lines written in soft warm winter mornings
(w. wordworth)

Gee i dun miss home at all. These past few days move and pass like a dream. I am very well looked after, here under God's watchful care. Health is fantastic and pace of life has slowed down considerably... Little kid brother adrian has been a seriously good flat mate. No aka 'Tiwary' conflicts yet, thanks to the brutal honesty and accomodating selves we both share. But seriously considering the fact that we hardly knew each other before this, the trust and mutual respect we have for each other has been really good.

Met Constance today and am inviting her over to dinner tomorrow. I was at Queen Vic market this morning feeling natural, still and free... and had plenty of fun scouting the stalls on my own for choice basil, eggplant, pinenuts and olive oil...The stuff isn't cheap and i have developed a vigilant eye for quick discounts and fast reductions as the hour stretches to a close everywhere around that galactic market. Then it's home to stock up the groceries, all the while learning to conserve loose scraps of newpapers to keep veges crisp & fresh. Am excited to cook for Cons tomorrow. We intend to visit the Uni, finally (!)..........before heading home for dinner. My culinary experiments have been working well...and hey, I can cook incredibly well..ahem! The 2 of us have so far hosted 2 other mutual friends over for dinner (all thanks to Chris' networking) and had a fantastic blueberry pie and fine sherry over freezing (8 degrees) st kilda's beach last night. Ric, my Filipino friend has also invited us to a KTV session with the local cath group this sun. I'm taking it!

University has yet to start so i wont know how my schedule will change. But i'm living in simplicity and awareness each day that i have to be responsible over my outlook and self-care (everything from morning / evening prayer to dabbing layers of yeeky moisturiser on my face and ankles each day- thanks to face-repair-upkeep-reinforcement (note i refuse to use the word 'beauty') tips and formidable supplies (olive, butternut and ginger...i have everything to start a new organic plantation on my crinky face!) from Nikki, Betty, Ai Hua and Viv. S11's twin-br0s big bird bolster (whoever's reading this from the class pls inform them!) pampers the neck but i have yet to try cousin's vibrating pillow!!! Seetha's radio-clock lulls me to bed each night.

The household chores are easy to complete. It seems the years of harsh attendance at home and NS have finally bore fruit in terms of good and fair duty to my new home. Simply keeping the place clean, daily reading the Word, taking the clothes in when the cold drizzle rains lightly on the balcony...even thanking God for whoever invented the portable heater. I have a picture of all inside my room all arranged in the form of a Cross. It is here that i make a daily commitment to remember everyone when i pray.

Thank you people (kin, apprentice and folk alike)... for sustaining and blessing me with your prayers. Seems our Lord has ordained me to be here and breathe, a new found natural spirit i've been waiting, for all this while...

Just heard there has been a terrorist attack in India. Need to keep updated on happenings elsewhere. Freedom can also be a form of hedonism and I'm afraid this new found space will replace the my habitual need to be rooted to movements and tensions occuring miles and oceans away from my present world.

These words from Dag Hammerskjold bear careful reflection even as we go on living our everyday commonplace lives...

"A modest wish: that our doings and dealings may be of a little more significance of life than a man’s dinner jacket is to his digestion. Yet not a little of what we describe as our achievement is, in fact, no more than a garment in which, on festive occasions, we seek to hide our nakedness."

amen.