Yesterday I was really tickled by how adding text messages, facebook messages to the traditional visits and calls can make your day a constant stream of birthday greetings. I enjoyed it. I was working at my floor coverings job ended up turning my phone off because as much as I love it all, I wanted to finish a few jobs without interruptions.
This year has been a long and rambly story with many twists in the plot. As with all interesting stories where I’ve found myself at the end of 45 in a good place. I’ve laughed more than enough. I celebrate. Today I will continue, cause I worked yesterday so that didn’t count.
I’m catching up with my school friends today at the annual 10-10. In a break with tradition we’ll be off to another establishment. As usual I’ll be going in the afternoon and not marathoning the session. It’s a sunny day and people I like will be there. Fun!
Last night we had an engagement party to attend. A past work collegeue, now friend and my little sisters close friend got engaged. It’s always lovely to go to an engagement party when you know and love both the people. It was an awesome party… Huge!
We catered and we spent the day at the Tennis Centre cooking. I really enjoyed it. I loved watching them set up the room with candles and amazing white paper lamps. The beautiful cake arrived. There is a good kitchen there and whilst I think it is mostly only used for reheating food, it worked well for us. We prepared all the food there and cooked it and as people arrived many commented on the food smells and how lovely it was to smell delicious food as they entered. The staff there even mentioned how great it smelt. When I think about it, most of the parties I have gone to in venues we are served reheated food, which doesn’t generate all the smells you create when you add fresh vegetable and herbs and cook meat… there really isn’t anything like it. It was an unexpected benefit.
I was delighted with the feedback from the people at the party when we finished cooking and joined the party. A lot of people asked for business cards and wanted to know where they can find us now we don’t have a shop. We are happy to do that kind of catering. I think our food is very different. It’ s like the food you would make for a party at home. I wish I had taken photos – sorry Kate… too busy:).
The party was great, there was a live musician, who was brilliant. There are so many many wonderful musicians around I love going to a party that has live music. The fire was on, the room was full of warm and happy people. It was a festive and fun evening. Weaving through the crowds with the food was quite challanging at times, the room was thick with people and laughter and children were doing what kids do at parties … dancing and playing with the balloons.
We reconnected with one of our favourite customers and met her brother. I also caught up with some other past collegues. It was great that I could have conversations with them because the music was a gentle, enjoyable addition and not a distraction to the socialisation. I had great conversations with people. Parties like that make you want to go out again on a cold night for another one:).
Yesterday Br John came for lunch. He was my mentor when I was a first year teacher 10 years ago. We haven’t caught up for probably 5 years. He has moved to another state and is a Principal there. I reckon he would be a good one because he is both human and organised. He communicates well and continues his learning. I always enjoy hanging out with him because he has interesting stories. He’s recently been travelling around Europe on a Marist brother adventure (there is probably a more serious, spiritual purpose). He had great food stories to tell me and as that is what I am most interested in right now, I enjoyed the tales of food.
I had my second attempt at making Macarons. Just before we left the shop a lovely lady came in for a visit from this business Cupcake Therapy. I am not really into cupcakes. Her sister had come in for lunch and told me they’d been to Paris to learn how to make Macarons. I was captivated. I contacted her on facebook and she brought some samples (rasberry with white chocolate filling). It is my current obsession. They are so pretty and delicious. A fortnight ago I made some for Cath for her birthday. I made about 3 batches and ended up with 6 mishapen things. I made chocolate ones because I am a fan of chocolate. I will experiment with different flavours once I get chocolate handled. The ones I made for lunch yesterday were better but don’t look anything like the amazing creations from ‘Cupcake Therapy’. Her facebook page is one of my favourites.
One of the things I really like about Macarons is that it’s delicious way to use egg white. I use the yolk to make mayonaisse and chocolate/lemon tart. I’ve never been a fan of pavlova or other egg white type dishes. Macaron’s are going to take a lot more practise. I have no clue with a piping bag. They tasted great and I don’t think I would ever create the kind of product with glaze and all the beauty of professional ones, but I would prefer them to look a bit more similar. When I do manage something near decent I will take a photo:) Which leads me to my next simple pleasure…
I have been inspired by Jen from Semantically Driven to start taking a photo a day. I haven’t really taken many photo’s lately. I take them of the kids, but I used to always take my camera with me and I enjoyed it. I am going to publish them on tumblr. I have also been watching a few You Tube photo a day clips and thinking that could make an interesting alternative to journalling for students who don’t like writing. I don’t like taking photos of myself… but teenagers seem to be comfortable with it. I will just take photos of random things that take my eye, still I think they will contain hidden memories.
