I played with Lego...........

I spent yesterday morning on "fruit duty" that's "Claytons fruit duty" , the fruit duty you do when there is no fruit...But I digress. I was on duty at Mr5's kinder which means Mr 3 gets to be a big boy and attend also. I love fruit duty...This is shitting me... Let's call it kinder duty OK?? Like I said, I love kinder duty as it gives me an opportunity to watch Mr 5 in an environment outside of his control ( the kids are not additional needs and all speak well , apart for the two other additional needs kids there) to watch him communicate his needs and ideas to other and how they react and reciprocate (or not).

There is a new Lego set called "Action Man" which has propellers, wingsets, wheels and cockpits for construction of flying machines and space ship which George Lucas will never ,ever think of. Do you think I can find this set of Lego any where...Of course not!!!! It was amazing, the Lego set has been available for play during free time for weeks and all the kids gravitate to it, good thing they have quite a few sets or there'd be trouble. The concepts that these minds come up with and what they put on the "ships' is just beyond comprehension...Their minds are like blank paper and along comes an instrument of creation like a pen and a masterpiece is created. It was wondrous to watch and when asked to build something I could come no where near to the masterpieces these kids created.

I watched and helped some girls cut and paste some balls for a juggling clown, listened to them chatter and chatted with them...One is going to Italy on a cruise for a holiday at Christmas, she tells me...I was later told by the teacher this is a fib and she is only saying it because her friend did go on a cruise to Italy. One upmanship and competiveness starts at 4 it seems.

I was involved in a conspiracy to hide one of the teachers shoes, I built a landing pad with wooden blocks for a the spaceships, I painted funny pictures whilst they ate their snacks, I played with play dough, made cakes and pizzas and "ate" them, I coloured, read ,painted and kicked, climbed the fort (one child would not leave it when it was time to go back into the classroom) I had a ball...dunno about the kids but I had fun.

Driving in America

And this is just as scary,who Do you give way to???? maybe I am never meant to drive OS. AND maybe our driving is just as scary to OS visitors as us

Now is it just me or does this look so scary and wrong to us in the Antipodes?? Driving on the other side of the road.....Looks so wrong

Nearly the years end....

Sadly, it is almost the years end and time will definitely fly for the remainder of the year. I still have to wait and see if Mr 5 has gained any funding at school, although given that he has had an one hour orientation session he, the teacher/s seem very aware of his limitations and asked about pencil grips (something they picked up on without my mentioning it) and if he signs at all for words he cannot pronounce. We did not encourage sign (Auslan or other) as it would allow him an "out" for trying to say the word...Whilst he understands some signs, he has never been encouraged to sign instead of speak.
I still have to source a speech pathologist(S/P) for him as he cannot access his s/p at EIP after he starts school and she is leaving to have a baby this week anyway. I want a private one anyway so they can attend meetings with the school and teachers and such...But many do not know what their client base is until December so he is on umpteen waiting lists. Some do not even call you back , even after 4 messages!!! And others you get references for from the Victorian Independant Speech pathologists Network and some of them are associated or work through bigger offices so if you pick a S/P based on credentials (what else would you choose them on...LOOKS?) You get a call back from an admin person who tries to allocate you one who has to drive by your town on the way to the office instead of the one you choose based on credentials!!!!!! If I want convenience I go to 7-11, if I want a S/P I pick the most relevant and experienced.
Mr 5 was very exited about his new, "whizz bang" school bag and I am thankful to the designer who has placed a drawstring net bag attachment on the side so drink bottles which are unsealed can leak happily everywhere but INSIDE the bag. We also have a art smock with racing cars on it and a library bag with rockets on it (I was told we could not use the Thomas Tank Engine library bag he has for kinder as" big boys at school don't do Thomas") we have shorts and polos for summer, his sisters old sports shorts will fit him and her tracksuit pants. I am leaving winter pants till later in term 2 as I am sure he has some growing to do. Shoes we will get in January as well as new ones for Miss 8, new runners for her and Mr 5 has a brand new pair of Nikes which a friend bought for her son but are the wrong size and for yet fit Mr 5 perfectly.

some people have Christmas decorations going up already, I think it is the influence of the shops who had lights and decos on sale as early as three weeks ago. I am dreading getting the lights out at they were put up in a rush last year and put away in almost as much haste. They seem to be a tangled puzzle which I know I have to tackle some time but keep finding other things to do , like cleaning the toilet, washing windows, digging garden beds...You get the picture.

