Blogging...Why do it???

A friend recently discussed blogging and bloggers, she is not aware that I have a blog; so I was giving an uninformed opinion as far as she knew. Her ultimate question was that if a blog is a web log, vis a vis , an online diary of sorts...Is it not a form of exhibitionism to publish it on line for all and sundry to read, capture, reprint, comment on and discuss.???? Her view of bloggers where that they had "issues" and needed to "see someone" as they were "putting themselves out there as if naked". I held my wrath and told her that some times it helped to "put it out there " in a quasi anonymous way and it was sometimes a form of venting and other times a way to glean opinion and feed back on matters which you may be stuck on. She still saw it as an form of "getting your 15 minutes of fame" in an easy way....Commenting on as many other blogs as possible, blogging about inane subjects no one cares about as much as possible, blogrolling, listing in blog circles, etc. So as to get your blog listed in Google or other search engine.

I now pose the question to my self, WHY BLOG???I know people look at my blog as I see the listings on my site meter, some do not stay and if I search details I find some obscure reference which has naught to do with their search, no one comments much but perhaps they read what I say and I say it all ( LMAO) so there is nothing left for them to say. I think, I continue, as it has helped me vent so many feelings and such anger that I keep doing it so I do not lose the strength that has gone into putting my feelings "out there"...Also so my blog does not become an obscurity. I really care little who reads and who doesn't, but it is nice to see a comment occasionally:) I see it an an avenue for public comment ( of which I do much) I was bought up to be outspoken and to speak my mind if I did not agree with something. The way to be heard is to speak up and the way to be seen is to stand up...Is an adage my mother always told to me.

I may have pissed some people off with my posts...Well, it runs two ways, maybe someone has pissed me off. I may not have the same views as mainstream people, but I never claimed to be a conformist. And I may just be boring to some...Bad luck, don't read it then!!! I guess in a way , the discussion opened up ,in my mind, a question I had never thought about before. Why do I sit down at the PC most days and create an entry that is equivalent to tearing open my heart at times and at other times like a storm at sea???

I have to think on this...............

Why I am giving up Coke....... 

I drink Coke.........

I have mentioned before I have a perchance for Coke...Not Pepsi ( I will drink that if no Coke is about) but THE REAL THING...COKE.

I think this love affair with the sugary syrup came about as we hardly ever had fizzy drinks as kids...But my mum loved Coke. She had an open can in the fridge which she sipped from as she said she didn't like it that much to drink a lot of it at once. My brother and I used to steal into the fridge when mum was not about and sip from the can..It was a delicious ,devilish sort of treat to us.

As time went on I became a coffee fiend at school and to contract my obsession ( I was drinking plunger/home ground coffee at 16...Way before it became TRENDY) I drank Coke as I was not always allowed in the senior common room to make my coffee fix. By my last year of high school; one day when I was playing softball, whilst waiting for the ball to be pitched, ( I was a catcher) I noticed my hands shaking as if I had a fever, I felt well enough, was not ill...Why were my hands shaking before my eyes. Too much caffeine was the answer, and as I was having trouble sleeping ( I only slept 4-5 hours them any way) I thought it time to give up this dreadful bean. I quit coffee...COLD TURKEY. Occasionally, the smell of fresh ground coffee and the aroma of a new blend entices me, but I haven't touched it for two decades. 2IC is a coffee hound with a coffee machine, grinder, you name it...But I am clean.

So enter my affiliation with Coke, in lieu of coffee, I drank Coke..After all it had less caffeine( so I believed) could be bought anyway (unlike a decent coffee) and was transportable ( put the lid on a Buddy bottle and away you go) I need to have some almost weekly if not daily, over Christmas we bought 24 and 30 can packs because of all the visitors...Yeah, right, guess who drank up to 4 cans a day?? Yes , me. Let alone the fact that despite my fitness level being average or above average ( depends on who you speak to and compare me with) I still need to control my weight...Coke consumption at that level is something I do not need. So thanks to Mr Brian

I give you my reason for giving up Coke.........

It 's only just begun......

Well, here I am again and it appears all systems are not really go with the funding for Mr5 A;most 6. I sent an e.mail to the principal regarding a PSG meeting ( Program Support Group) which HAS
to be held each term. He told me he will give it to the deputy principal who handles all that stuff...We are in the second week of a 6 week term ( due to the Commonwealth Games) and this has to be done NOW!!!!!! Maybe I am a bit pushy and want my own way too much but if it has to be done then, done it will be.


Apparently they are going to advertise the position for an aide, and I think there may be another child with funding so it may be a 10 or more hour a week position. My sons teacher wants the aide time to be in the morning during the literacy block...Which is fine with me. I have been in contact with the ACD who advised me push for the front fences to be increased in height given that Mr 5 Almost 6 is a flight risk or a permanent teacher presence in the junior playground area near this fence. So it continues............

I knew I would have to push for some things but I never realized I would have to jump up and down about things which have to be carried out for the benefit of my son and his education, which are a criteria for the funding being given. I thought PSGs were a given, like having to show ID to collect airline tickets or such; I never thought I would have to ask and chase about for them. I have much yet to learn about the Catholic Education system and special needs kids it seems, with few SN kids in the system and less even at my sons school, and the privacy issues ( I can't ask who else is SN or getting funding) there are few venues to go for advice and help. Luckily I have a friend who is currently a teacher in a Catholic school and her husband is a principal...They have been a wealth of information and help to date.


