prayergoup - the next generation

We arrived at our dear friends', the Callows, home on Saturday.
It is certainly one of the most warm and inviting houses Liss and I have been in. and the garden... well Andy and Daphne (and the boys) have certainly outdone themselves.
On Sunday we went with Sarah Callow and her boyfriend Pete, to TLC (Truth and Liberation Concern). It is a great looking church (in fact my mum has an old newspaper clipping of her helping to build a mudbrick building), and the feel of congregation hadn't seem to change at all. relaxed, easy laughter, with a sense of casual community. in true Truth and Lib style Liss and I got pointed out, and we got called up to the front to say a couple of things. This might seem strange to those unfamiliar with the way the church works, but i apparently have a bit of a history of showing up behind the mic. after the service we had a number of folks come up to us and preface their greetings with... "you may not remember me... but i remember when you were this (moving a hand much closer to the floor) tall". it was fun.
afterwards (and after some stalling tactics on behalf of Sarah), we made it back to the Callows where they were hosting a little reception for us with the rest of the prayergroup (or at least, who wasn't in Queensland, Vancouver, Colorado, or wherever Jono happened to be in the States). it was such a wonderful afternoon. such good people, folks who had been great friends to mum and dad and also to me. and they were so welcoming to Liss, unreservedly drawing her into such a blessed community of people.
But they weren't all familiar faces... its amazing. eight years go by, and everyone seems to get married and have babies (a few of them only pretty recently). but regardless, just as it was with the Bentley's, Liss and I felt a really distinct sense of family.
And oh so generous as well. we were given a beautiful blownup photograph of the Outback, an exquisitely designed bowl (to signify the ocean), and an artistically-designed wooden cheese board made of Jarra (a beautiful Australian wood). It was such a great afternoon, and it already feels too long since we have seen the clans Dolan, Dwight, Callow, and (of course) Bentley.

and don't worry Dwighty, you were there in spirit.

the drive & the prom

sorry sorry sorry for such a long wait in between posts.
days seem to slip by very quickly over here.
during the last week we made our big trek. Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour (7 hours), Coffs Harbour to Merimbula (13 hours), and Merimbula to Wilson's Promontory National Park (7 hours). these are but rough estimates as there was a bit of stopping in between - and little rests in little country towns, with comforting food and delicious australian desserts (Liss tried her first Lamington!). one particular highlight was arriving just outside of Wilson's Prom (as it is called) to find the accomodation that Pauline Dwight and her sister had so generously booked for us: a beautiful night in a cabin with a large veranda and views to the water.

steve.

We made steaks (dismal ones, but that's what you get from a tiny grocer) and popped some bubbly (thanks Jess & Mark). Unfortunately, due to all the driving, Steve slept through most of the romantic evening, falling asleep at 9:45, while I enjoyed two glasses on my own in the spa. Cheers.

The day at the Prom was incredible. No pink dresses and awkward dancing - animals, stunning views, and copious amounts of flies. Wilson's Promontory is the southern-most tip of the mainland down here, and it is a sprawling national park, filled with tons of natural wonders and animals galore. (Ash - you gotta get there.) We hiked up to Pillar Point and sat upon massive rocks overlooking the water for lunch, then on to Squeaky Beach, where the grains of sand are quartz and they literally squeak beneath your feet as you walk. We saw an echidna, a black wallabee, several birds, and we think we saw a sea turtle. (The jury is still out....it may have been seaweed.) My desire to see a wombat in action was fulfilled while heading back towards our car.

The Prom certainly lived up to it's hype.
elissa joy watts

Convenience - Nov 22

Our diet out here on the road is incredible, and by that I don’t mean inspiring, I mean crazy. We are the poster-children of convenience. Steve has re-introduced me to the glory that is the McDonald’s breakfast. I’ll admit, it’s actually fun. I feel like we’re roadies together for the most fantastic travelling circus. Today, our longest day on the road, Steve even looks like a roadie. (Thank you Steve Cossman.) Of course, Steve’s ability to pound back the stuff puts me to shame, but I’m ok with that. I’ll stick to the yoghurt parfaits and the OJ, thank you.

elissa joy

ps. thanks are due to Steve Cossman for the terrific shirt.

