The Gym is Flooded!

As some of you would know, for the past year and a half I've been going to the Fernwood Fitness Centre at Broadway at least 3 times a week if not more.

Usually I enjoy being at the gym, especially boxing and belly dancing classes! Although sometimes it can take a real effort to get me there. The last couple of months have been months where I've had a less than optimal gym attendance record - ok so I went twice after NTE and havent been back since...

However last Tuesday I was really excited about getting back into a routine and taking my new shoes to the gym for a break-in workout. I left work early, met up with my brother and left him early to head to the gym. Alas, when I got there the doors were shut and the lights were off! Due to the recent construction work at Broadway there was a servere pumbing malfunction which caused major flooding. Apparently water was pouring in through the airconditioning vents!

Since then the gym has been closed and I've really missed going (sounds strange after choosing not to be there for 4 weeks I know).

To top everything off, this afternoon I got a phone call from Pearly (one of the Personal Trainers and my boxing instructor) to say that she is leaving and so won't be able to train me.

Oh well, I have still managed to give my new shoes a workout - I've walked home from work a few times in lieu of my gym workout.

Isis Despinidic - My Grandma

These are pictures of my grandmother Isis Despinidic, she was my Dad's mum. She died two weeks ago on Christmas day, we held her funeral today.

My grandparents are Greek and so my grandfather wanted her to be buried in the Greek Orthodox section of Rookwood Cemetery.
This meant she had a Greek Orthodox funeral followed by a memorial service at the Baptist church in Landilo, where she was a regular attender.

The GO ceremony was very formal, all the liturgy was sung by the Priest and another man (not sure what his formal title is). It was also mostly in Greek, although the priest translated some of the most important prayers etc. into English, his sermon was also in English as most people there were not Greek speakers.

It was rather strange as there was no sense of who grandma was at this service and no mention of her life, rather all the prayers were for God to look after her soul now that she was dead. At the end of the service family and friends walk to the coffin and say goodbye by kissing it or in their own way, then the coffin is carried to the graveside. Those attending the funeral follow the coffin and at the graveside there are more prayers and then the coffin is lowered into the grave and flowers and dirt are thrown into the grave.

The memorial service at the Baptist church was very different, it was all about celebrating grandma's life, how she affected the people around her, thanking God for her life and for the fact that she is now with Him.

It was great to hear the different stories of how Grandma has influenced her family and her friends at church. I realised that I really didn't know her very well, but I was proud to be her Granddaughter!

Please pray for my Grandpa, who has lost his wife of 56 years and for my Dad's family that they wll know God's comfort and love.

Sydney NYE 2007

Happy New Year everybody! This year Stu and I went to Polly's place after church to watch the fireworks (thanks Ang for driving!). She lives on the 24th floor of an apartment block in Darlinghurst and has a great view of the Harbour, it was a really nice relaxing night and this is what we got to see (thanks Brad for the photos).