Don't Mess With Texas - Edition 13 - March 3 2003

Well it's been a while, in fact this edition has spent what seems like an eternity on our computer's desktop, but here is another entry in the Pethrick family annals of history.

First and foremost, just in case you haven't heard, we are now three. Darby Lane Pethrick joined us on December 12, 2002. She's doing great and we're loving being parents.

It was good to catch up with so many of our friends back home in Australia over Christmas. Whilst in Oz we made time to do many of the things that we miss about home - eat fish and chips, go to beach, go down South, pay 92 cents for a litre of fuel :)

Our plane trip home to the US was long (that's a given) but largely uneventful. James Morrison (who is a great jazz trumpeter for the non-music types) and his family sat a couple of rows in front of us. Natalie Imbruglia (another Aussie on the music scene) was also on our flight, no doubt enjoying a first class seat.
Darby was a great little traveller, having only one outburst at about the nine-hour mark of our flight from Sydney to LA. Considering that we had already spent close to 14 hours in the air and several more at the airport, who could blame her?

We arrived in Los Angeles only to run into a few visa hassles with Darby. Apparently we had been given some incomplete advice from the international student advisory office at Wayne's university. In any case, after a few anxious moments things were sorted out - her passport photo is so cute, we can't understand why they wouldn't let her into the country on looks alone. We were fortunate to have had one of the nicer US immigration officers in the country - he was fascinated by Wayne's job as a Futurist, asking him what he thought of one of his future forecasts. (Wayne wouldn't stake his professional reputation saying that we are going to live to 500 years of age... but he wasn't going to tell him that!)

Coming home to our house was like being a part of a Changing Rooms episode (or Trading Spaces if you live in the States). Kay Lynn, who owns the house we rent and lives downstairs, has pulled out all the stops in renovating the place. Our carpeted floors were now replaced by floorboards and we had a significant skylight / window in our ceiling, both of which are very cool. We also had cable hooked up to our TV (mmm... cable) and fully ducted air conditioning / heating.

The heating has worked a treat given our return to the expected cold Northern Hemisphere weather, but we really hadn't seen anything until last week when Austin iced over. The temperature dropped from 82°F (28°C) on the Sunday to 24°F (-5°C) on Monday. It was a bit of a novelty for us sun drenched Aussies, as it was for our Texan friends. One observation, Texan drivers + Icy roads = Extreme Scariness.

We journeyed out on a day trip a few weeks ago. Our destination was Lockhart, the BBQ capital of Texas. We enjoyed some mouthwatering brisket and some sensational smoked sausage, all freshly cooked on the premises at Kreuz Market. My cholesterol is going up just thinking about it!

Darby had her two-month immunisations a few weeks ago. She was very brave having to have five injections in total, 3 in one leg and 2 in the other. Leanne wasn't as brave but survived nevertheless.

At last measurement, Darby weighed 13lbs and was 60cm in length. She has become very chatty recently and is sleeping thought the night (and there was much rejoicing). Her hair is still a very pretty strawberry blonde.
We have created a web page where you can get your fix of Darby pics. We figured that rather than filling up your inbox with photos, you can visit "The Darby Zone" to see how our little girl is growing up. Check back often for updates.

The SXSW (South By Southwest) Festival is fast approaching. This is a cool time of the year in Austin where thousands converge on the town for a few weeks of cool film, music and technology.

We also returned to Houston recently to visit friends. The area is still pretty shaken from the Columbia shuttle tragedy. The commander of the Columbia was a member of a church near our old house and was known by several at Clear Creek, the church we attended in Houston. Lowell, the worship pastor at Clear Creek, actually led a service for the astronauts on the International Space Station, which was a first.

We can't believe it is March already and if we keep writing it will be June! We hope 2003 has had an exciting start for y'all.


We have a new segment of DMWT for you to enjoy - introducing...

America, You Must Buy This #1:
Precooked bacon that you heat in the microwave.

Love Wayne, Leanne and Darby

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Don't Mess With Texas - Edition 12 – 6th October 2002

Welcome to another long overdue DMWT entry into the Pethrick's annals of history. We hope you have a cup of coffee and a few minutes at hand...

Well the countdown is getting smaller everyday - 9 weeks until we meet Little Peth! Leanne is trying not to think about all the things she has to do between now and then - the 'longest' one being the 20+ hours of flying to reach Perth. The doctor has been really pleased with the pregnancy so far and feels the trip home should be no problem - Leanne is more concerned about being comfortable for the flight than having a Qantas baby. Once arriving home the next hurdle is surviving the three weeks until Wayne arrives - Leanne is pretty sure she doesn't want to do the whole labour thing without him!

We have started our series of 'Lamaze- Preparation for Birth' classes. Much amusement has been had watching one of the prospective dads in the group. This guy has a particularly weak constitution and the sheer look of horror /disgust on his face at any mention of anything 'bodily' is priceless. We make sure that we can sit opposite him so as to appreciate his visceral reactions. One thing that's for sure is that we won't be listening to any of the Kenny G tunes suggested by our lecturer as a way to relax. Why would Lil' Peth want to come into the world with that stuff playing?

Since our last newsletter we have moved into a new house. This will hopefully be our permanent residence over the duration of time that we are in Austin. It's quite cool - not big, but we'll take character over size on
most days! It is a loft built into the roof of an old house. This means that there are not too many vertical walls. This was a little trying for the first couple of weeks until we got used to it, Wayne was reminded of the
many nights he spent in a tent whilst on Outdoor Ed camps. The place is pretty much downtown (about a 15 min walk to the Texas Capital building) in a very nice established neighborhood (for the benefit of Perthites',
something like Subiaco). We have a deck to sit out on which is very nice in the morning; the mosquitoes (and the heat) prove a little prohibitive at other times. The whole house has just entered a phase of renovation - we will post a snapshot when the work is completed.

Our address: 1106B Lorrain Street Austin TX 77803

Wayne finished his internship at the end of August. He is now a fully-fledged futurist (nice bit of alliteration there). Leanne threw a little party, and much celebrating was had. Work at The Futures Lab is still great with plenty of new projects coming in. Wayne was interviewed for a story to appear in the Atlantic Journal Constitution (Atlanta's daily newspaper) the other day and he recently became a member of the Association of Professional Futurists

It’s funny how just when everything seems to be smooth sailing a wave or two comes along. Firstly our beloved Oldsmobile had a 'bit of a turn', requiring a new transmission. You can't blame it really given the mileage that we have put on the thing with all of our travels (and 18 months living in sprawling Houston).

