Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Viva La Musica!





We have a piano. Am smiling as I type. It is a Schwecten upright and we believe was manufactured in Berlin around the same time as the Feurich. Bonnie Ryan's workmate Richard asked her if she knew anyone who would be interested in a piano and she said yes :-) So pleased. Bonnie and Bruce have agreed to look after it at their place until we're ready to move it somewhere more permanent. Thanks again B&B. When picking up the piano, I met Richard's sister Elizabeth who very kindly gave me loads of classical sheet music as well. Several pieces the same as I had/have played (including Beethoven whose head, as it turns out, wasn't really marble...)


Am so happy and grateful about the piano: many thanks Richard and Elizabeth - and their late parents - who made it possible. We'll be sure to take great care of Schwecten and the sheet music.

RIP in the future garden, will Feurich eventually!

Monday, March 16, 2009

In case you’re wondering how to post photos…

Probably the easiest way is to upload them to an online album like Picasa.

Then respond to one of the postings (this one is fine) – via the “comments” link - and copy and paste the link to your album.

Here are some from Mum and Dad's album:

Admin – things that make you go zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz – but please quickly do it, quick, now!

Please send to erinmarieoneill@gmail.com
• Your snail mail address
• Your email address
• Your phone numbers
• Your birthdates (with or without year OK alright already)

The weather is cooler now and so are we…

E-M is so cool she wears clothes with tags hanging on the outside.

JB is so cool he wears slip on slippers from the most recent hotel he stayed at for work.

We think we’re “getting back to normal” until we realise that we have slept in approximately 20 beds in three states and 1 other country in the past 6 weeks, that we think it is a relaxing day when we don’t have to talk to a utility, telco, insurance company or a government department, and until we realise we have drunk an undisclosed (censored!) amount of wine.

We’re doing OK. We’re still being spurred on by the marvellous thoughtfulness and kindness of our friends and family.

Music, paintings, furniture, clothes, gift cards, cash, massages and pedicures, magazines, hugs, comfy beds and home cooked meals, sewing kits and quilts for our community (!) the list is endless - offers to help when we rebuild – it has all been absolutely amazing. It really is difficult to find words to describe. We *will* thank everyone individually eventually.

We’ve had a few moments; E-M on the meltdown side instigated by not recognising luggage on the carousel and whilst listening to any music with any associated 916 memories (clearly now going to have to listen to non-stop Def Leppard). Darling JB not melting down at all ever, not even losing his temper when repeating address and “yes, everything is gone” for the FORTY MILLIONTH time. What an angel. He looked a bit dodgy there for a while though - until some kind friends came to the rescue - he reckons if he had grown a moustache he’d have had a job as an extra actor, in a TV series like Cop Shop.

We’ve been back up to visit 916 quite a few times now. We believe the house insurance might be near finalised (fingers crossed) and so we’ll be able to clear the debris soon. Here is an interesting aerial shot of now:


We believe we’ll be the proud new owners of an ex Victoria Education second hand classroom to plonk on our property and furnish with our camp stove sometime soon!

Anyway, in the spirit of this site being a collection of lovely memories as well as an update as to where we’re at, here are some more albums of before:



JB’s Dad Reg took most of these photos: thanks Reg!


We’re in Melbourne houseminding in Caulfield near Hawthorn and Balaclava roads from end March until end June (thanks Christine, and best wishes for buon viaggio!) Hopefully we’ll catch up with several of you then.

To our dear friends and colleagues overseas: thank you so much for all the trouble you’ve gone to to send well wishes, music, camera (!), gift cards – wow – we will get to thanking everyone individually eventually. Sorry it is taking so long. You’re in our thoughts often… and you will be able to visit again. See the photo album here of the new, new, really new Green