Term 3 Artwork..yes, I have been slack

Term 3 artwork

Truth, fact and undeniabilty

I have been listenng and watching(listening in the car , watching the DVD) a concert by Melissa Etheridge. It was to launch her album "LUCKY" which is goodness knows how old. On it is a brillant song which is track 9 on the album and I think is called "Up and Down this Road I go" its about a guy who was on Flight 93 on Sept 11,2001. About how "he loved his mom, her loved his dad,he loved his home and he loved his man", its about "who you love is'nt who you are" , She sings of the fact that "you cannot change this , you cannot erase this , you cannot pretend this is not a truth" its about no matter who you are, or what label people put on you that we are all equal when it comes down to it.
I have always been a person who has accepted people on face value not creed, race, religion, sexual preference or any other aspects on which bias and hatred is fueled. This story goes a long way to proving that diversity is the key to our society, that it matters not what the diffference is (percieved or otherwise) it is acceptance which is the key. You don't need to understand it all, just accept that we are not all the same and regardless of that, we all have something to offer the world and sometimes it might just be sacrficing our life for others.

And for the record ,I have always liked Melissa Etheridges music, even before she "came out" and I have even more respect for her as a survivor of breast cancer.

Two plus two

I got tagged..nah,nah,nah,nah by Brian who knows I love memes, so hold on to your seats, awaaaaay we go:

Two Names You Go By --
1. Soso
2. Mummy

Two Parts of Your Heritage --
1. Irish
2. English

Two Things That Scare You --
1. Needles
2. Being out of control

Two of Your Everyday Essentials --
1. Fruit
2. Gym

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now --
1. Jeans
2. husbands t shirt

Two of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists (at the moment) --
1. Melissa Etheridge
2. Jet

Two Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love) --
1. togetherness in majority of things
2. to be in charge

Two Truths --
1. I am very venegeful and hold a grudge for a LOOOOOOONG time
2. I need to have more faith in my parenting abilities

Two Physical Things that Appeal to You --
1. Physique
2. hands

Two of Your Favorite Hobbies --
1. writing
2. reading

Two Things You Want Really Badly --
1. To just be able to do what we want to the house NOW
2. Another car for fun

Two Places You Want to go on Vacation --
1. Tasmania
2. Ireland

Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die --
1. Commence another career and excel in that field doing something for the community
2. Write my thesis on what I want not what some one else thinks I should

Two Ways that you are stereotypically a Guy --(do I change this or not?, let's leave it more fun that way)
1. I can fix most things on a car, change tyres etc
2. I don't wear dresses

Two Things You Normally Wouldn't Admit --
1. I used to like the Bay City Rollers and wore "roller strollers"
2. I am a sneak chocoholic (I hide it from the kids)

Two Things You Are Thinking About Now --
1. the boys are quiet, what are they up to, do I look now or later?
2. who will I tag with this?

Two Stores You Shop At --
1. Colarado
2. Rivers

Two people I haven't talked to in a while --
1. my da
2. my kids godmother and my cousin,Simone

Two bloggers who may now dislike you for passing this on to them --
1. Jamie (cause he has new glasses and can see stuff now)
2. Not the 6'o clock news ( cause they hate this and I promised not to do it again hahahha)

Th-th-th-th-that's all folks, don't forget to put the toilet seat down!!!!

You have to laugh............

Had a peek at SOL
Seems that very few people are talking on there of late, I mean views that women should be home with their kids, and they would not have time to run for Council as a mother...Well maybe others are better organised than some and can. If we all held to that belief, the rights our mothers fought for would be wasted. Other comments of the ilk that because you don't come on line to answer to questions you are denying the community access...So are the running mates and preferences of the commentator. Then a topic about ALP branch stacking, today's AGE newspaper reports the same in Govt. Looks like its a political pandemic!!!!!!!

