2002 – MICHAEL’S 60TH BIRTHDAY BLANKET BAY NZ FAMILY CELEBRATION . . . 

No less than 60 people have celebrated at 60th Birthday parties hosted in my honour around the World this year. My old Amex friend Jim Kober, Joe Walsh and a mellower Victor hosted a ritzy dinner for New York friends in May.

Then Eddy Buehlmann was gracious host to a group of my good European friends at that bastion of English snobbishness, the Royal Automobile Club in London in Pall Mall in June. Staying with Eddy in the days leading up to the dinner was simply hilarious. His efforts to get everything just right, and keeping guest list and venue as a surprise for me was like a re-play of ‘Monsoon Wedding’ or ‘La Cage aux Folles’.

Closer to home, and the actual 60th birthday weekend was at the Blanket Bay Lodge outside Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand. It was conceived simply as a fun gathering of family – and friends who know my family.

Time for a spot of tea in front of the roaring fire blazing away in the huge stone fireplace at one end of the thirty-foot high Great Room. Sit still? We couldn’t. In the comfort of over-sized upholstered sofas at the other end of the room, we simply lay back and gape. The natural splendour of the snow-capped peaks of the Humboldt Mountains across the lake is numbing. It’s already shaping up well.

The polished floors in the public areas and bedrooms were retrieved from old shearing sheds. The weathered old beams came from old railway bridges in the South Island, and from steamer wharves along the Brisbane River. Artisans were brought in from Mexico to teach the locals how to ‘age’ the remaining timbers for architraves and doors. The schist stone for much of the walls was quarried locally, and the natural landscape is preserved with artistic use of local grasses. The guests will go crazy.

Blanket Bay Lodge

Guests at 60th

Uncle Michael unashamedly wishes to communicate with nephews and nieces as well as a few good friends who see the irrefutable in Science  over faith in Religion.

Faith in God is of little interest, or, simply,  for us oldies like Nanna, Uncle Michael and Aunty Anne.

 

We are all educated thinking adults, engineers, scientists, doctors, and so much more. We all have our reasons for going to church or not. But that doesn’t take away my desire to share a subject that I think is of certain interest to us all.

I share an article by a Jesuit priest whom I admire greatly. He’s a down to earth thinker, and always has a balanced view on so many things going on in the world today. Chris Middleton S J is the Rector of Xavier College in Melbourne.

 

You may not know it, but over the last week we have been celebrating National Science Week. With his permission, I want to give over my column to Christopher Middleton SJ, Rector of Xavier College, Melbourne, about Catholicism’s long and complex relationship to science. Here are his keen and cogent insights.

Stay safe and well,
Richard Leonard SJ

 

Read on . . . or click here to print

 

“. . . The pandemic is a reminder of the importance of science and research, and especially the significance of medical sciences. Challenges around the environment, pollution, energy and sustainability also throw up immense challenges for us. And being at home has again highlighted the significance of technology in our lives, and how it is so tied to our ability to communicate and recreate – for many, no doubt, the omnipresent screen will be a lasting image of 2020.

This month also marks the dropping of the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the 75thanniversary of the conclusion of World War 2. Perspective is a tricky thing, but this anniversary reminds us that previous generations have gone through experiences that have turned their worlds upside down. The announcement that the young Tasmanian sailor, Teddy Sheean, will be awarded the Victoria Cross for laying down his life for his crew in 1942 is a timely reminder too, that even the worst of times can bring out the best in people.

 

When you replace ‘why is this happening to me’ with ‘what is this trying to teach me, everything shifts.

Yes, Sydney is in lockdown till end of September. And most of us are expecting it to continue into October and maybe November.

A curfew commences this evening for 12 of Sydney’s local government areas. Fortunately, this does not apply to where I live.

We are proceeding well towards the 70% vaccinated target, but even then, we still fear some restrictions will remain. The realisation among federal and state governments that elimination of Covid Delta variant is well-nigh impossible. Once we get vaccinations to a certain level, the dilemma for politicos and medicos becomes ‘how do we live with it’.

