ADD Moments

I'm supposedly writing report cards right now, but I always develop attention deficit disorder when I'm meant to be reporting on my students.

Instead, I'll share with you a brief update on the season in Canada.

I'm listening to jazz versions of Christmas music as I type; it seems to start earlier each year. Normally, we get a Christmas tree and put it up in the second or third week of December. For the past couple of years, though, Big Bear has been making noises about buying an artificial tree - sacrilege! The best thing about Christmas, in my opinion, is sitting alone in the living room at night with just the tree lights on (and candles, of course!), quiet music playing, and breathing in the rich scent of pine.

But after our amazingly leaky tree stand last year, which left irreparable stains on the carpet, I was just a tiny bit more receptive.

Banished from the house on Dec. 26. Very sad.

So we did it.

Last week, we actually bought a realistic looking, pre-lit tree for an astounding amount of money. Little Joe calculated that it will pay for itself in just 23 years, based on the price of cheap Ikea trees And then he made his Great Pronouncement: "Dad, you have sold your soul."

Treasury

This post is kind of a continuation from the previous post. Kind of. Well….it relates to that ‘end of year-ness’ / end of another season kind of thought.

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
~Dr. Seuss

Last week, several beautiful photos arrived via email from some of our good friends. The photos were of their darling daughter, one of the most gorgeous “Shirley Temple” lookalikes on planet Earth. Actually, miles cuter and way more cherubic, than the original Shirley ever was. It got me thinking about what a TREASURE this wee one is to her parents, in so many ways. And I love the way proud parents (K & I are especially notorious for this….please forgive us world!) send zillions of photos zapping all around the world – a great way of sharing our TREASURE with loved ones.

~*~

Anyway, being a woman and all that, one thought lead to another. I got musing about how quickly time flies, and how important it is to treasure the precious years with your children. They grow so quickly! It only feels like yesterday that my boys were helpless wee babes…and then chubby toddlers…and then starting school. And now, I have one foot dangling vicariously in the High School years…just where have those years gone???!

The end of the school year, always reminds me of the passing of another year for my boys. They are another year older, another school year wiser. And with each year, I see their maturity increasing. The other day as I passed their bedrooms, I paused to treasure the realisation of how their personalities are reflected in the way they keep their rooms. One of my sons has developed into a very tidy young man. His room can be guaranteed to be always, like ALWAYS, immaculate (though this was definitely NOT the way he began!).

Next door, the story is less predictable. Usually, the room has a distinctly “Major Work In Progress!” look to it. However, more often in recent days, the room has become a squidgen tidier and the bed making has definitely improved! It has improved so much that I had to take a second look one day, at the transformation… it made me smile and brought that ‘Awwww” to my heart. The impeccably made bed had an important addition to it!

Cuddly is, as cuddly does!

And that’s the wonderful thing I guess -

as our kids change, they leave us a treasure trove of memories...

I appreciated the timely reminder to TREASURE the moments, and TREASURE the memories!

Let the good times roll!

DID YOU HEAR THE NOISE??! Did you hear the SCREAMING??!

~*~

Did you see the teachers with their hands over their ears, as the students watch the clock and count down?

Did you see the huge FLOOD OF KIDS streaming out of every entrance, exit, doorway….

Running, skipping, jumping, like they’re on a sugar high (which is quite likely the case, after the endless parties today)…

The hot, hot Australian afternoon sun beating down on pink, red, caramello, bald, ‘hatted’, or hairy…

~*~

Did you see the girls holding hands and hugging each other like they’re NEVER EVER gonna see each other again?

Did you see the boys racing across the fields, arms outstretched, yelling “FREEDOM!”?

Did you see the kids saying their tearful goodbyes to those who are moving on?

~*~

Did you see the camels…oops, I mean, moms – laden down with empty baking tins and hats and bags and beautiful pieces of ‘art’ ?

Did you see the dads with kids hanging off them, like human monkeybars?

Did you see the parents making out like sheepdogs – trying to guide their kids towards the car and home?

~*~

Did you see the teachers smile – amusement, satisfaction, anticipation?

Did you see the teachers sigh – a touch of sadness, relief, sheer exhaustion?

Did you FEEL the EXCITEMENT?

~*~

Cos TODAY was THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL for 2009 !!!!

~*~

HURRAY!! WOOHOO!! YEEHAA!! OOOH YEAH!!

~*~

We have been waiting for this day for a LONGGGGGGG time.