On a local note, a certain local shop which sell children playthings, has decided to no longer have lay by. This I discovered when I found Thunderbird 2 (TB2) ( after months of searching) at the shop and so it could remain hidden until Mr5 Almost 6's birthday, I requested layby...To be told that they are no longer doing layby because of all the non pickups from Christmas. Excuse me if I am wrong but if someone has paid money on a lay by, you have that money and the goods still , you are able to sell the goods as the layby terms have not been adhered to .....YOU ARE AHEAD!!! All I can say to that is TOYS "R" US HERE I COME!!!!!! And local traders wonder why they have no clientele...Is it any wonder??????????

Day two at school

Mr 5 Almost 6 went off for day 2 of three half days at school today, Daddy went to work late( ie Mummy drove him to work after school commenced) so he could see the big boy go to school ( Daddy had a meeting yesterday that could not be cancelled or missed so Daddy missed day 1 of school) And off he happily went to his classroom, had to reminded to get his name tag but found it ok. His teacher says he's been fine to date, but it is only day 2 of two 3hour days, we will see how long it takes. Do not get me wrong I do not wish for bad behaviour, I just know it will come, the limitations of his language and the wish to be understood by his peers lend to his frustration and it pents up and explodes and if you are in the firing line or the last straw, you may be injured. He is easily calmed but why should he always be at fault????? Why should he need to learn restraint when also learning communication skills others take for granted??How about they need to learn about tolerance and giving and caring, instead of just preaching it? Why does he need to conform with what society deems "nice and proper" behaviour? I am not talking about him being allowed to be a sociopath or such..just be himself a bit. I think there's need to be more about acceptance and education of others in schools rather that what happens now. I knew Elizabeth Hastings who was a Commissioner with HREOC, I met her several times through my work and she was an inspirational, committed, dedicated, knowledgable woman who saw past her own wheelchair and into the lives of others. She was a true advocate with undefinable fairness about her. This is something I have from 1996 and much of it is still an issue in education today...a decade later.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY: BARRIERS AND DIFFICULTIES

Issues raised in consultations by Elizabeth Hastings, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, with education providers 1996

1. Lack of available options

There are not enough services available to students with disability to match the requirements. In early education, a mix of services is often required. In schools, physical access limits choice, as does provision of support services and a selection of schools prepared to provide full access to the curriculum. Rural, regional and isolated areas provide minimal option (see also transitional services and post-school options).

2. Lack of information to families or prospective students about options

Many parents do not know what choices are open to their children in either Special Schools or inclusive schools, or about accessing ancillary services. They are often unaware of how to access educational services appropriate to the needs of their child with disability, particularly in early intervention and early childhood education. Older students find it difficult to obtain sufficient information about vocational education, pre-employment training and support services, or adult and community education.

3. Lack of information to families about procedures (applications for funding, expectations of school's management of their child's education process)

Many parents have no information about procedures for funding or personal support and do not know what pre-schools, schools or any of the post-school services will arrange for the student. Many do not have information about planning the student's educational goals and how these are established, or what an Aide's role is, or whether equipment can be obtained to assist in accessing the curriculum. They do not know how personal care or health care can be arranged or what needed therapies can be provided in the educational setting.

4. Inconsistency (lack of equivalence) between various education providers and sectors

In many instances, the move from one educational sector to the next reveals significant gaps in level of service. Moving a young child with disability from early childhood services to primary school is frequently a transition in which the programs and supports are not replicated in the new setting. The same applies at all transitional levels, equally from primary school to secondary school, and from there to the range of post-school options. There is lack of equivalence within a region from one school to another, and from the private sector to the public school sector, so families dissatisfied with service or who move location find the student unable to move with ease across education settings.

5. Co-ordination between services, departments and ancillary staff unsatisfactory

The need for collaborative service provision is great in supporting students with disability. In many cities, towns, areas and regions, the needed coordination between education, health and community services is disorganised or non-existent. Ancillary staff of the most necessary disciplines of speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy are often not easily accessible to education authorities for their students. Procedures for accessing these services has undergone change and accessibility has diminished in recent years.

6. Funding for student disability support insufficient

Insufficient provision of funds is the biggest issue in providing equal access to education for students with disability. There are several funding sources, none of them sufficient to make and have available the full range of services needed. (see also Equipment, Aides, therapy staff, interpreters).

7. Procedures and formulas for applying for funding too complex; delays; labeling students by disability to access funds: global budgeting/self managing schools

Procedures for applying for disability support funding have changed in some States in recent times. Funding provision is fragmented, coming through a number of departments. There is sometimes delay in obtaining approval for funding for individual students, leaving them either in school or college without the needed assistance, or not in education because they cannot access it until the funding for support is there. In some States, the funding is approved for a student with a given diagnosis according to the funding criteria. This encourages the detrimental labeling of the student by his or her disability diagnosis, rather than as a person or by Ability. In State where schools are allocated a "global" budget to administer the whole of the school's requirements autonomously, there are concerns that disability support for students who need it has very low priority compared with the many other demands in the school for finances, and that there may be too little accountability for the disability support expenditure.

8. Funding unavailable for conditions such as mild intellectual disability, behavioral problems and learning difficulties

The criteria established by Commonwealth and State funding for students' disability support requirements does not correspond with the DDA definition of disability. Many teachers report that if students in the above categories had even a little aside or speech therapy or other disability support funded, they would prosper educationally, with very little financial input.

