A Collection of Thoughts

Back to School

It felt so strange to be prepping the girls for back to school and not to be going myself. The only other time in 35 years was when I was on maternity leave and that was just for 6 months. Other than that my whole life I have been "at school"

my own school years - then 4 years at uni then this is my 19th year teaching or not as the case now is.

Big W was my friend this year with lunch box choices and cool stationary though of course we did have to make two trips to smiggle too!  Fortunately the girls stationary is all supplied so it's no book covering or text book searching up here just the fun stuff.

Awesome I say :)

Our morning was smooth - they coerced me into driving them as they were going on the bus but I did have blood test to go to so against my better judgement I braved the car park - Holy doly - so muggy and I had to wear my wig - Can you look like the other Mummas ? sure. I can try.

and we had to park miles away and walk for yonks.

I take them to their rooms - and I get - bye Mumma you can go now

Nice

So then I headed to the uniform shop - there is never a good time to go there and all we needed were new socks. Done.

 They caught the bus home and Richard picked them up.

I made a yummy afternoon treat of Mel's ( or I think they are from James actually) Cinnamon scrolls - so good - I'm thinking a variation with grated apples and almonds might be on the cards at some point too!I chaet and throw th e flour and butter into the food processor - works a treat and none of that mucking aroudn rubbing in nonsense.

My girls can chat. They share their whole day - first we put our bags on the bag rack then we take our lunch boxes out. You get the idea - I'm sure it will change as they get older and we hit the teenage years so for now I'll just have to enjoy it. I will spare you the whole run down and give the edited highlights.

 Year 4 - Day One - Sofia  :)

• I have the same teacher as last Year - She is awesome and getting married in June
• We get Ipads in our classroom this year
• My best friend is in my class :)
• There is a girl who catches the bus from my bus stop yay
• I am starting cello
• We have a swimming carnival next week
• I have a new homework satchels -Its very smart
• Im going to go to maths tutoring 
• We are doing an Under the Sea theme and we will have a trip to Seaworld
• I have to take two drink bottles on sport day because we start GPS sport
• Year 4 Camp is at Tallebudgera - it goes for two nights and three days
• I'm so excited about school.

 Year 4 - Day One - Talia  :)

• I have two teachers this year
• I want to get into extension English my teacher is the extension English teacher
• We are in a demountable classroom which is REALLY big
• We have a reading corner with a magical glittery tree for our teacher to sit under and cushions for us to sit on
• No one remembered their maths and we had to use our fingers - tomorrow we have a test to decide on which classes we go to for maths- It may not go well- just warning you. ( thanks for the warning )
• I start violin this year
• I want to do debating ( well that's a surprise Miss I can argue in my sleep LOL)
• We don't get to go the big library unless you are in extension English
• We don't have bag racks like the other classes so our bags are in an undercover area but we have lunch box pigeon holes so our lunch stays in the air conditioning
• We are getting Ipads for our classroom and new IMacs
• I have a new friend from Russia
• Year Four is going to be the best year ever

Homework kicked in straight away and they were well on their way to being done by the time they got home - they have fallen into the habit of starting it on the bus. Reading has always been encouraged but nothing specific set - but this year they have to keep a reading diary which isn't an issue for us I'm fortunate to have reading girls so last night after baths and before dinner they were diligently in their rooms with their alarms set for 20 minutes of reading. I had to giggle when later Sof read before bed as she usually does and I asked her if she was going to add that to her reading log - she said no that wasn't for homework that was just because.

Yay for just because reading. Wonder if this year will become our "just because maths" year -I doubt it LOL.

And so another year begins

 

Hair Cuts and Earrings

We like all Qlders we have been prepping for back to school.

Saturday saw the whole family get hair cuts (except me LOL- funny that) Though my hair is growing back and apparently will continue to do so through this round of chemo.

It's white. It looks salt and pepper (much fancier than grey don't you think?) but the pepper is just the residue that didn't fall out all the new growth is white. I have been reading up and I dont think it's going to change.

It's also a long time after its grown back before you can dye it too because of the chemicals from chemo and honestly I feel so reluctant to even contemplate putting anything else on my skin or in my body - maybe I'll change my mind but if not white it is.

Talia broke away from her normal style of 1 cm off the bottom ( sigh ) to a couple of inches and some layers and as she likes to call them serious bangs :)

and she has decided that she will wear her hair in pigtails for school - Finally something different from a ponytail.

Sofia didn't change her style at all  - it's usually much shorter than Talia's and she always has lots of layers in hers. She is also continuing her don't take a photo of me Mumma

EXCEPT for her birthday this year she decided she wanted to get her ears pierced. We put it off until this weekend just gone because there was a whole heap of swimming to be done during the holidays. So after haircuts we headed to have them done and she wanted photos.

She sat so still and I think was actually quite scared - Tals left she couldn't watch. We opted for the both at the same time piercing which was literally two girls lined up with the guns counting to three.