(steve: I wore this for our massive 13 hour drive from Coffs Harbour to Merimbula. the second takes from people were quite amusing. i shan't be wearing it again. my wife can now breathe easy)

Christmas in July - November 21

I’m sure that the eggnog lattes are treating you all well back at home. This season is one of my favourites. I love the lead-in to Christmas: chilly air, early dark skies, lots of candles. Down here it looks like everyone is tacky and celebrating Christmas in July: surfboards, sundresses and Silver Bells. Even Starbucks makes no sense to me. Their summer menu is colliding with their Christmas beverage selection. Today Steve and I went looking for real coffee, but I was distracted by the hilarity taking place in Starbucks, and I had to take part. I traded in my long americano for a gingerbread frappucino because I liked the local color, and ‘tis the season.

elissa joy watts

The Bentleys (and the Zoo)

now that we are all caught up...
here is what happened over the last few days.
12 years had elapsed since the last time i saw the Bentleys (well, minus Lauren, who came up to Vancouver a number of years ago). it was at a farewell party for them, as they were leaving Melbourne to head to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. For those of you who don't know, they are a part of a prayergroup that involved five families based out of Melbourne, and around a church called TLC (Truth and Liberation Concern). in a few days we will see the other three families. the Bentleys - Geoff, Mac (Marion), Lauren, Warwick, Esther, and Grace are some of the most wonderful people you are likely to meet. over the last couple of days Liss and I have been able to catch up with them, seeing how some of them have grown significantly since i last saw them and seeing how their lives have changed and the extent of their ministry both at home and abroad. it has been a great experience. they have such joy, song, and laughter in their household. and of course, they have been so generous to us. yesterday we took a 4X4 on the beach, saw Sea Turtles making their way accross the breakers from our lookout on Noosa Heads, and bodysurfed waves down at the water below. we got to meet Warwick's lovely wife Ammi, got to hear about Grace's (perhaps unhealthy ;) infatuation with Patti Griffin (who played in Brisbane lastnight) and also Esther's burgeoning bridesmaid career (nine times). And of course, Geoff and Mac. Good friends of my parents from before i was born. in fact, Mac was the first person my mother met as she opened the door to TLC. They got married only a little ways apart. And, funnily enough, both engaged on their first dates.
anyways, the time has come for us to make the trek down the coast. tonight: Coffs Harbour (for all of you following our route on a map at home)

steve.

The Sunshine Coast has been marvellous: the best people, the best produce (the pineapple!!!), and the best zoo! Our day at the Australia Zoo was well spent. We even had a celebrity run-in: we met Terri Irwin! (I had no idea that Steve Irwin, her husband and the late famous Crocodile Hunter, was responsible for the zoo's existence, but nevermind.) We ended up asking a zoo employee for some direction, only to hear her respond with an American accent. It wasn't until we saw her face on the megatron at the "Crocosseum" that we realized who we had been speaking to. All in all, a fun day filled with koalas and kangaroos and wallabees - oh my!

(Steve interrupting)

ok ok ok... so there were these 7-feet long tigers that scaled up 25-foot trees in a heartbeat. they had a bird enclosure with parakeets and cockatoos and other crazy birds that kept swooping in over our heads. we saw a crocodile get fed (but, in all fairness, it was a bit of a lazy crocodile). they gave their dingoes walks through the zoo. Liss patted a koala. we saw not just one of the worlds most poisonous snakes - but the number one AND number two most poisonous snakes- both which call Australia home. the most poisonous has enough venom in its bite to take down one hundred healthy fellows (though I'm not sure if their is scientific evidence to support such a fact), we saw some cassowaries and their 'interesting' methods of ingestion and digestion, and so much more. although i haven't been to many zoos this was by far the coolest. so many staff - some just hanging out with wombats on the grass. also - we found all the Steve Irwin tributes really moving. there was an area where they had collected all kinds of messages, many on his style of khaki shirt, from all around the world. people really loved him over here and he leaves a tremendous legacy.

(ok. back to Liss)

I am now collecting recipes from all the lovely people we'll be seeing along our journey. Mac Bentley gifted me with a beautiful book to collect them in - and I've snagged the best recipe for real Aussie Sticky Date Pudding. Delicious!

Elissa Joy.

Friday evening, Steve and I sat watching the local news before bed. The story: "Schoolies", a massive onslaught of high-schoolers swarming the coast to party for the weekend. (Much like Spring Break in Miami.) Turns out this swarm of high-schoolers was set to hit Surfer's Paradise at the same time that Steve and I were to be staying there with Steve's cousin, Jess, and her fiancee Mark.

We spent the evening with them at a little pub, and afterwards, walked around the vibrant metropolis dodging intoxicated teenagers. It was hilarious.