Bring on the SUMMER HOLIDAYS! Roll on the GOOD TIMES!

Weather to Consider it

I must admit, Southern Ange, exercise is not even on my horizon.

It should be.

However, there are two factors. The weather being one. A pretty major one.

It always seems to be dark and wet. Although it's light enough when I drive to school in the morning (not for too much longer!), it's dark when I step out the door to go home.

And did I mention the rain? Ugh. Perpetual wetness.

The other factor is part of what I was pondering this morning.

Do you ever tell yourself that you will do something when things get "back to normal" or "settle down again"? Don't bother. I have concluded, once again, that there is no such thing. In fact, my scientifically proven theory of time says that seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. get shorter as time goes by. Have you noticed? And the theory also supports the notion that weekends are shorter than weekdays.

Here's some proof: Last year, I used to come home, make dinner, then upload photos and blog in the evening. I can't do it anymore; the hours are shorter and I can only do my running around, eat, and fall into bed.

It's true!

Therefore, there is no time for exercise beyond pumping the steering wheel. At least not in this girl's day!

Maybe the minutes Down Under are longer; a very attractive benefit to living in the south. You should talk to the tourism people; they could launch a very successful campaign to attract northerners like me!

Whether / Weather to exercise…

Exercise (or the lack of) is a perennial issue….especially as I slip into the ‘nether years’. You know it’s a concerning issue when you stand at the top of a flight of stairs and you get the distinct impression that if you fall down them, you’re gonna BOUNCE!

~*~

Someone wise once said, “Horses sweat, men perspire, and women glow!”

~*~

I’ll bet that person didn’t originate from around these parts. Maybe from some airconditioned gymnasium in Hollywood….?

~*~

I don’t know about you Ange of the North, but I’m struggling to know when is best to get out to do some exercise. Quite apart from the time factor and the motivation (which is necessarily increasing proportionate to my expanding girth), the weather is NOT AT ALL conducive to outdoor exercise. For some reason, I don’t function well early in the mornings….though things are getting so desperate that I’m even considering a 5am start. (Now, I wonder how long THAT would last…!). You see, by the time I take the boys to school, it’s already at least 9am and the sun has been pounding our land for several hours already. It’s HOT, it’s usually HUMID, and I’m really quite averse to being a DRIP. Sorry, I meant AGLOW. So that leaves the other end of the day, after the sun has set and the weather has hopefully cooled down a tad….yeah right! Extracurricular activities, dinner, bedtime.

And my guess, is that you have the opposite problem in the Great White North – cold and wet. Different kinda DRIP.

~*~

Hmmm. My one conclusion from all of this, is that is one reason why gyms will always continue to do well. I may yet have to succumb….

~*~

All this talk about exercise made me think about more sedentary things. Yesterday, as I worked at my desk, I could see these two birds sitting on our guttering. They sat there for hours, just quietly enjoying being together, letting the wind ruffle their feathers, preening themselves and each other at times, listening to the other birdcalls around them, and just enjoying the view.

I don’t know what kind of birds they are, but they were kinda cute.

~*~

Funny how the mind works, but I caught myself thinking, that we humans could learn a bit from them.

~*~

I was grateful for moments in my week when I have had a chance to pause and reflect…I’d like more of those moments. I am grateful for friends and family who will do life together with me…whatever it takes. I’m grateful for a perch…a place to call home where I can be myself and lay my head each night. And I love the view….no matter where we are, there is always something we can be grateful for.

~*~

I guess I should be grateful that my bod can still exercise, my appetite is still voracious, my pores still work very well, and my desire to exercise vs my fear of early mornings is still hopelessly optimistic!

A Father’s job

There are just some things a mother (or at least, THIS mother) just doesn’t do.

~*~

Anything involving wires, battery packs, or logical construction…

(eg. showing how electricity in a simple circuit moves from an outside power source and into the home)

Anything involving wildlife (eg. cane toads) in my refrigerator, or bits of animal in recognisable form…

(eg. using a fresh cow tongue to highlight the tongue as the most dangerous weapon in our world)

And anything involving getting my head underwater…

(eg. synchronised swimming of sorts!)

There are just some things that Dads do so much better!

International Travel

I just got back from a weekend in the US. This is the Peace Arch - we spent quite a bit of time looking at it on Friday night as we waited in the border lineup. In the rain.

