Christmas Cheer from DONNYBROOK 2006

Merry Christmas from The Delbridge’s
Paul, Alison, Henry & Claire
Donnybrook, 2006

That time of year to celebrate the birth of the ultimate altruistic man with unbridled enthusiasm, unheralded joy and unregistered amounts of euphoric nonsense. This is Christmas in Australia - and glad to be part of the local shin-dig !

A bounty of heart-felt good will bleeds via this prose to all family and friends at the incarnation of fine times. The many persons whom we shall be physically exonerated from in these luminous moments appear in reoccurring circumstances due to spatial disparity. To those comrades still lurking ‘behind the veil’ - a safe and prosperous transition into the establishment of 1428. To all others 2007.

Our reunion with Western democracy has been received with great success and ease, aided by the dinky town of Donnybrook. Local employment, some extremely welcoming residents and a stunning climate have indubitably helped the cause. Both Henry and Claire have embraced the numerous activities available to them including Aus-kick footy and Kanga-cricket for Henry, Gym, Dance and playgroups for Claire. Alison is teaching aerobics at the town Rec Centre and has also established her own dance school. Paul’s extra curricular activities include the much maligned acquisition of disused items from Garage and Farm sales, plus the never ending task of picking up rocks and sticks on the soon to be built on - PIATA Estate.

The town of Donnybrook, 200 km’s south of Perth and nestled among rolling hills adorned with grape vines, stone fruit trees and many varieties of apples. Donnybrook is Apple Country. Home to 5,000 people, many of whom are 3rd generation extractions to the folk toiling the existing orchards and farms surrounding the region. Donnybrook boasts spectacular landscapes in early spring with an abundance of wildflowers, lush green hues on every valley and hip and is arguably on par with the prettiest countryside in the Australia.

The ubiquitous vision to transform a 7 acre bush block into an estate with prestigious offerings, is through the first phases. Plans approved, earthworks complete. To reach this stage has taken much longer than anticipated, but our project is unique and not instigated in the usual fashion of signing on the dotted line and walking into a new home 8 months later. We have taken the Owner Builder path, a journey that should prove as intrepid as it is absorbing. Most trade’s people are set for their roles to play. Coordinating the excavation of cellar with plumber and concreter is proving tricky with Christmas looming. 18 months to 2 years is as good as we might hope for moving in. But for now - very pleased with the spectacularity of the entrance despite the absence of canopy trees and palace gates. The building pad is sculptured and flat, plus somewhat large enough that one visitor asked if we were building a factory. The kiddy enjoy playing in the soil hills, stirring up the bull-ant nests and visiting the billabong through the wood, that is home to many species of water birds and ducks.

In view of the long haul ahead we are more than comfortable living in town, walking to work and schools and establishing ourselves as useful citizens in God’s own country. It further establishes that the wheels have turned and our work in the Middle East is now a chapter past. There is no Saudi equivalent to our current living environment coupled with the understated notions of freedom. We are grateful to that country for the opportunities and experiences it brought, but can’t say to miss the hot bed of Riyadh, the intolerance, the confinement, and the tyranny. We miss our friends deeply from afar and hope to reunite with them some day.

--------Merry Christmas--------
Love to all from Paul, Alison, Henry & Claire XXxxOOoo