Challenge Southern Highlands Inc (CSH) is an Incorporated Association that was established in 1951 by local families with physically and/or intellectually disabled children. Over several decades, the CSH has nurtured the vocational and life skills of thousands of people.
CSH has provided training in a caring environment and employment opportunities. This has led to greater levels of confidence, capability and independence.
We operate the successful plant nursery, Welby Garden Centre, as a Supported Employment service and offer additional commercial services to local organisations.
Gaby was allowed to keep one third of the money that people donated. Every so often, when her boxes were full enough, she would wheel herself from Parramatta to Harris Park where the charity organisation have an office. Then they opened the boxes in front of her and counted out the money. She was always praised for being a good collector and doing something for the well being of some disabled children.
How did Gaby get from Merrylands West, where she lived, to Parramatta? By T-Way Bus:
T-ways were conceived as an alternative to commuter railway services because of their potential lower cost and higher flexibility. T-ways can be constructed without the need for a dedicated corridor or tunnel. Buses can join and leave the T-way along the route, giving the T-way a wider feeder area than rail.
T-ways are separate bus-only roads where undeveloped railway and motorway corridors are available, and as bus-only lanes on existing roads.
T-ways can be used only by rapid bus services, selected local bus services and emergency vehicles. Other motorists using a bus lane (except to turn or overtake) can be fined.
Gaby knew Carl Scully who was the NSW Minister for Transport at the time when the T-Way Bus lane to Parramatta was constructed. This T-Way Bus goes through Sherwood Road very close to where Gaby used to live!
Once every two weeks we meet our daughter Gaby in Merrylands Shopping Centre to help her with her shopping. Gaby loves to bring her dog along too. Since Honey is a registered companion dog for a wheelchair person, she’s allowed to take the dog into the shopping centre. Honey is well known, especially in Merrylands.
And of course Gaby is well known also, not just in Merrylands but also in a lot of other suburbs of Sydney. In her electrified wheelchair Gaby travels by bus or by train, usually all on her own, with the help of kind public transport staff. Nearly every day she goes out
This picture was taken in June 2012
somewhere. A collection box sits on the table in front of her, also her mobile phone. She collects money for a charitable organisation. Some people approach Gaby on a regular basis to give her a donation. Honey, being fastened to Gaby’s wheelchair, always makes the rounds with Gaby. So no wonder that Gaby is a well known identity in Sydney.
Today I did make it to the bridge from where this large house on top of Mt.Brown can be seen. I wanted to take a picture of this house. It can really be seen quite clearly from that bridge. However my pictures did not turn out clearly enough. I have to try it again some other time, maybe at a different time of the day. Anyhow, I show the pictures I took, even though you cannot see very much of that beautiful house. But maybe you get an idea.
There is a freeway underneath the bridge. On both sides of the bridge is a huge fence.
Still a lot of activity with water improvement works!
This is what I noticed in one of the neighbouring gardensThis is a public grass area. Brooks Creek is next to these trees on the left, to the right are houses.Looking from here Brooks Creeks is on the right behind the trees.
Still a busy street with water improvement works.
My knee was playing up a bit this morning, so I had to walk very slowly. But at least I could take some pictures. I also could talk to some of my neighbours, who happened to be outside.
It’s a shame these people do not own a larger block of land for parking space!These people are building a fairly large house. I wonder whether they’re going to have enough space for parking?
Today,Friday, the bins are out for rubbish collection.
A lot of work going on right now to improve the local water system.
I cut my walk short this morning because it started to drizzle a bit. I did not want risking to get too wet! I was glad I did have a camera with me to take the above pictures. I use a very old camera now. But it is digital, much like the other somewhat larger camera that does not work any more. I am glad I can now use the very little camera instead. Very easy to carry around!
“Sometimes, the answer is right in front of your face. Sometimes, it’s just below your feet.
As we embark, as a nation, on a sensible and measured debate about tax reform, land tax should be a major part of the discussion.
Land tax is one of the most efficient taxes for precisely the reason it is unpopular: it is hard to dodge.
Of the roughly four things governments can tax – companies, individuals, consumption and land – economists agree that land is by far the most efficient source for taxation. . . . . ”
Please go to the above link to read on.
It is important that when it comes to land tax, only the unimproved value should be taxed, not the home!
This house on that hill fascinates me. I already took a picture of it the other day. Today I took another picture and cropped it, so the house becomes a bit more visible!
Peter took the last three pictures.
Not so long ago Peter and I drove up Mount Brown to have a look at the new sub-divisions. A lot of buildings have already gone up there. People who buy a block of land there have a beautiful view towards the lake.
For breakfast we had filter coffee, boiled eggs, warm bread rolls out of the oven, as well as some orange juice.
