Just looking around our yard, it has gone through a few iterations since we have been here.
I suppose the biggest change was the shed out the back.  It was a piece of land totally devoid of a structure.  It fitted exactly what we wanted to do.  That is, have a big shed that doubled up as an activities area. 
Getting the shed up was very much what we wanted to do first.  We also had dreams of a sitting /bbq area as well.  A company gave us a quote and then we asked for a bbq area.  So the quote grew and we had all we were after.
A big cement truck arrived first to lay the foundation.  It was a real touch and go day with thunder storms that managed to stay away for the majority of the laying of the concrete.  Having it down we built a retaining wall at the side and a garden at one end.  We also put gravel in strategic places.
Finally it was time to have the structure built.  That went up gradually while I was at work.  A guy came around and did plumbing.  It was the day before Christmas and he said to me how unusual it was as in his words, “I don’t do anything the day before Christmas.  We had a drainage pit dug and decided we wanted grass installed rather than waiting for seeds to grow.   It was like instant shed.
Our goal which we achieved was to have the shed ready for Christmas dinner with family.  It happened.
Since then we have had a spa in the shed.  Getting the fencing was amazing.  The day we wanted it, it was for sale not far up the road at a very reasonable price. Then the day we wanted to use the space for another activity someone saw the ad saw the ad and bought the spa.  He took it that day and brought around tools to dismantle fencing.  We have also added free carpet we got.
Where the spa was we have set up a music area.  The place is now insulated and air conditioned.  It was used for a long time to play table tennis in.  We still have the tables but these days they are used as eating places and for get togethers.  We used one table to have Christmas dinner on last year.  I reckon versatility is good.
People would have no idea there is such a large area available at the back.  The next door neighbour came in and described it as the Tardis.  Another said it reminded him of Indianna Jones as we have two coffee bags on display – one from Ethiopia and the other from Guatemala.
This shed area could be summed up in one word.  Blessing.  I love it.  

I intended to write a review of an album I listened to yesterday.  It was as a result of hearing Vance Joy at the Ed Sheeran concert.  It turns out Vance Joy is Australian.  When that album finished on Spotify it went straight onto a group called Hollow Coves.  Another Australian group who’s music I like.
I have written a few reviews of albums, and they are on my web site at https://nothomeyet.net/album-reviews.html.  I know the albums are not everyone’s cup of tea, but I do enjoy studying what I am listening too.
But thinking about the reviews reminded me of my trip to America.  Ok it is way more commonplace these days but for me, a lad from a country town, it was a big deal and an eye opener.
I will never forget though that when I arrived in LA the first person I spoke to was an airport worker from Brisbane. In those days even when I travelled from Townsville to Brisbane it was like visiting the big smoke.  Sitting in a Brisbane café had a feeling all it’s own.
Anyway I loved my time in America.  It was the first time I saw snow.  I still have not seen it falling but I have seen it on the ground.  Even had a snow fight.  I am a novice at that though.  On the tour I was on there was a big wig.  I mistimed throwing snow at someone and got him a beauty.  He probably does not remember it but I do.
Niagara Falls was great.  Getting covered in a thick raincoat to go down a tunnel and look at the falls from inside the wall of the falls.
I’ll never forget being in a bus in New York and hearing what sounded like a gun shot.  In the bus we all carried on.  On the street no one looked like anything was heard.
I reckon I would still be on the Space Mountain ride at Disney world if we had not come home when we did.  I loved it.  I experienced perhaps my most embarrassing time there.  I was watching a show and all the lights went out and the person on the stage shone a torch straight at me and asked me a question.  I don’t remember what it was, but I do remember being speechless.
It was an organized tour.  We went to Chuck Smith’s church in California mid-week.  There is a movie recently out about what happened in that place.  I do remember seeing a large number of uni types and hearing nothing but pages turning as everyone listened to the speaker.
A lot happened mid-week.  We did visit the impressive Crystal Cathedral and the church of Jack Hayford.  We also visited a service in the south which I felt was the best and worst service I have ever been in.
It was great.  For me I was in the right place at the right time.

Well we were at a place I so did not expect to be yesterday.  Someone we knew had bought tickets to an Ed Sheeran concert. They had another more pressing engagement out of town and offered us the tickets.  We went and I am so glad we had the opportunity.
It was a huge day.  We had church in the morning and walked to the train in the arvo and got to Suncorp in time for all acts.  Someone had offered to pick us up after the show (turned out at Petrie) and we got to sleep about midnight.
I admit I did not know much about what Ed Sheeran had written so I binge listened to his music on the way to the concert.  He is bigger than big.  This was the third concert in Brisbane attracting about 60,000 to each.  So about 180,000 heard him.
He performed way longer than a lot of headline acts.  His tour was called Loops and much of the show he performed alone with a device that allowed him to layer tracks on the spot, and made it sound like a whole band was accompanying him. 
He also did a segment with a band.  I loved it.  I have never seen a stage so well organized with all speakers high up and in many places.  I admit I like music to be loud, and this was loud.  I actually felt the music as well as heard it.
His segment I loved best though was when he performed with his guitar alone.  He is an extraordinary guitarist.  His songs are loved and obviously well known.  There was sing along to many of the songs and the crowd clearly knew the words.
The most surprising part of the night for me was the guy who performed before him.  He was called Vance Joy.  I loved his music and also that he had a trumpet and saxophone player in his band.
I have since found out he wrote a song called “riptide” which I love.  I did think it said sus things until I had a good look at the words.  A site which talks about the meaning of words (https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=425&q=Vance+Joy+Riptide+meaning&cvid=fb785c5ffafd4d8f9407d32ce4863071&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDsyBggAEEUYOzIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhAMgYICBBFGDzSAQg5ODI0ajBqMagCALACAA&FORM=ANNTA1&adppc=EDGEESS&PC=NMTS&pq=vance+joy+riptide&mturn=1) said, “ Ultimately, "Riptide" is both a love song and an exploration of youthful vulnerability and attraction. It combines Joy’s personal fears, romantic fascination with a specific figure (the “magician’s assistant”), and a playful mixture of metaphors, pop culture, and musical whimsy to create an evocative story of desire, uncertainty, and the pull of emotions that feels as thrilling and unpredictable as a literal riptide”
It was a great night.  Ed was great and so was Vance Joy.