Northern Territory Day Celebration

Last night was like living in a war zone with the bangs,whistles,and explosions of high powered fireworks.

We went  to  the AFL Ground where there a good crowd of people enjoying the evening out.

It is nice to have Tuiana with us for a couple of weeks in her term break from studies. She couldn't get over how  the children have grown in the year she has been away.

We are into winter now it was 10 last night so an opportunity to get wrapped up.

Karen and Margaret wrapped up for the cool evening along with Tuiana and Prahbu

UBX Band  Unbroken Expanse played and entertained along with the fireworks.

 

 Last week  I was up in Darwin , with Tiba, Tsuasi and Peter from the church here attending the Uniting Church of Australia Northern Synod and the  Pilgrim Presbytery of Northern Australia meetings. 

A most enjoyable time at Kormilda College.

They enjoyed our singing accompanied by the ukelele

There was great music every day.

Arohanui

Ian and Karen Davidson

email:

teabagcreek@gmail.com

blog:

teatotennant.blogspot.com

On the road

Another occasional blog from Ian and Karen in Tennant Creek

Over the past four  weeks We have spent a lot of time on the road between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs a five hour trip.

Our reason for the travel Karen has been attending conferences and workshops related to her work.

Of late,Karen has been attending meetings and often giving presentations at  the CQI Collaborative , and the Community Public Health Advisory Group Alyawarra.  She attended a Continuing Quality Facilitators Collaborative  recently 

Later this week we head to Alice Springs again for a working group on Childhood Anaemia in Central Australia.PDSA  PLAN DO STUDY ACT exercise.

. 

The picture above is Karen heading off to work at Anyginnyi Aboriginal Health today. 3rd June 2013

Below we are getting to know landmarks along the road like the Devil's Marbles

Sunset coming back from Elliot North of Tennant Creek.

 Karen had  been reporting back from an Audit at the Government Health Clinic there. 

Below another couple of pictures on  the road to Alice, Bonnie Well.There was some rain hence the green grass.

 Wycliffe Well UFO capital of Australia A handy roadhouse break, only aliens there.

On the road the other day we saw a dingo running alongside us for a bit, I'm sorry no photo as I was too busy enjoying  looking at the fine looking animal in its natural setting. However I snapped a couple of camels in a cattle yard  they are ready for a camel race coming up.

T

Big news at the Uniting Church Rev Peter Wait inducted to minister at Tennant Creek and the Barkly  Patrol  Minister.

A couple of NZers working in Australia at present  were there for the occasion .Katini with the Anglican Church at Alice springs and Colin a Patrol minister based at Alice Springs who both drives and flys around his area.

Some of the things we have done of late is face painting and making balloon animals to help

fund raising for cancer research.

I still work at the op shop and have taken a couple of classes at the high school Teaching fun stuff balloons , and magic tricks.

Karen plays most Sundays for church and I take a service sometimes. We have a Ukulele group which plays in church most Sundays

Orewa  and Karen at after church lunch.

Kids with their flags ready for  anti nuclear waste march in Tennant  Creek.

Ranger catching a Mulga snake  also know as the formidable King Brown  in  our neighbours yard .He pinned and binned it, but wouldn't open the bin for a photo opportunity.  Instead he took it for a long journey out of town .

As you can see we are well, happy busy and well travelled in the Northern Territory.

Bye for now will catch up some other time. Always  room if anyone wants an adventure

Arohanui 

God bless you,

Ian and Karen Davidson

teabagcreek@gmail.com

Back in Oz after NZ break

It was really good to back in home for A month. We came to Australia on the 22nd of January.

We have just sneaked into February time keeps moving on.

A big thank you to family and friends for all the wonderful hospitality you are the greatest.
We celebrated Tuiana's 21st in Nelson with Nelson family on the 19th of January a lovely family gathering at Gloria's at Stage Coach Road looking out over magnificent seascape.

Another big piece of news from Tuiana she has started training as a Early Childhood teacher with......Te TariPuna Nelson
Again a big thanks to the family who joined with at her Powhiri and orientation.

We are settling quickly back into life here at Tennant Creek. It has been very hot up in the forties we look forward to It cooling down one of these days.
Karen came home hot today as she had Been working where there was no air conditioning.

The house here is pretty good with aircon and we have a couple of fans as well.


I have had three days at the Op shop sweeping it out knew I was back when a lizard took on the broom for a race out the door.
12 big boxes of clothing had arrived so I put them out the back and opened on up of children's clothes which we are short of.

Karen came down on Saturday and put her touch of putting things in order.