9. Trained Aides and ancillary and support staff insufficient; difficulty with/lack of health care and personal care assistants

There are not sufficient numbers of teachers' Aides or Integration Aides available at all to meet the need. Of those there are, there is insufficient training and professional support provided for them. They need to be trained in the complexities and sensitivities of their task. Too many Aides distance the child from teacher and class, rather than assisting with inclusion. Many children, young people and adults with disability require personal care or medical interventions throughout the day. There are problems in determining who undertakes these procedures, whether it is teachers, parents, health personnel, specially employed and credentialed staff, and in some areas, unresolved issues as to who pays the cost of these services.

10. Changes to availability of ancillary and support staff and trained Aides or inequitable arrangements for such support services

Provision of ancillary staff employed by education departments has been discontinued. Various versions have replaced the earlier arrangements. Ancillary service staff are contracted in, or groups in an area establish core services to service several schools, or arrangements are made between Community Services, Health and Education departments. There is not equal availability of ancillary service staff from one area to another, or from one State to another.

11. Equipment, technological aids and other devices insufficient

Obtaining appropriate equipment as needed for individual students, from hearing and vision aids, to electronically adapted mobility devices, to walking frames for students, is a continuing barrier to providing equal access for education providers, from students in kindergarten and child care, through the school system, to vocational and recreational education providers. Some schools within areas have arranged pooled stores to make access to these aids easier, but there are rarely enough supplies to meet the need.

12. Curriculum adaptation needed; curriculum limited; or curriculum needs not addressed. Components of courses or post-qualification employment not accessible

Although much work has been and is being done to devise appropriate adaptations of educational curricula for a range of students in a range of age groups with a range of capacities and abilities, this is one of the largest areas of difficulty for education providers and their students. It is a huge field because of the individual nature of students and of their requirements and levels of readiness to learn. There are areas where not enough has been done or curriculum needs and curriculum adaptation is too little understood. A separate problem is when courses for qualification (vocational, pre-employment or academic) contain particular segments which a student with a disability cannot complete or cannot access. This creates difficulties with enrolment (advice and information issues), with granting qualifications or accreditation, and with post-qualification work or profession.

13. Disability unrecognised or undiagnosed

In several areas, failure to recognise or failure to diagnose a student's disability is a problem in providing access to education. In early childhood, it may not be possible to identify a child's disability, if it is a learning difficulty and the child is too young for it to show up, if it is a developmental delay, because very young children develop at vastly differing rates in the first years, if it is a complex mix of muscular, behavioral/emotional and intellectual disability which is not diagnosable until an older age. Psychiatric debilities are not recognised by many teachers and are often denied by parent or student.

14. Disability denied by parents or unrealistically minimised

Parents sometimes deny or do not inform a school or pre-school about their child's disability. Some parents do not alert schools to the degree of disability or ask the school to provide education above the level of capacity of the student with disability. This creates problems of a sensitive nature for teachers and schools.

15. Parent choice/selection of placement for child

In most areas in Australia, the educational setting in which a student can be educated is that preferred by the parent. In the best circumstances, a setting appropriate to the student's abilities and needs can be agreed upon by parent and school. However, there are many instances where this issue creates significant conflict. A minority of parents want either to keep their child in Special School to get the higher staff to student ratio, or to protect and care for it, when it could benefit and manage well in a regular school. Some parents whose child has more severe disability want to enrol the child in an inclusive school, when the educational benefits may be achievable. This issue in general can give rise to anger and misery for many, especially the child.

16. Parent participation needed in students' support arrangements, appropriate educational Goals and program planning

The family of a child, young person, or adult with disability probably knows more about the student's abilities, deficits, style of learning and communication and personal qualities than anyone else. In formulating curriculum plans and learning goals, these issues are more significant for a student with disability than for students without, because they may be limiting or enabling factors which the educators would benefit from knowing about. Teachers need to encourage parent participation energetically, to explain the process more clearly to parents and listen to parents far more.

17. Teacher training and support and integration aide training and support needed

Probably the biggest issue of all in the whole spectrum of barriers to access to education for students with disability, along with the issue of insufficient funding infrastructure. Many teachers were trained decades ago with nil expectation of having students with disability in the class. A large majority of teachers are willing to manage with a range of such student, but in order to gain the confidence essential to allow for creative and responsive teaching, they need training, regular practical and theoretical reinforcement, and a support and consultation mechanism - someone to ring and ask what to do about an issue that has arisen. Some teachers without training in working with students with disability are negative and resistant. Most are not, but need substantial input in managing the inclusive class. For different reasons, teachers' Aides and Integration Aides need training and support in the complexities of their role.

18. Teacher stress

There is a substantial burden on teachers of inclusive classes, due to inadequate professional support, inadequate training in teaching the adapted curricula, managing the class which includes students with disability, and inadequate understanding of a range of disabilities and what they mean in practical terms for the individual students in the class. Research shows that the teacher's feeling of confidence is by far the biggest factor for success for teachers of inclusive classes. Confidence only comes from a combination of training, support, experience, and the resultant competence.

19. Class sizes need to be reduced where classes are inclusive; shortage of teachers (cuts to numbers)

It is obvious that if a teacher at any level of the education system is required to provide teaching to a wider range of student abilities, it is going to take more time and create greater demands in the teacher's time and creativity and responsiveness. There is not sufficient reduction in class sizes in inclusive schools to facilitate this. Additionally, education budgets overall in a number of States have meant that class sizes are not reducing and the numbers of teachers have diminished substantially, particularly in Victoria.

