Drinking Joey

I forgot to mention that the drinking Joey is not the same one as the one in his Mum's pouch.

The Kangaroos were so fun to feed, watch and be around. They would come up to you and want to be fed. They would put their paw on your hand and eat the corn. Some had soft fur and others fur was a little ruff. These on the East Coast of Australia are small gray Kangaroos. The middle and Western Australia have big red Kangaroos. We have yet to see one.

Joey getting a drink

The little joey has been out checking things out and now he is thirsty, in he pops his head for a drink.

Me awake, Him asleep

Oh so soft

He was great to touch and pet. He is the dad to all the babies here at this preserve. They have now brought in a young male to use for breeding so as not to have inbreeding. He will now have to share the ladies.

Koalas

Koalas are so amasing. They seldom drink water they get all they need from the leaves they eat. They sleep most of the time and in very odd places, at least to humans.(I don't know how I got the blue writing but Oh well) They have very long nails and generally are quiet.

Dee loved the Rooster

Emu Eyes

Look at those eyes and that beak!

Emu

Emus are scarry when they eat as you are holding the food. They come at you fast and hard.

Here they are again

Mom and Baby

kangaroos

Dee and the Kangaroos

Albino Kangaroos

Albino Kangaroos are very rare

Feeding Kangaroos

It was fun feeding the Kangaroos, they came right up to you and would eat right out of your hand.

Kangaroo Mom and Joey

Here is Mom and her baby. He is eating things off the ground as she moves along.

Coffs Harbour

We just got back from a fast trip to Coffs Harbour for a training and Mission President interview. When we go on these trips we have to stay over night. This time we had to rent a car as we did not have enough k's left this month. Pres. Scruggs wanted us there, so we went. It was a good meeting and a good interview. Coffs Harbour (that is the way they spell it) is on the coast 4 hrs away. Like last time we went to the coast it rained most of the way back and when it rains here it really rains. Some times you could hardly see out the window and the water was all over the road. Well we make it in the cute little blue rental car. Picture to come when we get wireless next month, I hope.

The moutains we drive thru are so green and full of rain forests. You see all kinds of trees. Most are gum trees with pine, palm and tree size ferns all growing next to each other. Big vines grow up the trees also. It is a wonderful sight. We drove along the "Water Fall Way" it is the name of the road between Armidale and the coast. There are lots of water falls along the way.
(pictures to come sometime) The trees are up to a hundred feet and so straight. It is quite a sight.

As you drive along you can see for miles green fields, rolling hills, trees, cattle, sheep, goats, homes, etc. I can't get enough of it. I spend all the time while we are driving feasting my eyes on it all. I just want to have it impressed on my mind so I can bring it back to dream and think about when I am no longer here.

As I am writing it has started to thunder and rain here. I guess we out drove the storm and now it has caught up with us. It's been a nice couple of days.

Thunder Storm

Last night we had a very long, loud thunder storm. The lightning would light up the whole sky and all the inside of our flat. It lasted for about 3 or more hours. When it rains here it down right pours.

It Drives Me Nuts!

Last night I wrote this whole thing about the rain we are having, then posted it. Guess what? It did not post! That happens to me every now and again. It drives me nuts. Do you think I want to write it all over again, NO WAY!

Anyway we are having lots of rain. Flooding up north and west of us in Moree. I am so thankful for the rain as it has cooled everything off, that is until the sun comes out. We are very aware of the rain as we have a tin roof and it sure makes noise. Anyway Thank you Heavenly Father for the much needed rain and cooling down from temp. over 100 degrees.

Kangaroos and Koalas

Last Thursday we hand fed Kangaroos and petted Koalas, it was awsome. We just walked around the Kangaroos and they would come up and eat the corn right out of our hands. They would put their front paw on my hand and stand there and eat. It was great! We also saw a joey hanging out of its Mothers pouch eating off the ground. It was so cute. We also saw a joey poke his head back in his Mothers pouch to get a drink. He was outside on the ground. The Kangaroos fur is soft and the tail is very hard.

The Koalas are soft and very slow and sleepy most of the time. They get most of their water from the eucalyptus leaves they eat. That is all they eat.

Pictures to come when I get near something besides dial up.