We shopped today because we have a catering job to do tomorrow night. Two friends are engaged and we are catering for the celebration. I love shopping with Darin. We have a lot of fun and even amuse others. An older woman in the market couldn’t stop giggling when he asked me which box I wanted to carry and I said the lightest one. It really tickled her. I enjoyed being out in the sunshine today. We went to Morwell cause we had to go to a couple of places there. We ended up back here for all the things we forgot on the first trip:). I popped into the Art Gallery whilst I was there and looked in the window of the Contemporary Art Space. I felt quite uplifted by it. We went on a walk this afternoon and went ‘window shopping’ in all the homeware and electrical shops on the highway. We got great service cause we were the only people in the shops. We were approached by many sales people. I looked around at all the heavily discounted stuff and thought ‘What’s going to happen to all this stuff if no one comes back to buy it?’ Where have all the shoppers gone?
We opened the doors to ‘The Butchers Dog’ yesterday. It is by no means ‘perfect’. When I say that, I don’t mean it’s not great. I have had a ball there already. My taste buds are having a party for a start. It is an absolute delight to work with Darin. I have not had so many laughs and so much fun for such a long time. How good is that? It reminds me of the fun I had when Wilma and I made ‘ Unique Furnishings ‘ and ‘ Total Vision ‘. Good times!
My beautiful, supportive family , my daughter and my sister have covered the fort for me, so to speak. My mum has handled the home front for me, transforming my laundry from an overflowing mess to ironed shirts in the wardrobe. They have ran the show for me whilst I have had my head spinning and obligations dragging me in all directions. I am still at school, although to be fair to the people I work with I only have one foot in that door. I feel like I am being held up by so many supportive people right now and I feel truly blessed. My friends dropping in to eat, to smile with me at our creation have meant the world to me. The people I work with who have picked up the slack I have created with my frequent absences with a smile and no hint of resentment, have truly amazed me and I hope I can find ways to repay them for their generosity. At this time of the year it is legendary! All the fabulous phonecalls and messages, texting, facebooking and visits have made me feel more loved and supported than I could possibly imagine.
I read a beautiful article recommended to me by Holly, one of my wonderful students: Single Dad Laughing:The Disease called Perfection. It reminded me of something very inspiring I watched a little while ago:
I found these expressions resonate with me and my experience recently has demonstrated this to me. We haven’t got our place (The Butchers Dog) exactly how we want it, as I’ve said, we are making it up as we go along. There are many things that just haven’t arrived on time; our coffee machine, ingredients we hoped to use, the decor we had planned, people we were expecting to be there. We have just gone for it anyway. It’s not perfect or complete and to be honest, I don’t know that there is such a place. We have learnt a lot in these couple of fun filled days and I am so excited about applying what I’ve learnt as well as having things arrive and realising our dreams.
I’m enjoying the spring weather. After a rainy school holidays the last few warm days has had the lawn mowers out creating that special smell and stepping outside into light and warmth is a delight. Even returning to work today hasn’t dulled how much I love warm weather.
I was in a bit of funk Friday and Saturday for my holidays that had finished in a blink of an eye. I had two enjoyable social events on Friday evening that distracted me for their duration. I enjoyed drinks for Jen’s birthday and caught up with a long lost friend who I knew when our kids were doing karate. I loved Phil and Katie’s 21st. It was great to catch up with them. I miss Tom’s friends. There were so many kids there I hadn’t seen for a long time. It was fun. I was partied out by Saturday though and watched the grand final quite sedately. Cath made yummy food. Darin had to go back to work at 4.30, which was cruel as he baracks for Collingwood. Lots of family members barack for them including my mum and sister, so I was happy with the outcome and I’m prepared for what goes with it.
Today in my RE class, I had my students be still and silent. They only managed about a minute of it… out of practice. That minute seemed to be as long as the holidays had felt. Today I got up early to exercise because I am determined to continue with it. So far so good, but combined with daylight savings start, I was very tired during the meeting tonight. It was lovely to get home in daylight though, despite a meeting.
This will likely be the last school holiday Monday morning for me in the seeable future. I am enjoying it yet also feeling like I can’t afford to take it too easily with a long to do list stretching out before me. Last week disappeared in a blink. A week of pottering around. It was lovely, yet I feel more urgency to complete tasks this week.
I began exercising again last week. I have really let my fitness go the last 12 months or so. Not only has my clothes size climbed a few notches, I just don’t feel as energetic. I don’t like it. I enjoyed my half hour a day back on the cross trainer last week and I had a massage Friday. I want to continue the things I know work for me, and restore my health to the place I feel good. I have already noticed some increased ease in my body and whilst I still resist starting each little session, I get into it once I’m there and afterwards I feel more energised.
I had a great weekend. We watched the grand final with friends and went on a bit of an adventure Saturday. I enjoyed myself. I love going off the well worn track. Yesterday we watched the rest of Breaking Bad season 2, recovering on the couch as you do after a big day out:-).