20. Conditions and disabilities that are the most challenging for teachers to incorporate in the class

There is common agreement at all levels of the education spectrum that some disabilities are more challenging than others, These are: behavior problems, including Hyperactivity/Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, learning difficulties (which often are accompanied by frustration in the student leading to behavior difficulties), Deafness(due to communication difficulties about the curriculum) and psychiatric problems. Some teachers find it challenging to incorporate students with intellectual disability in a regular class, because of the scope and amount of curriculum adaptation needed in the one class.

21. Access to buildings (costs and other problems)

Many buildings used for child care and pre-schools, schools, and premises used by adult and community education providers are not physically accessible. Many of these do not lend themselves to modification, or modification would necessitate enormous expenditure.

22. Transport: barriers (functional and financial) to transport to and from school/college/university

Many students with disability have mobility limitations. Many have inappropriate behaviours, which can be allowed for in class but which may create difficulties or embarrassment for the student in public. Many have physical and medical problems which make independent utilisation of public transport problematic for them. Some students with disability attend schools and vocational or academic institutions far from where they live, because those institutions offer support or accessibility others do not. Cost of special transport is a difficulty. Parent availability to transport students is not always possible, particularly where both parents work. Some education providers say transport to and from pre-school, school, college, or university is the biggest problem in providing access to students with disability.

23. Transitional programs and procedures inadequate

There is a very great need for more services, and more comprehensive and appropriate services, to assist students with disability in three main phases of moving from one level of education to the next. They are all of major importance in the student's settling effectively into the next level. The first transitional phase is from early childhood services/pre-school into primary school. This phase can make or break the young child's early entry into the formal school system. The second, a difficulty for all students, is the progression from primary school to High School. The third, a very vital stage, is the transition from school to work, training, pre-employment training, vocational education, academic course, or adult and community education. There is a need for far more services in this area, to enable people with disability to either obtain the means to earning a living, or providing meaningful activity tot the extent appropriate, to fill in their days in a useful fashion.

24. Attitude of teacher or Principal negative or resistant or deny obligations

There is much evidence reported at all levels from parents to Principals themselves, that if a teacher, or particularly a Principal of a school has an attitude that is either negative or totally resistant to placing students with disability in the regular school setting, there will be discrimination in either exclusion, or in difficulties for the student if enrolled. This is the area most vehemently complained of, and most frequently, by parents of students with disability. There is a time-lag between changes in policy and practice towards inclusion, and the responses of those in charge of administering preschools, child care centers, or schools. Complaints are more commonly directed against Principals than teachers. Many Principals and some teachers are still denying that they have any obligations to accept students with disability.

25. Differences, difficulties or conflicts between parents and schools, including requests for placement, arrangements made at school, unattainable expectations of parents for their child

These three areas have given rise to many bitter conflicts and much injury to the future educational and social prospects of the student for settling into the educational environment and accessing education at an appropriate level with all supports required. There are constant hurdles and disappointments for parents of children with disability, leading to volatile emotions and many failed hopes and expectations. Calmness and practicality have to be at a premium. Often both sides are pushed to the limit in trying to reach a resolution which meets their needs and the appropriate educational needs of the child.

26. Discrimination by schools / other educational institutions, either conscious or unconscious, including lack of understanding of relevant issues

Both direct and indirect discrimination by educational authorities on the grounds of the disability of students occur regularly. In some instances, disability discrimination is overt and direct; in others, it is founded on lack of knowledge of disability issues and inclusion practices. Until greater knowledge and understanding of disability and its effects, the law and human rights principles, and the experience and the practice of inclusion as the norm are achieved, individuals and institutions will continue to discriminate, knowingly or unknowingly. However, the education filed in general is supportive of a widespread movement towards equal access to education for students with disability.

27. Discrimination, social isolation, teasing, bullying, or harassment by non-disabled students

There is regrettably, an incidence of marking out and picking on students with disability by non-disabled students. This appears to occur much more commonly in the age groups from about the age of onset of puberty (12-13 on) than in the younger age groups, who tend to be far more accepting and helpful in their attitudes towards peers with disability. It is to some extent dependent on a supportive environment within the school, from Principal to teachers and clerical workers and ground staff, as to whether the teasing, bullying and victimisation are present, or if present, allowed to continue.

28. Prejudice and discrimination, or complaints, by parents of non-disabled students

Parents of students who do not have a disability are sometimes resentful that the class in which their child is learning includes one or more students with disability. This is particularly so in schools which aim at academic excellence. These parents are aware that the teacher's time and attention is split among students of differing ability.

Some parents are just outright prejudiced and do not like their child associated with students with disability, particularly those with obvious physical disability or with intellectual disability. Some such parents have requested that the school "get rid of" certain students with disability. Others have taken their child out of that school and enrolled him or her in another school which (at that time) does not have students with disability enrolled.

29. Tendency or plans to "cluster" similarly-disabled students in schools and other educational institutions which have developed expertise in particular disabilities

In a number of areas, different educational institutions (schools, TAFEs) have recognised that a particular school or college is well-equipped to provide education to students with a particular disability (for example, mobility, deafness, vision impairment, behavioral problems) and have directed enrolments to this particular education provider. While that policy makes some practical sense, it is simply an indication that at present time, not all education providers are yet in a position to provide access to students with disability across the board, and leads to undesirable marginalisation of particular groups of students with disability.

30. Unfamiliarity with the requirements of the DDA

It is quite clear from the Disability Discrimination Commissioner's consultations with education providers representing every sector of education that there are a great many of these who do not know what their legal obligations are under the DDA. Particular sectors of concern in this regard are: a range of early education providers, particularly private providers, community child care centers, after school care centers, vacation care providers, some smaller independent schools, and private training organisations. The other sectors are all far more aware of the existence of the legislation and have either some or a fairly good concept of the overall requirements, but very few have a practical or detailed knowledge of what their obligations under the DDA are or of how to interpret this in reality.

