Category: Two of us

Last week we celebrated our first Thanksgiving (although we have given thanks before!). This is a wonderful American tradition which is very family based and so far has remained free from gift giving or other commercial excesses (apart maybe from excessive amounts of turkey and pumpkin pie).

Another busy week, with a mix of disappointments, sorrows, and joys. My major disappointment was with the election results – not entirely with who won (seems there was not much to choose between), but more that the major issue seems to have been our attitude to refugees. If we as a nation are so unable or unwilling to help those...

We experienced wild weather here in October. We had record high rainfall (almost 8 inches), record flooding of the Wabash River (the river that separates West Lafayette and Lafayette and runs down to form the south western border between Indiana and Illinois, then joins with the Ohio River), a record number of 12 tornadoes, and record high wind gusts of...

Last weekend saw us enjoying another particularly fine American college tradition – Homecoming weekend. This is an annual event when alumni return to their old school and are warmly welcomed by faculty and students. The highlight is the football game on Saturday, but the whole weekend is an action-packed extravaganza. Typically such weekends are worth about $2m to the Lafayette...

While life for postal workers, politicians, and media personalities has taken on a very sombre note, we continue to remain safe from the hazards of the ongoing conflict. I continue to pray that a peaceful and just resolution will soon be found, and that our security is maintained.

Last weekend was the grand occasion of the annual celebration of the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon. This is the biggest event in the Lafayette social calendar and has been much touted and much anticipated by all. There was a “dry run” a couple of weeks ago, and Peter and I went along to get a small taste of what...

We are missing the beautiful Spring display in Toowoomba, but are certainly not totally deprived. We are being treated instead to the spectacular display of fall colours. Each day more trees take on a different shade of red, purple, pink, orange, yellow or brown.

At last we are now both proud owners of Indiana Driver’s Licences. Although we could legally drive on our Australian licences for 12 months, it was a condition of our motor vehicle insurance that we get our Indiana licences within 45 days.

Friday the 14th was my birthday, and I was powerfully struck by the differences between my celebrations last year and this. Last year, Peter and I made the wonderful journey to what for me is the spiritual and physical heart of our country, Uluru. It was a moving and momentous experience for me, combining the celebration of my 50 years...