Reconnecting with my Sydney Seed Mates in the Blue Mountains for Emma's birthday :)

Arie, Emma, Simon, & Claire in the Blue Mountains having fun near the top of Wentworth Falls :)

Hello there dear friends & family,

note ... pic's to be added once I can get the picture uploading to cooperate for me ... hopefully in the next few days for sure ...

I finally got on top of collecting my thoughts and a few pic's from my Easter long week-end visit in the Blue Mountains with a bunch of my Seed mates for Emma's birthday ...

It was soooo very splendid to reconnect with Emma, Sue, Claire & her sweetie Michael, Simon & his sweetie Viv, and the ever mischevious Noel. It was also nice to see Emma's friend Arie who was also in on the birthday visit, ... I had met Arie during my visit two years ago.

Most of us went for a hike to Wentworth Falls, one of the places that visitors to the Blue Mountains are able to enjoy. It was a very, very steep hike down, including a number of steep staircases and a few skinny tracks along the steep rock walls.

Arie, Claire, Emma, & Simon heading down the steep rock stairs to the base of Wentworth Falls

amazing sanstone walls of the Blue Mountains

The falls themselves were quite splendid and equally splendid, we enjoyed a nice quiet time at the base of the falls once we finally got to the small pool area after our steep descent.

Wentworth Falls

Emma sitting on a big rock at the base of the falls

peaceful, flowing water

It was nice to do this with only a light pack on my back and in the company of such wonderful friends.

enjoying the Blue Mountains with my Sydney Seed Mates ... Claire, Emma, & Simon :)

After we made our way back up to the top, we enjoyed some ice chocolates and ice coffees at the tea house, then we headed back to Emma's where Michael & Claire set themselves to making Emma's birthday celebration dinner. Sue took me to the grocery store to get the extra fixings I needed to cover the treats we would have for dessert.

Dinner was absolutely fabulous and everyone enjoyed the ice cream, cookies, & Grand Marnier chocolate chili sauce that I had brought (a treat I had bought back in SW Australia with Margaret Whittle's encouragement).

Emma & her birthday treats

Emma opening her b-day present from me ... the chocolate chili sauce :)

We all slept overnight at Emma's after a leisurely visit after dinner that included a fun game of "In the Manner of the Word", where one person has to guess which adverb you are describing when the person guessing asks different people in the group to do x, y, or z, "Teresa, shake Noel's hand ... in the manner of the word," OR "Claire, please hug Michael ... in the manner of the word." The adverb could have been anything from gently, to confidently, to despondently ... It was heaps of fun and a great way to spend the evening with my dear Sydney Seed Mates.

Simon & me ... trying to catch up on our hugs :)

Sue & Noel ... two very splendid Seed Mates

Simon & Viv ... what a delightful pair

Unfortunately, our dear Bec had to be in Sydney for the Easter Show, so we missed seeing her ... and I didn't get a chance to connect with Mango Man, Graeme either. As well, since I didn't actually spend any lengthy amount of time in Sydney, I wasn't able to reconnect with Fumi, John, or Julia, or any of my Dharma friends there. Hopefully, I'll be able to visit with them the next time I have a chance to spend a few days in Sydney.

The next day, everyone scattered in the directions they needed to go ... and I was able to have the pleasure of spending the day ... & overnight hanging out with Noel (Noel has also been living in the Blue Mountains, so it was handy for me to catch up with Noel as I did :).

Noel and I went out to the same tea house & sniffed out some ice cream cones which we enjoyed as we hiked along one of the shorter tracks near tea house.

That night, Noel treated me to some tasty Vietnemese food for dinner that night & then after some deliberations, we ended up getting a few groceries and making eggs & toast at Noel's before he dropped me off at the train station ... phew ... we managed to get there in time ... after realizing that we were late in heading out from Noel's place :)

As it turned out, the friendly Aussie that chatted with me on the train ride out to the Blue Mountains we on the same train for my ride back ... he invited me to join him in the seat beside him ... and we continued to visit and share what we had been up to for the week-end throughout the ~2 hour train trip.

After I got in to Sydney, I had time to go search out the Khatmandu outdoor gear store and got a couple great deals from their Easter sale ... I now have a pair of trekking poles (which have been the most valuable gear for my OB hiking endeavours), a pair of fleece socks to keep my feet warm at night, and a lightwieght sleeping bag (for the warmer temp's when I don't need the extra insulation that my OB sleeping bag offers) and it packs up to 1/2 or 1/3 the size of my OB bag :).

