Settling in

We are slipping into our new life pretty easily, although we haven't, as yet, conquered the infamous Basingstoke roundabouts! (we'd like to know if any foreigner ever has...).
C appears to be still employed after leading the evening service and taking the 'children's spot' last Sunday—this week he attempts to explain Mark 11:12-26 in his first sermon at St. Andrew's, Sherborne St. John.

S is loving the chance to romp through the fields behind our house, the scent (and sight) of hares, pheasants and deer, stirring up something innately Springer and gun dog in him. The pheasant shooting season has just begun, and as exciting as this may seem to him, we must be careful to keep him to the bridleways and footpaths as the sight of another native—the gamekeeper—may not be so pleasant! Sasunnach has been succesful at springing 2 or 3 birds from the ground cover as the very blurry photo suggests...that smudge on the right side IS a cock-pheasant!


We are overwhelmed with thanks at the generosity of God and our new friends at SWP. We arrived at our new home and found 2 huge boxes filled with food and general supplies! This was so thoughtful and useful and really sums up how, as Christians, we are to 'practice hospitality'. Hospitality, in the literal sense, means 'love of strangers' (philo~xenia), and that is what our new friends have done so well, in loving us—strangers. Thank you!



We are doing a fair amount of reading. This will be a considerable component of C's work generally, but especially at the moment as we study Hampshire bus routes, paint colour charts, new electrical appliance instructions, telephone lists, insurance disclosure statements etc. etc. A is trying to get her hands on a copy of Kate Fox's acclaimed book, "Watching the English" (Not available in Oz at the time of leaving, for some reason) in the hope of understanding cultural differences. It might not be a radically different culture, but we have already learned NOT to describe someone as wearing "thongs" unless we want raised eyebrows. They are "flip-flops" here, thongs are worn on a very different area of the body...