31. Competition between schools, skills testing, rating of schools detrimental to promoting inclusive policies and practices

There is an increasing demand from the public at large, spurred by political considerations and the mood of the times, to promote competitive academic achievement as the prime objective of the school education system. While this is already a narrow view of education for all students and is vocationally inspired, it leaves even the non-academically-gifted non-disabled students out in the margins, by not recognising the many other elements besides intellect that make up a whole education, like creative endeavours (drama, music, art,) or interpersonal skills and social issues. When schools start excluding students with disability from taking art in skills testing because that would drag the ratings down, there is a matter for serious concern about the directions education in general is taking, and most particularly, what effects this movement is having on attempts to make schools more inclusive. As for the effects on individual students who know they will never "make it" in academic competition, great damage is done to their self-esteem and sense of worth as individuals with something of value to contribute.

My baby boy went to school today...........

Mr 5 Almost 6 started school today...After four years of therapy, wondering, torment and tears , he got up this morning told me he wasn't going and cried..And so did I. We had worked so hard to this point, not pushing the school idea too much but reminding him and getting the bag embroidered with his name and reminding him gently that he was a BIG boy now. All of it to come to a brick wall with tears and pleadings of not to go but to stay home and be with mum. I steeled myself and cajoled him into the uniform; that was all it took...Nice new polo, shorts and those "big boy" pull on boots ....Well, that made it all happen. He was going to school with his sister...Now to just ease in the idea that he is not in the same ROOM as his Grade 4 sister...That took a bit of convincing.

Off we went to school and I had yet to find out about funding. Off his sister went to her classroom and Mr 5 Almost 6 and Mr 3 and I waited in the designated area for preps. There were a few tears, mostly the mums of first timers or the last one to go off the school. Mums of middle kids seem not the cry as much or at all, I am told and of middle boys...NEVER ( told to me by a teacher friend and mum of 6) NONE of the children were upset or distraught...As this process of assembling (preps) only in a designated area was used for the orientations, so they felt familiar with it. Off Mr 5 Almost 6 went with his teacher ( and old school mate of mine) to his class without a backward glance.............. Mr 3 played piano for us as the preps trooped off.

I then had to "hunt down" the principal to find out about funding as I had not heard anything. When I asked ,I was told "We got 5 hours a week. Pretty good considering he doesn't fit a criteria"
No info about PSGs or anything, just "I"ll have to contact X" I take it X is an aide, but I would like to know X's credentials as an aide first I think...Ideally, it would be great if his aide from kindy could be sourced for the job...But I may be pushing the envelope on that one. I have contacted the Association Of Children with a Disability for a contact worker to call me regarding PSG's and where we stand on making them happen ,as I have been told they are not a popular forum of this principal, in fact the reputation is that no "special needs" children be at the school at least that is what the signals are being given off to many parents.

I seem to have come full circle now and I feel slightly lost , we have got Mr 5 Almost 6 into a mainstream school, got the preferred speech pathologist, got the teacher we wanted, got the funding for an aide in a Catholic school when he fitted no criteria 100%. All we have fought for, written letters about, worried over, all the work of his therapists, the staff at early intervention, his kinder teachers and aides has come to fruition...My baby boy went to school today and I cried..............................

Vale Aunty Dot

You may (or may ) not recall in March April or some time last year I wrote of my aunt who had a terminal diagnosis of cancer of the liver after fighting off breast cancer 6 or so years earlier . She survived until the early hours of Friday morning, almost 10 months after the first TERMINAL diagnosis. Seems that she felt she had to fight and fight, not wanting to go before a grandchild birthday, a child's birthday, the birth of a great grand child and other family events and the thoughts of such events kept her and the rest of us hoping and for a long time we went from taking one day at a time to one family occasion to another because of her ternacity and determination.
A women of conviction. Devout Catholic, dedicated and respected community member, greatly loved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Someone who always was welcoming of everyone, always asking about how people were and caring about the reply, she lived her life as she wanted caring for her family and theirs, she was a person who put other first and one of the best cooks I have ever to come across. Thank you for being there when I need you, thank you for my wonderful cousins who are like brothers and sisters to me. The biccie tin and cake tin will be empty now..But like you ,Aunty Dot they deserve the rest.

Why? I am in a mood, watch out!!!

Why is it that most people here get four weeks leave per year ( now thanks to the new IR (Irrelevant Regime) laws which is subject to the workplace requirements) and that school holidays are 12 weeks per year?

Why is that the cost and limitations of child care or school holiday programs make it almost impossible for families to find care during the holidays for which they HAVE to work??

Why are workplaces touting the "family friendly" ideal but still requiring employees to give up their own leisure time ( or sleep time) for workrelated issues?

Why do women have to pay GST (goods and service tax ) on sanitary products... It should be tax deductible as having a period is neither a service nor good!!!!! Why do these products cost more than products related to men ( ie condoms)?

Why does the milk from one company cost more than the milk from another?...All cows are the same and give the same milk and its all mixed together any way, same goes for other dairy products too.

Why do RSPCA/ barn laid/non caged chooks/etc eggs cost more than eggs battery hens?...Surely if the chooks are out fending for themselves with minimum added feed they cost
less to keep.