Ellen and I went to a scrapbooking convention in Seattle (CKC, if you're wondering), where we met up with Joanna. It was very large. We wandered around the vendors' fair with big round eyes, wondering where to start.
We also took classes, where we created cute mini-books and layouts. It was exhausting. In a good way.
It's amazing how Canadians and Americans can live so close and be so very different. Our cultures may look the same, but they're not really. Maybe a bit like Kiwis and Ozzies. I was intrigued as I listened to all those American women with their twangy accents.

We stopped on the way home at the obligatory outlet mall. All the big name shops. I was curious to see a certain bag and purse shop that just screams STATUS. So we went in. It was so crowded. Everyone wanted a purse from C_______, and they were buying them in droves. And then I looked at the prices - they were SO expensive! I left without one. After three hours of wandering around the shops, which were quite a bit cheaper than in our malls, I came home with a pair of boots, a pair of shoes, and a sweater - and I spent much less than the price of one C____ bag.
All this shopping and hedonism left me pretty tired; I'm not used to gallivanting like this!

Simple Pleasures in the Northern Hemisphere

And happiness can also be

as simple as

autumn leaves on a sunny day!

Simple pleasures

Sometimes….

HAPPINESS

is as simple

as a swim in the pool after school

U2

Music is a spiritual thing. It has the power to draw people together and create community.

This is exactly what I experienced - along with about 65 000 others - at the U2 concert the other night.

Wow. What a concert!

I had been anticipating this event since last April or May (whichever month, it was a long time ago!), when I scored tickets for the boys and myself. Big Bear put up a short-lived protest, until he remembered that he doesn't like U2 and really didn't want to go anyway. And then, just two days before the concert, Lea got two tickets online for herself and Andrew. What's amazing is that her tickets ended up being exactly ten rows behind mine! So the two of us sat together, while the three boys got to hang out. This was way more fun!

Way up in the nosebleed section, just four rows from the top, we had a perfect view - although very distant - and thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. At the end of the concert, Bono led the entire crowd in Amazing Grace and then moved into Where the Streets Have no Name. It was like a worship experience, though most people didn't realize it!

This was a perfect event for my very busy week; although I didn't get home until 12:45 am, it energized me and boosted my spirits in a way I hadn't expected. The only thing missing was you. And mangoes!

Mango Bliss

 

I LOVE MANGOES!

…

I really think that some of the very BEST Mangoes in the world are grown right here in Australia. Bowens, Kensington Prides, R2E2s etc…

…

They are luscious, juicy, sweet, tangy, and simply perfect. Often, Mangoes sold in other parts of the world can have little or no flavour, have blemishes or bugs, or are so small as to render them wholly unrewarding to eat. The ones we get here are fleshy specimens of a worthy size, dripping with heavenly nectar – beautiful to look at and delectable to eat!

…

We are a few weeks into the Mango season now and the fruit is becoming richer and tastier. The Mango season is quite short so we are feeding our faces and freezing as much as we can, for when times are lean!

…

If you’ve never tried a fresh, ripe mango from these parts….you’ve never lived!

The Kickbiking Diet

Today, a good friend took me ‘kickbiking’.

My lungs almost burst and I nearly expired but it was a lot of fun! Well, the downhills were great fun. But the uphills nearly killed me. Not that I’m a masochist or anything, but I could see the benefits of doing this sort of exercise several times a week…..or even once a week!

...

It brought back memories of a trip through the central North Island of NZ. We were in our car, traversing up the side of a very steep mountain near the ski fields. Imagine our amazement when we spotted a ‘slightly older’ woman (possibly in her 60’s) pumping up the steep mountain on one of these contraptions. She made it look SO easy! AND she was wearing a knapsack too (maybe with a heart-lung machine in it?!!). And she was fair zooming along… One could’ve been forgiven for thinking she was on the flat and not hoofing up a steep mountain range!

...

She would do 2 kicks with her left leg, and then seamlessly transfer her weight so that without missing a beat, she would then do the next 2 kicks with her right. I tried that today. I’m glad M was riding ahead of me. It was NOT a pretty sight!

...

And it was DEFINITELY not a pretty sight at the end of the ride. M was fine. However, I resembled a boiled kumara. My complexion did return to its normal colouring, and my lungs did shrink back into their normal inactive state……several hours later.

...

But BOY! Was I HUNGRY !!! And now I have THAT much more weight to push uphill the next time I go kickbiking….

Dreaming of serenity

The other morning

I had to wake early

...

As I passed by the window, this beautiful mixture of water, sunlight, and movement caught my eye. The sun was just beginning to sprinkle its golden sparkles over the land….heralding the promise of another sunny, hot day.