I feel in a sense of suspended animation spinning around. It stops only when I happen to recall a project that requires my full attention. And then, I’m quickly back to earth, motivated, and nose to the grindstone.

I make good use of the hour of outdoor exercise allowed each day and make my way down to the park walk along the harbor foreshore. On occasion, I use a park bench for exercise, but more often than not, I just take in the newness of Spring or talk to the birds.

I can still gather my wits together and follow a recipe, cook something unusual, and sit and enjoy it watching the 6 PM news. But in these first nine weeks, I’ve given up alcohol, except for on my birthday. I don’t know how long I want to hold out now.

Apple tells me that my iPhone usage is up. That’s probably an easier outlet for the expiation of nervous energy, ahead of picking-up the telephone.

I now present to you…the Duchess of MTV Land and the Duke of Hastings #MTVAwards pic.twitter.com/FSl3LPmKSi

— Movie & TV Awards (@MTVAwards) May 17, 2021

While 2020 has been the year of Covid challenges, Andrew has chosen to replace a major health challenge with a determination to have a makeover of his new home ready to host a festive Christmas and welcome guests and family to celebrate.

In advance of the Stuart Festival of Christmas - old friend Michael arrives - and Andrew's brother Duncan

All of Andrew's imaginings come together in this one photo of the Christmas table set in the large room with restored pressed-metal ceiling.

Members of the wider Stuart family are among the sixteen sitting down to Andrew's Christmas Lunch

Two hours from Sydney in rolling hills of the Southern Highlands lies the tranquil area of Wilde’s Meadow. Tranquillity naturally includes the singing of birds, frogs croaking, and cows moo-ing. This sylvan paradise can be shaken awake though by one rogue sulphur-crested cockatoo flying across the paddock on the other side of the pond squawking with frustration on finding wire mesh on the wooden railings to prevent him from gnawing them to ruination, again.

Sitting-out on the terrace in the late afternoon, just shooting-the-breeze with a cup of tea and one of Robyn's Christmassy mince tarts, provides the loveliest welcome. Plump silver perch swim around in the pond and the green hillside beyond is nearly obliterated in yellow of dandelions, right up to the nature reserve sheltering the wallabies.

Sitting-out on the terrace in the late afternoon, just shooting-the-breeze with a cup of tea and one of Robyn’s Christmassy mince tarts, provides the loveliest welcome. Plump silver perch swim around in the pond and the green hillside beyond is nearly obliterated in yellow of dandelions, right up to the nature reserve sheltering the wallabies. Over that side somewhere is the Henhouse Hilton where Robyn motors over to feed her ‘girls’ with the scraps, and to collect the new eggs, still warm.

CLICK HERE to see Robyn go quite clucky too when she goes visit her’ girls’ in the henhouse on her quad bike telling them all that she loves them.

Good rains have recently broken years of drought in outback New South Wales and Covid has changed our lives, forcing lockdowns. International travel plans have been put on hold for the foreseeable future.

Good weather forecasts for these next days is all I need to get going on a country road trip here in Australia. This also gives me the chance to give the car a long run and blow the carbon deposits out of the engine and improve the fuel consumption.

I’m sharing the driving with a good friend, Paul. We break the first leg of this country road trip for a pot of tea, hot scones, jam and cream at the famous Magpie Café in Berrima. It sets a mood. Getting out of the car, the smell of smoke from wood-burning fireplaces wafting from chimneys and birds singing is a joyous country welcome.

The Magpie Cafe in Berrima for hot scones and tea

Driving in the Canberra direction we turn-off at Lake George, and then head for the little village of Gundaroo in the Yass Valley for the first night. Here in beautiful countryside in the last days of winter, the light is softly pervasive – in the sky, the rocks, the trees. It even filters the shadows.

'Grazing' our restaurant in old Royal Hotel from 1875 in Gundaroo

The colour yellow saturates the roadside with branches heavy in fluffy balls of Cootamundra wattle. It heralds the explosion of the coming spring. We see the early signs of the emerging spectrum of greens and a rush of pinks along blossoming boughs that will transform this landscape in captivating colours in the next days.

