Chilly August Weekend

The first thing that comes to mind about our first full weekend back in Melbourne is that it has been cold. The mercury dipped to 3 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday, eliciting, I am afraid, complaints from our older three children about the temperature in the house. Our heating system can't quite keep up when it gets close to freezing, and the thermometer indoors hovered around 14 C (about 57 F). This could well be considered quite toasty for many down under during the winter, but coming from five weeks of heat and humidity, we have found it to be a bit of a shock to our systems. Katie has even used the word "desperate" when trying to convince us to do something about it. I might have felt more sympathy had I not just finished reading about the famine in Somalia. Instead, I pointed her to her younger brother James, who was quietly rugging up in the corner.

Cold it may be, but there are still many blossoms to be enjoyed, some so fragrant that it doesn't seem quite right for winter. Ross and I took a walk on Saturday in search of some of the prettier ones.

In other news, on Saturday night Katie had the unique opportunity of attending a bush dance hosted by Presbyterian Youth Victoria at the church where she attends youth group from time to time. Hundreds of high school age students from all over Victoria congregated to participate in what, as far as I can tell, is similar to line dancing. The students were first taught the steps involved in each of seven different dances, and then had the opportunity to try them out. Katie danced in five of them and had a wonderful time.

Plaid shirts, jeans, cowboy boots, and bush hats were the predominant types of clothing worn, making Katie think of her of native state of Texas. Midway through the evening the students listened to a speaker, had supper, and then resumed dancing. Hay covered the floors, and there was food in abundance, including party pies, potato chips, lamingtons, marshmellows, sausage rolls, and fresh vegetables. A cotton candy machine and a snow cone machine added further opportunities for sugar consumption.

I honored her wishes and didn't bring along a camera to the event, although I regret that now. I did take some pictures, however, before she left.

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Awww...Katie looks so pretty! I am glad whe had a great time! Sorry about the cold. OK, not too sorry as you got to miss 5 weeks of it and ours is yet to come. :)

Posted by: Suzanne | 08/15/2011 at 12:31 PM