Boxing Day Traditions

Well Boxing Day has many traditions in our country. There's the Boxing Day test at the MCG. There's the Boxing day sales at the shopping centres and of course the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Our family seems to have established it's own traditions on Boxing Day. We spent yesterday morning battling the crowds at Know City Shopping Centre This was a very high priority for Emily and Simon in particular. All four of our children had money to spend and list of items to purchase. Jo and I simply found a nice coffee shop and settled down to some good coffee. I think the coffee was our only purchase for the morning.

In the afternoon we have another tradition. We head to Fountain Gate to watch the latest installment in the Lord of the Rings series - well that was until they stopped at number three! Last year we were at a complete loss to know what to do, but this year salvation appeared with the release of the first of the Narnia series. Maybe the series may keep us going for the next six Boxing Days. Who knows! WE always prebook our tickets and we choose Fountain gate because they have the most comfortable seats of any theatre I've ever been to.

Boxing Day tea we always got to visit some 'old' friends from days gone by. Ross and Jackie became life long friends to us whilst we served at the Thornbury Church of Christ. It was great to visit again last night and catch up with them both.

Our freinds Ross and Jackie

Ross and Jackie's boys: Tommy and Joel

Christmas Day Marathon

Christmas day is over for another year - but what a day. Let me give you a run down of our day.


Our first port of call was the morning church service at Thornbury Church of Christ where I was the pastor for eight years. The building looks just the same as it always has. I once painted this building with the use of a cherry picker. That was about ten years ago, and as I looked more closely I thought it just about needs doing again.



Of course at Thornbury we caught up with quite a number of old friends. This is Dr Roger Killmier who is still an elder and church organist at Thornbury.




After church at Thornbury it was on to the Botanical gardens in Melbourne for a gourmet picnic lunch. Mum and dad and my brother Simon joined us for lunch.



One of the locals decided that our lunch looked pretty good and attempted to join us. Dad was of course very willing to share his lunch with the duck!




After lunch in the gardens we moved on to a cousins place in Port Melbourne. We then had opportunity to catch up with some of my Mother's family. This is me (in the middle!!) with my Mum and her younger and very attractive sister, Aunty Marge.




After the stop off at my cousin's place, it was on to my brother Mark's place at Newmarket for the Holt family Christmas. Of course it was the traditional barbecue in the back yard.




It was great to have David well enough to join in Christmas Day this year.



My youngest brother ben returned from two years in London earlier this year and is pictured here with his lovely girl friend Zoe.

We finally made our way home to Dad and Mum's place and collapsed in bed, but guess what? Today is boxing day and we have another grand day planned for our family. Tomorrow we head off to Warrnambool and on Friday Jo and I head to Sydney, so there's plenty more holiday to come yet.

A Very Willicombe Christmas

Well todays the day that the Willicombe family celebrate Christmas together. (Jo was a Willicombe if you hadn't caught on yet!) Each year we meet at Queenscliff beach for lunch in the park. For a while it looked like we might get blown away or rained out, but eventually the sunshine won the day.


Here is Sarah surrounded by a group of cousins



And of course the Willicombe girls were together again



The oldest and wisest of the Willicombe tribe!




Jo's Dad has been through a rough patch, but still manages to come up smiling.



Father and oldest daughter



The centre of attention with all the girls.

Sailing the ocean waves

Well on Tuesday night this week Jo and I sailed the ocean waves from Devonport to Melbourne. All Jo's fears came to nothing as it was as smooth and calm as you could possibly hope for. We had a window in our cabin and woke to the sight of Port Philip Bay right outside our window. Jo looked none the worse for wear the next morning and later on Wednesday we picked up the rest of the family at Tullamarine Airport.

Happy Christmas

Well we are just home from Sunday night service, and now I am officially on holiday! Tonight was our breakup for our evening services for the year. It was a real celebration of everything we have done on Sunday nights this year. Emily was helping out with the singing again. She did look great. So now, we get ourselves organised and on Tuesday we head for Melbourne. Thanks for taking an interest in our blog page this year. If you are reading this, have a very happy Christmas and wonderful new year.

What a difference a year in Tassie makes

Sarah and her friend Emily at youth group last week.