 The sound is quite loud and there was a stunned silence once it was over - Then the tears started. EEK so sad . Didn't matter what I had said about that it would hurt.

 Here she is all pierced and teary :(

But fast forward to Monday and she was all good - excited to show her new ears to her friends at school and bugging me about when we can go earring shopping. Not for another 8 weeks ;)

There is even talk of Talia having hers done now. We will see.

18 Years

This week we celebrated 18 years of marriage :)

At 3.00pm ( when 18 years before I was walking down the aisle ) we were at lunch for a dear friends 60th birthday.

I have no photos I was in a heavy fog and spent the whole lunch just smiling and nodding. Her family must have thought I was absolutely crackers.

Richard bought me home and I went straight to sleep. There hasn't been a lot of up time this week.

I was so disappointed to be so out of it on a special day.  That's the most frustrating part of this whole regime.

ANYHOW

The girls were being looked after as it was an adults lunch (YAY) and we received a text from the sitters begging us if the girls could stay over - Umm yes!

I awoke at 7.00pm and my fog was gone -  totally gone and I was hungry and could string whole sentences together.

So we took the opportunity to go out right then. - Remember before kids ? Used to do that a lot.

Sushi down at Robina and we picked up some chocolates from Max Brenner too and called into the birthday home on our way home for coffee. It was kind of perfect. I was ready to chat finally LOL.

While usually we dont do gifts, this year Richard gave me the loveliest porcelain tea cups  :) - 18 years is porcelain apparently and he had 18 holes of golf of the Sunday in peace knowing he didn't have to rush home to save me from the busy chatter and activities of little people.

In 18 years I have learnt that as much as life throws at you there are as many constants.

Who knows what the next 18 will bring.

 

James and The Giant Peach

On Friday night we headed to see James and The Giant Peach courtesy of a link a lovely reader sent to me so we had reduced rate tickets.

We LOVE plays and theatre and going to QPAC and jump at any opportunity to do so.

The Harvest Rain productions are always cosy and intimate and quite often geared towards kids.

Honestly if I had paid full price I wouldn't have been that impressed - just over on an hour in total.- BUT

The girls loved it - and Richard laughed along the whole time. It had a touch of pantomine and the simple set design was very cleverly done. It helped that we had watched the Tim Burton version of the movie the night before too as this is not one of my favourite Ronald Dahl stories by a long shot.

We managed to get to Brissie well within time and had coffee (or tea for me ) and a treat before. The tunnels to the carpark were filled with some glorious chalk art too - I was disappointed I hadn't taken my camera when I say it all.

If you are a local I have noticed on the QPAC site that there are lots of great shows on offer this year.

Alice in Wonderland complete with the option of a Tea party is coming - and the Wizard of Oz - these ones we may be able to fit in our budget I think but its Mary Poppins and Annie which have me stumped.

I would love to take the girls to both those big budget musicals - particularly Annie they have seen it so many times and read the book.

So my question to you my lovely readers do you go to theatre and do you get the cheapest seats ??? Does it detract from the show being sat at the very back - like really back at the top?

Should I just choose one show and get good seats?

I'm really not sure and Richard is no help he just keeps saying how much are the tickets? That's not happening LOL - It would be just me and the girls.

I'd love your thoughts.

 

 

Chemo Round Three - Again

When I type the title Chemo Round Three into my title bar - it already comes up. That right it's easy to forget  - this is my second go at a round Three chemo.

15 more to go after today. Pray this is my last regime and that I never have to type Round Three again.

You may have wondered where I was. I am here. I'm on the outside looking in.

via weheartit.com

Time is moving on.

Already we are at the far end of January.  Christmas is a distant memory. I'm yet to  finish my December daily. The journalling is done - the pages are prepared. The pictures are printed but it sits waiting.

Like me.

Waiting for this to be over.

With each passing day I hold high expectations for the next one. My mantra is that tomorrow will be better.

I have this little support crew who wake me each morning with cheery texts- how you doing today? What's today looking like? They seemingly don't get tired of my lack of answers or less than stellar responses. More often than not the answers the same - tomorrow will be better. Sometimes it is.

Today is the best in the cycle for half the day. And I am making the most of it up and at it fitting in as many hours of normal as I can.

Until later today when I head back to start all over again.

Afternoon chemo was the best decision. I look forward to my Tuesday mornings. However it is also the worst day in the cycle as I know for sure that tomorrow won't be better.

It's not a total wipeout - yet again my family have been keeping on with life around me and while I'm not mentally present with them I have been on the other end of my phone and occasionally my camera snapping away.

Each night I write a journal so when this is over - and it will be over.

I can look back and really see without the fog how strong they were.

It's a super rainy day today as Richard and the girls bundled out the door to the bus. Time for some tea and I'll be back later with a much cheerier post of what's been happening this week.

There are always stories to tell!