My First Halloween

Do you remember the first time you celebrated Halloween? I do.

It was October of 1981 and I had just turned 12. Immersed in the world of books, as usual, I had read all about Halloween. I knew what fun American children had trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples and joining in scavenger hunts.

Naively thinking that I could share in such experiences, I invited Tracy and Natalie from school to go trick-or-treating with me.

Big mistake.

We knocked on a few doors but nobody had heard of Halloween. We were told in no uncertain terms to go away.

***

Only in the past few years has Halloween started to take off in Australia. Trick-or-treating has become quite popular if on a much smaller scale than in the States. Halloween parties have become quite common too.

We will be attending one that will involve sausages on the barbie, ice cream cones and plenty of cold beer.

Not exactly spooky, but very, very Australian.

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I Got My Job!

As many of you know, for almost six months I have been working four days a week in a local university. I work in the business side of the university, not as an academic.

Until now I have worked on a casual contract. However, after a certain period of time these kinds of jobs have to be advertised and offered more permanently.

Last week I sent off an application, this morning I was interviewed and this afternoon I was offered the job.

I am going to work from 8 until 5 on Mondays and Tuesdays and 8 until 3 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I will have every Friday off, which is wonderful.

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Gold Against Blue

No matter how stressful the day has been, the colours of spring bring joy to my heart.

What is your favourite season?

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We Love to Read

After school and on weekends I often come upon scenes like this,

and this.

All my children are avid readers.

And I know where they get their love of books from - I was an extreme bookworm as a child. I carried books with me everywhere, even into the shower (cleanliness wasn't much of a priority when I was 8). I even had a book under my arm when I was drying the dishes. Chances are, if I didn't have a book with me I would be daydreaming about books.

While I am not so obsessive now, I do often read during the half hour I have for lunch at work.

Thanks to the generosity of one of the school mums who loaned it to me, I am currently reading Mao's Last Dancer, and I am loving it. I hope I get the opportunity to see the movie.

My friend will be pleased to know that I no longer take books with me into the shower.

What are you reading at the moment?

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On Ironing

'Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing,' said George. 'But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden.'

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

I think that ironing is one of things that you either love or loathe, and I definitely don't love it.

Because my husband and I both work and our eldest son goes to a school where he has to wear a shirt and trousers each day, we have quite a lot of ironing to do.

The only way I can endure it is by doing in front of the television. This usually happens on a Sunday night.

The problem is that while ironing is fairly rewarding, in that you end up with beautiful, smooth, sweet-smelling clothes, I find the act of ironing unbearably repetitive and tedious.

Do you iron? Do you have any tips to make ironing less dreary? Or less time-consuming?

Please provide me with some inspiration!

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No More Training Wheels

From a parent's point of view there are lots of important milestones in a child's life - learning to walk, those treasured first words; learning to read - to name but a few.

However, from a child's point of view few events are more memorable than the day they first learn to ride a bicycle without training wheels.

Our older children learned to ride a bike at around age five but we have waited longer with our youngest, mostly because we just haven't got around to it. However, this sunny spring weekend seemed the perfect time for this special event.

All four of our children have learned to ride on the same blue bike which is now rather creaky and rusty, but it has been a loyal friend and has served its purpose well.

Here is our little boy getting ready to ride.

Ready...

Steady...

Go!

And off he went ... after a few falls and crashes, of course.

Afterwards he said, "Mum, I am so happy. I am very proud of myself."


I'm very proud of him too.

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Going on a Bear Hunt

I went on a bear hunt and look what I found:

a picnic ground,


some rugged cliffs,

children in a tree,

a waterfall,

and finally, a fat bear looking down at me.

(These pictures were taken at Morialta Conservation Park here in Adelaide.)

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A Tangle of Limbs

This tangle of limbs belongs to two of my children and my three nieces, who are visiting from Sydney with their mother.

As you can see, they are enjoying their time together. We live so far apart that any time spent together is treasured greatly.

Mind you, a minute or two after this shot was taken my littlest niece got squashed and began to cry. Our little love-in didn't last for long!

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Idiosyncrasies

Tell me, why can I not go to bed at night unless the bed is made? For example, if my husband has a siesta and the sheets are ruffled, I have to remake the bed before getting in, even though I know I am about to muss it up again.

Also, why do I feel the need to clean the kitchen before I start cooking the dinner? I can't work unless the benches are clear and the dishwasher stacked. However, I never really feel like doing the dishes after dinner.

When I have breakfast in the morning I like to have a clean table. I will wipe up any spilt milk or other messes left by the kids so that I can have an aesthetically pleasing space for my own breakfast -- even though it means having to clean up again after myself.

I'm nuts, I know.

Do you have any idiosyncrasies? Please tell me I am not alone!

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The Queen of the Family

When I arrived home on Friday I was treated like a queen. My husband and the kids had been scheming and planning for days.

There was a balloon and streamer-bedecked throne for me to sit on,

a table beautifully set by my daughter,


an entree of prawn cocktails made with South Australian king prawns,



a roasted rack of spring lamb for the main course,


and a beautiful chocolate and berry cake from a local pattiserie for dessert.

For drinks they had purchased my current faves, lemon ruskis for the adults and Coke Zero for the kids. And after the meal freshly ground coffee and chocolates were served.

Don't you think that was a fabulous effort?

The thoughtfulness and kindness of my sweet family brought me to tears.

I felt deeply honoured. I am so proud of them all.

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A Bowl of Flowers...

... Sent by my brothers and their families in Sydney for my birthday.

Thank you so much guys! I love you all.

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