Recently, I was privileged to read a novella by Alicia Willis. Then, just recently one of the blogs I follow hosted an interview with her and there is a giveaway along with the post for one of her books!
I really enjoyed the story—God of Her Fathers—and I trust her other books are just as good. So if you want to enter the giveaway, you can do so here.
Many blessings,
Esther
A while ago, someone remarked that “There’s a quail sitting out on the fence!” And so there was! It stayed around for several weeks, too. I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve heard it call (it has a very distinct call), but I wouldn’t be all that surprised to hear that it is still around.
We’ve really enjoyed having a quail around. They’re such small birds, but it isn’t just every day you have one hanging around outside!
I was very glad for the zoom on my camera—I’d never have been able to get these pictures without it!
If you’re interested, you can visit All About Birds.com and listen to the different sounds California quails make. We’ve just heard the “Advertisement call” (which you can hear there), but even so that’s pretty neat to hear.
-Esther
Did you read part 1? The following will make much more sense if you did!
After realising he wasn’t doing anything but breaking his brush, the man finally used the crowbar and was able to get the nest out. Sounds like it was quite the bother, though. Thankfully it’s mostly all cleaned out, and Craig and Debbie are planning to fire all the fireplaces before we move in to burn out all the remaining honeycomb.
Currently, the main thing we’re waiting on is the electrician to come check all the wiring in the house and install quite a few new outlets and several lights. This house has hardly any outlets, and what there are are generally single plugs. We’re hoping he can put some doubles in in some places.
After he comes they need to get him, the meter-reader, and the meter-installer all out to the place at once to get the electric officially turned on. I don’t understand it all yet, but Debbie says she’s working on arranging it.
Then the two other main things we have to do yet is get the kitchen finished (which should take a few more days and be done, Lord willing) and get the sleep out set in place.
The sleep-out is quite a story. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned before how we got it. I remember posting pictures of bringing it into the place, but I don’t remember if I told the whole story.
Well, we got the thing on Trade Me (the New Zealand version of Ebay). When we were looking at it, Mum realised that it was the same price as a regular container—and it had been converted into a sleep-out, all ready to go! With God’s grace we were able to get it, and ship it up here.
Since then, we’ve been talking about how to set it so that it won’t sink in one corner and stay dry when it floods. One of our friends, Peter, suggested cutting a 50-litre barrel into halves or thirds, filling those with concrete, then setting the container down on them. Dad hadn’t had time to ask him about the specifics yet last Sunday.
By “chance”, some of their friends (whom we’ve gotten to know over the years) came to church with them last Sunday. These friends live near the top of this island, so we only see them when they come down to visit—about once per year.
Well, we invited them over to tea last Sunday night, and just as everyone was about to leave Mum reminded Dad to ask about how to exactly do the footers in the right way. Peter told us how he would do it, and then the other friend chimed in with his two cents.
Would you believe it—he and his wife live in two containers? I remember Peter’s wife telling us about it, but had forgotten until then. Well, he told us how he would do it, and it was much simpler and required a LOT less concrete than Peter’s idea! Not that Peter’s idea was bad—it’s just that this other friends was a lot better. And he should know, if anyone!
So God helped us, once again. And those friends just “happened” to be there on Sunday, when Dad asked the question.
God is good.
So that’s where we are now. Dad has the last two days of next week and the whole week after that off from work, so we’re hoping we can move then. If God wills. :) That’s a lot to get done in two weeks or so! (Eeek. That’s close!)
Well, I’ve got quite a few other pictures to share so I think I should get those done. Keep following Jesus!
Esther
I’m hoping that in these next few weeks I’ll be able to update you on what’s been going on. I apologise for not posting earlier, but I’ve been very…occupied with many other things.
These pictures were taken in mid-late December.
I haven’t taken very many pictures over there since then, but I should get a few soon. Looking at these I see a very dramatic improvement in what we’ve done over there! And I want to get a few pictures before we move in.
The plumber’s been out, and all the taps and drains in the house are working. There are several things water-related that still need some help, so Lord willing we’ll be able to get him back sometime to fix those places.
One corner of the house is rotten, and from what we hear Craig and his wife Debbie are planning to get a carpenter out to fix that.
The three chimneys have been cleaned—Debbie got a man out to do that. He had quite the trial getting the brush down the kitchen chimney—there was a bee’s nest in it! From Dad’s description of it he apparently tried forcing the brush through but couldn’t. After repeated tries Dad suggested they drop a heavy crowbar down. The boys had used the same crowbar to clear a nest from one of the living room chimneys….
Well, that got a bit longer than I expected. I’ll have to break it up into two posts. So stay tuned—I’ll be back soon with part two (don’t worry, it’s already written and scheduled).
Keep looking to Jesus!
Esther
Today, I participated in Monday’s Minute Challenge—started by Tessa Emily Hall over at Christ is Write. She’s planning to post a writing prompt every Monday this year, and it’s open for all to join in!
This week, she started with three prompts (you only have to use one of them):
I thought about doing the second one, but after thinking all afternoon about it I finally decided to do the last one. And it got a bit…intense. I cried while writing the letter.
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I never imagined this would be the way my new year would begin. The little slip of paper. Written in a childish hand. The date—January 1st, 1993. Exactly thirteen years to the day since it had been written.
“I’m sitting in the corner. Confused. Ready to scream. Oh Daddy, where are you? Where were you when I cried for you last night? When all hope drained out of me as I saw Mummy fight for her last breath? When I saw her close her eyes for the last time? When her chalky face turned cold and unmoving—forever? Oh, Daddy, what happened? Why didn’t you come? Don’t you know? Am I still your child? Do you even care? Do you even remember that you stumbled out of here, drunk, as the clock struck midnight? The bottles still lay on the filthy floor where you left them. Oh Daddy, Daddy, will you ever remember that I’m still here—waiting, waiting, with nowhere to go and nothing to keep me alive? Daddy, Daddy, come home! Remember, let your mind wake up, and come home! Charlene.”
I crumple the paper, and it patters to the floor. Exactly thirteen years too late. Thirteen years too late. The chant seems to repeat itself over and over as I pace the small room. My fists clench against the terrible horror. Heartache. Memories. Thirteen years too late. Thirteen years too late.
- - -
As you can probably tell, it got my brain working at full-tilt. :)
So now…do you want to join in the challenge? I think you’d enjoy it, like I did! Check out the original post here.
Along another line—what have you been up to lately? We’ve been working at the new house quite a bit, and also trying to knock back the weeds in the garden.
Just the last few days I’ve been trying to get through the twelve books I have checked out of the library—all of them historical fiction. Bliss. :) I’ve finished three so far, and now I’m trying to decide which one I should read next. They all look so interesting! :) Maybe a cup of chai or mint tea would help me decide….
~Esther