Secondly, Leanne had her bag stolen by some rotten weasels whilst swimming at Barton Springs. This prompted a few anxious hours as her car keys were in the bag and Wayne was elsewhere waiting for Leanne to pick him up. Eventually things got sorted out but having stuff stolen, regardless of what it is, is never a pleasant feeling. (Especially when it includes the only pair of shorts that fit around Leanne’s pregnant belly!)

Traumas aside, it was then great to have Wayne's Mum Di visit us for three weeks. The three of us traveled to New York (Da da dadada, da da dadada...) for a long weekend in the Big Apple. We went to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), Times Square, Central Park, Ground Zero, Staten Island, SoHo, Rupert Gee's deli (Letterman fans will appreciate that), the Empire State, rode the subway, had pizza in Greenwich Village, had dinner in Little Italy... all the usual New York things.

We took Di to see our old stomping ground in Houston where we all enjoyed a good old barbecue rib dinner with our friends Renee, Mike and Ashlei. (Thanks for the graduation cake!) We also traveled to San Antonio to spend a day on the Riverwalk and to have lunch at our favorite German deli Schilos, and to the craft and antique epicenter of Central Texas, Fredericksburg.

She really spoiled us during her stay, as Mums are so good at. Lots of funny moments were had as can be expected with three people living in close quarters – we will spare you the stories as you probably ‘had to be there’.

Wayne traveled to Southern California for work in late September. He had time to catch up with Leigh & Janna Sarti and see their surrounds in Mission Viejo, Orange County. After an afternoon strolling along Laguna beach and a very nice night spent in the St Regis resort (both of which Leanne was very envious), Wayne, Derek & Charla (Wayne's colleague and his wife) headed up to LA (They did actually do some work throughout all of this!). Wayne then enjoyed the hospitality of our friends Dennis & Steph Carlson, who are now living in Pasadena, before spending the morning exploring the very fashionable Melrose area in West Hollywood.

Last weekend we attended the very first Austin City Limits Music Festival together with about 40 000 other music devotees. Despite the 90 degree F plus (35 degrees C) temperature it was a great time. We moved from stage to stage and saw about 15 acts in all.

Wayne made his debut for the Austin Crows Aussie rules team yesterday. The match was against the Dallas Magpies. Unfortunately, the Crows went down to the more experienced Maggies, but much fun was had by all, especially at the post-game BBQ. Wayne's skinless knees aren't having as much fun however, not accustomed anymore to being thrown with reckless abandon into hard, spiky ground by their merciless, now very sore owner (he's getting old!).

As we have already mentioned, it won't be long before we are back in OZ. Leanne arrives on November 3, Wayne following a short while later on the 23rd. We are certainly looking forward to seeing y'all.

Until next time, remember the world really is wonderful.

Texan Vocabulary Builder #14 & 15:
"We've howdyed but we ain't shook." : We haven't been formally introduced.
Effleurage : Not at all Texan but a great word nevertheless. We learnt this
one at Lamaze class, it has to do with massaging the pregnant belly.

Potential Texan Names for Little Peth # 8 - 11:
Bubba Etoufee Pethrick (pronounced ett-ooo-fee, at least by Leanne. Long
story but our Houston friends will get it!)
Peefer Pethrick
Mack Pethrick (Mack Brown is the head coach of the U of Texas football team
and enjoys almost god-like status here in Longhorn country)
Amarillo Pethrick (thought of you Di with this one)

Love
Wayne & Leanne and Little Peth

 

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 11 - July 31 2002

Well this is our first official edition from Austin. We are really enjoying the change in lifestyle. It has been great to see some live music again. We have made Thursdays at Jo's coffee shop a bit of a routine. Every Thursday evening they have a band playing outside in the car park, when the sun goes down, they show a classic movie. Everyone brings their outdoor chairs and enjoys the cinematic feast under the stars.

Swimming at Barton Springs pool has also been a nice way to stay cool on hot days. Barton Springs is a natural pool about 300 metres long by 50 metres wide that stays a constant 68 degrees F (20 degrees C) year round. That may sound OK but believe us when we say that brass monkeys would not stand a chance! (i.e. it's a tad chilly) Leanne has been trying to make Barton Springs her regular pregnancy workout home.

On the topic of water, we have people suggesting that we could be responsible for the floods last year in Houston! These accusations are based on the fact that we had only been here two weeks when the same thing occurred in Austin.

Our Oldsmobile is also appreciating the move. Austin is a lot easier to walk around than car-centric Houston. Living downtown makes most things close; Wayne's work is only ten minutes away. When we move to our permanent Austin home (August 15), things will be even closer.

A few weeks back we visited our friends Tony and Susan in Dallas. Amongst other things, Wayne and Tony enjoyed a round of Frisbee Golf and we took in a Texas Rangers baseball game at the Ballpark in Arlington. As the proud parents of two-year-old Hannah, Susan and Tony had plenty of parental advice and handed us a boot (trunk) load of much needed baby products. They're great.

Last week we were fortunate enough to travel to Philadelphia for Wayne to speak at a conference. Philly is a great town to visit, full of interesting things to see. The whole urban, downtown-living kind of vibe was a good experience. Our explorations took us to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence), Ben Franklin's house, the Reading Street Markets and Betsy Ross' Cottage (she designed the first stars & stripes flag.) We even ate Philly cheese-steaks from Pat's, the original cheese-steak store. On the quiet, the Declaration of Independence was actually proclaimed on July 2 and then signed on August 8 - I guess July 4 was chosen by someone who thought that it would work well in the name of a movie about the earth being taken over by aliens.

We chose budget accommodations for our stay, the good old hostel. Our frugality was born out when Leanne bought a drink for Wayne's boss Derek at the conference hotel - $10.75! This was the equivalent of half a nights stay at our spartan digs. While our wallets appreciated the stay, we both agreed that we are getting soft in our old age - bunk beds just don't seem that exciting anymore. Leanne was not thrilled at climbing into a top bunk while 5 months pregnant. Wayne picked up a cold amidst the dorm sleeping arrangements, not the most pleasant thing when it's 100 degrees F (37 degrees C) outside.

Leanne has chosen to take a jewellery making class to celebrate her upcoming 31st birthday. She has enjoyed finding something that lets her be creative without a huge budget attached. She is very talented - but y'all knew that.

Wayne is really enjoying his internship. Things have been very busy and time has certainly flown by. If you get a free moment, drop by his work's website http://www.futures-lab.com. After completing a project for the California Environmental Protection Agency he is now involved in a couple of studies for companies in the US and in Europe. One that I am at more liberty to talk about is the future of dry cleaning – sounds a little dull at first I’ll admit but you’d be surprised (As I was!). He has been offered a full time position at the conclusion of the 'work-study' period, which is very cool. It will be nice to let our financial belts out a notch, particularly with Little Peth on the way.

