Christmas in Geelong

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It has been a beautiful day (not the weather though which is threatening storms) with two adult sons, their wives, and four grandchildren and Luse from Sydney. Church was at 9 a.m. at East Geelong and then Jordan made blueberry pancakes and then we opened the dozens of presents from under the Christmas tree. So many good ideas. We had a late lunch at 3 p.m. kebabs, kokoda - raw fish in lemon and coconut cream, salads, salmon, taro etc. Then we gave the rabbit and guinea pig a free run in the back yard for an hour, and I think at present the kids are making water bombs with some balloons!

O Happy Day

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It's a lovely Christmas day here - not hot, not cold, and the men and boys in the family made a lovo - an underground oven for the dalo and pork and Bale and I added cooking from the kitchen - prawns, mussels in coconut cream, baked chicken etc. We headed off to the local church where young Andrew played a mean drumbeat to the hymns. One of the lads stayed home to look after the lovo. This afternoon only one is asleep, Grandpa, the rest are on computers or watching a DVD. Life is different each generation for Christmas. We don't have Santa Claus here and the family gifts are mainly frugal and useful! We were too busy to open the gifts until about 11 a.m. and there weren't too many surprises as sticky fingers had guessed when was inside the colour wrapping papers!

Welcome to Geelong, Rev Sani Vaeluaga

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It is always a fine occasion to welcome a new minister to a Uniting Church parish, a time of celebration and hope. Clergy wear white albs and red to signify a joyful occasion. Yesterday afternoon I went to St Andrews, our neighbouring church, where Rev Sani Vaeluaga was inducted to be the new minister of St Andrews and St Albans. The congregations are well known to us as our East Geelong was linked to both until recently.

St Andrews church was full of people, including a Samoan choir from Keysborough in Melbourne and lots of well-wishers. It is a formal occasion but one of good feelings. Rev Robert Renton kindly gave me some of his photos as our camera was in Peceli's satchel and he'd gone up to Altona Meadows/Laverton to preach.

During the afternoon tea I met several friends who I hadn't seen for a long, long time including a Samoan family who used to be in Lake Boga up in the Mallee in the manse there. The Samoan choir sang both in the church and in the hall with a very energetic pianist. Way to go.

Now we have more Pacific Islanders in Geelong. Rev Sani is from Samoa then New Zealand, then Diamond Creek and Hurstbridge and Heidelberg-East Ivanhoe in Melbourne. We welcome Sani, his wife Temukisa, and children Asomaliu, Alaoleula, Siniva, Filiata and Sani, and a delightful grandmother who will live with them.

The streets of Geelong

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Walking through the city streets yesterday I noticed that many streets were almost bare of people, shops empty - but, down at Westfield it was like mobs of sheep surging forward amidst all the red and green and glitter. How appalling. The rich owners of Westfield will be laughing that Mr Rudd's cheery thousand dollar gifts to pensioners are going to swell the coffers. I did see some buskers on Malop Street though and some cheery shoppers taking time to talk with kids. But the Santa at Westfield certainly looks zonked out!