Victoria on Fire

Victoria is on Fire! The newspaper said "Australia has Witnessed its greatest natural disaster. Only in wartime has the toll of dead and wounded been greater." So far they have found 135 people dead and expect to find at least a hundred more. It was the hottest day in the history of Victoria when the fire started. It has been in the hundreds. It rained a little the other day and the heat has dropped. The winds were strong and drove the fires so fast the people could not get out. People didn't even know the fire was coming their way in some instances. Whole towns have been burned down. These areas have lots of trees.

North Queensland has been having flooding and lost lots of livestock, farms, homes, etc.

New South Wales has fires also but not near us and not as bad. This 100 plus temp. is awful.

Newcastle

We drove from Tamworth on Saturday (4 hrs) to Newcastle for Stake Conference. Think how all of you are blessed not having to travel that far. We went to night conference and then stayed for the televised portion on Sunday at noon from Salt Lake. It was very nice. The Smith family invited us over for Sunday breakfast we had a great time with them. Three of their married children and Grandchildren were there. It is a real mix of nationalities. One Polynesian, one from Tialand, and one from New Zealand. The Grandchildren were beautiful, they were all Eurasian.

We are also over here for Zone Conference on Tuesday. Elder Callister will be there as he is doing mission tours.

We had today, Monday free so did a tour of Newcastle and went to Blackbutt Reserve. We saw Kaola Bears, oh so cute. I could watch them forever, well maybe not forever but for a very long time. All kinds of birds, Kangaroos, Wallobys, etc. (I will put pictures on when I get them on the computer)

Schools

The Schools here are in 6 weeks and out for two. They have 3 weeks in Dec. and all of Jan. and half of Feb. for the summer.

The students wear uniforms, Boys white shirt and tie, Shorts just above the knees and long sox to just below the knee.

Girls short skirts, sometimes knee sox and a blouce or a dress (cotton).

Most wear a hat as the sun is so intence. They all have big, very big back packs, even the young ones. The packs look as if they will pull the children over backwards.

Lots of students quit at the end of the 10th year (age 14). They get a certificate of sorts for finishing 10. Alot are finding out they need more education now to get good employment. They can go on and finish 11 and 12 year with another certificate. They call state college TAFT, I don't know what it stands for but I will soon I am sure.

Down Loading Pictures

This down loading pictures takes a long time and effort. I am at the Ronald McDonald House right now and am using the internet and can up load or down load or what ever it is called pictures. It was nice of the Manager to let me use her office. The volunteers here are very nice to work with. I am looking forward to sleeping here in a queen size bed with air conditioning. How wonderful!

We went up to Armidale today to search the voting registery again for address of members who cannot be found. We can search all of Australia and some times fine them and can have their records forwarded to the new area. This helps the ward get people records where they are suppost to be. We then took Elders Sparry and Coi out lunch. Elder Coi is from China and speaks very little English. He has been here as long as we have. Elder Sperry speaks Chinese thank goodness.
It is a three hour trip up there and back, they are the closest Missionaries to us. We miss the Young Missionaries.

Sunscreen

This is the size they sell sunscreen in, as you have to cote yourself everyday with it from head to toe. So, so much for saving money on moisturizer Scott.

Clouds and Sky

Another picture

Beautiful Clouds and Blue Sky

These are pictures of the beautiful sky and clouds we have here! I love the blue, blue and the white, white.

Ronald McDonald House Tamworth

This is where we Volunteer every Friday. Every other week we serve from 4-8 PM and the other weeks we are there from 8 PM to 8 AM

The Hoffmanns

Brother and Sister Hoffmann. They are members of the Narrabri Branch. They moved out to the bush to do Missionary work. They have their work cut out for them. Very sweet couple.

Sign

This sign is hanging next to the electric box at the Hoffmann Home. Great Huh!

Houses on stilts

Lots of the houses are on stilts like this one. Some are up one whole story and others are only up a foot or two. It floods alot here.

For Scott

Scott you will love this! This is the way most of the electric boxes are out and about.

Kangaroos

Sunday evening we went for a walk by a members home up in the hills. Guess what we saw 10 Kangaroos. Not all at once but a few at a time. one we got within 25 ft from it. They are wonderful to watch. They watch you right back. They move very quiet, and are fun to watch hop around. We went back Monday evening and saw two. We got a picture Monday and it turned out but Sundays didn't as it was too dark. I am sure we will see many more as we get out of town in the early morning or evenings.