Last week was really busy. Evening meetings at school, expo, the concert and the day to day life that has to be squeezed in between. The weekend continued to be fast and lots happened. Today I was back at school, having a rest.
My weekend was a mixture of things. I enjoyed the company of friends who came round for dinner on Saturday night. Darin prepared it all for me to feed them cause he was at work. I can’t say how amazing it is to have him at times like that. It was delicious and there was debate, laughter, gossip and it was good to be social.
My parents came home to see my very sick uncle who has fortunately made a great recovery. I was worried then relieved. I got to see them. Darin and I took advantage of some JB Hi Fi browsing and wandering through display homes when we delivered their car to them.
I think Mystic Medusa was right about that Zap Zone. I love the image in this post Apres Zap Zone.
One of the DVDs I bought at JB was ‘Breaking Bad’. It’s facinating in a frightening way.
I have spent the evening with one of my close friends who lost her brother this week. A student from one of our schools (Marist) died this week. There were many students this week feeling it. Another close friend lost a brother in law. I don’t personally know any of these people but I have met some of them. Their loss doesn’t hurt me except through seeing my friends suffer.
When we lose someone we love, it is an incredible opportunity for the survivors to share how they feel about that person and about each other. That is what I have witnessed. I have never forgotten when my grandfather died some August’s ago the love that I felt from my year 9 class and my friends. I really appreciated their support and kindness. Those students are now my year 12′s. I remember their goodness.
I had a year 10 student today asking my advise about what kind of message he should leave on his friend’s facebook page. Our students are not meant to access facebook in class, but sometimes there are more important things than the school rules. In a very respectful tone, I asked him who he thought would read that message on facebook and how they would feel about what he wrote. He was no longer communicating to her, it was her loved ones that he needed to consider, when he left his final note. That is the most important literacy to me. The literacy of the heart in the times of the greatest vulnerability.
Tonight I’m going out for dinner where Darin works with Rhonda. She has gained her Certificate IV in Workplace Training today and I am delighted. I’m happy for her but I’m also happy for the kids she will get to teach. She is a great teacher and has positive learning relationships with students. We’ve worked in the classroom together a few times and they have been the best years. She makes a difference to students and their learning.
I think it would be great if teaching were an apprenticeship. It would be awesome to have an apprentice to be in classes with you, assisting in all the ways an extra adult in the room can. Giving you feedback about what worked and what didn’t. I remember when I had a student teacher I sat up the back of the class and saw my students in a whole new light. I noticed some where totally engaged, just not in what was going on at the front of the room. I hadn’t noticed it when I’d been at the front of the room!
It would be great for the student as they would get hands on learning and watch all the real things about teaching like classroom management, rapport building and other things that you don’t always learn in a book. I’ve seen many students do the whole teaching course and then find they hate teaching. This way, you would get a pretty good idea quickly.
There are so many resources available to teachers now that I think the idea of a person who is all knowing as a teacher is redundant. I have taught a number of subjects over my teaching career that I learnt alongside my students. I could never be an IT teacher if I hoped to know the most in the room. The best teachers know how to build great relationships with students and understand them and their learning styles. They need to like the students enough to find a way for them to learn what they need to learn, in order to get to where they want to go. They need to be assertive enough to create a safe space, so students are free to learn. They need to love learning themselves and model that to young people. Anyway I reckon Rhonda can do all those things, hands down.
More important than the curriculum is the question of the methods of teaching and the spirit in which the teaching is given
~ Bertrand Russell quotes
Today I put my pj’s under my pillow after I made my bed. I’m sure I haven’t done that since I was a kid. I was actually amused when I thought about how I’d done it when I was a kid and then not ever since I left home. They have usually been left on the floor or draped across the bed, on the bathroom floor etc. It’s not a bad idea… I get it now! I asked Darin if he did the PJ’s under the pillow thing when he was a kid and yes he did too. Did you?
I visited one of my Cancerian friends tonight. I have decided that my female cancerian friends have more power tools than most men I know. They are capable around the home and can achieve any home improvement project with apparent ease. Not only are they the caretakers of their family but their homes as well. They can certainly do it themselves. I am always well fed in their homes and comfortable to be me.
My weekend has been great so far. On Friday we got the good news about mum’s tests and I think that has really topped everything else off. My kids have a new sister. It has created huge excitement. Amelie was born on Tuesday. It was kind of weird for me. How do you behave when your ex husband has a new baby. I swung between absolute excitement for my children and reminding myself that it was none of my business really. A big part of me wanted to rush out to the hospital and have a cuddle of my kids new sister… but really that’s probably not appropriate. It would be imposing I imagine. I am really happy for Shane and Di though. I know they will enjoy her and she will be a celebrated addition to the family.