After breakfast at eight we left for the drive to the bottom of Macquarie Pass from where Peter, Caroline and Matthew went on their nice little walk to the waterfall while I stayed outside in the beautiful, warming sun. Towards 11 o’clock we were on the way back home. Matthew was driving. He stopped on the way at a Pie shop in Dapto that was open! Several pieces of cake and a few pies were purchased.
So at eleven at was time for us to have our morning tea and to eat some of the things from the Pie shop. For lunch we had to wait quite a while for Monika and her family were a bit late in arriving. All in all we expected six additional persons for lunch.
Monika came in her car. She has a special child’s seat in her car. Her daughters Tash and Krystal came along too, as well as Tiana, the daughter of Mark. Krystal and Tiana are university students, whereas Tash has a job with the Postal Service. Tash is going to have an engagement celebration this coming Saturday. Krystal turned 18 on Easter Sunday. She had a birthday party the night before her birthday. She started university at the start of this year when she was not even 18 yet. Monica’s daughter Roxy did not come yesterday. But we are going to see her for sure at Tash’s party next Saturday. This is also when we are going to see Troy as well as Ryan and Ebony with their two little sons. It was so lovely that we could see Lucas already yesterday. Tiana kept carrying him. She said he was so cuddly. He did feel a bit tired for a while after they arrived. I think he had already seen Ebony’s parents in the morning and then he was at grandma Monika’s place for a while. After lunch Lucas went outside for some egg hunting. Everybody watched him as he was doing this! Tash and I took pictures.
Back to lunch now. Caroline and Matthew had earlier baked the leg of lamb. We had bought this meat, 2.7 kg of it, at Aldi’s the morning after Peter’s eye op. It only needed heating. Matthew sliced it. I had cooked some red cabbage the previous day. This also needed just some heating up. Caroline cooked green beans and sweat potatoes. Some other potatoes were baked in the oven together with the meat. Caroline filled up a jug with tap water and set the table with this jug, glasses, plates and cutlery. Peter sat up some extra chairs around the table. I think all I had done was to cut the sweat potatoes and to help with the tablecloth. I also took a few pictures of the lunch table.
In between I had another turn of rapid heartbeat. So I stretched out a bit on the sofa to calm down. A few times I did get a bit short of breath. When this happens, I know, I have to take a rest. I am always worried, others might think, I am just lazy! Anyhow, here are the lunch pictures now;
I served myself only vegies, not meat for me please.Lucas had no problem with counting all this eggs in his basket.
Yes, he knew at every stage how many eggs there were in the basket. Later on Tiana made him count all the chicks he could see. I think he counted right up to twenty!
The girls left early with Lucas to take him home. Tiana drove. She took Monika’s car. Monika went home later with Mark who had come in his car. He had come a bit later for he first had to do something for his mother.
We had a nice coffee afternoon with Monika, Mark, Caroline and Matthew. We animatedly talked about a lot of things. And we did not even drink one bit of liquor! Nobody thought of doing the dishes that had piled up in the kitchen. I had no idea Caroline and Matthew wanted to travel back to Sydney soon after Monika and Mark left. I thought they would stay till Easter Monday. Nobody had told me they wanted to be home on Sunday already. I am afraid I said in a probably snappish sounding voice: So, you are going to leave us with all the dishes!
Caroline became upset. Peter said she cried. Peter said he could do the dishes. I would not have to do a thing. In the end Caroline and Matthew decided they would catch their train one hour later and do the dishes in the meantime. I was very happy that Peter did not have to do the dishes. I probably could have helped him with putting away some of the dishes. However it would really have been such an effort for us oldies. I felt we needed a more restful evening.
I was very grateful that Caroline and Matthew cleaned up the kitchen. They did it very quickly and efficiently. I thanked them for it before they left and apologised that I had been playing up so much. When Caroline had arrived back in Sydney she sent Peter a message on his phone, saying that she loved us both.
When Peter accused me of treating Caroline like a slave, I felt really awful.
We were lucky yesterday, on Easter Sunday: There was beautiful sunshine all day after a lot of rain during the previous days. Early in the morning we went with Caroline and Matthew to the bottom of Macquarie Pass. It was easy parking there. At the other end of this beautiful green grass area is a path that leads to a waterfall. Everyone wanted to go on that walk to the waterfall. They all said I should come too. But I decided against it. I thought the path might be too slippery for me. I did not want to risk it. I had taken a picnic rug along and made myself comfortable near a table with bench. Peter took this picture of me:
I thought it was very pleasant to sit for about an hour in the morning sun. I did not mind this at all while the others disappeared to walk to the waterfall. All the following pictures Peter did bring back from their walk.
AuntyUta 