Then there's the old furphy about paedophiles, well, its not the ones you know about you have to worry about it's the one you don't. I can hardly see the realistic application of the proposed "paedophile free zone" what before you can buy a house you need to agree to a police check?? Before you can move to the area and rent whilst building?? Untenable, and unachievable. Amoral and illegal. If people look out for their kids and take responsibility and teach them to
be aware, the risks are limited. Research shows that paedophiles work for months to gain trust of a victim, if the kids are aware they learn to be knowledgeable but not afraid of their own shadow.

And then there's the other stuff but I am tired now and if you wish to read it all, use the link on the side of the page and have a giggle
Don't forget to change you shirt, you might be on TV today!!!

Ain't technology great........

Any one tried an iPod lately? Yes I know most people are either Apple or PC, Mac or IBM but I got one for 2IC few months ago and it is the best, download of the net OOOOPS I mean from your own music library OOOOPS thats not right either is it. .... well you download LEGALLY. And just keep loading and loading. Charge it up via the USB port on the PC whilst loading, sound quality is good, its versitile and compact and at about $150 about as much as we used to pay for a decent discman or walkman. Consider it for a pressie for someone special as I have really come to appreciate how cool they are as 2IC has his on all the time too and from work.

In so far as stereo, TV, DVD/video comglomerations go, who thought of them....an airline pilot??, NASA astronaut???, the guy who invented Rubiks cube??? Three remotes for three components, what happened to life being easier?? I hate the AV1/AV2/ Component/and whatever bloody well else is there; to try and go from DVD to video, it shits me. Sorry peoples, Mr 5 has been on a rampage with switching from DVD to video for the ONE hour I have allowed him to watch a movie or such, so he has managed to watch about 5 minutes of each of the following:
Shark Tales, Thunderbirds, Star Wars, Thomas the tank Engine, Rescue Heroes and Robots.
Bye and don't forget to claen the shower!!!!!!!!!

Not life as some know it, Captain

This is cute, courtesy of Guruann

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8.4
Mind:	7.6
Body:	7.5
Spirit:	7.1
Friends/Family:	5.9
Love:	7.3
Finance:	7.6
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Wise Words

From the wisdom of Mr Brian all I can post is the following:

People can be ignorant and not be prejudiced, but one cannot be prejudiced without being ignorant.

So perceptive, , so right

Dicko

Tufts of cloud, free

Amidst a blue, blue sky

That's what I'll think of

As I say

Goodbye.

The quintessential larrikin

Australian through and through

Jesus, Mary and Joseph...

Dicko

I'm going to miss you.

A husband to my cousin dear,

A sister I could not hold nearer,

Best every father to four fantastic boys

Now men; tall,strong and proud,

Four blond heads bobbing in the pool

With a Dad who always made time.

Teaching them things about trucks and cars,

Playing "frogger", sending canetoads to the stars

Chants of "Lilliee" still rent the air,

As amongst the clouds I search

And hope that you have found

the rest and freedom

you deserve.

But clouds make no sound.

Love you, Dicko...See ya

IN memory of my cousin, Richard, who died last 1st November, 2005 and will be cremated today.

What are the police for???

It appears there is a conflict in statements as to what happened to a well known commentator whilst at a beachside resort. If what is claimed to have happened, by either party, happened....go to the police. All that is happening now is a media circus, with all the damage being borne by the resort and prospective tourist revenue losses. Why was there the need to go to the media instead of the police?? Why are losses such a a $1200 earring being touted about? Threats of legal action against the parents of the alleged instigators...Any solicitor, not in it for a buck ,will tell anyone that is a waste of time without police charges being laid. If the concern is for the material losses (earring, prescription glasses) many such items are covered by the household insurance and I really think that if the incident occurred with Joe Bloggs involved it would not have made the impact it has. As it stands, neither party has seen fit to go to the police...The locals perhaps because they feel it was nothing, the other party because...Who knows. As an ex policeman, you'd think it'd be the first thing done...Reporting the incident. But time will tell, I guess or big bucks for a good mouthpiece in court.

Born Before 1986????????