Why do school see fit to continually change the book lists ever year so no books can be bought nor sold second hand ? Why do they insist on such specifics as 29 cm orange handled scissors, or 8cm by 8cm containers, or four ring A4 binders?

Ok I have vented and feel ,....Well not better but less frazzled. If you want to try and answer these questions, feel free but I am in a MOOD and I will argue with you!!!

Thanks to Supermom for this little gem, but it also applies to PMS I think, any excuse will do me though. 

What happened?????

Blogger went silly on me yesterday, I tried to post but it all looked a bit strange...Different format, template and layout..Then I couldn't post or link or NUTHIN'. Then my e.mail went wonky and mean really really really weird, re sending mail from days ago, receiving the same mail two or three times over...I thought OH OH a bug, virus or whatever. Despite 2IC having the virus and protection levels so high that even an upgrade has to be formatted and logged to the system or it rejects.
But as I called Tech Support at my ISP I found so many were doing the same that I got told there were too many calls and to call back later...That's customer service for you. So I figured that it was an outage of sorts affecting lots of us and decided to wait it out till today.
Today still no luck, I called the Tech Support at the ISP and got through, the guy did not seem to really know what he was doing ( I have encountered this before and that guy got me to reconfigure the POP to something which would never ever work, so I was told by the next techie I got on to ) so I was dubious to say the least, but after re entering the TCP stuff( it had all changed) all was well. I really wish that instead of knowing how to build a dB and set parameters and design reports, I had the tech know how so I could do this stuff my self instead of calling Tech Support ...It would be much easier.

Books, Holidays and Boiling hot days

Yes. I have been remiss, I have deja vu now cause I am sure I have said it before..Oh well I might be a tad stir crazy. As I said before 2IC has had the car as I don't really need it ..So we are at home doing stuff. Allowing for the kid across the way who is being "babysat" by her two older sisters, being HERE for 6-8 hours a day...Its just me and mine.

I have now read in addition to the other books I listed, "Are you afraid of the dark" Sidney Sheldon, "The Broker" John Grimshaw, and now I am sharing the experience of "The Chronicles Of Narnia" C.S Lewis with Miss 8, I read it and when I am not reading it she reads it..She is a bit upset that I am so far ahead. I did not realise that "The Magicians Nephew" was written as a preclude after he wrote L,W & W. Hopefully I can finish it before the end of the holidays. Reading it as a child was fun, re reading it now is pure escapism!!!!

We have not been doing a lot as there have been some exceedingly hot days..Usually on week ends when 2IC is home and we could do something all together. But a few solutions to those with kids and without the benefit (?) of cable, car or unlimited cash.
Bigpond Movies
They have a ONE MONTH FREE trial and you have 3 DVDs at a time and choose from the website and just mail than back after you finish with them ( the Sunday HUN had a 2 month freebie trial a week ago the address for that freebie is www. bigpondmovies.com/heraldsun.htm with the access code being herald622 this offer ends Feb 28.
it'll get you through the hot days and costs ZERO because you will cancel it BEFORE the expiration date of the freebie offer!!!!!!They are mailed to you and come with a reply paid DVD envelope and you can even go on line and list it as returned so you can list more favs...List a few more than 3 ( like 30) because as soon as your choices become available,they are sent and as soon as the returns are received/logged as returned, they send the next available on your list.

New Idea magazine had a discount voucher for $16 off the entry price to Melbourne Aquarium
MA is a pretty expensive place anyway sort of a once every few years deal, so a $16 saving voucher helps ( I found out from my pal, Jen, after we had left for the dusk to dark opening of the MA LOL)

Let them eat cake, or biscuits or Smoothies ,this site not only has some easy for kids recipes but helps maths and science into the bargain .
I found it quite by accident when searching for kids recipes and it has the best of both worlds.

So there you are some stuff to do over the summer holidays, what's left of them.

On another note, I had to laugh at this.
Given the Midsumma Festival is about gay pride and such I have to wonder if the dealership in question really knew the artist was also showing his work a the festival or if the "art" really is inappropriate. I also applaud the decision of the firefighters of Melbourne who will join the Victorian Police in the "Gay Pride" march, and to think it was Christine Nixon (Vic Police commissioner) who joined her fellow members as a sign of support and respect which started it off...........It only takes one drop to be called rain and many to become a storm.

Fun time

I'm on a roll here, catching up and funning about a bit

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful

You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog. Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights. A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time. You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Your Inner Child Is Sad

You're a very sensitive soul. You haven't grown that thick skin that most adults have. Easily hurt, you tend to retreat to your comfort zone. You don't let many people in - unless you've trusted them for a long time.

How Is Your Inner Child?

Your Career Type: Investigative

You are precise, scientific, and intellectual. Your talents lie in understanding and solving math and science problems. You would make an excellent: Architect - Biologist - Chemist Dentist - Electrical Technician - Mathematician Medical Technician - Meteorologist - Pharmacist Physician - Surveyor - Veterinarian The worst career options for your are enterprising careers, like lawyer or real estate agent.

What's Your Ideal Career?

You Are a Punk Rocker!

When it comes to rock, you don't follow any rules You know that rocking out is all about taking down the man You've got an incredible stage presence and rock persona You scare moms, make bad girls (or boys) swoon, and live life on the edge!

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

BAD HABITS

I got my regular "hit" of memes and got tagged by who else but Mr Brian AGAIN. So without further ado, here's the

FIVE BAD HABITS OF SUPAMUM

1: I am so SUPER I have no habits which could be decreed BAD

LMAO

OK really here we go...

