Rain and Mangroves

We have been having a lot of rain over the last week. Our caravan and annexe are snug and dry, but there isn't much space.  Fortunately the children have wonderful imaginations and can usually play happily together for hours.  Currently Esther has decided that one of her belts is a tame black headed python, while one of Arthur's belts is its cousin.  They sit on her bed and hold long and complicated conversations between the snakes and the other stuffed toys.  We have been reading booksand playing games together, and we've also been thankful that the caravan is equipped with a TV and DVD player!  On Tuesday, just to get out and stretch our legs, we drove into Tweed Heads to do some shopping.  Even in the rain, the drive through the countryside is beautiful! 

A $2 ride at the shopping centre!

We had been invited to have dinner with Michaela's family on Thurday.  Her Mum suggested that we should take advantage of a break in the weather to go for a walk while she got dinner ready, but the children were busy drawing and playing dress-ups and didn't want to come. 

Esther drawing "Wally", the big maori wrasse we swam with in the Great Barrier Reef. 
She is dressed as a gypsy queen, wearing ALL of Michaela's beads!

So Russell took Philip and me to the mangrove board walk not far from their house.  The high tide had covered the mud flats.  The reflection of the mangrove bushes in the still water was broken occasionally by a jumping fish or a water bug skating across the surface.  When we stood still to look below the surface we saw many fish, crabs and even a small stingray.  Around us it was silent apart from a sudden splash here and there and the rustle of unseen birds among the leaves.  Then the sun came out and suddenly there were many different bird calls to be heard all around- although, apart from one kingfisher, the birds themselves remained hidden.  Standing still was not such a good idea, however, as the mosquitoes which were buzzing around us in swarms immediately took the opportunity to land and have a feast.

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Walking among the mangroves gave us the opportunity to see that, though similar in many ways, there are many different plants in this habitat.  Each of them has been designed to cope with high levels of salt- either by storing it in leaves they are about to shed, excreting it through special salt glands or filtering it at the roots.  Most of them have seeds which germinate while still attached to the parent plant.  The long seedlings then drop into the water and float vertically until the tide plants them in the mud, where they continue to grow.  The more I see and learn of God's wonderful creation, the more awed I am.

Meanwhile, the car is getting closer to being ready…

It seems that the timing chain had been loose and probably slipped a cog, causing a valve in number five cylinder to go down through the piston.  The engine was sent to Brisbane for a complete rebore including new pistons, rings and bearings.  A gasket set needed to be shipped from Sydney before the engine could be reassembled.  Our mechanic in Murwillumbah expected to have the reconditioned engine back in his workshop before the weekend and hoped to have it back in the car and ready for us to pick up on Tuesday.  Before trying to tow the caravan we’ll need to take a few day trips in order to run in the engine.  God willing, we’ll be able to be on our way home by next weekend…

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Phone reception at Mount Warning fluctuates and internet connection drops in and out constantly.  Sometimes, though a bit slow, I can update a blog post successfully with little trouble, but maybe due to the weather conditions, this entry has taken me about six hours over two days... and then I found it hadn't saved!  Philip was having trouble accessing his email, too, so we decided to go to Murwillumbah and let the children play on the playground while we found a shady table to work at.  They didn't really want to come away, as they were having a lovely game being park rangers dealing with animal rescue issues. Ironically, they had just found themselves some "phones" which seemed to be working perfectly! Now they're here, though, they are enjoying the change of scenery.  It's a lovely park, with a lily pond and a statue commemorating the cedar getters who contributed to the area's history so significantly.  And mobile reception is excellent, making it possible for me to upgrade and publish this post in a matter of minutes!