...

I couldn’t help but head outside into the freshness of a new morning. I lingered at the edge of our pool, clad only in my night attire and bare feet.

...

I was very glad for the little bit of privacy afforded by our backyard… and for the moment.

...

I love this picture.

...

There is a patch of tranquil water, allowing clear reflections of the palm trees and the rising sun. Radiating outwards from this patch of calm, are the cheery ripples dancing in the sunlight. And I love the mottled patches of light and dark as the shadows give way to day.

...

It made me think about my week, my day ahead. As life gets busy with all sorts of things (routines, involvements, obligations etc) rippling out and around our family, I want to make sure that I prioritise some unruffled patches into my day. I want to have serenity despite life’s clamouring moments. I want to be a calm, composed mom in the midst of the swirl and eddy of a busy family.

...

Idealism is a great way to start the day!

Delirious Springtime Ramblings

There is something priceless about being able to spend quality time with people. When one lives on a tourist route as we do, we have the privilege of becoming a bit of a stopover destination. Over the past few weeks, we have had the sheer joy of catching up with many friends from days gone by. Perhaps it is a tribute to the amazing friends we have, that when we meet (some after many, many years apart), that we can carry on where we left off! And I sometimes muse whether we would get to spend such quality time together if we lived closer….life gets so busy – it’s nice to catch people in a period of ‘space’ - on holiday or en route to conferences etc. There are definitely pros and cons to every situation!

As is becoming the norm, the past few weeks have a blurry feel to them. I think my memory has hit an all time low. Some random recollections which I can share are:

· It fascinates me that the protected animal life of one country is often the bane of another country! In this instance, I am thinking particularly about Possums – considered a pest in NZ, but wholly protected with dedicated societies set up for the protection of possums, in Oz! And neither country can believe the dedicated fervour of the opposing country’s stance! I had to admit that the one we happened upon in a park over here was very cute. It was broad daylight (possums are nocturnal) and there was a steady stream of kids who would climb the tree to oooh and aaah over the poor baby possum trying to get some sleep in a hole in the trunk. Naturally, mothers were summonsed over to take photos (with the flash on!) and to reassure the kids that the wee possum wasn’t really ‘stuck’. My considerate elder son refused to put the flash on my camera, in deference to the poor possum. Sigh. Sacrificing art for animal compassion. And there were far too many kids up the tree for me to clamber up to take my own photos of the traumatised possum (who I’m sure, probably thought he was having a particularly bad nightmare!). Bet he changed accommodation that night!

· Being awestruck by the magnificent $50million concert auditorium at a Christian school where E’s violin teacher works. He invited E to stand on centre stage in pitch blackness, and then he turned all the lights on. It was pretty impressive. I’d already read about the world class sound system they had installed there, but to see it first hand was awesome! I was itching to play the beautiful grand piano and the very swish looking drum kit there…

· On a similar note (scuse the pun), being totally absorbed and amazed by the talented kids in some of the various statewide orchestras E has had the honour of performing alongside, over the last few weeks. Am I the only strange one, or does good music tug at your heartstrings and bring a tear to your eyes too??!

· I am tired of these dust storms we are having. I spend far too much time trying to get rid of the dust everywhere, and I don’t recall having these dusty moments when we lived here years ago. BUT it does make us appreciative of other things! We had 20 mins of a wonderful, refreshing tropical downpour the other evening. It was truly beautiful. The boys and I stopped what we were doing just to watch and enjoy the cool, lovely rain. It filled our pool and our gutters sounded very happy! The garden certainly soaked up every last drop of moisture. I could almost imagine our parched earth giving a satisfied sigh akin to those uttered by my boys and I….

· I love the innocence of youth. Why do our kids have to grow up??? For that matter, why do I have to grow up???!

· Wanna know how I know Spring is here? The 34degC temps we had yesterday are a giveaway. And so were the huge black crows (a momma and a dada) who spent the day defending their territory and young ‘uns, by trying to scare away their own reflections in our windows! The crows here are huge things with vicious looking beaks and claws. And noisy to boot. This particular set of crows kept pecking at our glass windows, scratching the glass with their claws, and swooping. I was quite worried that they were going to break the windows with all their carry on. So Wilfred the Teddybear was delegated to be the resident scarecrow.

As you can see, the crows were as scared of him as I am of chocolate cake! Even with a missing nose and those huge furry ears. Good help is hard to find these days.

