She's Off!

All went swinmmingly! She couldn't wait to go and when we got to the classroom she cheerfully kissed me goodbye and then ignored me. There was nothing for me to do except leave - which I promptly did. Now I just need to think what to do with Moondoggie for the rest of the year. Yikes!

Here's the shot I took through the window as I was leaving - see how upset she is to be at school...

New Beginnings

It's a busy week this week with both the offspring starting at their respective educational facilities. Sounds fun when you say it like that doesn't it!

Moondoggie and I went off today to his first ever day of institutionalised care, aka 3 year old kinder, and Gidget starts Prep tomorrow at 9.00am sharp.

I'm starting to worry that I am an unnatural parent as every other prep mother I speak to is lamenting the loss of their baby, the end of an era, such a big transition etc etc. And I'm just really, really excited. I am so thrilled for Gidg as I know she is going to LOVE school and I can't wait for her to start. Maybe tomorrow all normal parental anxieties will assail me as I wave my darling goodbye, but I seriously doubt it. It's strange 'cause I cry at anything and everything usually.

To be perfectly honest I'm not that in to pre-school aged kids and I'm thrilled I'm nearly out of that phase. I have always said that I'd love a big family if I could get pregnant, give birth then farm them out until they are 6. I adore my babies but in general school kids are heaps cooler. Many of my friends are aware of my weird preference and often hand me their babies just to annoy me, others don't even bother and pass me by when little Johnnie is being handed around the doting friends.

So tomorrow if you see me at school and I am a blubbering mess you'll be able to point and laugh and I'll be eating my words in tomorrow's post.

For now I am off to pack my first ever school lunch, which, by the way, is a whole other set of issues and may indeed make me cry after all. Who knew the humble school lunch could be so fraught with difficulties! I'll save that rant for another post....

Valley Girl trailer (1983)

Please tell me there is someone else out there who remembers EVERY word of this film!!!!

Close The Gap

I thought this was pretty cool -

The John Butler Trio and Keith Urban have released the version of "Funky Tonight" that they played at the ARIAs ... all proceeds go to the CLOSE THE GAP campaign (health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders) ... buy a copy on iTunes ...

You can also see a video of the performance on YouTube.

Starstruck - Monkey in Me (1982)

This week I spent an obscene amount of time with my head on a really uncomfortable angle checking out all the videos that my local Video Shop is selling off. I can't begin to explain my delight when I unearthed STARSTRUCK, arguably one of the best movies Australia has ever produced!! (actually many may dispute that) In 1982 Jo Kennedy was my screen queen and here she is camping it up in the final musical number. For those of you who share the love - enjoy, and to all you others... shame on you! (By the way the roadie pushing himself off the stage at the beginning of the clip is - Geoffrey Rush)

Australia Day

Wishing everyone a fabulous Australia Day. I am unashamedly nationalistic and believe we live in the most wonderful country on this planet. Why on earth would you want to live anywhere else???

Tip of the Week

If you are going to get a flat tyre make sure your car is parked directly outside the local pub where there are lots of men just waiting for an excuse to show everyone how great they are with all things car related.

It also helps if you look particularly bemused by the whole tyre changing thing and are willing to look a little helpless.

In all seriousness, the wonderful local drinkers at the Blarney Stone in Anderson St Yarraville got me out of a fix and I am genuinely grateful. Once again proving that I live in the greatest town in the world! These photos don't do justice to the number of men it took to change my tyre. At one point there were 6 of these treasures discussing the best way to raise the jack, led by the most helpful Bouncer I have ever come across. Thanks Guys!

HEATH LEDGER

Heath

Is it strange to spend the day with a knot in your stomach and a feeling of immense sadness you just can't shake over the death of a boy you never knew?
That is how I have felt today.
When I read the news on the Internet this morning that Heath Ledger had died my immediate reaction was to deny emphatically to myself that it had happened - it must be a joke, an elaborate hoax, not him... etc. Similar feelings to that of the news of Princess Diana's accident.
I even shut down the computer in some weird and feeble attempt to stop the news from being real. Then I cried, in fact sobbed, for a life only half lived and a little girl left with out her Daddy, for a family who have lost their bright boy and for me.. someone who never knew him, never breathed the same air but who followed his career from his stint on Home and Away, Sweat, Roar and on to bigger and brighter things. His photo graced the space behind my desk when I was teaching and moved to pride of place on our fridge when I left. That immensely talented, media awkward, doting father can not be gone. He just can't.

Kylie Minogue - Better The Devil You Know

As promised here is the one song that can get me up on the dancefloor no matter what! Our Kylie throwing off the Stock/Akien/Waterman shackles to deliver this absolute gem of a pop song in 1991 I think. This song is the soundtrack of the early 90's for me and brings back an absolute flood of great memories. I own every album and have been to every concert but this is still one of my favourite tracks. Enjoy.

Summer

We have had the most wonderful Summer. Day upon day of glorious weather, days spent at the beach exploring rock pools, learning to body surf at high tide, hours on end of just hanging with the cousins, swinging in the hammock reading trashy mags (me, not the kids). What more could you ask for. It has been so fantastic to watch the kids have the sort of summer we had when we were young. Lots of freedom, salty skin and flopping into bed exhausted at the end of a long hot day.

And of course Surfer Boy could not resist building something - so waa laa! A cubby.

And thank you to everyone who was so sympathetic to my plight after the great cat pee disaster. Much appreciated.

Heading back down the beach tomorrow so stay well.

Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

Don't you just love Pete Burns? The name and the voice are so manly but the visual reality is something else entirely. This reminds me of dancing the night away at Twains in Surfers Paradise and Underground in Melbourne. I think I still know all the actions to this song, although my can of Cedal hairspray has long since run out. Nothing can get me on the dance floor quicker than this song except perhaps next weeks gem... stay tuned.

Sometimes It's Better Just To Stay In Bed.

I'm back but I'm not happy!

On Friday we packed up the family ready to head back to Melbourne from the beach house so that I could work on Saturday. It was 42 degrees (107 for the Americans out there) according to my car, and tempers were getting frayed. I figured the quicker we got back to the air conditioned comfort of the city the better. All was going according to plan when I went to pack up my sewing. I keep all the squares for my quilts cut and ordered in a couple of large boxes so that I can take them with me when I need to. I had been very productive over the Christmas break and finished about 9 quilt tops. When I went to put the lids back on the boxes I noticed that one of them was all messed up. I figured it was my 3 year old being annoying and started to straighten them all up, cursing him all the while. It took a while for me to realise that strangely some of the patches were damp.. then the horrible reality struck me.... MY CAT HAD PISSED IN MY BOX!!!!!


I'll give you a minute to visualise my reaction when I realised that approx 2000 squares of fabric were now covered in cat urine....


There was crying!


I have spent the last 24 hours, chucking, washing, drying, ironing 2000 patches which has taken a little of the shine off my homecoming.
This is how they came out of the washing machine!!!



(To anyone who is thinking of purchasing a quilt from CHALK I assure you that all cat pee pieces have been weeded out and all other patches washed just to make me feel better.)



P.S. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas break and for everyone in Australia I hope you're having fabulous Summer holidays.