Kids doing their bit

It was Free Dress Day today at school for Mac and Luke - with a twist. Kids were asked to dress as someone who helps us, with each child dressing up giving a gold coin donation to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. As you can see, Mac is Dr. Meredith Grey, and Luke is Captain Courageous from the Rural Fire Service. Mac did try to tell me that doctors wear high heels to work...but Mum had to thwart THAT one (she does have TWO flights of stairs to go up to get to her classroom afterall...Stilettos, stairs, ALL those kids, a lunchbox! A recipe for DISASTER)

Blah

Need I say more.....

Tree Clearing Guidelines Breached

This is our now TREELESS front yard. And no, Mac didn't take it too well. Gave her a choice though - to be sad about it for the next month, have temper tantrums, sulk, cry and make everyone's life miserable OR show and talk about her sadness for one night (which is now over) and come and help me choose a homework desk and chair to put in her room......she chose the desk/chair option. She well and truly got the most value out of her ONE night of grief, but hopefully that is all behind us now. Adan took her out the back and showed her where the new shed and new paved driveway will go, and asked her to come up with some ideas for planning a really great KIDs Adventure Playground in the backyard. I did hear the words TREEHOUSE, ladder, ropes, flying fox, monkey bars, slides being bandied about....Might have to use some of that money that is apparently waiting for me to claim it in about 5 different countries in the world, based on the emails I keep receiving. I think at last count I was up to $9, 787,542 in uncollected funds, and yes, one of them was in Nigeria.

Regaining some ME time

As this is the year I reclaim some time for ME, ME,ME... I signed up to an art class (well, drawing class to be specific) at an art gallery literally around the corner from our house. I go Tuesday nights (except for the first class I had to go on Saturday- confused yet?) and did lots of stuff about Light and Shade, monochrome drawings, tonal pattern, use of line, stippling, crosshatching and creating texture. Tres interesting!! Loved it. Very meditative - quiet, peaceful, just a few chicks like me (Oh, but so much OLDER) and our pencils....oh, and some Irishy-type wheilan pipey type music tinkling softly in the background. Can't wait for the observational drawing component of the course...wonder if it'll be "Life" drawings? Who to have as the model...let me think.....Hugh's busy with the Oscars isn't he.....What about-....no, Miranda Kerr wouldn't allow it, I'm sure.....the NRMA man with the curls, who no longer appears on the NRMA ads anymore I have noticed....well, anyway, I'm sure they'll find someone perfect for the job. Will update on this situation as it comes to hand.

Fearing for my life

Shaking in my boots today...the gardening chap from over the back has been employed to clear our front yard. Although Adan and I are glad to see the ugly grevillias go (sorry Native Plant fans) as well as the Wandering Dew ground cover and bumper crop of Cobbler Peg weeds...Mackenzie is FURIOUS that the trees have been tagged to "go". When she gets home from school this afternoon...well, lets just say I have a plan to just keep driving around until its dark time so as to avoid the MASSIVE blow-up I am expecting from her!!! Despite our reassurances that we will be planting some different trees, that once grown will be great for climbing in...(ok, she MAY be 16 by then) she is not embracing our Front Yard Blitz and the excitement of change...

Rather inclement

You probably can't see the fog for the trees..but this is looking out my office window this afternoon. That's Toowoomba Grammar across and on the hill shrouded in fog. Black Friday turned into Wet Friday here in Woombie. Wish we could pack this weather up and send it to Victoria....

Parakevidekatriaphobia it is not

I do not have a fear of Friday the 13th (parakevidekatriaphobia)...but I do NOW have a fear of the DAY BEFORE Friday the 13th...

This morning after finally getting all 3 kidlinks and their school bags, hats etc into the car, belting them up (no, that didn't come out right)..I mean putting on all their seat belts, and then jumping behind the wheel, I turned the key and ....tick..tick..tick...then silence. NOTHING. Just one DEAD car. One very flat Batt. A call to Adan, unloaded kidlinks....a phone call to school to let them know we would be a bit, okay, maybe VERY late....Adan arrived, jump started car -from out of the boot (I never knew before that Beamers housed the battery in the back of the car. Hey Germans, nice thinking) and finally, car started again. Kids back into car, Adan left to go BACK to work again...and off I went on my school run.

Got a great park at the Prep unit car park (should go that late every day!!) and had to leave my car running while I took Mac and Luke into class. Asked some parents still chatting in the car park if they would watch my car for me explaining the flat batt. problem. No worries they said. Off I toddled with the 3 kids when one of the parents made that noise you make when something is clearly WRONG...then, "Deb...do you know you have a flat tyre?".....Mmm, no I DID NOT KNOW I HAD A FLAT TYRE...a flat batt. yes. Flat tyre? No. That would explain the weird noise I had just heard driving down the Prep driveway.... A really REALLY nice Dad told me to take the kids into school as he would change the tyre for me. When I got back out to the car park, there was one very frustrated Dad...the tyre would not come off. I thanked him profusely offered him an empty packet of Baby wipes to clean his grease ridden hands (I didn't know it was empty to start with) and called Adan again....

As it was the first School Mass for the year, decided to leave the car in the prep car park still jacked up on one side, gave up on getting Febes to Kindy on time and headed off to the cathedral for the mass. When mass was finished, the car wheel was fixed, engine started first time and Febes finally made it to Kindy in time for morning tea!

