Gooooooooooooooood Eveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeening Sunbury

Reminiscent of Adrian Cronauer's call sign made famous by Robin Williams portrayal...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD EVEEEEEEEEEEEEENING SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNBURY

I have been busy to say the least and am nearing the end, and the beginning of something familiarly comfortable in my life and something else which is the culmination of a life long aspiration and I believe, what was meant to happen.

Not saying too much here because no doubt there are still the covert little police wannabes who like to know all and try and bully people with their BS. So for those who know where I am, you know where to find me for the low down.

I know that I was destined to do this and it feels so comfortably right and natural that I have to wonder why I resisted the pull of it all for so long. I think that the thirst for this was slacked in my work and what I undertook there to some extent.

I have had the privilege of having made some great friends who also were my mentors, they had allowed me to build and explore, to learn and develop into what I am now. For that I will forever be in their debt and I owe owe them much for without their encouragement and discourse; I probably would have doubted myself in this. The best part is that having made these friendships, I know have like minded friends to talk 'shop' with.

I have come a long way from Supamum, and for the past three years I have defined the meaning of Supamum on so many levels and in so many ways.

The worst part is I now have the bug and may well extend this beyond what I have accomplished...but that's another entry.

Time to catch up...

I've been busy..OK. Miss 11 Almost 12 commenced secondary school. I got my dual year and amidst all the hoo-ha have,yet again,managed to encourage other to think outside the square. I'm in a primary setting and secondary setting one day each a week and with two days of classes leaves me with one "free day" a week apart from weekends. This free day is spent on planning and ACP and assessment tasks and essay and research...but it is nice to have my Saturdays back. I was apprehensive of this dual year but now realise that it was not offered to me because it was an ideal scenario but because I was one of the ones would could pull it off for others to follow.

Mr 8 has become Mr 9 with a massive Star Wars Lego for his birthday and Miss 11 will soon be Miss 12. I have learnt who my friends are and who to trust more. The school has lost a principal and a new one appointed, some change is in the wind and some arses will be booted into gear one would hope.

Our lives are changing and we are adapting, I love what I am doing and if it allows 2IC to switch to something more productive later on then that is a good thing for everyone. The campaign for saving VU has moved along nicely but I still am unsure of the intentions of some who want a TAFE...when student and educational diversity is a major issue in the Western suburbs, some want to bow to the western suburbs stereotype of working class, trades people. If we want to move up, we need to move on...get over the A-typical ideal of what the town needs. We want our children to have choice...real choices not something foisted upon them because this of some misguided, misogynistic people who think they represent everyone and know what everyone wants.

I have been remiss...

Christmas and NYE have come and gone and ans we enter into another school year, I am in awe of my kids (AGAIN). Christmas supplied the boys with Lego and Meccano sets and almost the entire school holidays have been taken up with construction of nothing short of engineering genius. Mr 8 got his coveted Star Wars Lego, he has amassed such a collection that I fear annihilation by Jedi fighters if I enter the area formerly known as the main lounge. He enlisted the help of 2IC initially for some of the construction but eventually demonstrated the type of perseverance that is shining through more and more, and completed the ship himself. Since we got some great deep, colourful drawers to store all the Lego in for each of them..he has built and re built, and redesigned ALL the ships in his set, including the not as popular Mars series.
Mr 6 is growing up all too fast, with a wicked sense of humour, contagious laugh and devilish ways...he is becoming a real boys boy. He scares me with the lack of fear he has for all things physical, so unlike Mr 8.
Miss 11 commences secondary school next week and apart for getting books, uniforms and ensuring all and sundry are labelled to within an inch of it life....she is ready but are we?
Now starts the really responsibilities of lockers and uniform code and books and subject variations...how she will cope depends on how we react and act towards the issues that will arise and they will arise. She has already indicated her concerns about having enough time to change books for the next classes or what books to take to each class. This we will take in our stride, one step at a time as we have with all changes in our lives.
Me? I am waiting to hear from the those who weld all power for subject credits to apply my credits to my current area of study, then I await the powers of the PP to allow me a dual year of study in one year. After the 6th we shall know more...

Last day, last time,...How am I gonna do this two more times?

Yesterday was Miss 11's last day of primary school and amidst apprehension and excitement of secondary school, lay the understanding that it was her last day at that school, the last time she would be a student there, the last time for a lot of things.
She got her bear signed, her uniform signed, her presents given, her goodbyes, her prep buddies wishes and before you knew it, it was over. FOR NOW.
The graduation last night was highly emotional and reflective. From watching them all in their school uniforms for the last time, to their teachers singing in choir to them, their outgoing principal commenting on their creativity and diversity, Miss 11's reading of the graduation poem I wrote for the Yr 6s five years ago, to the morphing picture show using all their seven years of school photos whilst a beautiful operatic was played, then with them each lighting their candles from one another, they filed out of the Church in single file then I was a sobbing mess amongst other similar sobbing messes.
It is after all ,only primary school but it is the defining point in the life of a child for they are on the cusp of puberty and about to enter a whole new world of friendship dynamics, learning and disciplines.
It is the end of play dates supervised at others homes to "Can I walk to Maccas/Jooceworks after school?". The end of the friendly pre and post school chats with other parents and the start of "Just drop me here, I want to walk with such and such".
It not the last time for lots of things, Messers 8 and 6 still have to get through but having been to one graduation, I am unsure if I can do it again...least not with a few years to get over this one.

Is it possible...

The other day the question posed itself...is it possible to be a happy emo? Or as we succinctly labeled Miss 11's declaration of being a happy emo, an alternative emo. Miss 11 has moved into some strange and conflicting modes of pre teen of late.

• she sings in choir and was accepted the training choir(Level 2) of the National Youth Choir. If you are not familar with the NYC, think of the Qantas ad with the "I still call Australia Home' theme sung by kids-----> they were NYC members.
• she likes both Fall Out Boy,and P!INK, but also loves the songs of High School musical 1,2,3 ad.nauseum and Hairspray.
• she declared herself an emo a year ago and now says she is a 'happy emo' therein we have coined the term "ALTERNATIVE EMO" for her.