The power of pictures

This picture was taken almost one year ago. It was the day that we packed up everything we owned, and then closed the door of our home that was at that time still unsold, and simply drove away. The past was very vivid and the immediate future very uncertain. This weekend will be our last weekend of ministry here for 2005. We leave next week for holidays and as part of our holiday we will spend some time back in Warrnambool. It will be good to revisit the place and catch up with friends. We have some fantastic friends there who stood by us continually. Friends are not easy to come by, difficult to leave and impossible to forget. Hobart has now become our home. It the place that God has called us and there is much work yet to be done here, but in the meantime we look forward to some time back in Aus!!

Christmas again

In just one weeks time Jo and I will be boarding the Spirit of Tasmania and heading off to the other island just north of here. Our four kids will follow the next day on board a Virgin Blue flight. Last Sunday my brother Simon arrived home from the states and his family will follow shortly. It feels like a long time since last Christmas and it has been a long year for all of us. As I reflect on a year of significant change for our family I find the thought of Christmas with the family very attractive. In the midst of continuous change it will be great to know we can head home and once again be with family and celebrate in our own unique family way, the birth of Jesus and the joy of belonging to such a great family. That never changes.

The picture above was taken on Christmas day in 1967. Mark was in hospital having his apendix out!

Me and My Dog

These photos were taken of Sarah and Shadow on a walk at Sandy Bay beach this afternoon. As you can, they both love being in the water.

The things I love about Tassie

There's so many things I have come to love about living in Tassie.


I love the endless coastline and rugged mountain peaks



I love the sunshine day after day




I love the berries that become so abundant and cheap in the summer time



I love Cascade apple cider and ginger beer



I love a big plate of Tassie scallops


I love the fresh air and slower pace of life



I love waking each morning to look out over the Derwent River as I eat my breakfast



I love having visitors come and stay and share with others some of the treasures we enjoy



I love the huon pine and amazing crafts made from Tassie timbers



I love exploring more and more places each Monday on our day off



I love the people that God has called me to pastor


This time last year I was in a place of confusion and uncertainty. The door had closed at Warrnambool and nothing seemed to open up. Twleve months down the track I pay tribute to the Lord and His perfect plan. I am grateful to Him for opening a door for us just in the nick of time. We do not need to worry about the future. Everyhting is in His hands.

My testimony is this: God is faithful and true. He can be depended upon to see us through. I'm ready now to acknowledge to all who want to hear, the Lord has been good to me.

I don't know how long we will be here in Tassie for, but I am resolved to live everyday and enjoy the goodness of the Lord in the land of living!

Hobart - My City

I guess there are more beautiful cities in the world - but if so I am yet to see them. I never anticpated the effect that living in such a spectacular place would have on me. This picture above was taken at Mount Wellington.

If you look real close you might see our house!

Hobart visitors must do list

Well as you know, we have been looking after Mark and Val this week. They are only with us for a week, so we need to ensure that we can tick off as many of the Hobart must do list as possible.







Let's see the list so far looks something like this:

Experience the splendor of the wonderful scenery and fresh air with a ferry trip to Bruny Island
Explore downtown Hobart on foot and try out a coffee at one of the many coffee houses in town
Experience the sensory overload of a visit to Salamanca Market on Saturday morning and savor the many culinary delights on offer.
Try an anniversary dinner for two at one of Hobarts finest restaurants.
Experience a worship service Hobart style at the Hobart City Church of Christ.
Sample the wonderful cakes and pastries on offer at the French patiserrie near by.
Take a drive to the summit of Mount Wellington on clear and sunny Sunday afternoon and gaze the landscape that seems to stretch on forever.
Feast on delicious tassie scallops at Muir's on the pier after church on Sunday night

All that and it's only Sunday night. We still have three more days. Tomorrow it's off to the Huon valley to look for some timber for Dad to make into something wonderful.

As you can see, I have become just a little fond of life in Tasmania. It's not that bad actually.


This photo was taken by Mark at Bruny Island last Thursday. Just to show that I will even publish photos of myself at times!

Guess who is a teenager now

Yesterday was not only the first day of summer, but also happened to be Sarah's birthday. Sarah turned 13, which means that we now have four teenagers in the house (until next April when David will turn 20)

Adventure at Bruny Island

Well Mark and Val have arrived in Hobart for a whole week. Today we headed off to Bruny Island for the day. We packed a sumptuous picnic and made a day of it. Jo and I have been there before, but this time we traveled right down to the southern end and saw the lighthouse. Some absolutely spectacular scenery. Tassie just gets better and better. Rather than write, I'll do what I usually do and just show you some pictures. A couple of the better ones are ones that Mark took. Enjoy