Before I knew it, it was time to head back over to the train/bus station to catch my bus to Canberra.

It was soooo very wonder-full that these plans worked as splendidly as they did ... to catch so many of my Seed Mates for a visit AND to be able to get in on the fun celebrations for Emma's birthday!! It was a much needed first break away from my OB apartment & outdoor instructor training mode, ... plus a huge lift to my spirit to reconnect with some of my Seed Mates and finally meet Michael & Viv.

Thanks heaps for having me over Emma ... & all the best to you with whatever adventures await you in the upcoming year.

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa

ROMEO's River Rescue Training on the Snowy River (April 12-15, 2007)

misty morning over the legendary Snowy River

Greetings Relatives ... my dear Family & Friends,

I haven't yet had chance to add a few more details to my Expedition Training posting ... but when I do, you can just scroll down to that posting & read more then ...

Meanwhile ...

Our time in the Snowy Mountains included exploring the Snowy River by canoe as we undertook 4 days of River Rescue training (April 12-15). Among the highlights of our adventures ... we learned ways to rescue canoes that got jammed up against rocks & then filled with a few hundred kilograms of water, plus how to rescue people who have had their feet/legs trapped underwater against a rock or fallen tree trunk/branch ... also known as a "foot entrapment" ...

Vilas, one of my OBA friends from India ... standing in front of my tent at the mobile base in "the Snowies"


me in Melbourne ... after getting a great deal on my new waterproof digital camera case, I finally searched one out Ollie!!

Thanks HEAPS to my colleagues at Environment Canada ... I finally put your kind contributions to my OBA Aussie adventures to add to my outdoor camera gear :)


I will add some pictures & stories to this posting later today ... but I wanted to put the posting up so that I could get a few other updates up on my BLOG as well. So, do check back in on these new ones to see whatever other pic's & stories I add to them.

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa

middle of May ... & missing all of my mates "back home"

enjoying the view from the NORA abseil site where I had the chance to do a few more abseil set-ups (& get that signed off :) while I did my BACK-UP back at the end of March ... the Orroral Valley in behind me is quite a spectacular site!

hello again dear ones,

it's a funny thing, this concept of time ...

one moment, it seems like I've been "Down Unda" for heaps of time ... & I realize it's been almost 6 months since I last saw all of you back on Turtle Island (North America)

... the next moment, I come to realize that I've packed a zany number of new adventures into the past 6 months and I am spending even more & more time away from the confines of walls, roofs, & flushing toilets ... all this outdoor fun and learning packed into what seems like a really short space of time, it's mind boggling!

maintaining contact with so many of you through my BLOG, ... e-mail, ... and a phone call here & there has been really great ... it's awesome hearing from you and reading the updates you have sent along ... hmmmm, reflecting on some of your more recent updates ... here's a little overview of the fun y'all are having while I am away ...

* little miss Lotus has entered the world of Erin & Scott (Erin is my Environment Canada colleague who filled in for my when I was "Down Unda" the first time)

* little miss Scarlet has turned 1 ... I know Rhea & Grady are having heaps of fun as this little toddler gets closer & closer to being mobile on her own 2 feet

* Madame Claudette is preparing to bid "adieu" to Environment Canada after a few decades of dedicated service ... I would love to be around for your bon voyage party, sorry I am not able to join in on the celebrations ... please share a few pic's from your farewell bash, it will be great to see the fun you have & the huge smiles you have for the camera as you enjoy the company of the friends, family, and colleagues that gather to celebrate YOU

* many folks have been enjoying the pic's & stories I've been sharing & sharing my blog with other folks who don't even know me but are enjoying the pic's none the less ... thanks for your comments & e-mails Mom, Laurelie, Nadia, Katrina, Xenia, Andrew, Deanna, Dee, Liz, Nadine, kt, Phoebe, Jill & Ethan, & everyone else who has been keeping up on my adventures & posting comments or sending e-mails ... Dad & Cecilia, Ollie, Maureen, Elizabeth, Margaret, Cheryl, Colette, Irene, A. Evelyn, ... thanks heaps!! it's great to stay connected across the km's & to hear how you are doing :)

* Laurelie & the SACB (St. Albert Community Band) had a great special event with the "Pre Tenors" back in March & they are gearing up for the final concert in 4 weeks & a "band geek" get together on Laurelie's birthday (I use the words band geek in a most endearing manner, given that I have been a chief band geek most of my adult life :)

* Corporate Challenge is coming up real soon & my Environment Canada colleagues are gearing up for the fun & games ... I know you'll all have heaps of fun and EC will prevail in many of the competitions ... LET"S GO EC LET'S GO!!

