John kindly dropped me off at the Tookey Creek Rest Area around 8:15am. It was lightly showering, so I donned my new Aldi's wet weather pants and poncho; and walked. Even though I had some sort of gaiters or sock scuffs, they weren't long enough or weatherproof enough to stop the water trickling down into my shoes, after a couple of hours. At least it kept them cool.
Morning meditation
I've been listening to and trying to get the background and story into me, and me into that First Century, Markan telling of the story of Jesus. (Intro & ch 1)
First break
Roughly two hours later, the rain is receding & I see this sign from above, on my left:
.
I found the best of the two old service stations in town, the one that Google Maps still mentions as a fuel stop:
Looks like it hasn't been open for a few years now.
The P.O. building
is on the side of a stock and station agency,
.
and advertises a free driver reviver coffee, which they gave me, even though I wasn't driving.
.
And Helen, the temporary office lady (John, the owner is off with COVID just now) allowed me to sit in the staff-room and eat my lovely lunch made be Janey this morning, while I sipped a hot coffee. A very welcome rest. Thanks to both John, & Helen! I left my blogsite with Helen.
Then a loo break at the new amenities over the road. Shmicko!
And off again. John is coming to pick me up, about 3pm. I think my feet will need to be put up then.
What an amazing support crew creative love has provided!
More meditation
I read a Psalm out to John this morning as we drove. He chose Psalm 97. What a corker! Without stating it, this psalm deals concurrently with deeper interpretations of their Torah's mention of humans being made by God "in the image and likeness of God" (Gen ch1, and ch4) possibly a euphemism meaning that humans are not just the creations of God, but the very children of God, and therefore are in some sense "baby gods" . Or as Jesus quotes another psalm: "I have said you are gods,.. but you will die as mere men". From whom else could we ever learn how to grow up to be mature gods, certainly not from one of the animals we were meant to rule over. And this psalm also comments on the prevalent aberrations humanity has devised, whereby we make images ourselves, then call them our gods, and honour them as our makers or sustainers, or we worship our leaders, or our children. I'm muttering this psalm over, reading, listening, paraphrasing, meditating on it as I walk, to let it into me, and get me into the skin of the pray-er, song-writer. Tomorrow I might be able to post a link to some of the upshot.
End of the walking day
About 3pm today, since wet shoes & socks, and no breaks to put my feet up during the day. John picked me up
at 2:50pm, at this point on the road
.
.
about 25km from Moree.
Then John drove us to Moree, bought two better solid rubber wheels for the back of the trolley, and shouted me them, then had me try some other hiking boots on, but they were a bit narrow. Showed me where the heated springs pool was. I'll see about the shoes tomorrow, maybe try my coleman boots for an hour a day.
Back home and showers, dinner with a couple of other guests too, and looking at photos and talking about trips and kids etc after dinner. Put wet clothes and boots near fire to dry over night. A phone call and off to bed.
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