1. I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong, if you are a statutory body, Government office, service provider and you cross me...I will complain, ring your boss,I will march in protest, contact the departmental head , the CEO, I will write letters and demand explanations, I will contact the relevant governing/compliance authority and demand action, I will take the matter to VCAT, Court, tribunal...its a bad habit/trait and I inherited it from my mum.

2.: I drink TOO MUCH COKE, I have mentioned this before but it really is a habit forming thing in my life..Some say but you don't drink coffee so it s ok...No it is not, it is full of sugar and I drink" leaded" (regular) not unleaded (caffeine/sugarfree) and I get antsy if I don' t have some at least once every few days.

3: I talk TOO, TOO much to people I hardly know or have just met. I am the bane of parties as I will "get in your ear" about economics, politics, government policies, funding shortfalls and all manner of inappropriate "just met you" chatter and you will avoid me for the rest of your life!!!!

4: I have to many opinions about too many things which I will pass on to people with or without their asking, I know too much about this and that(or think I do) and am too quick to "advise" someone on what I think they should be doing....Generally, I am BOSSY!!!

5:I like kids lollies, Chupa Chups, Bombs, mates, bubble gum, Sherbies, you name it I like it. My kids have lollies rarely..But Grandda brings them over and they go in a jar in the pantry and guess who is in there the most......ME!!!

So there you have it I am human not super
Now to tag...........
1. JAMIE because Brian told me I could and Jamie is often tagged by Brian, so it is my turn
2. Guruann because she still "owes" a meme from months ago and never did it, but if she's too busy it's ok
3. Jen ...You know who you are..Put it in the comments,but you really should start a blog, you know
4. Supermom because she says I am her antipodean twin, but she does it harder than me
5. ANY ONE ELSE????

Time to think.....

2IC has returned to work and as I am not using the car, he's driving instead of doing the bus/train/bus thing. No car is nice as it means I have no reason the leave the house, cannot visit anyone who asks me to come over and don't have to go to the shops...Unsocial bitch aren't I??

I'm a bit over the whole "people everywhere" thing and just want to be a home body hermit for a while...I am sure I am not the only one to feel like this, probably the only one with the guts to admit it.

I am not adverse to the odd social outing, like Tuesday afternoon I went to the gym with my friend and we made appointments for our reassessments/new programs for last night...I can handle that sort of stuff. It the visits for hours from people who also bring their kids so there are 6,7,8 who knows kids about into everything. I don't mind having people over but during the holidays it seems our place becomes the Mecca for kids...Maybe its my kids toys and games, maybe its my policy of "let them play, clean up afterwards" I don't know...But I am a bit tired of visiting hordes of kids now. For the rest of the week...I'm not home..Least I will try not to answer the phone and screen my calls, answering the door is a bit hard( the kids won't play "lets be quiet and maybe they'll go away") I am unable to comfortably "fib" when someone calls and says "what are you doing?" and reply "Just on my way out", can't think fast enough for that one.

I just want some time with the children to play, garden, read, sit on the verandah and watch them play, talk,tidy up some stuff, clean out old toys, what ever...Without others here.
Am I selfish or is it reasonable???

And on a lighter note, being politically correct and adverse to comments about people based on any diversity...Could not help myself when I read this joke, has to be one of the better blonde jokes ever.

How close was I? Nice puss-puss 

Soundtrack of 2005

I got tagged by Brian to list my soundtrack for 2005, I don't think it has to include 2005 songs as such as he has some ancient stuff on his..LOL, so here goes.............

2005 SOUNDTRACK
1. Cold Hard Bitch: Jet
2. Sound of White: Missy Higgins
3. Meet Me By the River: Melissa Etheridge
4. Where The Streets Have no Name: U2
5. Sunday, Bloody, Sunday: U2
6.Walking In Memphis: Cher
7. Love Can Build A Bridge: Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Nenah Cherry
8. Black Betty: Spiderbait version
9. Can't Help Falling In Love with You: Elvis
10: Burning Love: Elvis
11: Evie Part 1,2 and 3: The Wrights
12.anything by The Whitlams (original line up)
13: Anything by Meatloaf

I know the last two are probably cheats but there are too many I like to mention.
Now to TAGGING hmmmm who shall it be? Well as I am on promises not to tag and not many people like to do these as I do, I will leave it up to each and every person who peruses this blog...Yes all six of you, LOL, to enter it to your own blog or in comments should you choose to undertake this mission. Leave a note in comments when you are done.

Where does time go?

I have to wonder where time has gone lately...Yes I know I have been doing nothing and everything but time has run amuck on me it seems. I have already read my Christmas "junk" book "Lovers and Players" by Jackie Collins ...Yes I read trashy stuff too!!!! Almost finished "Predator" by Patricia Cornwell and think I may have missed reading the previous one "Trace" but have to check the bookcases. The two eldest went to see "The Chronicles OF Narnia"with Daddy. We have redecorated/redesigned Miss 8's room. I have cleaned out the toy box in her room and the children's book case. Mr 3 is fully toilet trained and how melancholy it is not to buy nappies any more when shopping after NINE years of buying them....I almost miss it. At least I admit it.

We are working on the kitchen/vegetable garden and have to get rid of some agapanthus along the fence...Really bad plants to have to dig up but it has to be done. 2IC has done some lovely hanging baskets for the back verandah which are nice. He fixed Mr 5's remote control truck which broke last Feb and never got repaired. We shopped for school shoes and lunch boxes, Mr 5 is a size 13!!!! And I have labeled all the clothing for Mr 5 which needed labeling. He now wakes up each day asking if he goes to school today.