I know things come in 3's, so I'm nervously waiting for the third glitch in my day. Could Friday the 13th REALLY be any worse than today????

In memory of

My heartfelt prayers go out to the people suffering in Victoria at the moment - and to those who perished in those horrific fire storms. And to those superhero emergency services workers and volunteers. After seeing the decimation on the news coverage, I was left shocked and sickened and very, very tearful. My horror must pale in comparison to the people seeing firsthand what these fires have done.

Changing Rooms

All Mackenzie's dreams have finally come true...she has her own room as of this afternoon. Febes has moved into Luke's room - he's happy (honestly - he's really happy to have someone to share with!!!) Febes is happy- but then you could ask her to move into the laundry and she'd be happy - and of course MacAttack is beyond happy. More like estatic. Maybe now the Peace Dove can come back and try again. We're hoping this brings some much needed calm into Tullytown. A 7 year old needing her own space, and actually GETTING IT, could be the crucial link to a harmonious family life....sounds like a Thesis in there somewhere....

Adan (who arrived home from Sydney with an extra bag that he felt the necessity to purchase!!!) left again after the big shift, and is now at Cotton Tree up the coast, probably throwing a line in as I type this...GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Anyway - he and I are hoping the Febes and Luke combo works a treat, but figure there's no way it could possibly be worse than the Jihad declared on our household by a nameless 7 year old daughter. Lets all just cross our fingers shall we??.....

Bye bye Daddy

This is Adan heading off this morning to go to Sydney for the weekend (yes...again) but would you please look at his "LUGGAGE"!!! You call THAT luggage??? A weekend in Sydney and that's it???!!!! My handbag is bigger than that, and probably has more packed in it. I am happy to let him have the crown and sash for World's Lightest Packer....

Livin' the Dream

After dropping off the kiddies this morning, I met with a friend for coffee and then we took in a movie...O.M.G. A movie! During the day! On a SCHOOLDAY!!!!!!! I had to pinch myself, truly I did. Yeah, I know it was "Twilight" and some may ask "why bother?" but I am unashamedly an Edward tragic...so, as today was all about ME, I was happy, and thats PRECISELY the outcome I want for myself....In fact I think I will re-read the book again. Have started reading "The Book Thief" and I'm sure its a great book, but it just doesn't have the "Can't put it down" feeling like all the Edward books (the actual titles don't matter to me, they're all just EDWARD books)

I'm sure next week I  will get a grip on myself and actually stay home and do housework, laundry and baking....and once the teachers call for parent helpers I pledge to put my name down and spend my 2 days off helping others...but for now- I need to live my dream just for a little while.

First Day Off in 7 years

Today was the first day all 3 headed off to their respective places of education....and my FIRST DAY OFF IN 7 YEARS!!!!! 

Turning around to the back seat of my car presented me with a view that filled my heart with joy! 3 empty seats! (Don't get me wrong - I LURVE my babies, but I SO needed some time to myself)

After leisurely strolling the shops, I popped down to Adan's office to annoy him and the delightful and very gorgeous Sasha and have myself some coffee and a bit of a swan around on the furniture.....this was followed with a Celebratory Lunch, which I invited Adan to (well, someone HAD to pay!) at Gips, where we dined on caramalised onion, and goats cheese on crostini, warmed Wenland Olives, barramundi fillets and chips for Adan and a SENSATIONAL pumpkin soup, with walnuts,gruyere cheese and apple slices....AND a very indulgent glass of Marlborough Sauv Blanc. Oh goodness, how grown up it all sounds!!!!  Back to the office for another coffee and a lie down whilst watching Oprah...then it was time to go and turn back into a pumpkin and start the school run (sound like a bus driver dont' I?)

So, that was my Day Off. VERY enjoyable and a bit tiring I have to say!! That certainly won't be how I spend every Tuesday and Thursday (I wish....) so I pretty much went all out to make my first one a bit spesh. Having said that, I have pencilled in a movie on Thursday with Sarah (Sarah - are you still with me on that????)  Back to sweeping the cinders tomorrow.....

Monster Trucks

No idea who the three other kids are, but here is Luke with his favourite Monster Truck on Saturday night. He and Dad had some testosterone time together and headed off to the Showgrounds to see Monster Trucks Tour of DESTRUCTION!!!

The earphones are my fault - I wouldn't let Adan take him without them...(I know, I know - a recipe for Therapy in his adultlife....)

7 already(well ALMOST)

In leiu of a party Mac and Lucy had a "Girls Day Out" to celebrate her 7th birthday,which is tomorrow (02/02/02!). I was merely the portable ATM and taxi driver. We hit the movie cinema first, and saw BOLT (have to say it even made me shed a couple of big fat tears too) then did a spot of shopping, where the girls bought  a locket set which said "Best Friends" which they vowed to wear EVERYDAY(except to school!)

After doing over the shops, the girls opted to go to "Little Legs Play Centre" across the road (which involved a wardrobe change for Mac). Tunnels, slides, jumping castles...and to top it off a large SLAB of mudcake complete with 7 candles. From my point of view it sure beat hosting a party of a dozen or more girls!!!