D.I.Y.

When I was 12, I really botched the wooden pencil box I had to make at school. The BBQ fork and the plastic photo holder weren't much better. When I used to hammer picture hooks into our brick walls, I would remove chunks of the wall in the process. What I am trying to say here is ... I'm not really that 'handy'.

However, after doing some construction work in Mexico this summer, and helping to build a 16x20 foot house end-to-end, I am gaining some confidence, know-how and perhaps even some skills. So, Jess and I decided to install a new toilet ourselves, and it works, and it doesn't leak.


Small victories!

You, Me and Dupree

It's been a great few weeks! We arrived back in Vancouver and a few days later, summer and Steve arrived too. Steve came to Vancouver to hang out with us and do a Regent College course with Jess and I called Solidarity, Resistance and Liberation: The Way of God in the World (more on the course later ...). After being away from Sydney for almost a year now, it was a great joy for us to have a good friend visit!

While Jess was working hard for Professor Bruce Waltke, Steve and I enjoyed some lazy mornings, played some tennis and badminton, went to a minor league baseball game, and hung out with Ken Moser playing pitch-n-putt golf and seeing Transformers (wait for the DVD ...). Julie and Jess joined us for an enjoyable and relaxing weekend at the Moser's cabin in Pt. Roberts Washington.

One of the highlights of Steve's visit was conquering the Grouse Grind together. A 2.9km hike, straight-up Grouse mountain, gaining 2,800 feet. A spectacular view over Vancouver and towards Vancouver Island, Mt. Baker and Washington state awaited us at the top, as well as a well-earned Molson's Canadian! 2 grizzly bears are kept on Grouse, one of which got up on two legs right in front of us (but I missed the photo op ...). The lowlight was having Jess' mountain bike stolen while Steve and I were getting around town. Painful.

There are a bunch of Steve's and my photo's from his stay currently on our Flickr page.

Safe travels SB ...