Arriving at Andrew's new cottage in Orange

. . . Driving on through vineyards and orchards we reach the thriving regional centre and foodie paradise of Orange ‘at peak hour’.  We’re spending the weekend with Andrew in his recently acquired new home. From the blooming daffodils and the white pebble formal layout at the front of the property, I get the immediate impression that his makeover of this 1875 property started with the gardens.

The inside is welcoming and warm but the whole place is still very much a ‘’work in progress. The kitchen is under restoration, and the 13-foot pressed metal ceiling in the dining room is still being patched. But, true to form, with no concern for pictures stacked against walls and boxes still to be unpacked, Andrew serves a ‘candlelight supper’ of roasted shoulder of Cowra lamb and vegetables on a properly set dining table.

We sailed up the river in the misty dawn this morning to anchor mid-river near the village of Syuru. Time for croissant and coffee on deck before going ashore.

In our zodiacs, we proceed in V-formation to meet an advancing party in Asmat warrior canoes that set-out from the shore to the beat of drums and much noise from all the villagers lining the river bank..

This South Papua province of Indonesia is one of the most remote and mysterious regions of the world. This Asmat region is the realm of headhunters and cannibals; and where Michael Rockefeller Jr disappeared, feared eaten, in the 50’s.

I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity, not only to witness a traditional welcome with Asmat warrior canoes rowing-out to greet us mid-river in our zodiacs, but also to walk among the people of Syuru village (in Indonesian West Papua) and feel so welcome.

A true National Geographic moment. Ponant is operating these cruises in conjunction with National Geographic. We are lucky enough to get to live the dream.

Another happy moment is seeing the captain take his own zodiac up to the village and invite children to come for a spin. (A ‘Pope Francis’ moment, albeit by a Frenchman in a zodiac?)
The affable Captain Michel Quioc is than more than happy to rub shoulders with the village Chiefs and pose for photographs.

Hope dawns in Yirrkala.

I share just a little of my experience here in Yirrkala in the hope that ‘the art of the possible’, a model of integration of first nations people, can be extended to include even more of Australia’s first nation communities. It’s always disheartening to read of so many people struggling to overcome disadvantage and rise above the poverty line.

Coming ashore again in zodiacs, there’s a relaxed tropical feel of wide-open spaces as we walk up from the beach along red sand paths into the township. We head for a seat in the shade of large trees surrounding a courtyard outside the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre.

“The feeling on your face as it is struck by the first rays of the sun” is an apt meaning for “Buku-Larrnggay”. And “Mulka” means “a sacred but public ceremony”.  I can relate to these as I sit and wait.

A community leader welcomes us to Yirrkala explaining that “we are not like white man who tells the story of first nations peoples as if we are strangers”. 

He goes on, “you are welcome to this place. You are a person and a friend.

He reminds us that Australia did not acknowledge aboriginal people in 1901, and they are still fighting for recognition:

“Aboriginal people still have a law and customs; they still own the land; we struggle; we still live; we want to share something that is really special; we want to share our culture so you can learn; tell your people. Thank you very much for coming.”

We start to hear singing coming down the street and see a huge crowd of women and children walking together towards us to join in the ceremonies. Rhythmic sounds of clap sticks and ‘yidaki’ (didgeridoo) alert us to the start of the ‘welcome to country’ and smoking ceremony.

A wiry old grandfather adorned in paint, armulets and feathers has such an aura about him – a spiritual figure from another age. He looks the part; he is the part. He‘s from another world.

As for us, we have one foot in two different worlds … Le Lapérouse and . . . Le Dreamtime.

Grandfather, singularly, assumes a rare and special role. He starts the welcome dance to the music of didgeridoo and clap sticks putting all he has in him into it. He exhausts himself, ending-up leaning, breathless and bowed, on the central ceremonial dance poles until assisted into the shade and given water.

