Laetitia's Job part 2

Laetitia works for a company that specialises in subdivisions. Her grand title is Subdivision Projects Co-ordinator. She writes engineering reports.

Sometimes she turns into a pseudo-town planner by also writing planning reports to accompany the applications. Lately, Laetitia has been involved in operational works development applications.

Laetitia recognises that she has learnt a lot in this job (and frequently screams internally when given something new to learn FAST). However, she was a lot more comfortable in her previous roles in traffic related organisations. She likes the company and her colleages but misses traffic engineering.

She's happy to have some time away from her job, especially as she was able to wrap up (for now) a few of her jobs.

Ballantyne Wedding III

There's a long story here, which I don't have time to tell now. But here are some of the photos! There's more photos here!

Townsville

Laetitia's Creative Memories business has been hard work for her this year, not knowing many people in Mackay. She has made good friends with some of the other CM consultants having joined a group of 'exotics' (not originally from Mackay CMCs) run by Lynne Baillie who moved to Mackay from Brisbane in October last year.

We recently travelled to Townsville for some home classes. These were for a lady that Laetitia met in April at the Australian Gospel Music Festival.

We also did a little sight-seeing - Mt Stuart, Castle Rock, the OmniMax theatre, The Strand. Laetitia was quite startled by just how close Magnetic Island is to the mainland, particularly for such a mountainous island. All the islands off the Mackay regional coast are further out / smaller / flatter or not actually islands but low tide isthmuses.

Highly recommended: Masala Indian Restaurant on Palmer Street and the OmniMax theatre next to the aquarium. We saw a great movie about various forms of sea life narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.

You can also see some of Ian's photos of Townsville.

The heart of a father

Bill is Laetitia's father. He's had a dodgy heart valve for years and this year was the time for it to be fixed!

He went into hospital just before church camp in early September. Normally heart valve replacement patients are out after about four days. Bill was in the ICU for four weeks with another 2 weeks in the rehab ward.

He was under sedation for the week when Queensland had a change of premier. When he came around, and could understand things, Laetitia took pity on him and told him what the date was and that Anna Bligh was now the premier. She and other family members had considered telling him that it was 2008. :-)

While he was under sedation, all his children returned to Brisbane (if not already in town) because he was touch and go. There wasn't much that they could do for him, although Laetitia did sing some hymns to him, but at least they could be around for Bev (Laetitia's mum) supporting her.

Doris & Munro

Ian's parents Doris & Munro came to visit us in Mackay in October. We enjoyed a cool day trip together up to Eungella National Park.
But we didn't see any platypus. :-(

Church camp: Cape Hillsborough

Church camp at Cape Hillsborough, just north of Mackay, was most enjoyable.

Square dancing!

New friends at church, Phil & Janine Searles, invited us to try square dancing, which has become an enjoyable hobby! We travelled to Rockhampton last weekend for a weekend event run by the Capricorn Waves club on the north side of town.

The main caller was Brian Hotchkies whose voice and style we had become used to as our callers use some of his records for some dances (like when they want a dance). Our callers, Peter and Margaret Harvey and Charles Barnes, also called some dances.

Our group is Pioneer Valley. Here we are in our group's formal attire.

While in Rockhampton, we stayed with Vicky as she lives close to the hall where the event was held. We have greatly appreciated Vicky's company on the occassions we have passed through or stayed in Rockhampton.