Leanne and lil' Peth appear to be doing quite well. Our first ultrasound was a very cool experience. You can find a pic of the little guy/gal by going to http://users.1st.net/pethricks/about/lil peth.jpg. We have started playing the baby some tunes to encourage its appreciation for music. Today's session was reggae. After truly grooving along for a few songs, it was Bob Marley that finally induced sleep (at the very least stillness.) This made Leanne very happy because for the last couple of weeks there has been very little 'stillness' on Little Peth's behalf.

For those of our readers who wave the Australian flag proudly, you will be happy to know that we will be home in Perth for the arrival of our baby. For those of you who thought it would be cool for us to have an American citizen in the family (Wayne being one!) we will have to wait until we win the lottery for that! It will be great to be home with family and friends for the birth and Christmas (Leanne is excited about not being kicked out of the hospital after 48 hours.)

Texan Vocabulary Builder #13:
Hillbilly Opera – the sonorous performance often resulting from a big serve of ribs with plenty of beans as fixin's (e.g. the campfire scene in “Blazing Saddles”)

Potential Texan Names for Little Peth # 4 – 7:
Alamo Pethrick
Betty-LuAnn Pethrick
Bevo Pethrick (Bevo is the name of the University of Texas' mascot - he is a longhorn steer)
Lubbock Pethrick (this is variation on the obvious Austin Pethrick or Houston Pethrick)

Love
W & L

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 10 - May 13 2002

In keeping with the sheer ‘bigness’ of our adopted state (nation!) of Texas, the Pethricks have some BIG news.

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!

That’s right a little Peth is on the way, ETA December 8. Leanne is pleased to report that she has avoided the usual morning sickness unpleasantries, experiencing only some afternoon queasiness. Wayne is doing fine. Bets are now on whether little Peth will be an Aussie or a Yank (apologies to all of the Southerners who are reading this).

We have immersed ourselves in the customary pregnancy reading list. For Leanne it’s been the landmark work “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.” She has supplemented this text with the Antipodean neo-classic “Up the Duff!” According to the book, little Peth is the size of a softball this week, having grown from an orange, grape and coffee bean. Wayne has also gotten into the act preferring the subtle, masculine tones of “My Boys Can Swim” – a slim volume that resounds with valuable insights for the soon to be father. An example of this wisdom is the author’s observation that certain women (Not Leanne, repeat not Leanne) develop voracious appetites during pregnancy and attempt to justify this behaviour by pointing out that they are eating for two. He is quick to point out that these women need to remember that the second one is the size of a ping-pong ball, not Orson Welles. A truly scintillating read.

Big news item #2 is that Wayne has finished all of his classes, and much relief and rejoicing was had (and a hint of sadness). It seems like only yesterday that he was starting. Beginning with only an idea of what futures was all about, Wayne is not far away from being one of the few professionally qualified Futurists in the world. Which leads us to big news item #3.

We are moving to Austin, Texas. To complete his Masters degree, Wayne has to spend some time interning with an experienced Futurist. After a couple of possibilities in California and Washington DC disappointingly fell through, we were offered an opportunity with a company that Wayne has had some dealings with in his time in the Futures program. Although we are only moving two hours up the road, the change of scenery will be great. Austin is a very cool city, holding the illustrious title of the live music capital of the US. We will make sure that we update y’all on our new address just as soon as we find out where exactly that is.

Leanne has settled back into life in Texas quite well after her surprise visit back to OZ. Wayne would like to thank everyone who took good care of her while she was there. Houston welcomed her home with its customary heat and humidity. Have we ever mentioned that it’s HOT here? Not good old dry heat, but the sort of heat where you get out of the shower and get wetter instead of drier when you try and towel yourself off! Anyway enough of our whingeing.

This Sunday just gone was our church’s first service in its new building. Having spent the last nine years (444 Sundays) meeting in schools, this will come as a welcome change, especially for those who had to set up and pull down the sound system and 800 chairs every week. The new building is something else, complete with state of the art sound and visuals and a massive aquarium in the foyer. There may be some pictures of the new building on the church’s webpage at http://www.clearcreek.org

Wayne will travel to Sacramento, CA early in June to report on a project that he has been working on. Both of us will be going to Philadelphia in July for a conference. If any one has any contacts there let us know, it would be nice to be shown around by some locals.

Our website has gone through another revamp. If you haven’t been there recently, feel free to swing by at http://users.1st.net/pethricks/home.html

TEXAS VOCAB BUILDER #12
“Fixin’ ”: def. 1. Preparing oneself
2. An accompaniment to a main meal
As in “I’m fixin’ to get me some fixin’s with my ribs.”

TIP FOR LIVING IN HOUSTON #11
Make sure that you have your credit card ready when the special offer for “Ultimate Manilow” comes on the TV. This double CD comes with a souvenir poster and is jam-packed with all of Barry’s Hits, like: ‘Mandy’, ‘I Can’t Smile Without You’ and who could forget ‘I Write The Songs That Make The Whole World Sing’ (Word to the wise, Barry didn’t actually write this song!). Supplies are limited so don’t delay. Bring Barry home tonight with Ultimate Manilow.

POTENTIAL TEXAN NAMES FOR LITTLE PETH #1 - 3
Bubba Pethrick
Gun Pethrick
Ultimate Barry Pethrick

That’s all for now. Until next time, be kind to yourselves and to one another.

Love
Leanne & Wayne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Special Edition - April 15 2002

This is a special edition of DMWT because it is being sent from Perth, Western Australia and written by only Leanne. (Poor Wayne is still working very hard back in Texas. He has earned massive amounts of brownie points with his wife by suggesting she go home for a visit!) I am lucky enough to be enjoying a quick three week visit home to Perth in order to share in a most amazing experience - the birth of my nephew. After a very long wait Jonah Michael Price was born on Friday April 12th weighing a healthy 9lbs 13oz and stretching 55 1/2 cms. Mum and Dad are doing great and it was the most incredible thing I have ever been part of. Thankyou Narelle and Michael for allowing me to share in the pain and joy with you.

I have been busy drinking coffee, eating lunch, walking, riding bikes, shopping (don't worry Wayne only window shopping) and sharing dinner with friends and family. I was also able to meet my 'first' nephew, 11 month old Ethan, for the very first time. A big three weeks! Now there is only two more sleeps until I will be back in Houston.