Last Day In Sydney

so this is a little bit of a retroactive post, seeing as this all happened, i don't know, maybe a few days ago.
anyways: we went to Sydney courtesy of a ferry from Manly, got a car, learned to drive on the left side of the road in Downtown Sydney (followed by a harrowing trip across the Harbour Bridge) met the Gio, saw his church-to-be, swam some epic journey around Balmoral, and won some money at the pokeys (my newfound luck continues). The nexy day, we took a trip to the the Blue Mountains, had a meat pie (of sorts), saw the Three Sisters, got eaten by many flies, drove to Darling Harbour, experienced a bit of "Culture Day" (courtesy of some wealthy Chinese Pharmaceutical and their firework barge) and then visited the Sydney Aquarium, where we got to see sleepy seals, a playful pair of platupii (my word), and walked underneath an acquarium full of sharks, rays, other kinds of bright and beautiful fish, and two large sea turtles (!). brilliant. i expect Ash to be very jealous of me. and i accept his jealousy. it is welcome here. and we haven't even talked about Australia Zoo yet.

steve.

3 days, two burgers, one Gio

hello everybody.
we are now into our fourth day of honeymoon.
two days ago we got up at 6:15am, went for a little jog, came home, had breakfast.... and then went back to sleep. ;)
we originally planned to get out in the surf (i.e. i go in the surf, while liss looks beautiful on the beach), but then we felt a bit hungry so we ended up at this corner burger place by the water. i saw "the lot" as being an option, so naturally i went for that burger, bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce, carrot, cucumber, simmered onion, beet, and fried egg goodness (naturally, we thought of you Ash). Liss, not to be outdone, seconded that motion (much to my suprise and delight). of course, we didn't want our eyes to be bigger than our tummies so we decided to split a large bowl of wedges. needless to say the bowl of wedges would have been plenty... without the burgers. huge servings. but you know what? its our honeymoon - we can do anything we want. anyways, we plundered those wedges and those burgers (photo evidence coming soon - when blogger decides to behave itself). and we felt very good about ourselves. that was until we got up and realized that maybe the surf wasn't beckoning quite so strongly and perhaps we should have another nap and let our stomachs rest a bit...

and so ended our trip to the beach. we did not eat again for nine hours.
but on the plus side we did watch Knocked Up and decided we would never eat that much ever again.

steve.

Yesterday we made our way to Sydney on the ferry from Manly to Circular Quay. It was stunning - and much more affordable than a Harbour Cruise. Upon landing on the other side, we found our trail and began walking through the city: The Rocks, one of several opal shops, and the most stunning shopping center: the Queen Victoria Building. We navigated our way to Darling Harbour, where Steve had to contain his excitement....he cannot wait to hit the aquarium here in Sydney :) (he wants me to tell you about the largest great barrier reef display in the world and the 12,000 all Australian aquatic animals.) Finally - our destination: Star City - the most over-indulgent casino/theatre/tourist trap in Sydney. Fantastic. No, we did not spend time there...just picked up our car. We are now zipping around Oz in a flashy new Toyota, Steve at the helm, and me trying desperately not to die of anxiety while I ride shotgun. :) No accidents yet, just some near-death experiences. I appreciate your prayers.

We met up with Tim Giovanelli in Crow's Nest, a lovely little spot in North Sydney (much like Kits & Kerrisdale all rolled together) It was great to catch up. He suggested we head to the beach, but we hadn't brought our "swimmers".... but that didn't stop us. Yes, Mom. Another bikini. :) we found the nearest surf shop, picked through the sale pile, and suited up in our new gear to hit the beach in Balmoral. Fish & chips pollished up our near-perfect day. (AND - my first potato cake is now behind me, Dwighty.)

Thanks so much for all the lovely notes. It's great to hear from you all. We are SO blessed.

hugs.
elissa joy watts

live from manly cove

G'day!

I am enthusiastically practising my "aussie" - swapping "bathrooms" for "toilets", walking on the left side of the road, and ordering "long blacks" instead of americanos at the coffee shop here in Oz. IT IS INCREDIBLE!!! We have the next couple of days at a lovely little B&B right on the water, across from manly cove. The vibe is like something from a movie - what a delightful little surf town. The agenda? Well, mostly just relaxing, enjoying the married life, and eating well. Oyster Bay wine is so cheap here, Bec!!!

Love to you all...we'll keep you posted

elissa joy watts.

...

As Liss has said, it is incredible here. the weather is so beautiful - and dad, real beaches with real surf! we got up nice and early, went for a jog along the water, and had a lovely breakfast. there is something so wonderful about looking up at the sky and seeing the odd parakeet and cockatoo. beautiful. anyways, Sydney is up next. maybe we'll catch a show at the Opera House, who knows? we'll update again in a couple of days.

Steve.