She is well back at work at work at Anyinginiyi Health Aboriginal Corporation as Continuous Quality Improvement Facilitator.

She is working with Corporate Services, Public Health,Piliyitinji-Ki (stronger families )
Health Centre, Regional Remote Health Services, Sports and Recreation/Active life

Karen also is doing Quality Improvement at five Government Clinics out from Tennant Creek way as far as Lake Nash near the Queensland border.

We stored up memories of forest , mountains and green pastures in our memory banks before coming back to the Northern Territory.
Next week we Celebrate Waitangi Day with a hangi again here at Tennant Creek. It is planned for the evening so hopefully not as hot as last. year at 3pm when it was up in the forties.(43)
Take care,keep it touch. there is always hospitality for anyone who wants to Traverse the Stuart highway.
God bless and Arohanui

Ian and Karen Davidson x x

A Christmas Note from the Davidsons

Christmas makes us think of other Christmas’s and celebrations, each one special.
We were remembering how Joel had a line in a Christmas play. ‘Out the back!’
The line of the Inn keeper which he delivered to tired travelers and excited shepherds,
‘Out the back!’

Out the back, was where it was all happening, God becoming Man, Jesus being born, the A& Z who writes celebration into our lives.

Out the back is where it has been happening for us.
Karen flying many, many miles to isolated cattle Stations to hold clinics.

In Tennant Creek I have enjoyed helping teaching circus skills at Youth Linx, being involved in the Desert Harmony Celebration and Ukulele group plus working in the Op Shop and taking occasional church services.

Karen is the pianist at church, and plays in the Ukulele group and manages the Op shop, in Tennant Creek weekends always seem busy.

Out the back a lot happens and God shows up in many disguises.
We shouldn’t be surprised, for one of his many names is Immanuel , God with us. .

We are going home to NZ for Christmas with very flexible plans. ‘Just get here! ‘ Was the word we received from the Reefton Roughie.

Joel and Tuiana will be with us. Tuiana is settling back to life in NZ living in Nelson.

Karen has settled in quickly to her new job at Aniginini Aboriginal Health Corporation . In the New Year she will be off to some of the out the back clinics, helping them improve their service. She has already been down to a couple of clinics out from Alice to learn the ropes.

We a have a, new Indian Son Prabhu living with us, and enjoying Robert and Michael living close by.

This note comes with our best wishes and prayers for you that Christmas will be great and you will enjoy God’s gift in the coming year.

For us a child is born,
for us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulders
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Arohanui

Ian, Karen Joel Tuiana & Prabhu

Well here we are nearly knocking on the door of December with  all the joy of

Christmas celebrations waiting for us to enjoy with family  and friends.

Again  we  have the opportunity to say,’ thank you God  for Christmas ‘ for  the real Christmas, God becoming  human and living among us. A wonder and well worthy of all the songs and stars .

You can see where my head is at present as time seems to rush by.

I was thinking the other day in retirement I have plenty of time to do things, on the other hand, the hourglass sands are on the running out side ,and yet there are so many things yet to do,experience, celebrate and share.

The pictures that come with this show something of our  travel to Maroochydoor. 

We saw Tuiana  working hard  as  Nanny and was able to enjoy some picnics with the children . Joel came over for a fortnight and I went back for a couple of weeks in Auckland.

I was well looked after  there and Allan took me down to visit our Great Uncle Jack who shared with us some of  our family history.

It was good to spend time there with Allan and Margaret and to see Joel at work.

Karen came back, to go on her last Barkly Areo Medical visit around the Stations as she had taken up another job. She was sad to say goodbye to those she has been looking after.

Because Karen changes jobs we also had to shift houses, only 2 doors, closer to Robert but quite an effort in the very hot sun, smaller house with no view, but the  house is ok. I was still in N ew Zealand so they tell me I have a debt to the shifters still.

Karen is now the CQI facilitator for the Barkly Region, based at Anyinginyi Aboriginal Corporation, she had the responsibility of Anyinginyi and 5 Department of health clinics  , so she will still have some travel out to remote areas.

The job is about best practice and quality audits, at present she is working on the accreditation   for  the Anyinginyi Health centre, so lots of meeting s . Karen has been to Darwin for training for a week and looking at going to Alice springs next week to work with another CQI Facilitator.

I have been enjoying making some wooden toys of late wooden puppets that dance when I play the Ukulele and am selling them at markets here.  I call them the hand carved original Blain St Dancers .

I  have been making Incredibly  Secret Hooey Sticks!!

We head  home on the 22^nd Dec joining Wrighty’s Marae for Christmas

Arohanui

Ian and Karen