While all this has been taking place Wayne has been back at the ranch, slaving away on his computer, finishing final assignments. He only has three more weeks of classes to complete all his required course work. YIPPEE!!!! His hard work was interupted and rewarded last week at a luncheon sponsored by the Dean of the University. Wayne was surprised to find he was one of the guests of honour, receiving an academic medal for making the Dean's Honours List. I keep telling him he is an outstanding student - it was good for someone else to acknowledge all his hard work. He really is a star!

We are still awaiting confirmation on an internship placement, we will let you know asap just in case itineraries need to be changed (for all you potential visitors!) I wish all you non-Perthites (and Wayne) could have come for a visit with me, Perth really is a beautiful place. Keep sending us you news.

Love Leanne

 

 

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 9 - February 19 2002

Happy 2002 everyone!

This year has started in a blur for us hence this end of February edition.

Wayne is well and truly back into the study mode, his final semester of classes.  YIPEE!  He is taking two Futures courses and a marketing elective.  It's hard to believe that this is nearly the end of his course work - that leaves only a 10-week internship left to complete.  Wayne has been in contact with potential internship placements, they are located from coast to coast.  This is exciting and a little daunting, as we cannot make relocation plans until an offer is finalised.  Who knows where our next US home will be.

The boys Leanne has been nannying, Matt (14) and Graham (11), spent some time with their extended family in Canada over Christmas time.  This gave us the opportunity to take a little road trip and see some new sights.  Our first stop was Hot Springs, Arkansas.  This little town is built around natural hot water springs (140° F in temp).  In times gone by, public bathhouses were established to take advantage of this plentiful supply of hot water.  Only one original bathhouse still operates and we thought a hot springs bath would be a great holiday experience, little did we know what we were in for -

At the front desk of the bathhouse we were separated, Leanne to the second floor, Wayne to the first.  We were then de-robed, wrapped in linen sheets and directed to our own personal whirlpool baths.  This was all pretty cool (actually pretty warm) until the bathing attendant came in and washed our arms, legs and back for us!  A truly wild ride was to follow our soak in the tub: first a sit in a HOT bath for our bottoms (it's supposed to be good for sciatica), then time in a steam box (Leanne just wanted someone to let her out!) and finally we were wrapped head to toe in scolding hot towels and left to dream pleasant dreams.  Both of us just kept wondering if the same thing was happening to the other!  The finale was a shower that squirts at you from all directions.  (At this point Leanne was also told she was a goddess - not sure what to do with new information)  All in all it was a great experience, especially considering the outside temperature was freezing.  Taking a shower now just seems too easy.

Back on the road again we headed to Memphis, Tennessee to visit "The King" and to spend Christmas Day.  Christmas Eve we lit candles and sang carols in one of the oldest Methodist churches in Memphis - the service was very moving.  Christmas day we called home, worked out in the hotel gym, walked with our 'feet ten feet off of Beale...', enjoyed a movie and ate ribs in a funky restaurant at night.  Of course before we left Memphis we stopped by Graceland to visit the Jungle Room.  Wayne couldn't help but have a 'Spinal Tap' moment (musicians will understand this) at Elvis' grave - Leanne however, wasn't forthcoming with the suitable harmonies to "Heartbreak Hotel"!

Next stop Nashville to see Ainslie Grosser (a Perth friend working in the Christian Music industry there).  It was great to catch up with a fellow Aussie and see the sights of Nashville - just to see hills and valleys was a nice change to the 'undulation-free zone' in Houston.  We waved goodbye to Ainslie and found our way to Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniels Distillery.  The tour was really interesting, no free taste samples though because the distillery is located in a 'dry' county.  They cannot even sell the whiskey on site; you have to drive to the next county, (a drive we did NOT take Mum!)

Our original plan at this point was to head home but, as any good road trip must have, we made a spontaneous decision to keep driving East to Atlanta - it wasn't that far away!  There the World of Coke awaited us - they did have free samples, over 100 of them.  Every flavour from every country was on tap for those who were brave enough to try.  Two of  Wayne's favourites were a particularly nasty Italian soda and lychee syrup from Asia.  Leanne stuck to diet coke.

We then pointed our nose towards home through Alabama and then onto Mississippi.  Stopping for gas at some little town in Alabama, we were treated to a special moment.  Leanne was paying for the fuel when the cashier asked her "Where are you from?"  After Leanne responded, the lady then asked, in all sincerity "Say something to me in your language!"  Much laughing was had as we drove away and to this day as we retell the story often.

We enjoyed a brief break from our New Year's craziness with a weekend visit from Josh Bond (another travelling Aussie.)  It was great to show him the sights of Houston and to unload his suitcase of good old Cadbury's chocolate (thanks Julie!  Hershey has nothing on a Violet Crumble!)  Wayne and Josh tested their skills in the baseball batting cages - Josh got more than he bargained for when he was pounded by a ball (inches from his future) that was unexpectedly released from the machine.  Sorry Josh.

It's rodeo time in Houston again.  We went to the Barbecue World Championships that precede the rodeo.  There must have been at least 50 000 people there that night, enjoying ribs, music and atmosphere.  We are hoping to enjoy the musical stylings of Willie Nelson and Leanne Womack next week when we dust off our cowboy hats, polish our belt buckles (your average hubcap will do the job) and join the rodeo crowd.

We hope your years have started out in a way that has left you all sane.  We are continually reminded of Proverbs 19:21  "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  We try hard to think through all the possibilities for us this coming year (Leanne especially, but she's working on the 'take each day as it comes' thing) - the bottom line is that God is more than capable to take us on from this point.  We are enjoying the strengthening of the 'trust factor' in our lives.

Texas Vocab Builder #11

"Going Postal" : losing the plot.  Derived from the unusually high number of postal workers who turn up to work one day and shoot everybody. (Not necessarily specific to Texas.  We just love the saying.)

Tips for Living in Houston #10

Never give up on an Aussie short track skater even when he is half a lap behind everyone else.  It is quite possible for the other four skaters to crash and then watch him skate by for a GOLD MEDAL!

(Again this has nothing to do with Houston but we are proud Aussies living in Houston - "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi")

Love Wayne & Leanne

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 8 - December 17 2001

1st Year Anniversary Edition

Well this was supposed to be our HAPPY THANKSGIVING edition but considering that American Thanksgiving was nearly a month ago, the sentiment loses a little.  It is however our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of living in the States - time certainly does fly.

As for Thanksgiving, we would like to report that we ate ourselves silly, as is the appropriate behavior for such a festive day (gobble gobble gobble - for both the turkeys and the humans), and gave thanks for an invitation to share in a traditional meal.  Just to give you an idea of the menu: turkey, 2 kinds of stuffing (dressing), green beans, candied yams, carrot soufflé, squash, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn bread, regular bread, wine, iced tea, pecan pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, homemade ice-cream AND coffee.  YUMMY!  Our good friends Tony and Susan allowed us to join their family in Lockhart, Texas (about 2 hrs from Houston) and we were very happy too!

