Life does not always go the way we plan. Sometimes when I am sad and lonely and I want to give myself a lift I lay down and shut my eyes and go to my secret place. It is a rose garden. The scenery is based on a real garden in a little country town I have visited but the nice thing is that in my meditation it is whatever I want it to be. I can build a pergolas and cover it in pink roses. I can put garden seats along a long wall. I can even have a fountain if I want to, it is my secret place.

For those of you who have to stay inside think of doing this, building a magical garden in your mind.  I come out of that meditation refreshed and able to go on again. Men your place may be a hunting lodge or fishing spot or some place you went when you were young. I don't think it matters where it is as long as you leave it with a more tranquil mind. Some people would call this day dreaming and in some way it is similar but I benefit so much from that time of relaxation and enjoyment so I thought I would share it with you.

The bush fires are officially out as of today. Of course there is a lot of work to do now rebuilding, reaforesting, remaking  and repairing of roads, parks, the very expensive job of rebuilding infrastructure which will take years to do. But at least the fires are out. The blame game has been playing out in our media, according to them the fires have been lit by all kinds of "bad people". The truth may never be told or maybe never be listened to. It is so foolish to spread rumours but spread them they do and distract people from what they need to be doing, lending a helping hand with the clean up.

But the rains came, well actually floods in a lot of places and sometimes exactly where the fires were so debris and ashes washed into dams and waterways. Friends of mine were cut off from town for three days, finally out today. And many people had to be evacuated and will get home to face a huge clean up. So not as much rejoicing as it would have been if the rains had come earlier in the year. But some brave farmers will try a late crop and we will all rejoice in the green grass and the flowers in the garden beds. A peach tree next door is in flower, no chance of fruit this late in the season but the flowers are lovely.

 I live in a land of such contrasts, the dry outback, like the country around Broken Hill where Trevor lives, such wonderful open blue sky country. Then there is the rolling hill and plain country, now in urgent need of restocking now they have grass and water again. The coastal areas, over burdened with houses, roads and commercial areas but still beautiful in parts is where most of our population live . It is what most people think of as home. Sure some of them go out to "the country " but many have never crossed the Great Dividing Range to where I think of as the "real Australia". I have Ray and our time with Fisheries to thank for that.

I have been having to tests that go with my annual check up at the Melanoma Clinic. I have a new doctor as my old doctor retired and he ordered blood tests and yesterday I went to see him after a phone call from his office and he wants me to have more tests. I did persuade him  that wouldn't be a be a good idea now, better to hold off till after my next operation. Most of what he found wrong with me was pretty trivial so I hope by the end of March he will have forgotten most of it. I can't see the sense in taking a lot of medication or starting to worry about minor problems when I don't get my Melanoma clearance for another two years.

Shirley, my daughter and family are coming to spend Saturday night here. They are going to  Gosford Corps, the Corps they left to become Salvation Army Officers, for a catch up. Craig is going to speak about his job as Chaplain to the Salvos Stores. I have to preach on Sunday at my church so won't hear his speech but am sure it will be good and they will be able to catch up with old friends. We will have lunch together here before they go back home. I love any family contact. Last night I played phone tag with my older son Steven, finally getting to have a chat about how the kids had settled back into school etc. I wish they all lived closer so I saw them more frequently.

The sun is shining outside again so time to do the Autumn gardening chores. We  still will have some really hot weather ahead but I think that will be summer's last hurrah as March is generally much cooler.  Which a lot of people will be thankful for, hot weather is harder for older folk. And so life goes on here on the lovely Central Coast. Wild wind, torrential rain and all kinds of bad weather comes and goes but despite that it is still a great place to live