Snooping about the Blogespere I found this little gem, thanks to xloso for sharing and Carl whoever you are..a trip down memory lane for many


According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 60's, 70's and early 80's probably shouldn't have survived, because our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint which was promptly chewed and licked. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans.
When we rode our bikes we wore no helmets, just flip-flops and fluorescent 'spokey dokey's on our wheels. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat selts or airbags - riding in the passenger seat was a treat. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle and it tasted the same. We ate chips, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy juice with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and no-one actually died from this.We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and could play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us and no one minded. We did not have Playstations or X-Boxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no DVDs, no Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.
We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones but there were no law suits. We had full on fist fights but no prosecution followed from other parents. We played knock-knock-runaway and were actually afraid of the owners catching us.We walked to friends' homes. We also walked to school; we didn't rely on mummy or daddy to drive us to school, which was just round the corner. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls. We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

I'm BAAAAAACK.........................

Well I think I am out of my frump but then again is is probably PMD or just with Cup Day holiday and curriculum day Monday, my little sense of control over my little world and all that live in it was out and so was I ....Make sense??? No? Tough!
I am watching with interest the outcomes of preferences for the local election, some people have been dudded it seems, others 150 word info blurbs actually support other candidates who do not reciprocate in theirs. Interestingly, a vision of rats jumping a sinking ship comes to mind.
I won two prizes in a Stay At Home (SAH) raffle on Friday night, those who are unfamiliar with this type of fundraising read on , every one else...Well, skip on or buzz off. A SAH raffle is run the same as a regular raffle but you put you phone number on the ticket with your name. From a certain time on the designated night they commence drawing the tickets ( and drinking ,I hear tell) prizes are lined up or in another draw and you answer your phone and get told what you have won. You have to be home and answer the phone to win and drawing continues until all prizes are won. I won a SLAB............(hahaha made you look ) of soft drink (24 cans) and a flower pot. And I only bought 5 tickets. Too Good.

Miss 8 has almost finished Harry Potter And the Philosophers Stone (HP1) however ,by the time school is over today she will have finished it as I noted she left her hat at home which will designate her to the shaded area at lunch today where I know she will read. They say from the mouths of babes come gems.... I was told today that HP is the best book she has ever read (this is saying something as she reads Enid Blyton, Lauren Child, Gretal Killeen, Megan McDonald, Ronald Dahl et.al) because" you feel like you are really there". She showed little interest in reading it before now and has finished it in four days. Onwards to HP2???

Mr 5 asked for a "friend" to came over after kinder today...Given that the mother is one of the 22 whom I have rubbed the wrong way...I was apprehensive and then came the lifesaver in that the child says "yeah, I want to come because he has Buzz and Buzz's rocketship and Lego like at kinder" Not because he is the friend my son thinks he is, but because of what he has. So there was a NO to that little escapade. I have had enough "friends" over to play with him who only play with his toys or worse still if there is more than one child over, they exclude him. He was happy enough to come home and play in the sand pit with his brother and the new "tagtors" (tractors) Mr 3 got for his birthday.
Tomorrow is Oaks Day at the Spring Racing Carnival otherwise known as Ladies Day....For a laugh you could park by the main stations to many suburbs in Melbourne and outer Melb for that fact and watch the inebriated toddle home in $500 dresses with heels they'll never wear again. And yes, I could have got marqee tickets but no one asked.
Bye and don't forget to hose out the milking shed.

Some things you might like to know.....OR Not

Quick entry today busy busy.........Mr 3 had his official party yesterday with cake and presents and balloons and friends.
And thank you to my BIL (brother in law) for breaking the back of one of the stools the kids use at the breakfast bar....Took 6 trips to IKEA to find the bastard chairs and the kids have been banging about on them for 6 months without breaking them and you do it in a minute...Stupid tosser asshole. And people really need to know that it is a kids party and that staying until 10pm is a bit too much.
And whilst I am at it...NO ,I DO NOT HAVE A TIP FOR THE MELBOURNE CUP....Despite my Da having racehorses, and a well known trainer being his trainer and a well known equine specialist vet being a co owner...I have no tips. I detest horseracing. Geez I am in a frump today better go before I really let off some steam. Don't forget to bring the washing in if it rains...........