Another reason to have published this edition weeks ago is to spread the word that we are going to be Uncle Wayne and Aunty Leanne again - Narelle (Leanne's sister) and Michael are expecting their first baby in April 2002.  Leanne would love to make it home in time to catch Michael if he faints and to help Narelle push.  Actually we are sure Mike will stay upright and we know all the pushing is up to Narelle (sorry sis!) 

Since our last edition of DMWT, we have had the company of some more visitors.  Leanne's Mum and Dad returned to Houston soon to be joined by Richard and Bev Wild.  Their visit coincided with Wayne's birthday.  As part of the celebrations we went to the local batting cages (Baseball) to face a fastball or two en route to Pappasitos Mexican.  A good night was had by all.

At the end of October (gee it has been a while since we last wrote!), we again made the trip to San Antonio for an exciting weekend.  We caught up with Tom Randall who some of you might know.  Tom was a missionary in the Philippines for years and is now the Chaplain to the Senior PGA tour.  We spent the day on the course with a lot of big named, old golfers (e.g. Ray Floyd, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, Graham Marsh...) and then went to their chapel service in the evening.  These guys are still pulling in excess of $2 million.  Not a bad twilight to a career.

The day after the golf we went to an Aussie get together.  There is an Australian shop in San Antonio and twice a year, they organize either a football or a cricket game.  This time was cricket - lots of fun.  They even had some meat pies and sausage rolls made especially for the occasion.  They tasted so-o-o good.  There were about 110 people there, some coming from as far away as Portland, Oregon just for the weekend.

Halloween has also come and gone.  Apparently this year was a little subdued on the 'trick-or-treating' front, impacted in no small way by the anthrax scares.  One of Leanne's friend made sure that we were well equipped with candy for the would be door-knockers but alas, our door was un-knocked!  Halloween kicks off the Holiday season over here.  It might be stating the obvious, but Americans certainly know how to recognize a festive occasion and then milk it for what its worth!

We have been to quite a few high school football games recently.  They typically get about four or five thousand spectators to a game, TV broadcasters, the works. When you get home from the game you can watch the highlights on TV and then they replay them the next day.  It's a big deal down here (up here for many of you I suppose) in Texas - maybe too big.  Can you believe the players run out on to the field through a fog filled tunnel and then run through a procession formed by about 40 cheerleaders!  We can understand now why the high school marching band members were more than a little miffed when they were snubbed at the Olympics, they are awesome.  It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say that they would give most AFL Grand Final half time efforts something to think about.

One of the few low-points that we have experienced since we arrived here was Leanne losing her purse.  To cut a long story short, we lost some money, all of Leanne's cards (Australian and American) plus a really nice purse bought in Florence, Italy.  Since then God continues to amaze us with extra work opportunities (see the next paragraph) and other unexpected good things.  What started out feeling like an unrecoverable loss has served as a good reminder that God is in control.

Wayne was asked to fill in for a band a few weeks ago.  This was an interesting night because the gig was at an Irish pub in Galveston for an event called 'Dickens on the Strand'.  The basic idea is that they turn the main streets of the town into Victorian-style England.  If you wear period costume (we didn't) you get in for free, and so the streets are teeming with folks in old-fashioned apparel.  The band played Celtic music (another relatively new experience) and with only one short rehearsal, Wayne learnt a lot of new songs that night!  One tune he came upon however was familiar, having sung it as a class item at a school assembly in Year 4  ("...wack for the daddy-o there's whiskey in the jar!")

We have both survived another semester of Grad School - only one more to go now.  Opportunities to put some of the stuff that Wayne has been learning are starting to come more often.  He recently spoke to a group from Pennzoil as a panel member on the future of transportation and has another project commencing in the New Year for the Californian Environmental Protection Agency.

Leanne has filled the last week or so with the preparations and construction of a ginger bread house.  She was very excited that it has stayed up long enough for her to take photos.  Wayne is circling like a vulture waiting for the first signs of structural weakness natural or otherwise.  Next year, Leanne is planning on constructing a barbed wire fence out of icing!  It compliments our small balsam Christmas tree (it's real) and balcony icicle lights. 

We will be spending Christmas this year with Elvis at Graceland.  That's right, we'll be in Memphis, Tennessee.  We will then spend a few days with Ainslie Grosser in Nashville and from there we'll do a bit more traveling through Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  A week on the road will help Wayne's separation anxiety (from his computer).

Until next time, have a great Christmas and a happy and safe New Year Y'all!

TEXAN VOCAB BUILDER #10:

COKE:  any soft drink, including coke eg. "Would you like a coke?"  "Yes please."  "What kind would you like?  We've got Dr Pepper, 7-UP and Root Beer."

TIP FOR LIVING IN HOUSTON #9:      

1.  Don't work for Enron.

2.  Don't invest in Enron.

3. Don't name your baseball stadium after a company, namely Enron.

Our commiserations if any of the above apply to you.

Love

Wayne & Leanne

 

 

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 7 - September 15 2001

This is a 'much behind schedule' edition of DMWT, for that we apologise. We feel as if the last three months have been a blur - things are starting to cool off a little though, in more ways than one. We have had a fantastic summer and yet all the comings and goings have, in some ways, been overshadowed by the events of the past few weeks.

It has been quite an experience to have been in Houston for a major flood and now in the US during a terrorist attack. The constant news coverage of the NY and Washington tragedies since Sept 11 has affected this nation deeply.  Our prayers and thoughts are obviously with the families who have lost loved ones and with the men and women who must now make decisions on a course of action.

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed to check on us and Leanne's Mum and Dad.  They were due to fly out of Houston the day of the attacks but got to enjoy Houston for a few more days before opting for a bus ride to Chicago.  Those of you who know Chezza (Leanne's Mum) will know that she hates to fly at the best of times.  After 30+ hours on a Greyhound, she may now give up on travelling altogether!

Wayne is now back into the swing of Fall semester. Three heavy classes, three work projects (with his professor's consulting company) and his on-campus job are proving to fill his schedule quite easily.  Wayne is no longer working as the Health, Wellness & Recreation Coordinator in the Student Life Office.  He has moved to an assistant position for one of the Future's professors.  This will prove fruitful for contacts in the Future's industry and will positively and absolutely free him from organising three-on-three basketball tournaments - never again.  YAY!