The carved and painted poles represent each clan group. and have memorial and mourning ceremony applications. They are decorated with bands of ochre pigment, woven strings and feathers.

In this rare dance performance, we learn that the grandfather is passing-on identity and knowledge to his great grandson standing out here with others in this small community of first nation’s people dressed in a rainbow sash. He tells of ‘who we are’ and ‘where we come from’.

We are indeed honoured to be witness to this.

Grandfather is the figure head of the Galiwin’ku community on Elcho Island off the coast of East Arnhem Land in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The dancing that follows tells of the people’s spiritual journey; a journey starting with a God that comes from nothing and who is represented in the poles set up in the centre ground before us. The songs talk about the universe and creation from their view. Culture is presented in timelines. And the poles represent timelines of a different time.

We sit comfortably on chairs placed on mats laid over powdery red soil. Branches of eucalypt leaves on top of simple structures provide shade. Beyond the central open courtyard, the sea rolls in in gentle waves on a wide stretch of beach and breaks over large ochre boulders at each end. Shade trees line the shore. Last week, a crocodile took one of their dogs.

Song, didgeridoo and clap sticks herald the entrance of an enthused community, daubed with ash and white paint, branches waving in their hands, women and children included, circling around the poles dancing, stomping with clouds of fine red dust up their nostrils, unperturbed. (Our worlds are very far apart indeed.)

Rundale Palace, stands majestically in its yellow grandeur surrounded by apple orchards on the plains of southern Latvia.  For all its majesty it now sits in the middle of nowhere. As we approach from Vilnius, wind gusts blow dust and dander up my nose, so I’m not inclined to hang around for long. And where is that much vaunted rose garden? In such absence, I tread warily squishing over fallen fruit under the trees in the apple orchard trying unsuccessfully to reach ripening red beauties on branches beyond my reach. I do gather some low hanging fruit in my arms to take back to Dominic because our driver that he can take home and pickle.

ow many times have I passed the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church at the end of the Kurfenstendam In West Berlin, and not gone in? I’ve remedied that now. I not only sat quietly for a time admiring the blue Chartres glass walls of the Memorial Hall, but I bought a ticket to the concert tonight.

 

 

Popular classics performed beautifully by the Berlin chamber Orchestra, and some excellent soloists. I’m also a sucker for a Toccata and Fugue on the Schuke organ with its 63 registers and more than 5,000 pipes.

I was drawn more into the music tonight than listening in a concert hall or at home. The lady who sold me the ticket gave me the choice of being near the cello or amongst the violins. I chose the violins – the horse hair of the bow was swishing at such a pace across the strings I could almost feel the friction.

 

Requiescant in Pace

 

IAN ANTHONY MUSGRAVE +RIP
2.11.1935 – 24.8.2019

After a stoic battle with prostate cancer over more than ten years, my eldest brother Tony breathed his last this afternoon amongst his family at home.

We remaining siblings, Michael, Anne and Mark feel blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time with Tony as late as yesterday cheekily ‘jousting’ about many memories of good times past.

Rest in Peace Tony+

 

 

 

 

A very fruitful relationship

he whole week, from June 23rd to 28th, was a very fruitful and memorable time for the eighteen of us from St. Canice’s who spent the whole week in Timor.

We visited the Railaco parish including surrounding villages in the mountains, as well as the Jesuit schools in Kasait.

The aim of the visit was to see the reality and the progress of the Railaco parish in the programs St Canice’s supports: feeding program, mobile clinic, NOSSEF high school, water project, and other projects of the Jesuit Social Services. . . . . .

Please click here to read the full PICTORIAL MAGAZINE:
 

Meeting the people of Railaco – GOLD!

 

 

Children delight at eating tasty food

This video is about Children eating tasty food brought by the Railaco Jesuit Mission in the remote sub-district Cocoa in East Timor.

It’s quite incredible that 100 children turn-up in the small sub-district of Cocoa outside Railaco today to greet us. Some are just babies carried in a sling by an older sibling, and others are nursed by their mothers. After announcing our arrival with the bagpipes, Khoda’s enthusiasm and passion sees him serving meals to the kids, and relating immediately to these youngsters through sparkling eyes, and the simple language of love.

