The Calm Between Storms

We hang between the flurry of swimming pools, Op Shopping trips, eating outdoors and the end of unpacking....and returning to regular life tomorrow. It is a brief interlude ~ one I value with great delight.

My highlight? Op Shopping and snapping up a $3 very classy-looking T-shirt. My second highlight was taking two friends off down to CleanSkin (a kitchenware store) and drooling our way through the entire shop. I also bought the one item I intended to ~ a new wooden chopping board. Did you know the new fandangled bamboo ones can't be washed in hot soapy water. Pffft. Who ever heard of such a ridiculous thing.

Mr Busy has had his customary broken-hearted little cry as he walked in the front door. Poor lad...he really suffers deeply, leaving his friends and all that fun behind. You can't imagine how long he sobs for when we return from our three week holiday!

I've begun a list of things that are a must for the caravan before our summer holiday and I'm feeling a little more motivated to get on with Christmas.

To Race or Not to Race

I've decided Melbourne Cup weekend has the population of our fair city divided into three different but very specific groups of people.

The Race Goers. These people are all into horse races or the fashion that goes with it and wouldn't miss the opportunity to frock up and head out to enjoy a day of picnics and bubbly...pretty dresses, hats and well....lots of fun, I suppose.

The Stay at Hom-ers. These are the people who stay home. They're not interested in horse racing and getting away for a few days, so they stay put. They often even go to work on Monday. Because someone has to keep the city running, after all.

The Out of Town-ers. This is where we fit in. We pack up the caravan, gather up as many fellow campers as possible and take off. We don't go too far...just in case someone has to head back to Melbourne for work....but we have a little four day holiday to get us through to the end of the year and Christmas holidays.

Traditionally, the weather is somewhat iffy at best and downright disgusting at worst. This year Melbourne has weathered pretty bad storms. I got an SMS from my friend Rel on Saturday wondering how we'd managed to get on, given the horrendous weather. We've been fine. A little rain...pretty lightning and plenty of pool time for the kids!!!! The girls are beginning to look like prunes!

I'm off to enjoy what's left of the weekend.....what kind of Melbournian are you?

Am I Mad?

You know how I victoriously declared myself finished with my course?

I'm seriously thinking about going further with my study and earning a higher qualification. I've just emailed my lecturer to find out if I can go straight to the Diploma, given my work experience. I'm not holding out much hope though as they've just changed the entry requirements from last year and it looks like the Certificate 4 is a prerequisite. Never hurts to ask the question though.

Whichever way it goes, both are only 1 semester full time and I believe both are available externally. So if I had to do both to get the Diploma, it would still only be one year. The Diploma subjects are far more interesting and the list of options to pick from for the elective subjects are going to be hard to narrow down to just six!

And I really want to get my % mark first too. Then I'll know if I have what it takes to go further. If I only just scraped through, I don't think I'll go any further!!!!

IT IS FINISHED!!!!!

I did it! I have finally mailed off the last of my College subjects and my practical placement information today. The package was triumphantly placed in the mail tray in the office at school and I declared myself no longer a student. The Head of Secondary grinned a little grin at my excitement. The receptionist said "well done"...and I went to have my recess LOL.

My provisional results so far are all 'competent' and they are just waiting for corroboration from the practical placement information I've returned and a conversation with the Prep teacher I work with.

I'm still tossing about the possibility of doing a little bit more. I've just completed Certificate 3 level and there's a Cert 4 and Diploma I could still do....all via external study. So far, the school has paid for it. I'm just not sure. Maybe I'll wait and see how I did first. 'Competent' doesn't really tell you how well you've done...just that you're done.

The Depths of Boyhood Despair

Mr Busy came to me on Sunday night in floods of little-boy tears. "Mum" sob, sob, sob "My high hat pedal is bro-sob-ken". The way he said, you'd think that high hat pedal was a goner, never to be repaired. His happy little world of bliss had certainly come crashing down on him!

Mr Busy was not easily persuaded that the pedal could be repaired and was not so keen to wait a day or maybe two! He spent quite some time bouncing like a ping-pong ball between the two of us, desperate for someone to phone his drum teacher and find out what to do. He was finally placated when I emailed his teacher's contact details to Dh's work so that he could make the arrangements first thing Monday. After all, if Daddy doesn't like people phoning him on a Sunday about work, then why would other people?

By Monday evening Mr Busy had a repaired pedal, had his drums tuned (did you know they needed tuning?!) and had caught up on a lesson as well.

The arm injury sustained while driving a little motorised buggy at his friend's place on Friday night didn't stop him one bit.... funny that! I don't suppose it is broken after all.

Mr Busy is back up on the moutain top in his life.

"Julie & Julia"

What could be better after an afternoon of mini-golfing, than to follow up with an evening out with your bestest girlfriends? Not much, I'd wager.

Last night my girlfriends and I had dinner together and then headed off to see 'Julie & Julia'. I loved it. It was about cooking, after all...what's not to love?! It was humourous and touching, delicious and true-to-life with moments of despair and then triumph. Meryl Streep does a marvellous job of imitating the real Julia Child. I had to watch a You Tube clip, just to be sure. Her performance had touches of Dame Edna Everidge though!!!!

I have another food-loving friend who mentioned she wanted to see this....I think I'll have to go with her and see it again. You know...just in case I missed something the first time round :)

You should go and see it too.

The Elusive Weekly Menu Plan

I've done it again, haven't I?! In my defense, yesterday was a busy day!!!! I had a total of two hours at home in the afternoon....not enough time to keep all my wits about me, I can assure you.

And even today...I remembered about posting my menu plan as I was on my way to spend the morning at a friend's place. She had a little girl from our Prep class staying last night and through until late this afternoon. Their family is again dealing with a pretty big health issue and so my friend asked if we could come and spend some time giving some joy to this precious little girl who is all pink and piggy tails and the most adorable little person, inside and out.

As it turns out, Miss Sunshine is the only one home this morning ~ the other two are at a sleepover and a camp. So Miss Sunshine and I headed off with a recipe and ingredients to make Hummingbird Muffins with Miss Adorable. Miss Sunshine took the lead as the two of them measured and mixed together. Once they were in the oven I believe an indoor cubbyhouse was created and some sandpit playing ensued once their indoor creation was complete.

Miss Sunshine says she enjoyed this morning much more than she thought she would. I knew she'd have a great time. I wish I knew Miss Adorable's parents better than a fleeting recognition. Miss Adorable would be more than welcome to spend days on end with us if it were necessary.

So....after that convoluted little journey, the menu plan:

Friday: Nachos
Saturday: Pasta with Bacon & Mushrooms
Sunday: Lamb Moussaka, vegies
Monday: Apricot Chicken, mashed potatoes, vegies
Tuesday: Pork Meatloaf, vegies (a holdover from last week)
Wednesday: Singapore Noodles (another holdover)
Thursday: Crockpot...something or other chicken. Maybe Cacciatore.

I'll get things organised for Miss Sunshine to cook tonight....I'm going to have dinner with my girlfriends before going to see 'Julie & Julia'.