* Lori, my elephant/snake charming friend has returned from her AMAZING year of adventures abroad ... zipping around SE Asia on the back of a motorcycle, meditating for days on end, spending time with the orphaned Sri Lankan elephants again & selling more elephant paintings as fund raisers, helping wayward sea turtles (how COOL!) and creating other splendid projects along the way ... welcome back to Edmonton my friend!

* many of my Seed Mates, bodhisattva buddies, and enviro friends are busily working on the many projects and campaigns that they are deeply committed to ... keep up the great work!!

As much as I am enjoying my time being "a place apart" ... and out of the loop of everyday news & goings on (the onslaught of the excess of information and material things) ... I am trying to keep current through the newspaper and a bit of the Internet when I can ... it seems like many folks are finally waking up to the realities of Global Climate Change and the implications vast array of climate change effects that we are already facing and which we will be seeing more & more of ... the City of Canberra is facing all time lows for their water intake and will be severely cutting back on outside water usage ... the Snowy River was only around 0.35m to 0.39m, while we were in the Snowies, I also heard that Tony Blaire is finally stepping down.

It sounds like all kinds of transitions and transformations are still trying to be sorted out within the federal government since I've moved on from Environment Canada. My thoughts are with you as you try to keep doing the good work you are doing amid the difficulties of working within the slow, bureaucratic government machine. It seems like my timing was quite good for moving on, although I still worry about the little non-profit organizations and the challenges they face in obtaining the support they need to do their good work ... do take care my friends! I look forward to hearing about your latest efforts & to reconnecting with you over the cyber waves.


I know there's heaps more going on & that I'm not fully in the loop on what you're all up to (please catch me up on any tidbits that you would like to share) ... I am grateful for the updates you are sharing and I am also missing not having more frequent contact with so many of my dear friends and family ... it's a challenging paradox ... getting in on all the great adventures and awesome outdoor leadership and training opportunities but also being away from the folks and places that I care about ...

It won't be long now before I will be preparing for my ASSESSMENT course and finishing up any loose ends for completing my Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation ... WOW, what a thought, there's still quite a bit to do & get signed off but we're definitely coming in closer to the home stretch! By the time August is over ... Outward Bound Australia will be offering contracts to folks that are deemed competent and a good fit for the available positions. Any of the ROMEO's (myself included) who are offered contracts would then switch into full time Group Instructors or other positions that might be up for grabs by then ... that's still heaps of time away and I'll cross whatever bridges need crossing once they appear ... until then ... I need to keep up with my practical reviews and assessment preparations, studying for a few more exams, and pulling together a few more assignments. In order to do this, I need to get my rest ... so I will sign off for now & will promise to add more on the picurte side of things during my next set of RDO's (days off) that we have during the 21-23 May.

In the meantime, please know that I am missing you all heaps & that I would be connecting more often than I am but my schedule is pretty jam packed.

Next week, I'll catch up on the additional BLOG updates & pic's that didn't get covered in this 3 day break which is now coming to a close ... darn it! I thought I would spend my time with all of you with this little reminiscent blog entry instead, to let you know I am thinking of you and wishing you well, whatever you are doing, wherever you may be ...

Enjoy the warmer temperatures, the barefoot weather, and all the fun that you get to have out in your gardens, at the duck ponds, enjoying outdoor concerts and performances in the parks or on the streets, and anytime you can take to slow down, & enjoy the simpler things in life ... like a glass of lemonade after weeding the garden, ... or a bowl of ice cream after walking your canine friends, ... or a quiet evening with yourself or with a few friends after a long, challenging work week.

Time for me to call it a day & get ready for sleep after I get a few things organized for our 2 day Facilitation Training block (which will be followed by our 2 day Expedition Assessment block). The FULLNESS of time is something I am definitely getting more familiar with during this internship ... something that is made quite rewarding and positive because of all the great activities and training we are immersed in. I much prefer having full-ness in my daily life, instead of the busy-ness that had me "beetling" about in a 9 to 5 kind of way.

