Simple Things

A list of Simple things - hosted by Christina at Soul Aperture

Cooking supper for a group of friends

Standing back and admiring your own hard work. (I spend all weekend staining my deck)

Sleeping in your underwear on a hot night

Having time to read the paper

The unconditional love of a pet

Old fashioned boiled sweets

Patterns made by melting candle wax

Going ten pin bowling

The sweet smell of a rose

Children’s toys that require no batteries.

It's now time for bed and the simplest thing of all SLEEP, much needed sleep. I will see you all tomorrow night after a restful sleep and a day of work.

Another Dance Year Over

(Dance Concert Preperations 2009)

As the final curtain closes my daughter, is dressed as a sailor. She is happy, smiling and clapping on stage. She spots me waving frantically from the middle of the audience and blows me a kiss. The curtain closes and we leave the auditorium, I head to the stage door to collect her. As she exits, she greets me with a big hug and says “Mum, I have truly found my dancing home, I belong here and don’t want to change schools again”

This was Mikaela’s 7th year of dancing and our 3rd dance school. We were at our first dance school for 4 years until the teacher ripped us off (long story), then we moved to another school for 2 year. This school was very good and a lot of the dances actually become professional but with this sort of elite school comes a lot of work. Especially, for someone who is dancing for fun and enjoyment.

A typical concert day of our last school started at 7am. She had to have a full head of curls, which we had to prepare 24 hours before hand so they’d stay in. 3 hairstyles and 2 concerts (a matinee and an evening show). Finishing up at around midnight.

This year, there was one simple hairstyle – straight up in a bun and one evening show. We arrived at the auditorium at 6pm and left around 11pm.

Finally we have found a dance school, which provides a fun atmosphere, is low maintenance and one where my daughter has made friends and feels like she fits in. She has even made a pact with some of her new friends that they are all going back next year.

Now I turn my attention to organizing a 7th birthday party for Callum, and think I have left my run to late for a sports party. Lets hope I can find somewhere reasonably priced to host a party otherwise the venue becomes my home. Not something I want to deal with this year.

(Dance Concert Preperations 2008)

Christmas is Creeping

(I should point out that the 2 girls in the above picture are NOT Mikaela and me, they are one of my friends 2 beautiful daughters)

I want to thank the few people that emailed me personally to make sure all was ok. It is very nice feeling to know that my presence was missed and that people took time out to notice I have not been my regular blogging self even though they too lead busy lives. My humble blog is just one in many millions and there are plenty more to read when mine stops so it was heart warming to know that I was being thought about.

While I was away from blog land I discovered that:

· I don’t like shopping as much as I once thought I did.

· When someone parks their car on your property for 5 weeks and doesn’t move it once it becomes extremely annoying. Asking politely to move the car didn’t seem to work. Grrr why does he think it’s ok to park it on my land. Park it on your own bloody land … buddy!!!

· Ringing the council to issue a parking infringement for a car parked illegally on your land can feel good.

· The world still continues to revolve even when I rest, that it doesn’t fall apart and a rest even if short can be revitalizing.

· Making a volcano for a science fair is actually fun …. and messy.

· With the right company dance dress and stage rehearsals can actually be a hoot.

· I’m excited about watching Mikaela’s 6 annual dance concert for the first time from the audience and not side stage.

· Hay Fever can be extremely nasty especially when it hits a 9 year old girl.

· When one wound heals on the boy another one will only appear. I don’t think the term “wound free” exits for him.

· Santa needs to get his butt into gear as it appears one child has far more for Christmas than the other.

· Halloween wouldn’t work in the US if it were hot like it is here. Chocolate doesn’t do well in 30 degree heat. Lucky we don’t really celebrate.

· That short-term memory loss is not just an old people’s issue.

· Now Callum is a little more self-reliant, restaurants with indoor play centres are friend and not foe.

· Contrary to what someone told me, praying to St Anthony to find important lost items hasn’t worked and I know for a fact St Anthony has a lost property box full of my belonging yet he still refuses to help.

· Lemon Tart is yummy.

· I want to go see Disney’s Princess and the Frog movie when it hits the big screen.

· Club Penguin is for the whole family not just kids.

· The old TV show “I Dream of Jeannie” is preventing my children from getting to school on time.

· Melbourne must be the only city in the world to get a public holiday for a Horse Race. The Melbourne Cup was held yesterday and it wasn’t until 7pm that I even thought to ask what horse won! The race that stops the nation didn’t stop me.

· I totally forgot that I said I would never photograph another wedding. Maybe wedding photography is like child birth. Just after experiencing it, you say never again only to find yourself in the same situation later down the track and asking “Why”.

I hope to catch up with everyone blogs over then next few days.