getting ready for the working bee

Another weekend over.  Not much to report. Picked Dennis up at work on Friday so that we could have an early start to the weekend. Made chicken Schnitzel for dinner and then we watched TV. On Saturday morning Dennis had to do a service project for church and I headed to Mum’s place. We had a pre-working bee working bee. Mum has a valuer coming on Monday to get a value on the house to help with a loan. So we did a very rough and quick facelift. Gerd outside and I helped Mum inside. Needless to say Mum has been working around the clock all weekend. Went back there for a short while this afternoon. But not sure if I achieved much…mainly held Mum up I think!

Saturday night we attended a social event with the company Dennis works for. This is the first time we attended a work social where I didn’t know anybody. We worked together so long and most of the time we went out it was with my company where we both knew everyone. But it was still ok. Met a few of his colleagues and the food was alright too. But we headed off before dessert…getting a bit old for staying out all night!

Today we went to church. Both of us had to give a lesson at church today. Dennis for the men and I for the women. Same topic. Not my favourite topic. Was on Pornography of all things! Interestingly enough the research we did showed that this has become another sickness in today’s society which is very addictive. One person interviewed said he had been both addicted to drugs and addicted to pornography and it was much easier to give up the drugs than the porn. Now that’s saying something. One thing I remember clearly is that when Dennis and I came back from Malaysia we were absolutely shocked by the crap on TV here in Australia. The TV is censored in Muslim societies so all the bad bits are blipped out. And in the two years we were away things had gone very much downhill here in Australia. Some of the shit that is advertised is absolutely disgusting. No wonder people get addicted. Trouble is that when things deteriorate gradually you get desensitised to it. A bit like that experiment with the frogs. Some frogs were put into a pot of water which was gradually warmed up until it reached boiling point. Not one of the frogs attempted to jump out. They gradually got used to the ever increasing heat until it was so hot it killed them. That’s what evil can be like. We gradually get so used to it that it is no longer abhorrent or strange. Dennis found this poem by Alexander Pope which explains it very well:

“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,

As to be hated needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, and then embrace.”

After getting back from Mum’s place I did some more sorting out of stuff for eBay and then added some photos to Mum and Dad’s blobs. And translated a letter Mum found written by Dad to his sister Gretchen in 1982 which I thought was good to have in English.

Just had a successful sale on eBay! “Diatribe My” or “helenamonroe”  bought an art book that used to belong to Dad J I think she is feeling very sorry for me and trying to share some of her huge eBay profits! But thank you very much!

Looking forward to having Pete come back online. Only 2 days to go! I have it on good authority (but mum’s the word) that he was not abducted by any penguins or rats, just very busy. I also heard on the grapevine (very reliable one) that as of today he is much closer to us than you may think…but not giving anything away. I think he was rather lovesick in Adelaide….enough said!