Thursday 9 December 2010

CATCHING UP - Part Two

Well, I did promise to write about more on those days and 4,500 kilometres we travelled in November. Now I do really doubt if I ever will “catch up” and that simply leaves me to stop and then try and start again!  Before I do “stop” here are a few more thoughts about our time in Queensland, travelling through New South Wales back to Melbourne.

After church on Sunday in Brisbane we enjoyed seeing family we have not seen since my mother’s funeral two years ago. 


Then it was time to head off to the Sunshine Coast to be a tutor at a live-in mentorship programme organised by the Omega Writers and sponsored by Rochelle Manners, the publisher of Wombat Books and even Before Publishing. This was also a learning experience for myself.

 









During the weeks before leaving for our trip, I had been very busy reading through the Christian fiction manuscripts the three unpublished writers had sent me. It was a very busy time trying to spend equal time as much as each writer needed during those five days, so I was very glad I had spent those many, many hours editing and writing comments throughout their manuscripts for them to consider. I believe it was a very worthwhile time for all concerned and the writers themselves thought it blissful to have those days free to write and write.
Ray also managed to get some writing done, minded Rochelle’s couple of delightful little children as well as talking to her about his two devotional books she is publishing next year. Hopefully it wont be long before we will be able to show you the beautiful covers she was working on – in between her own writing and preparing our meals!

Ray and I enjoyed the drive from Noosaville through beautiful scenery to Toowoomba ready for our next appointments. We were so privileged to be able to stay with old friends Gillian and David for three nights.















Speaking at the Toowoomba library was another new experience and learning curve for me.  Here chatting with a reader and two Toowoomba Librarians who helped organise this with Friends of the Library.
As Ray and I have experienced so many times over the years, God sure does organise our diary for us! this time it just “happened” that I discovered through a fellow ex-nurse that the Toowoomba Base Hospital nurses’ reunion luncheon was that same Saturday in Toowoomba.












There were only a few there from the graduation class of 1961 as well as an old school friend, Margaret, who also graduated that year.

I had a special chat with our tutor sister, Joan Bell (nee Neale) who had also been a member of our Australian Nurses Christian Fellowship in Toowoomba in those days.  A very special person





And so, after fellowship with more old friends at my home church, now Humeridge Church of Christ, we headed south down the New England highway this time through New South Wales and to Melbourne to stay with our daughter.

We enjoyed spending far too brief a time there with her and other writers, Amanda Deed (CALEB fiction winner), her mother and also Dorothy Adamek not long returned from the American Christian Fiction Writers great conference in Indianapolis.

And now we are home and with Christmas looming ever closer, the Christmas tree is out but not decorated yet...so, more next time.

3 comments:

  1. What a blessing to meet you Mary! Thank you for your warm hospitality and encouragement. I have discovered first hand how generous writers are with their time and resources. You are one of the best at sharing.
    Blessings to you
    Dorothy :)

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  2. Mary have just read your blogs for the past few months and it was great to know what you and Ray have been doing.Am just reading Outback from Baragula which I purchased at camp.
    Trust you were were able to spend some happy times with your family over Christmas.
    God bless
    Gwenda

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  3. Do hope you enjoy Outback From Baragla, Gwenda. Yes, we had a lovely christmas although we did miss Lance & Karen this year. It was good seeing them in August though.

    Thank you so much for YOUR encouragement, Dorothy. I do so enjoy fellowship with other Christian writers who are "kindred spirits".

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