Monday, September 14, 2009

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Book Safari



The Children and I have had a lot of fun turning the Library into "Africa" for our 2009 Book Week Theme - Book Safari. Every day someone brings somethng else in to add to the display.
Enjoy the pictures.


The Picture Book Swamp

THe Jungle of Information





The great Grasslands of Fiction


Friday, April 10, 2009

Shock

Just looked at the date of my last blog - I knew it had been a while but can't believe it was back in February - a whole school term away. Why haven't I posted. I love reading everyone else's blogs. I guess I think my life's too boring...

Anyway some intersting stuff has happened.
1. I have a new house mate. She's lovely and an amazing story. Call me and find out... Working out great.

2. I am on holidays for 2 weeks - Yay. Lots of jobs to do at home -may list them in next blog. Then 3 days away at Pacific Palms near Forster with a friend.

3. My nephew Sam (from USA) has announced he is moving to Australia - will stay with me - Full House - Packed to the Rafters etc. Fun... He wants to go to North Sydney TAFE and study Film.

4. My best (guy) friend got a BIG promotion - some celebrating happening here soon.

5. I have a new Great Niece - Sadie Lane

S there's a few things happening. No excuse. Will really try to write more often.

In the meantime check out my friends & family's blogs.
JJ - you love Nicole's Scraps of Life.
Look in the right column.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Breakfast... and Panic!

Yesterday was Saturday. That is the day you have a GOOD breakfast. During the week, it's cereal or toast or a diet shake or something ordinary and quick, but on Saturdays you get pancakes or bacon and eggs or a yummy B&E roll from the Kiosk at Cronulla.

Anyway, I decided to have a Southern Breakfast. Yum! Thanks to Carol I have Grits and Bisquick. I had bought free-range eggs (the best) this week so I was very excited. I had bacon, fried eggs, grits and biscuits (for the non Americans, biscuits look like a scone, but taste a bit different and you eat them for breakfast!



Skipped the white gravy this time, but will have leftover biscuit with gravy later!

Breakfast was just about ready, keeping it in the pan to stay warm while the biscuits finished baking, so I went outside to get the (delivered) Saturday newspaper to read while I ate my breakfast outside on the patio. I realised I hadn't grabbed the mail on Friday so I opened the box and grabbed the letters etc. Took them all inside, dished up breakfast and went out to the patio table. I started to eat while sorting the letters and noticed that one was from the RTA (Roads and Traffic Authority)

I went into immediate panic. These are the people that issue speeding tickets.

Now for those who don't know, I have been on a probationary Licence for the last 10 months. Over the last 3 years I have recieved 4 speeding tickets. When you reach 12 points in 3 years you lose your licence for 3 months and I had reached that last January. You are allowed to sign a form that you will promise not to lose any more points in the next 12 months (after you pay the fine and sign). If you do, you will lose your licence for double the time. Can you imagine trying to get to work at Menai or anywhere else without driving? I am on this probation until March 2010. i was so careful driving in the USA not to speed - that's hard in Atlanta where everyone else on the road is going 10 mph over the limit.

My history with speeding is new, never got a ticket before this current (very powerful) car. So I like to blame the car, but also we now have speed cameras everywhere. My weak spots seem to be in Nowra down the south coast where I go once a year (for 3 years I got one every year!) and school zones. Normally I am at school working, in school zone times, so only on the occassion that I leave early or don't work that day would I be there, but yes, I have had two of those!

I had been especially "pedantic" (there it is Carol) about watching the speedo all through Berry and Nowra this year as I went to and from Kioloa twice. My immediate thought was "Don't tell me I missed a spot and went too fast somewhere." (We now have varying speed limits of 40,50,60,70,80,90,and 100 kmh (110 on freeways) and someimes there is no logic to the speed chosen, so you have to watch for the signs ALL the time!)

I was almost crying over my breakfast, and reluctant to open it. I ate half the breakfast in a panic. What if, what if etc. Finally I thought, well the letter is here so go ahead and open it and find out what you did wrong and then start thinking how you are going to manage without a licence.

When I opened it, it was some dumb letter about claiming cashback if you paid tolls on the Motorway. You cannot imagine my relief (although there is still always a possibility until March.)

I was able to thoroughly enjoy the rest of my breakfast!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

A New Year!

One of my decisions this new year is to write more. I know I have at least two people who will read my blog - and participate - so hopefully I will get better a this as time and practice progress.

i have had an amazing summer, and so there are many stories to tell for the first few entries, at least unitl my usual (not too exciting life) gets back to its normal state.

I feel the most relaxed that I have been for many years after having about 3 weeks with the rellies in the Ole US-of-A; and then 3 weeks of camping at the perfect beach location - its location is a secret Shhh! We want to keep it perfect.

So today - The Saturday of the Australia Day Long Weekend. We Aussies love our Long Weekends. For me though, it is the last weekend of my holidays. I go back to the coalface (read school) on Tuesday. At this stage I am quite looking forward to that, but give me a day or two back there and I'll be counting the days until the next holidays!

Today the temperature was 41C (that's 105.8F) a stinker! This has followed several days of building up. At the beach, although hot, we would sit on the hill and run down for a dip every half hour or so till the sun went down. I spent a lot of time "mermaiding" in the sea ove the last few days - not swimming, not surfing, just floating about - "lolling".

No beach 30 seconds away now that I am at home, so I spent most of the day inside in the air conditioning - Aaah!

I did go out this morning to buy groceries from Woolworths. The cupboards are quite bare after being away for so long. Although the Jacksons* did leave me a few lovely treasures in the frozen leftovers etc.
* Madeline's family who stayed here for a week.

I spent $280 at Woolworths - couldn't believe it! Well that had better keep me going for a while.

The other thing I have done today is washing, washing, washing. All of the clothes I took away, and sheets, towels etc needed to be washed. Thank goodness for washing machines and dryers! Almost through it now. I'm hoping there's not too much ironing... I unpacked everything in from the car last night and tried to put it away as I brought it up (a flight of stairs - 20 trips in all!) Tomorrow, depending on the heat, I will unpack the camping trailer. Unfortunately it rained on the last night we were a the beach and so things like the tent, need drying out.

OK that's a good start for me. More to come.
Jools