It has been three months since the Pethrick household had any sense of routine.  Here are some of the highlights since our last update (July!):

* Jo and Brendan Croot (from Perth, Aus) visited Houston as part of their world tour.  We took the Croots to the baseball and managed to win selection to be upgraded from our $5.00 seats to premium seats behind the Astro's dugout!  This included getting our faces on the jumbo-tron (big, big, big screen) not once but twice.

* Chad Peacock (from Perth, currently residing in California) also dropped by. He joined the cramped Pethrick quarters along with the Croots. Sorry about the mattress Chad!

* Croots, Pethricks and the Chad crammed into the Oldsmobile for a trip to New Orleans. Creole Gumbo, Beignets (a New Orleans pastry delicacy) and Jazz was had by all.

* Waved our visitors goodbye and became tourists ourselves with a trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The trip allowed Wayne to attend the World Future Society conference.  Wayne was asked to present one of his papers at the conference and he did a great job of that.  He also overcame the 'networking nerves' and made some good contacts.

* Enjoyed the delight of staying with Andy and Nancy Helmich in Minneapolis (Perth people may remember Andy Jnr who studied at Curtin for 6 months and attended South Perth). They were fantastic hosts, driving us to Duluth, the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) training camp and many local sights. It was great to see them again.  Thankyou Helmichs!

* Treated to an Ethiopian dining experience by Grant and Nancy Casady (that would be the beloved Nancy Norman with her new name and husband!)  They drove all the way from Grand Forks, North Dakota to see us in Minneapolis.  What stars!

* No sooner had we landed home and we were back to the airport to pick up Gráinne O'Donovan (another Perthite).  After much deliberation, we have decided not to spare Gráinne's embarrassment at this point, so sorry G! ...  But due to some erroneous information, we made not one, but TWO THREE HOUR trips to the airport to collect Gráinne.  Needless to say it was great to see her standing there the second time.  We were so pleased, we took her straight to a baseball game!

* Celebrated Leanne's 30th while Gráinne was with us.  HIP HIP HOORAY.  Then took Gráinne to San Antonio for her birthday the next weekend.  HIP HIP HOORAY AGAIN.  Had a hot day on the Riverwalk and the Alamo and then finished the day with a very enjoyable meal at Mi Tierra - Ole!

* Waved goodbye to Gráinne and hello to Ma and Pa Hunt (aka Ronnie and Chezza Wong or Leanne's parents).  Shared many 'Houston' experiences with them including monsoonal rains, humidity, mosquitoes and of course our beloved Astros (who are looking 'the goods' at the right end of the season). Another trip to San Antonio, shopping, NASA Open Day, church and Galveston were also on the 'to do' list.

* Unfortunately we were not able to make it out to California for Leigh and Jana's wedding. We trust you guys had a great day.  It would have been good to see all the Aussies who made the trip to the wedding.

That pretty much brings us up to this week, which includes a welcome return to routine for us (back to the gym to lose a few pounds!) 

The tone of the country has been very much expressed by the changing news headlines:  America Attacked - America Recovers - America Responds.  Stores have sold out of US flags, most adorning front yards and cars.  The place is caught between the shock of the recent tragic events and the uncertainty of what is to happen next.  We're not sure if F-16s routinely flying over your house are supposed to make you feel safe or insecure.  Whatever happens, some things will never be the same again - or as a futurist would say - this was a moment of discontinuity.

Once again thanks for your e-mails and prayers.  Time is really flying by here.  God continues to bless and challenge us in surprising ways.  We are open to any other visitors, our 'possible visitor' list has nearly come to an end.

Texan Vocabulary Builder #9

"HERE'S THE KICKER": an expression used to deliver an extra 'punch' after a point has been made.  For example - 'We had to drive to the airport twice to pick-up Gráinne, and here's the kicker, the airport is 1 1/2 hours away!'  (We love you G!)

We can only guess this has American football origins...

Tips for Living in Houston #8

Watch out for brightly coloured cows.

The next couple of months is Houston Cow Parade time.  Houston is overrun by over 350 uniquely painted life-size cows.  Each cow and artist are sponsored and then the cows are auctioned at the end of the 'parade' to raise money for charity. To see some of the cows go to www.cowparade.net and then click on Houston.

That's all from me and that's all from him,

Love Wayne and Leanne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 6 - July 8 2001

Right up front, this edition of DMWT will be a 'quickie'.  We've got a busy month coming up and so we'll make it up to you in the next update.

It's HOT and getting hotter!  The temperature (33 -37 degrees Celsius) is not what gets you, it is the 70% humidity. We try and go hard-core by not using the air conditioner but are finding our resistance weakening.  Maybe we're getting old or maybe it's just plain HOT.

We've been to a few more baseball games to support our beloved Astros.  We find it quite interesting to watch the people sitting around us in the 'nose bleed' seats (the seats are so high they give you complimentary oxygen masks!  No really, it's not that bad.)  They spend $5 on a ticket and then proceed to buy $20 to $30 worth of 'reasonably priced' ballpark food.  Being the good Aussies that we are (read: cheap), we bring our own peanuts and drinks.

By the way, did I say that it's HOT?

We recently caught up with Ricky and Gwen Grace at a Houston Comets (WNBA) game.  Tully Bevalaqua (formerly of the Perth Breakers) was in town playing for the Portland Fire and she tee-ed up some tickets for us.  Oh, and there was another famous basketball player at the game too, some guy named Shaq.  He's not that big in real life, massive is probably a better word to use.  

Our 4th of July holiday was spent at the home of some new friends, where we enjoyed some Texan sized hamburgers (half-pounders).  We then went down to the lake for the obligatory fireworks.  The soundtrack to the Australia Day Sky-show has it all over the American equivalent - give me Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning" and Gangajang's "Sounds Of Then" anyday.

Yesterday we spent our first day on site, working for Habitat For Humanity.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Habitat, they are an organization that builds houses for low-income families.  So with nail guns in hand, we set to work.  We were kind of lucky that some of the supplies that we needed didn't arrive, cutting our day short, because it was HOT.  It was a good experience and we look forward to many more Habitat opportunities.  You can find out more about Habitat for Humanity by going to www.hfh.org.

Brendan and Jo Croot will join us in Houston this week, soon to be followed by Chad Peacock (all from Perth).  It will be great to see some familiar faces again.  We will trekking our way to New Orleans for a couple of days.  You can read all the news of our escapades in the "Big Easy" in the next episode.

We will be heading north to Minneapolis at the end of the month for the World Futures Society International Conference.  Wayne has just been asked to present one of his papers as one of the "Best of UH-Clear Lake" representatives.  He is looking forward to the opportunity to network and sell himself to potential employers but also hating the idea of networking and selling himself.

