There’s something much more exciting about being published in print than on the web.
Maybe it’s because everybody’s writing on the web these days. This week SOHI magazine got their third issue out and I have an article in it. I am in print, on paper, for the first time. (Not counting a co-produced zine from circa ‘95.)
And in other writing news: I’ve committed myself to produce ten articles every three months for Suite101. I got a buzz out of having my first two submissions approved, but yeah, nothing like what I had yesterday when I saw my name in the magazine. :D
Posted in: Work stuff.
Finally, today is the last day of the school holidays. Our school had a full extra week of holidays before the rest of NSW as we don’t have the pupil-free Mondays. So it was with some trepidation that I entered this three week school break. However, I needn’t have worried. It really was a break, even for me.
No clock-watching in the mornings and afternoons, less hustling kids out the door, no uniform washing, no shoe-polishing, and I didn’t have to make school lunches in the morning before I got to have a cup of tea.
Tomorrow, it all starts again. With four swimming lessons a week thrown into the mix – one for Lincoln, three for Fraser.
In spite of the hectic term to come, we’ve had a busy time off. Fraser has had playtime with friends, been out to lunch, shopping with me, ice skating, sleepovers with Nanny and Poppy, bowling, putt putt, movies, tennis camp, more movies, more bowling, more putt putt, bike riding rock climbing, bush walking and more playtime with more friends.
Then there were the less interesting things like dental appointments, doctor appointments and haircuts.
After all that, I’m looking forward to getting back my two school days a week of work and study.
Posted in: Family stuff, Fraser stuff.
I’m hopeless at remembering to take ‘before’ photos. I had to trawl back through time before I found one that was good enough to show how the old couch looked. Brown. Corduroy. Mmmm. The bonus is you get an old photo of 3.5 year old Fraser and six week old Lincoln to enjoy.
And here’s how it looks with a charcoal commercial-grade fabric. It feels like mock suede and looks FAB!
I just got my Ampersand cushion cover from Aunty Cookie last week. I’m totally in love with my ‘new’ old couch. She’s a sturdy thing, a little over ten years old. With a solid wooden, sprung frame it was well worth recovering to give it a new lease of life.
And this week, I get to lay all over it because Matt and Fraser are away in Sydney all week.
Posted in: Home stuff.
We’ve had some exciting firsts lately.
Fraser has learnt to ride his bike without training wheels. Since the long weekend he’s gained so much more confidence. He’s ridden to our friend’s house, around the corner, and regularly goes riding with Matt.
We had his parent-teacher interview last Friday, the first day of our school holidays. He has settled in well and is keeping up with the rest of his class. He got a glowing report from his drum teacher and I’ve just signed him up to start back at swimming lessons next term.
BUt that’s not all he’s been getting up to. Last weekend we spent Sunday in Manly with some friends, where we had Yum Cha with the boys for the first time. They both seemed to enjoy the different types of food, Lincoln especially.
And finally, we’ve had a busy first week of holidays, ice-skating every day for the last three days. We’ve got a temporary ice rink set up in Bowral just for three weeks. I’m so proud of Fraser, who has only been skating one other time, last year, and he persisted to a stage where he could skate without holding on to the side.
I expect my next post to be about our re-upholstered couch that just came back. It’s had a whole new lease of life. I’m so impressed with how it’s turned out, so now I’m in the midst of amassing new cushions.
Posted in: Fraser stuff, Home stuff, Lincoln stuff.
Friday night is meat raffle night at our local pub. We proposed the idea to a couple of friends when one of them proclaimed that they often have a bit of luck at these things. Well, I’m glad they came because he won two of the three meat trays on offer. Hoorah!
My second tip is: make a gentleman’s agreement to split the goods, whoever wins.
So with two meat trays and a few extra snags we came together, with an extra family or two, for a combined BBQ picnic on a chilly afternoon last weekend by the dam near Fitzroy Falls.
We had our super-nieces for a sleepover on Saturday so it was great to have something with lots of other kids (and food) to knock off a few hours of the day.
We were home by dinner and bath time and the little ones headed to bed first. From 7pm to 8am we did not hear a peep. Lily and Lincoln were obviously shattered from a busy day with no nap. Outstanding.
The next day the four kids just played here at home followed by lunch at Maccas, and then the girls went home to Sydney with Matt.
I tell you what. They aren’t exceptionally noisy kids. They were all just doing what they do. But my house has never been so quiet with my two kids still in it.
And then I think of those friends of mine that have four of their own kids in the house all the time! And what about those people that have more?! There should be a medal for that.
Posted in: Uncategorized.
