May God extend His grace and mercy over each one of you. In Jesus’ name.

 

Until next time. 🌼 Blessings from us. ♥

Graphic insert: Pigeons by Mohamed Hassan via Pixabay.