Best of all..We got placed with the speech pathologist we wanted, she rang on the 22nd December to say she could take Mr5 as a patient. He sees her on the 2nd Feb for an assessment...Lets hope it continues with the funding from the Catholic Education Office coming through for help at school for his teacher.

The kids have been playing under the soaker hose on the hot (40degrees Celsius plus) evenings...Oops I mean the hand held spray attatched to the hose being used during assigned hours of operation as per the water restrictions.

They have been riding bikes, playing with the pup (who is growing and now weights in at 7.6kgs)reading, playing PC games, running about and YES, GLORY BE....SLEEPING IN!!!!
I did not know what hit me when it first happened and then it kept happening, no children in our room or our bed with us before 0930 or even 1030....MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!!

Happy 2006

Hello again,
I have been remiss but with good reason for 'tis the season to be jolly or plain lazy which ever is your preference I guess. I've been recovering from Christmas and cleaning up and chucking stuff away and redecorating and planting and ,and and and well, just everything and nothing it seems.

Christmas was fine, except 2ICs mother was in and out of hospital the week before Christmas with "chest pains"( let's say no more about it as it seems to happen EVERY year about this time and I know what I think!!!!), we had my nieces 21st a week before Christmas, annual Christmas catch up with friends BBQ at our place and then Christmas eve...Some of our friends (not all at the same time) decided our house was THE place to bee Christmas Eve and visited over the course of our quiet evening at home watching the nightly parade of people viewing the lights and displays about the area. Needless to say a few Brown Brothers whites were had by myself and the girls and it was quite fun to quip about his and that in our inebriated state. Do you realise how funny reindeer antlers REALLY are??

Santa visited and left some potatoes in the sacks to warn the children that they might just get ONLY potatoes next time if the behavior fails to better. He left bikes and a "mean machine" in the garage, books, puzzles, pajamas, CDs, miners helmet with torch, Thunderbird No 1 rocket and chocolate stocking in the sacks.

We had my Dad and aunt over for Christmas lunch and hope to be granted a reprieve next year (SOMEHOW) as you can only listen to who has died and how long they had this or that malady for a very LIMITED time. 2ICs mother came over with his SIL and brother for tea..They no longer come for lunch as last year because we were moving so close to Christmas we asked that they do Christmas dinner and they replied they were doing their own"thing" that year and could not do it...So they do their own "Thing" each year in fear that we ask them to take a turn!!!!
My BIL gave 2IC a carton of beer for Christmas as he was "given too much as gifts at work" (nice cheap present with lots of thought NOT!!!!!) 2IC doesn't even drink regularly only at Christmas and such, so this THOUGHTFUL present combined with the "oldies" lack of manners (Get us another drink, pass the beans, give us the vegetable dish, make some gravy will you) REALLY REALLY REALLY pissed him (and myself) off no end. Add this to my aunt staying overnight and running out the hot water and wanting a COOKED breakfast the next morning, we got desperate and told her we had to go out at midday so she would just go. (last year she hung about till 3 in the afternoon the day after Christmas and we got nothing done)

I AM SO OVER CHRISTMAS!!!!

So now we enter the frey of 2006..........................

My Letter to Santa

Dear Santa
For Christmas this year I don't want much for myself a new pair of cross trainers will do or I can just wait and buy them myself, its ok.
But could I please ask that all the people of the world remember that without diversity we learn little, without understanding we lack acceptance and without love of our fellow man, we are bitter...So can you sprinkle some understanding and spray some some love about in your nocturnal travels?
Could you help the so called leaders of this world understand that what they think is right is not always right and they are only human...No one can be expected to be infallible ( except God/Allah/ Yaweh and maybe the mortal leaders of all faiths) So some humility for them would be nice too.
Could we please, perhaps, have no disasters...Natural or manmade for 2006, just so the world can get itself sorted out a bit more. It has been proven we are pretty inept sometimes but mostly we are a generous , caring, compassionate society...Despite some leaders lack of response to some things.
Can I please ask that people realise that the world is a melting pot of differing opinions and that to enforce your beliefs or opinions on others does not make it the right one. Respect of others beliefs and understanding of cultural, religious, and other differences would go a long way to solving our troubles, I think.
Can you please make sure all the children of the world get something tomorrow night? Even if it is something little like a special shell upon a beach or some extra food, toys and such mean little when you have nothing.
For my family , could my children enjoy good health and happiness,and my special "sausage" enjoy his first year at school with minimum disruption, my first born learn that best friends do not stay best friends forever and my youngest continue to be a source of utter amazement to us all with his antics. For my soulmate, my friend, my lover, my eternal love I wish only happiness and health and the occasional sleep in.
For my friends, close and afar, I wish them all the joys of Christmas in the true spirit in which it is meant to be , that they enjoy family, friends, and fine health along with the occasional overeating/overdrinking of what ever they chose to indulge in.
A lot to ask for I know, Santa, and you are busy but without your help with some of the above, I fear for the joy of Christmas future
Thanks
Merry Christmas
Supamum ( u know who I am)
PS Biscuits and milk under the tree, carrots and reindeer food on the lawn as usual

My Blogger type

Thanks to Brian (he finds all the GOOD stuff)

Your Blogging Type is Artistic and Passionate

You see your blog as the ultimate personal expression - and work hard to make it great. One moment you may be working on a new dramatic design for your blog... And the next, you're passionately writing about your pet causes. Your blog is very important - and you're careful about who you share it with.

What's Your Blogging Personality?