That's it for now. Have a great day!

Texan Vocabulary Builder #8

FARN : (adjective) - Not domestic.  For example, "I cuddint unnerstand a wurd he sed ... must be from some farn country."

Tips for Living in Houston #6 & #7

Bring your own peanuts to baseball games.

Think cold thoughts - often.

Love Wayne and Leanne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 5 - June 6 2001

G'Day All! 

This edition comes to you from a city currently in a "State of Emergency".  Houston is UNDER WATER - after four days of continual rain (up to 40 inches in some parts of the city) there is the threat that we may all float out into the Gulf of Mexico.  It is a relief that we live on the second floor of our apartment complex even though we are not in any immediate danger.  It has been called the 'flood of a lifetime', whoever thought it would be part of our lifetimes!  Wayne got to experience the flood of his lifetime up close and personal on Tuesday night after a run in with a significant puddle, actually several significant puddles.  The good old Oldsmobile only stalled the once (on the freeway feeder road) and after a 150m push out of the knee-deep water, she was good as gold!    

We have been poor correspondents this past month, for that we apologise.  We promise that once the water subsides and the lightning stops we will catch up.  May was a busy month for us, here is a run-down of what we've been up to.

May 1 -      We passed out Texan driver's license tests. 

(See our last edition of DMWT for details)

May 2 -      Wayne's last day of class.  Hooray!

May 3 -      Left for Boston

We had a fantastic week in Marblehead with Steph and Dennis.  We visited New Hampshire, Maine, Boston Common, Kennebunkport, Rockport, Portsmouth, The Freedom Trail, Cambridge (Harvard and M.I.T), Salem and Manchester by the Sea.  We took photos, ate icecream, walked lots, went to Park St church (the oldest in Boston) and had a wonderful time.  We have placed Boston on our 'Places to Live Sometime' list.

May 9 -      Returned from Boston

May 10 -    Started a week of Pethrick flu.  Wayne first, Leanne second (he made me kiss him!)

May 13 -    Cheered on the Houston Astros  (baseball) alongside the 'former leader of the free world' George Bush.  The announcer tried to tell us that George was responsible for coining the phrase "You're the man!" as he cheered home a runner in the 60's.  We are yet to be convinced this is true.

May 16 -    Wayne received his results.  Three A's giving him a Grade Point Average of 4.0 (out of 4.0).  Went to the baseball again to celebrate.

May 18 -    We became an Aunty and Uncle!  Congratulations go to Brendon and Kristy (Leanne's brother and sister-in-law), proud parents of Ethan.  We feel very far away but have seen our nephew via e-mail - he's a spunk!  It would be great to be able to hold him and see B & K doing the parent thing.

May 23 -      Wayne made his debut playing bass at mid-week church.

June 3 -       Leanne begins her 10 week career as a tribal leader in Kids Church - grades 4 & 5, she should survive.

June 4 -     Wayne started summer school.  He has one class for three weeks, followed by assignments of course.  Wayne should have time to socialize with our visitors that are coming soon - YAY.

If you're not into sports, you may want to skip the next few paragraphs.

As some of you may know, June is play-offs time - at least as far as NBA and NHL goes.  Unfortunately, the basketball is a bit of a write off as far as we are concerned.  The Lakers are playing against the Sixers and we'll see too many tattooed, prancing players with over inflated egos and pay packets.  Admittedly they are great athletes but most lack basketball brains and more to the point, brains full stop!

On the other hand, the NHL rocks!  As of last night the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup over the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 3.  We wanted New Jersey to win, their captain Scott Stevens is the John Worsfold of the National Hockey League, plus they've got Alexander Mogilny who's an ex-Canuck (Wayne's team of choice).  But we didn't mind seeing the Av's get up as both of us have a soft-spot for one of their players, Ray Bourque.  Ray is 40 and averaged the most minutes of any NHL player during this season.  The guy's been around 'for ever' (about 22 seasons) but has never won a Stanley Cup.  You should have seen his reaction when he finally got to hold the cup.  Priceless!

We have finally got our web-page up and running.  It's our first attempt and so things are still a bit raw.  Still if you want to see more of what we're up to, point your browser to:

http://users.1st.net/pethricks/home.html

Please pray for the families of Houston, so many people have lost homes, 12 people (so far) have lost their lives.  Power, roads, food, phone lines and healthcare have been cut off from large areas of the city.  The major hospitals are without power and shelters have been set up in churches, schools and community centers.  You can even donate on-line if you feel led to (www.redcross.org).

Another prayer request we have is for success with Wayne's scholarship application.  It would prove very helpful to our financial survival if he were to receive some scholarship money.  The applications are being reviewed this month.

That's about all from us as the rain continues to fall.

Texan Vocabulary Builder #7

"Rooty Tooty Real and Fruity" -a delicacy at the International House of Pancakes (my emphasis - it' s so multicultural!) consisting of bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes and fruit.  Guaranteed to fill your stomach for a few hours and your arteries for a lifetime!

Tips for Living in Houston #5

Live on the second floor.

Love Wayne and Leanne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 4 - May 2 2001

This is the belated April edition of 'DMWT'.  One good reason for this is that today was Wayne's last day of class for the Spring semester, and there was much rejoicing.

Wayne here...  I've really enjoyed returning to study and have been pretty happy with my results.  Towards the end of the semester, my reading slowed (by necessity more than anything) and the papers increased.  My computer and I are now on better terms than ever!  Leanne feels a little neglected though - I have about three months of 'vacation' to make it up to her.  (I am taking a summer class for 3 weeks in June.)

One of my highlights occurred last week in the "Future of Space" class.  Our final assignment was to develop a business proposal for an innovation in space exploration.  I had an idea for a university based mission to the moon - I called it the 'Lunarversity Proposal'.  Our professor arranged a "Sweet 16 Tournament" where we would 'play off' against one another.  The winner, decided by votes from the class, went on to the next round, the loser eliminated.  I was fortunate to make it through to the final round where I came up against Barry, the Business Manager for the International Space Station - and guess what...  I won!

I received an instant A for my proposal, which was very nice indeed, and a nod of approval from Barry who liked my idea.  Onya Bazza!

Leanne here...  Isn't he a star!  But don't tell him I said that, I'm anxious to see what he has in mind for 'making it up to me'.  I must admit there were a few days that I threatened to toss the computer off the balcony into the pool - then I remembered that his assignments were why we moved to the other side of the world and that the computer might come in handy for things besides papers.