Wishing each of you the comforts and rewards of the full-ness in your lives that will sustain you & nurture your core as you share your gifts and skills with those around you.

Be well & happy,

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa

Happy Mother's Day ... & I'm back from the Snowy Mountains

amazed at all the colours of Autumn outside the Buchan Caves in the Snowies ... courtesy of all the non-native trees planted in this park ... definitely a taste of "home" for me :)

Happy Mother's Day to all you splendid Mama's out there :)

I am sending my warm wishes of peace & love out to each & every one of the Mother's in my life ...
... Mom, Cecilia, ... Baba B., Baba R., ... Xenia, Tammie ... Nancy, Mrs. C., Gail, Mrs. Dec ...

... plus my many spendid friends & family who are wonder-full Mama's of your little ones (& Grand MAMA's too), whom I enjoy extending my Auntie Teresa fun & energy with ... Erin, the newest Mama in my circle of friends, Jill, Shelley, Mary-Frances, Evon, Cheryl, Sheri, Kristin & Claudette, Antonia, Joan, Karen, Shagufta, Tracey, Michele, Kerry, Lori, Mair, Ollie, Claudette, Mary, Sheril, Lara, Colleen ... my cousin Kathy, A. Carol Lynn, A. Sharon, A. Shirley, ... all of my Seed Mate who are Mama's and the rest of my friends who have mothered, birthed, and tended to the little, growing beings in your lives