Hero(ine) Worship

I'm not one to get caught up in the celebrity scene. But bloggers are a bit different. Following a blog is sort of like peeking into someone's window and getting to know this person from a distance. It's like making a new friend. Except that the friend doesn't know you're there.

After reading The Nienie Dialogues for a looong time and having followed the harrowing story of her small plane crash in August, 2008, I finally got to see the famous blogger, Stephanie Nielson, in the flesh! Sort of...

Today, she and her husband, Christian, were on Oprah; I'm sure that thousands of loyal readers were glued to the tv! Stephanie's whole family - all seven siblings and her parents - were also on the show, via Skype, and talked about how it was for them to see her in a coma for three months, wrapped up like a mummy. After all that, and over a year later, she is a beautiful woman, despite the scarring. She consciously chose to fight for life and now lives with constant pain because of the love she has for her husband and four children. And she finds beauty in her new life, instead of focusing on what she has lost.

I love to read Stephanie's blog; she is always inspiring and amazing. And courageous, positive, optimistic, full of faith, loving, creative, etc. etc....

Is this woman real??

You can read the Nienie Dialogues and Stephanie's sister's blog, CJane, by clicking either of their buttons on the right side of the screen.

By the way, Southern Ange, Lea says that if I don't go see you in Australia, she will! Just in case she shows up unexpectedly on your doorstep...

The Downhill Run

Today, we’re back to school for the last 8 weeks of the school year! It’s a quick, downhill run from hereon in. I’m not ready. I was just getting used to 2009!

The holidays were fast. As expected. So much to fit into just 2 weeks!

There are many things I like about this land. I know I’ve mentioned it many times before, but the constantly perfect weather remains a favourite reason. Winter/Autumn/Spring in this state is one perfect, blue, sunny day after another…..bar the odd dust storm every few years, and a few hours of drizzle every few months! And balmy temperatures. My boys have spent so much time in the water these holidays, they have turned into brown bunnies. Summer does have us worried though….the mercury is already high and it’s only the start of Spring! This weekend saw us in temperatures of 32degsC! We succumbed and gave our airconditioners their first airing of the year. But the best thing about the weather here is that it does mean that our overseas guests are almost guaranteed great weather every day…

Another plus, is the abundance of delicious tropical fruit. Mmmmmm.

We discovered “Chocolate Fruit” (best eaten with ice cream…and yes, it does taste like a mild chocolate!),

Pitayas (very refreshing passionfruit sorbet type flavour), Canistel (described as similar to eating “Playdough” !), Custard Apples (very sweet, soft flesh with inedible pips which contrain trace elements of arsenic), Jackfruit (refreshing!) etc. However, the Mango is always unbeatable and remains a firm favourite in our household. Mango season has begun and we are enjoying being able to share this tangy, smooth fruit with anyone who will eat it with us!

One of the definite highlights from these holidays, has been time spent with friends and various groups of overseas visitors. Though there is always the sad reminder that we cannot spend time with our (overseas) friends on a day-to-day basis, there is the invaluable opportunity to spend good quality time together when friends come to visit. It is a wonderful thing!

Time to raid the fridge for some melon….

September Whirlwind

It is almost the end of September, and as always, it has been a strenuous but beautiful month. It's been several years since we've had such a summery start to the school year (although maybe we had one last year!). Fall officially began last week with high temperatures and I was dressing in summer clothes to survive in my warm classroom. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and today seems to signal the end of the sunshine and the beginning of the typical rains.

Here are a few September moments:

Last night we went to see Casting Crowns,
opened by Matt Redmond.
It was a very good concert.

I spied a field of ripe pumpkins as I drove from my parents' house on the weekend and just had to stop. Pumpkins are well-known for jack o' lanterns and pies, but I prefer them like this. A beautiful, happy part of fall!

I made Little Bear a pair of shorts from his ripped jeans; the torn legs inspired him to contemplate a new career with his brother! The two of them are immersed in school stuff and seem to be doing well.
We celebrated Big Bear's birthday with dinner at his favorite carnivore restaurant. Mmmm!
As for me, I've been coughing for five weeks and am quite SICK of the whole thing! However, I've been assured by those who know that I'm not dying of consumption, and continue to hack away with the knowledge that it's quite "normal" to cough for this long. Sigh.

Our house is still in the transformational process; Big Bear is outside working as I write. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it painted before winter sets in...

Enjoy the advent of spring in the land of perpetual sunshine!

xox