Glenrod
Well you may think te big story for us has been a new yellow tractor. News it certainly is but there’s a bigger story. Alice Springs the land of the big stories. Inspired by the Woods, I have had this goal to build a retreat hut for people who want to com eto our place and get away from stuff like tractors and spend queit time in prayer or contemplation.
These last two weeks with our friends Glen (the prophet) and Rodney his friend who knows a thing or two about building we have set about building this vision at the back of our block. It has grown from selecting a location to a real hut. For the design I was inspired by the huts I have slept in whilst bushwalking in teh Australian Alps so Ryan and John will know what I mean. It needed to look like its been there for awhile. Now that is tricky because I didnt want to spend much money so you have to use what you can find whiuch is also kind of fun. We’ve scrounged around for corrugated iron, and windows, and doors. Rod wanted to put trusses in it which I dont think are veru Australian Alpsish but they are certainly spivvy. Glen wanted to put in a stone floor by using the rocks on the property. All in all its been pretty bloody good fun and Glen and Rod are my heroes. Prophet and Building Priest. How good is that.
I have a whole heap of pictures of teh development of teh hut which I’d like to put up but it sems I cant even get one photo to work based om my last post. Never mind I will try again. The hut is still to be finished but I am over then moon about this little place. I invite each and everyone of you to come and stay in it some time.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (1)tractor talk
Well I have got my technology together and I now have a piccy of my beautiful tractor. We’ve become good friends already doing those little things together that make life worthwhile. She has few vices, is careful about everything she does. Stella has become a little concerned but I’ve assured her we are just good friends. Owning a tractor is as good as I dreamed it would be.
first day with big yellow
well i went to work trying to prepare for my biggest presentation to staff of both the organisations I work for trying to convince them that wat I have been employed to do is very important. Come 4.30 it just got too much. I thought I should go home to see how big yellow was.
As I said in my comment to comments there was Brian and Glen fine tuning its running gear. Brian again said goodbye so it was my task to take the 44 gallon drum of water up to the toaster shed. I’d got I’d say 3 metres with no mishap but it was the 4th that threw me. I pulled the lever teh wrong way and teh 44 gallon drum tumbled out of teh loader bucket to teh ground. Glen had gone to open teh gate and Brian had said goodbye so I tried to sneak to the dented drum to put it back on the loader. Unforunately I heard Brian get out of his car laughing and Glen walking back shaking his head. I didnt think it was that funny.
Next lesson was going up the track to the toaster. I got to the flat bit of the track starting to get the feel. I changed up into second gear. With this I surged to 5 km/hr feeling pretty happy until the 44 gall drum decided the pace was a bit much and got off. This time it fell further and was looking pretty dented. Unfortunately Glen was walking directly behind and witnessed the whole thing. He didnt shake his head this time but he did say something under his breath. I think it was something to the effect that if God wanted him to continue to be a prophet he wanted to work with better people otherwise it was going to be counter productive.
I wont go to my final humiliation of running over the tree and go directly to the prophets own misdemeanours. We decided to go up the track to get stone for the floor of the toaster. We took it up over the hill with him driving. We filled it with stones and then he tried to get up the hill unsuccessfully. He backed down the hill with a creative plan B. He attacked the hill again and with som etrouble got back over saying I lost a couple of rocks. he got out of the tractor to see that he had lost all of the rocks. I did wonder why God picks such poor people for his team but also felt a bit better about my own failings.
So score after day 1
Destroyed 44 gall drum
Small shrub looking doubtful
Rock collecting expedition a total failure
Had a hell of a good time
big yellow news
I haven’t blogged for over a month. Where the heck did March go. Well starting Wednesday this is going to be a big blog week for me. I better start with the big one. Yep Keith is the proud owner of a big old but beautiful yellow tractor. After that intimate Commie Dinner in Hornsby where everyone told me why i should have a tractor I finally realised it was God’s will. I have fought it for eight months but the Lord will have his way. Let me tell you the story.
Glen Curran is currently staying with us at present helping us build the first toaster cabin. He is also in fact God’s prophet as it was he who let me drive his tractor in Tasmania for two days. God spoke to me through that experience challenging me to think about tractors for my own selfish needs but I have been reluctant to listen.
Anyway one afternoon on my way home from work I saw this little tractor. It was yellow, it was old and it was cute. It didnt want much for itself which made me think it had an issue with self confidence. It needed someone to care and respect it. I went and said hello and it seemed nice in every way. A few oil leaks but nonetheless an all round nice tractor.
I took this news back home to enthusiastic excitement from Stella and a considered cautious optimism from the prophet Glen. He agreed to come and have a look. He too was taken in by the wily charms of the little (actually its a bit big) yellow tractor. He prophesied that it was a good tractor and whilst I may not need it I certainly should get it. God’s word can be powerful. He also suggested that someone who knew what they were talking about should look at it as well. In obedience I went to the decreed Diesel mechanic and asked him to meet the big yellow tractor. Alas he too fell under its charms and declared it to be a good tractor notwithstanding a few leaks. I guess we all leak from time to time. I thought if three grown men could fall in love with the big yellow tractor on first meetings then God was certainly in this.
I stepped out in faith and asked the big yellow tractor’s owner if he would see his way clear to me buying it. After a days consideration he said yes. I said whoopee and Stella was beside herself with excitement. She hadn’t even met it at this stage.
The man selling it was Brian. A man who had up until recently lived 4 kiometres down the road on a similar block to ours. He said he would like to deliver the tractor personally to say farewell. I came home a bit early to welcome him and the big yellow tractor to its new home. Glen arrived home from work about five minutes before the tractor arrived but just after I had started to hear the tractor in the distance on its way ‘home’. I said to Glen as he got out of the car. Glen can you hear the tractor. its coming. He too was excited. I never realised Prophets got excited. I always thought they were too busy renting garments from their body waiting on God. No this prophet was a titchy bit excited.
And then it appeared bouncing along the road in a way that somehow reminded me of Thomas the Tank engine. Brian at the helm and his wife in the car behind. He drove into our place and got off the tractor. I detected a tear in his eye. His wife Annette got out of the car a bit choked up as well. We talked a while but then it was time for them to go. I said if you ever want and come a drive the tractor again you would be most welcome. He said “Could I?” Yes today was a special day.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (4)For the Lonely and Unloved
Back in Alice after a crazy Easter visiting Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in the space of a week. It was a really special time though as I got to participate in some really siginificant moments in the lives of some people who are important to me. Any way, the weather here is just glorious. Warm days and cool nights. In the evenings we are sitting by the fire outside again burning mulga. The bummer is that the Alice pool closes in 3 weeks so I can’t do my laps after work after April. Any way, I was driving home after my swim yesterday and turned on the radio to hear the end of an interview with a guy called Leon Spurling (I think?) who is playing in Alice tonight at the Lane. He has just released a CD called “Songs for the Lonely and Unloved”. I thought it must be a joke but they weren’t laughing. Can you imagine going to the counter in a shop to buy it? Or giving it to a friend - a way of politely telling them you do not love them. Made me remember those CDs “Music to Feel Left Out By” circulating some time back. When I’m feeling lonely and unloved I just listen to Leonard Cohen and feel much better. Leonard and I have spent many nights together in the past but fortunately I haven’t really needed him so much in more recent years. Although I could be starting to get that way soon. In the last week Keith has been spending all his non work time way up the back of our block in a secluded spot with a couple of mates come up to stay from Tassie. They reckon they are building a hut up there. Maybe I will have to dig out Leonard or maybe I should go into town tonight to the Lane and listen to Leon with all the unloved and lonely in Alice.
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