Happy Birthday to my baby

Today is Mr Almost 3's Third Birthday....So he is now Mr 3!!! Actually not really till 1334 today but hey, birthdays are an all day affair. It is strange to have no baby in the house any more with as by the time the others were this age there was a baby about so it is a very strange feeling. No!!! I am not contemplating another.
I am not that selfless that I am able to do the night feeds, walking the floor and such with the unquestionable dedication that I hear others doing. Although I read about a book titled the "Myths of Motherhood" or such and how we all hate the sleep deprivation, the confinement ,the routine, etc and that it is really HARD WORK and psychologically and physically draining and anyone who tells you otherwise or neglects to tell you the 80% bad stuff is perpetuating the myth.

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY BOY...Although he tells me he is not a baby but he will always be my baby. He was the last, he is the youngest, he is the happiest (for now) Just as Miss 8 is my baby girl because she was the first and is the only girl, Mr 5 is my baby boy because he was the first boy. They are and will always be ,my babies.

The decision to have a child is to accept that your heart will forever walk around outside of your body 

Last Man Standing has stood

You may recall my slight fixation with a locally produced TV program "LAST MAN STANDING" which sadly and unfortunately was cancelled a few weeks ago and aired its last episode last night. Any one who wants some insight into the show, read the blurb on the link above it also has some great piccies of the very spunky (I think so anyway) Rodger Corser who plays Adam.

I am sorry the show has finished as it was a good Australian production, writing and casting...Despite my nit picking about location errors. I am sorry that I will no longer have my Tuesday night perve at half naked men,gasp at the audacity of machoism and chauvinism, revel in the reality of it in relation to real life situations, and swear at the sexism ...But then so are thousands of others who are just not game enough to admit this.

Like I said before it was like Sex In the City for men, but it's women who were the majority viewers and some aren't ready to confront such realities head on yet. Goodby Adam, Cameron and Bruno you will be missed by some. And I hope Marieke Hardy writes another series soon!!!!!!!!!

Seven things about me

I got tagged by Jamie because I felt left out by Brian and Supamum SHOULD never be left out (are you all listening to this?, yes, good!!!) Luv you Jamie and Brian too even though he knows I love this stuff but he is SUCH a megastar and knows SOOOOO many people he cannot be expected to tag everyone!!! LOL
SO onwards and whatever......

Seven things I want to do before I die:
1. See my children grow up and achieve what they want, because its what they want .
2. Complete my book
3. Practise law (pro bono)
4. Have the garden and interior that we want without wanting the change it
5. Travel the England and Ireland and track down some more relations
6. Get over my fear of flying
7. Go to Tasmania again

Seven things I can do:
1. Write a what Iwant first time most times
2. Cook stuff from scratch
3. Swear
4. Talk A LOT
5. Swim laps whilst remembering poetry and lines from plays
6. Change a tyre, oil , trans fluid, bleed brakes and lines
7. Drive a tractor

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Watch an injection, give an injection, see an injection...You get the idea\
2. See without my glasses
3. Not be compulsive about a new author, hobby, food, shop, etc
4. Stop talking
5. Drive a truck
6. Eat seafood
7. Be comfortable at a gathering where I don't know many people

Seven things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Sense of humor
2. Laugh
3. Conversation
4. Eyes
5. Facial features
6. Physique
7. Shoes

Seven things that attract me tot he SAME sex: (had to think on this)
1. Sense of humor (has to be warped)
2. Conversation
3. Knowledge
4. Common interests
5. Dress sense ( practical, not going to Oaks Day every day dress sense)
6. Likes to talk ALOT
7. Openness
Seven things I say most often:
1. What a tosser!!!
2. SHIT
3. Give that to Mummy, please
4. There you go....
5. How dare they... ( usually when talking to my friend whilst she is at work and she has to see someone)
6. Sexy (refers to anything good, that I like, that is yummy whatever)
7. Come back here!!!!!
Seven celebrity crushes:
1. Richard Gere
2. Sean Connery
3. Richard Gere
4. The guy who plays Adam in "Last Man Standing"
5. George Clooney
6. Randy Jones ( cowboy from Village People, yes, when he was younger, however VP supported Cher here at her concert and he still has it)
7. Did I mention Richard Gere???

Seven tags:
OK will tag some I have never tagged but I visit their sites occasionally:
Sign Language, Enzogopher ( cause I think she'd have fun with this) Snow White, PDD etc,
and any one else who wants to I guess as not every one like these memes I know.
Bye and don't forget to put on clean undies.