A wee shower
and chilly winds blowing through the night and a 6C morning led to a brisk
start to the day.
We only
stopped for fuel in Naracoorte, morning tea beside the highway near Yumali and
the a final coffee stop at Mount Barker before brushing the eastern side of
Adelaide in order to get to Tea Tree Gully and the home of friends from our
days in Tambar Springs, the Maudes. Tea Tree Gully is in the northwest of
Adelaide, tucked up against the hills.
After a
tricky reverse into the only free section of the busy Maude front yard, we
settled to play catch up for the last seven years. We had visited them when Rick
was the vicar at Lightning Ridge but not since, despite three previous attempts.
Something strange had happened to their children. Rowan, who I taught briefly
as a seven year old, has almost finished uni and works for an engineering firm
and Dylan, is a chippy and is developing his own business toward being a
builder. At least Jarrod, Ashlyn and Raewyn had the decency to all still be in
their school years and not make me feel completely ancient!
Danielle has
home-schooled all five children, almost completely, although Rowan and Dylan
did has some time with me at Tambar Springs. The kids are all bright and
articulate and charming to spend time with.
Rick
continues in his role of vicar, as always prepared to do the hard yards for
what he believes. First Tambar, then Lightning Ridge and no a parish in the
ultra-liberal Adelaide, where preaching the Bible comes with a set of
conditions and one eye on fitting in with society. Not so Rick.
As always,
they are great company and we had a lovely night comparing notes on our
children and just generally chewing the juicy fat.
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