Susan Maria Vestments Blog

Mum Passes away, 17th November, 2009

susanmariavestments — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:44:35 +0000

Sadly, our dear mother died in her sleep tonight. It was a very hot day, even going to 40 C in the Ipswich area. Tom visited Mum in the afternoon, and he says she was very agitated; perhaps it was the hot weather. Dad also went to see her, and stayed about an hour. At around 11pm, Dad had a phone call from the nursing home, telling him that Mum had passed away in her sleep, sometime between 8pm and 11pm. May her soul rest in peace.

Meet the new Studio neighbours

susanmariavestments — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:32:37 +0000

The Studio is relocating (yet again) – this time to a country town in South-East Queensland. This will cut overheads drastically per week, Deo Gratias. I am looking forward to living and working in one of the most scenic locations in Australia, maybe even the world – the Boonah region. From Boonah, there are sweeping views of the mountainous Border Ranges that divide Queensland from New South Wales. These are simply spectacular! Today I went to view a couple of properties, and on the way home, drove up Mt. Flinders. I saw this cute Rock Wallaby on the side of the road. I don’t think it is actually a brush tailed Rock Wallaby, but rather a grey Wallaby. Mt. Flinders is home to the rare, endangered Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby, a nocturnal marsupial that is about 60 cm in height. It is always a joy to see Kangaroos, Koalas, Kookaburras and Wallabies in the wild like this. I never get tired of seeing these creatures.

Now Welcome Passion Tide

susanmariavestments — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:32:40 +0000

Today is Passion Sunday in Lent – the doorway to the Church’s two week intense panorama of the suffering, rejection and death of Our Lord. I have recorded the Magnificat Antiphon from Vespers of today. In today’s Gospel, Our Lord tells those who were trying to trap him, that Abraham saw the day of Christ, and REJOICED. Despite the mournfulness of Lent, and the sombre tones throughout these weeks, I find this an interesting focal point: the joy of Abraham. Dear old Abraham, with his worries and cares, his vast holdings, the family affairs and disputes that would have needed resolving, REJOICES in the grace that the Lord God gives him – to see in advance the Day of the Redeemer.

At the risk of appearing too lighthearted, I’ve added a joyful tune as filler music to this Antiphon.

I wish everyone a very blessed and fruitful Passion Tide!

Such Knavish tricks!

susanmariavestments — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:59:15 +0000

Today is March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation. I had planned on going to Mass today all week, and left a few minutes late. The traffic in the main street of my town, Ipswich, was down to a crawl for some reason. I drive up and down Brisbane Street almost every day, and just yesterday had zoomed around the corner at Brisbane and East, on my way to check on a rental property. This morning the police were diverting the traffic left and right, and I thought it was a bad time for road works to be taking place, right on the busiest block of town.

The real cause?

A ‘monster’ potlhole had suddenly appeared in the middle of the intersection of Brisbane and East Streets! The only thing that saved cars from plunging over five yards into this hole, was a steeel girder placed under the road half a century ago, by the American army! Emergency Services worked all day today to fix the problem. They have to work around gas pipes, etc, and have declared a 100 meter exclusion zone around the hole. Poor business owners!

Read about the ‘Monster Pothole" here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25241888-5006786,00.html

I found out this evening that there is a better route towards Brisbane, if I head in the oposite direction and take the Warrego Highway. So from now on, my trips to Holy Mass will avoid Brisbane Street!