Well, I have just survived another term of work.  It was long and hard, but very fulfilling.  The child I work with has progressed so far, and I am just so proud of him; but also I feel good about how I do my work when I see a significant degree of progress (both behaviourally and academically).

Yesterday, for the last day of term we had to dress in 1950's fashion.  Our Principal has been granted sabbatical next term and while she is gone she will be celebrating her 60th birthday.  Hence the theme was devised.  I hope the picture loads ok so you can appreciate some of our efforts.

Ah, what a perfect end to the term!

Peace
EF.x

OK, so this is the ultimate in work avoidance.  I am meant to be writing up minutes for the board meeting that happened on March 11th as computer was sick with a virus, so I hand wrote them pending the day when I had access and time again (which is today).  So I am now in the middle of typing up notes, needed an email address, so opened my email account and then dealt with emails (only 20 today - whew!); checked bank balance for bills going out in the next few days (as is obvioulsy most urgent, lol; found an email in there from Minti so came on here and now I am blogging ... but the thing that struck me as weird was that I was here because I was bored/tired f typing up the minutes and having to think ... well what is blogging if it is not thinking and typing?  huh?  I seriously need my head read.

So moving along now.  It has been a while since my last blog, and with one thing and another I am guessing I should place another one if only to reveal that yes!  I am still alive, kicking butt and life is fantabulastic.  The hardest thing about writing this blog is that there is mainly one thing on my mind, and I am not ready to blog it yet.  So I am now faced with the issue of sharing other things.

For those who are/were concerned about the chest pains I was having prior to christmas (I think I blogged about it somewhen) well that is all gone now it seems.  There is a slight plural thickening on the chest wall, but nothing anyone can do anything about and so the fact that I have not had any since then is a great relief to me.  Pain killers did not touch it, and even though alcohol did on one particular day that needs no more mention that is not a realistic or even financially viable alternative.   If it ever happens again I am guessing it would be predent to actually take a day of work and make someone deal with it properly.

Update regarding glasses that  I ordered online: ... they are AWESOME!!  They work!  They are the correct prescription and I keep getting compliments for them, so that kinda makes me feel good, lol.  I am definitely going to get some more with different frames so I can accessorise my outfits with my glasses ... sounds so flamboyant that I sure gotta give it a go! 

As for life in general, both of us have now had our birthdays.  Both were great occasions considering how unprepared I was for either of them.  My head has kinda been a bit of a mess this year with the whole grieving process finally happening.  Thankfully I am blessed with the ability to multi-task, and even though I know I am not performing at my optimum other people seem not to have noticed too much.  That was until last monday when three different people questioned me when I said things were all good but refuting it and saying I did not at all look like that!  It amused me that people saw I was that tired and emotionally drained, but I was also glad that it was after all the busy-ness of the birthday parties.  Mainly that was why it showed I think too.

Since then I have rested, relaxed and spent far too much time socialising on the phone!  This week I have an ambition to be sleeping by midnight, not just in bed, haha.  With so much going on around the world there is so much food for thought, conversation and prayer.  Now here I am catching up on the minutes of a board meeting we had over a week ago and actually not working on them at all. 

It is exciting actually.  A friend of mine is setting up a not-for-profit business based on the 'free store' concept.  There are a few scattered around the world and now we are setting one up here.  We started having meetings in January to kind of see if this was viable and move things along slowly.  Since then we have gotten a name, logo (donated time and skills of an excellent graphic designer), and now a premises which we move into on May1st, opening on Tuesday May 17th with rent, rates and power donated.  The mayor is in the process of writing a letter of endorsement and whoa!  There is so much happening it is all very exciting.  My role in all this is very low key and in the background which I love.  Means I can still do all the things that mean so much to me (like being a Mum and hanging out playing sports, having races, reading books and tickle fights) but still actively support this incredible venture and my friend in the process.

Well, I am guessing that this is all for now.  The sun is shining, birds are singing, and the only thing that could make this afternoon more perfect were if I had finished typing up the minutes and was sitting out here with some live music and great friends.  Oh!  Talking about live music I am teaching us how to play piano using an online lesson plan.  Has anyone else done this?  How did it go?  We are officially starting our lessons together tomorrow. 

Have a great day and thanks for reading my ramblings

EF.x

This is just a quickie cuz i am tired and heading to bed.  But wanted to record that E and I have been going down to the pool daily for the past 3 weeks and in this time she has learnt to ...

1) put her head under water
2) not flich so much when water splashes over her
3) play safely in a swimming pool
4) play safely in a river
5) float in a star fish shape
6) use her flutter/kick board
7) dive to collect an object from the bottom of the pool

Knowing where she has come from, how cautious she was and the reasons behind all that I am just busting with pride in my mermaid.  She is pushing to new limits every day and having such fun! 

Am wondering if I should enter her for the Tryathlon this year.  It will be 100m in the water which will be a real challenge for her, but other then that the cycling and running will be a breeze for her as she is strong in both of those though needs more discipline. 

OK.  Sleep time.  Need to make sure I mow the lawns before the rain starts tomorrow morning.  The dandelions are too tall. 

Peace
EF.x

As a child I remember the week leading up to Christmas holidays being busy, messy and full of random activities as classes were packed up, wall hangings sent home with appropriate children who made the art, furniture moved around and cleaned.  Swimming, outside activities and random colouring competitions being the order of the day and very little traditionall learning done. 

When we lived in the UK Summer holidays fall in July, so while there are a few athletics sessions, and teachers may be slightly more adventureous outside of the classroom; mostly it was school as normal until the last day.  Now, living back here it is back to frenetic activities with Christmas activities mixing with sports activities, classrooms moving, furniture being rearranged and day trips out to celebrate a year well spent.

Tomorrow is Gypsy Day.  I had never heard the term before, but it is where all the furniture is moved into one area of the classroom, teachers who are moving classrooms will be moving the final bits to their new store place, and everything is finished and sorted before the last day of the term.  Am so looking forward to Thursday.  I will be in school one hour before the routine is trashed and we have final assembly and home time at unchtime for the kids.  E will be heading off to a sleepover at that will give me an afternoon to get home and hopefully into the garden to do some more planting and even a spot of sanding on E's new bedroom drawers.  Might even get them painted this weekend so her room is sorted before Christmas. 

We are still looking for furniture, and in two or three weeks the house will be empty again and we will be living with nothing to sit on in the lounge or dining room which will be hard, but at least we can dine al fresco so that will be less of an issue.  Am sure that by the end of January we wil somehow have found appropriate furniture that fits into our budget and provides our requirements for the time being.

Well, must go get the dinner etc on.  Wrapping pressies this evening, then Christmas will be sorted.  Yay!  So onto it this year, am loving having it all so simple.

Peace
EF.x