Parishioners of St Canice’s Sydney initiated this children’s feeding program with Fr Bong of the Jesuit Railaco Mission way back in 2004, and they have been the main benefactor ever since. The sense of joy we take away is more than reward.

We leave a trail of happy kids following us in a cloud of dust.

Click on photo to open YouTube video:

Our Neighbours in Timor

T

he word neighbour derives from those near-by. When the neighbour is drawn into the exchange of kindnesses, our human-ness is enhanced by the enabling of goodness.

This is what the relationship between St Canice Elizabeth Bay parish and the Jesuit Mission in Railaco is all about – simply being neighbourly, the mutual comfort each of us derive from having good neighbours.

Introduction to the Immersion Experience

We are ambassadors of St Canice Parish in its long-time involvement with Railaco.

Our visit to Timor is an ‘immersion’ experience. As ordinary people, we go to Railaco to listen to the voices of others who speak of ordinary needs.

Please click on article to open in an attachment

Smooth sailing for two days through the heart of the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ between Bahamas and Bermuda on Ponant’s ‘Le Boreal’.  At dock in St George Bermuda

mooth sailing for two days through the heart of the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ on Ponant’s ‘Le Boreal’ between Bahamas and Bermuda, (with the Atlantic Ocean up to five kilometers deep in places).

Bermuda, is a British Overseas Territory UNESCO World Heritage municipality. We dock away from the capital on St. George’s Island, the territory’s first English settlement. Would I want to live here? No!

The homes are built in the Bermuda tradition and sit amongst trees and gardens on the side of hills dipping down into a green sea. All have a ridged white roof treated with lime and designed to capture rain water. The walls are painted in bright pastel colours and make for a quaint experience, but that’s where my fascination ends.

The homes have a ridged white roof treated with lime and designed to capture rain water, and the walls are painted in bright pastel colours

It was from here in Bermuda that in early 17th century that British colonists landed in Jamestown, Virginia, to help replenish the dwindling colonists. They provided the starving Jamestown folk with food brought from Bermuda and, via John Rolfe, one of the new arrivals from Bermuda, provided them with tobacco found growing in Bermuda which later became a major American industry.

The capital Hamilton, at the other end of the island is the financial hub. Most of the quaint buildings there have now been replaced by glass and steel.

My fellow sailors, Jim and Eddy have settled in to this lazy life at sea very easily.

A fine Swiss specimen amongst the blooms - Eddy

Amex days on three continents hold many memories. But none so important as friendships forged. Leaving Hector and Dolores behind in Phoenix last weekend, I land in Miami to stay with old friend Edmundo. Perhaps it’s through the depth of his close friendships that I, in turn, have made so many good friends here over the years. One week is not enough.

And, this evening, two more Amex friends of nearly fifty years will come to dinner at Edmundo’s – Eddy from London and Jim from New York. We three ‘old farts’ are embarking on a two-week cruise across the Atlantic tomorrow on Ponant, the French shipping line – to Lisbon. First stop the Bahamas, where yet another Amex alma mater from London Days, Robert will entertain us.

Chocolate Easter eggs from Brazilian friend Ricardo - with crushed Brazil nuts make wonderful Easter gifts.

A rose (Tere) among the thorns - Hailing from many countries of the Americas - 3 Cubans, 2 Brazilians, 1 Venezuelan and 1 USA

Reynier and Natalie

Happy Easter to all!

Check the Photo Album here

.

REUNION OF FOUR WHO FAREWELLED AMEX IN THE 1990’S
Edmundo Perez-de Cobos hosted a wonderful dinner party this evening in his home in Coral Gables to mark a reunion of four old Amex friends, all of whom retired in the 90’s. Michael from Frankfurt; Eddy from London; Edmundo from Mexico City, and Jim from Moscow.

Edmundo, Michael, Eddy and Jim at Edmundo's home in Coral Gables