Today we both took an exam, not of the college variety but of the driving kind.  We had to pass a theory and road test in order to acquire our Texas drivers license's.  It was a pretty weird experience, after driving for thirteen years on the left side of the road.  We must be adjusting to the right side just fine because we passed.  Given the standard of the average crazy, huge truck/ute driving Houstonian, we are not sure if that says much!

We are very excited to be flying to Boston tomorrow morning to spend a few days with our friends Stephenie and Dennis Carlson.  We managed to gather our pennies and find some cheap tickets on the internet.   It will be great to have a break from Houston and to see a new part of the States (not to mention it will be fantastic to see Steph and Dennis' photo's from their recent Europe sojourn.)  We will think of you all as we eat our hotdogs at Fenway Park.

A few weeks ago we visited the Star Wars exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  It was very interesting to see the actual models and costumes used in the trilogy.  A secret for all you Star Wars buffs, the sound that the Imperial TIE fighters make is produced by mixing the sound of elephant 'screeching' with the sound that cars tyres make on a wet road and Jabba the Hut's sounds are made by recording a casserole being stirred. You learn something new everyday!

Speaking of the force, we succumbed to the dark side this past month - we borrowed a TV.  The lure of the Oscars was more than we could handle!  It has been good to catch up on the news (Texocentric though it may be) and we are now on a first name basis with most of the talk show hosts.  The television has been packed away for now - Please pray for us!

We have been enjoying all the news that makes it to our 'inbox'.  It's nice to know that our homegroup (in Perth) excuses us from helping with morning tea at church this Sunday - thanks guys. 

Y'all keep sending us updates whenever possible.

Texan Vocabulary Builder #6

Big hat, no cattle

Translation: All talk and no action.

Tip for Living in Houston #4

Get a car with an air-conditioner.  Get a house with an air-conditioner.  Shop in air-conditioned stores.  No a/c?  Get out of Houston - very, very quickly.

Love

Wayne & Leanne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 3 - March 18 2001

Humphrey B. Bear: The true story. They said he couldn't speak, they said he was a true blue Aussie and we believed them. It is now our responsibility, our duty, to reveal the truth.

The truth however, was not something we expected to uncover in a dimly lit motel room somewhere in San Antonio, but there was Humphrey, large as life on our TV screen.  Resplendent in straw boater hat, plaid waistcoat AND SPEAKING-  SPANISH!!!

Was his time on Channel Nine a mere 'front' for off-camera espionage as a member of Fidel Castro's secret underground? The truth is out there.

(Apologies to our non-Australian recipients who won't understand what we are carrying on about - trust us, it's not important.)

What were we doing in San Antonio you ask?  Entertaining our first Australian visitors, Leanne's sister Narelle and her husband Michael.  After a hectic week of taking in the Houston sites we decided to sojourn to San Antonio for the weekend.  We walked the "Riverwalk" in the rain, cheered at a Spurs basketball game, ate Chicken Fried Steak (a Texan delicacy), attended Max Lucado's non-instrumental church, acquired NBA player David Robinson's autograph (well Michael did) and 'Remembered the Alamo'!

Poor N&M didn't get too much time to recover from their jet-lag - as we also managed to fit an ice-hockey game, a couple of nights with their friends the Peeks, a tour of NASA Space Center and an evening at the Rodeo, into their week with us.  Rodeo highlights included, for Wayne and Michael, the Tractor Technician Competition.  For Narelle and Leanne the pig races were a winner (as was the Swimming Wonder Pig).  A concert from Brooks and Dunn (two apparently well known country singers), a hilarious calf chasing competition and the bucking broncos rounded out a truly cultural experience. Be here next February and we will gladly take you too!

Wayne has just finished Spring Break.  This is a week without classes.  It was not much of a break however as the assignments are still rolling in.  Wayne has embraced the student life in nearly all respects (Leanne still can't convince him to sleep in!)  He is making the most of each learning experience and producing some very creative papers and ideas.  (Leanne is practicing for her role as his PR agent upon graduation - can you tell?)  His latest scenarios ranged from the disappearance of beef from the globe to the NBA expanding to include teams in Asia.  We are still sure this is all leading us to where God wants us!

Leanne made an initial visit to United Way, the local volunteer agency, this week.  Hopefully another visit will consolidate some opportunities to help out in the community.  This may also prove to save her from going insane with not a lot to do!  Some possibilities are work with 'at risk' students at the local junior high school, Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity.  We will keep you updated with progress here.

We are continuing to be challenged by the teaching series on 'Worklife' at church. We are realizing that we need to take the time now to lay down our foundational beliefs about issues such as the integration of work and faith, the rhythm of rest (Sabbath) and the motivation behind our future work.  Our biggest challenge is not only identifying what we believe, but building actions into our lives that embody those beliefs. Please pray for us as we do this (ask us how it's going!)  Please also pray for us as we continue to trust God for our finances.  We want to be 'worry-less' in this regard but it is hard in the face of the surrounding culture.

Thanks for the e-mails and phone calls we have received - it's great to keep up with all the babies, engagements and news.  Our big news is that by the time you read our next newsletter we will have celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary YAHOO - how time flies when you are having fun!

Texan Vocabulary Builder #4 & #5

Chiggers: small borer like insects (like a tick) found in the woods.  They will do some serious damage if they choose to bore into you.

Mesquite: (pronounced mess-keet) a way of bar-be-cueing.  Named for the type of wood that is used from the Mesquite tree.  It is apparently an awful tree with a 20 ft tap-root and large thorns. These thorns don't seem to deter the cows who have happily chewed and 'pooed' the seeds throughout Texas.  Hence the abundance of mesquite BBQ's and trees.

Tip For Living in Houston #3

According to the locals "There are two types of people in this world - Texans, and those who want to be Texans."  Also, a popular bumper sticker around here reads "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as soon as I could." Like we always say, "Don't Mess With Texas!"

Love Wayne and Leanne

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DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS - Edition 2 - February 15 2001

Hi Y'all!

We are pleased to announce that a large majority of our 'waiting' is over.

YES God is good,

YES we have an apartment to live in,

YES Wayne has a Social Security card,

YES we have found a church to go to,

YES Wayne has a job,

YES we have a phone that's connected and

YES we have a bed to sleep on.

It has been a hectic month establishing ourselves as Houston residents. We have visited every furniture clearance centre in town, some twice.  We now have a few pieces of furniture in our not very big apartment, so it is starting to feel like home.

After some inside information we were able to obtain Wayne's social security number (the magic 'thing' you need to exist in the US, Leanne can't get one so hence she does not exist!)  With the number in our possession, we were able to move into our apartment, connect the phone, officially register Wayne in classes and send him off to find a job.

And guess what...  He found one!  Wayne has been appointed