I know there's heaps more of you whom I have not named above but you know who you are & I am sending my love to you as well ... please forgive me, my head is spinning a little & I don't want to miss anyone but is likely that I have. You are all special and I'm grateful for ALL of you MAMA's who are in my life, for your caring, patience, guidance, fussing and support that you shared with me over the years ... and for all of you who have shared your little ones with me ... I do miss getting together with you & my little (& no longer so little) buddies, please send me a few pic's and/or an update on how you are doing :) BIG, BIG hugs to Alexis, Bailey, & Carissa, ... Aidan, Eva, Gavin, Alisdair, Ethan, Isabel, Andrea, Izaak, Kezia, Sydney, Ryan, Kodi, the newly arrived Lotus, one year young Scarlet ... Brent, Jamie, ... Alex, Adam, Jarrod, & Jenna, Matthew, Simon, & the rest of my merry "little buddy" mob! Included in this list of precious little buddies are all of the furry, four-legged "babies" that many of you have been spoiling & I've enjoyed playing with such as You-Jean, Lucky, Piccola, Moby, ... Guinea ... Jesse, Jake, Yarra, Carly, ... Birch, Ladybug, Maseo, ... Basil, Ginger, ... Iris, Charles, ... Sheeba, Cashmere, ... Pixel, Kiai ... ;)

~~~

I am back from a month in the Snowy Mountains where we had 4 days of River Training to kick things off for us on the Snowy River ... this was followed by one day off & then the next two Course Experiences opportunities for all of us interns to have more time mixing it up with participants (Papa's as we also call them, since P in the phonetic alphabet is PAPA) out on course with two different schools.

For the first of these two courses, I had my OBSERVE with yr. 9 students from Beaconhills School, Nick from New Zealand (from April 26-May 6) was my mentor instructor for this course experience. The second course I did my ASSIST with my mentor Jay, another instructor from Canada, we were with yr. 10 students from St. Fancis Xavier (which is in the same area east of Melbourne as the Beaconhills School). My OBSERVE was quite a lot more satisfying since I was able to connect with the kids as the primary instructor from the "get go" and they responded with a level of maturity & respect that was quite welcome that they were able to maintain for the first half of the course before they got caught up with being the 15-16 year olds they are. All in all, I had a very good course experience, heaps of learning and great experience to build on in the next course.

I'll share a few more tidbits on my OBSERVE & ASSIST over the next couple of days (we have 3 RDO"S in a row), it's already evening today & somehow this first RDO has filled up and I am already in winding down mode. Today I spent getting laundry going and sorting out a number of loose ends and getting a few things organized so that I could meet up with my Seed Mate kt in Tuggeranong after the appointment I had with the physiotherapist there ... to help me figure out how to deal with the tingling/numb toes & fingers that I have been struggling with since our Expedition Training back in mid-March. I've got another appointment for Wednesday and some stretches to do as my "homework" to help loosen things up with my feet & hands.

It was really great to reconnect with kt & catch up with her over the little picnic lunch we had near one of the man-made lakes in Tuggeranong. Thanks again for such a tasty and enjoyable picnic my friend! Both of us had bikes to transport us about, so once kt headed off on the bus, with her borrowed bike on the front of the bus, I headed back to Tharwa on my nice 48 minute bike ride. It was also really great fun to be with you when you had the exciting phone call about the potential 2 month music gig in Hong Kong later this year. Please keep me posted on how these plans shake out ;) Also, I know you will have a great time reconnecting with our Seed Mates up in Sydney, please pass along my hugs & love to all of the Sydney mob while you are up there and with the WA mob once you are back in the west.

A bunch of us just got back from dinner ("tea") in the dining hall a little while ago ... soooo very nice not to enjoy fully the meal we had ... no cooking or supervising of the cooking was involved ... much more relaxing and appealing to the taste buds!

I am slowly catching up on the e-mail that built up while I was out of touch this past month ...

CONGRATULATIONS Erin & Scott on the arrival of your splendid, smiling, and very adorable little Lotus Elizabeth!!! What a treat to be able to see pic's of the three of you so very close on the heels of Lotus' arrival on the 29th of April ... what a mighty fine Mother's Day gift for you to have your new bundle of love arrive with such splendid timing! Thanks Ollie & Irene for sharing the news & pic's/blog address with me :) I've added Lotus' (the McAnsh's) blog to my Canadian Lynx list on my blog as well. If you can try to search out a copy of "Oh Baby, The Places You'll Go" ... an awesome spin on Dr. Seuss' original, you'll love it! (I may have given a copy to Shelley & Steve, see if you can borrow it to read to Lotus if the Edm. Public Library doesn't have it).

Potluck Pals, I trust you had a lovely April potluck gathering, do let me know how things are going Maureen, Mair, Catherine, Colette, Laurelie, Laura, Joy ... sure do miss those get togethers and am glad to hear that thigns are back in the swing of things for the poltuck evenings.

Xenia, I'm sorry I wasn't able to connect with you over your birthday, I'll be trying to connect with you over the next couple of days to catch up and to share my birthday & mother's day greetings with you. Looking forward to catching up with a bunch of you, so hopefully I can reach you during the more optimal calling times across the time zones for us.

And WOW, WOW, WOW, ... Nadia, 21 years young now ... what great fun for you to be able to celebrate this birthday over in Germany ... I hope you were able to find some fine German chocloate or black forest cake to make the festive occasion that much more memorable!

Also, Happy Anniversary U. Billie & A. Shirley!

In the meantime, I wish all of you a splendid Spring time and heaps of sunshine and all things green as you prepare for the coming of Summer. We've been experiencing some fairly cool/cold evenings this past while although the days are more often than not quite sunny & warm. I wore shorts into Tuggeranong today and had a great bike ride to get back to the national base. No need for more than shorts & T-shirt :)

Looking forward to hearing how you are doing, so please send me an e-mail when you can or snail mail if you like :)

Things are really building toward the big finish ... our ASSESSMENT course that will take place sometime in June/July/August while we are up in northern New South Wales at/near Kyogle ... so lots to keep on top of, prepare, and do to get the remaining assignments completed and to be on top of our game for the remaining training blocks we have coming up. I will do my best to get some pic's posted on my blog over the next couple of days along with a few more details of the past 2 course experiences and the awesome water training we did along the Snowy River. If you are curious about some activities that I have mentioned before but haven't posted pic's or stories, just let me know, I'd appreciate the reminder :)

Jill & Ethan, it will be great to meet up with you in August when you are Down Unda for you big adventures. Let's connect sometime soon to talk about where we'll meet up given that I'll be up in northern NSW instead of down here near Canberra during your time here in the Land of Oz.

Time for me to sign off for now, I'll be in touch again soon, likely tomorrow. Time to get ready for another cozy night's sleep in my bed ...

Be well my dear friends & family & thanks for being you, ... I miss you & trust you are keeping yourselves, happy, healthy, & at peace,

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa

p.s. for anyone that wants to try to catch me over the phone over the next couple of days, my number is (02) 6235 5743 or 5764 ... I believe I am 16 hours ahead of Alberta time ... I'll be up by 9 a.m. my time for sure, likely even 8 a.m.