The begining of the end.........

Hahahah the begining of the end, the Democrats have taken the House of Representatives in the USA....the death knell for ultra conservative war mongers. Next domino Dubya then it'll be his mini me, HoWARd.

Lessons for little players.....

If you are a consultant as in "government consultant" it means that the government sought information or advice from you. Mr. Hulls or his office invited you.
"..as a representative on the Sentencing Advisory Council" "As a result of my determined lobbying via the Sentencing Advisory Council the Government has been forced to accept the Councils recommendation..."

Means your name would be listed as a contributor on such documents asRepeat Drink Driving Report
or
Detention Supervision
But its not, is it?. Only a little, tiny line on page 2 with a suggested penalty, which was a direct quote from a newspaper article anyway, not a quote from being present. And a name listed amongst 16 odd other contributors of information to the INTIAL INFORMATION GATHERING STAGE. I guess "poor and ineffective representation" is better than false representation?
Perhaps the phrase you should be looking at is lobby as in seeking to influence, solicit support of? But doesn't quite have the ring "representative on the SAC", does it? And we're about the ENVIRONMENT we live in now? Enlighten me, now does that mean this person are for or against the Evans St Grasslands? Last soliloquy I read had rants against it, bit of a about turn complete with half nelson, completely choking on ones words it seems. IF we are about the environment we live in ,is it environment as in all surrounds?? Or just in terms of persons and society...Trying for the green vote by using the big "E"word, desperate spin by lesser people.
Try the big "V" word for vigilante instead.
Forget tall poppy syndrome, just weed the garden for the pretenders.

How exactly does this pose a threat to Australias quarantine regulations? Please tell me.........read on below 

Now how does this ......

How exactly does this dog collar pose a risk to the quarantine and import laws of Australia? Dunno, you'd have to ask AQIS ,as in their wisdom and without much explanation they deemed my package from NewZealand; which contained a custom made woven dog collar with my dogs name and breed club on it, complete with two "D" rings for sized adjustments and a brass ring for lead clip connection; as in need of being opened and inspected. I got a pamphlet that told me "OPENED FOR INSPECTION"Duh, obviously with the "passed quarantine" yellow sticker and the bad tape job resealling it. And" no items have been removed" Ahh, yeah, you would have had to remove it to inspect it, wouldn't you? Then it goes on the speel about it was "opened by Australia Post for inspection by AQIS" as the screening process using "detector dogs and x-ray machines, indicated there may have been an item of quarantine concern in your mail"
Nope, sorry guys not enough evidence of that, see there is no law about importing dog collars except used ones from OS and pinch or pronged ones to Victoria. Nothing on your websites or in any paperwork. A dog would have picked up nothing as the collar is BRAND NEW and made from webbing and an x-ray would have shown you what it was EXACTLY or at least the two "D" rings and brass ring.
So I call the AQIS mail centre and get a different story, that mail is randomly opened by AQIS ( contary to the pamphlet information"opened by Australia Post) for survey by AQIS...Not good enough, which is it? Apart from the pamphlet indicating that there should have been another brochure enclosed about what can and cannot be mailed to Australia, there was no other information, including the brochure that should have been enclosed.
The customs declaration clearly stated it was a "dog collar" the weight would have told you it was neither all metal not used primary product, a feel of the package could have told you exactly what it was without knowing. I find this invasion into ones privacy neither in the interests of Australia's protection nor in the rights of the Government nor its bodies.

Of little boys fingers and how writing should be done

Had a meeting yesterday with Mr 6's pediatric occupational therapist ( P O/T). She saw him last week at school and assessed him. ( will the "assessing" of this boy ever end?) He has the pencil grip of a 4.5 year old and has hyper extended thumbs. His thumb at the first joint bends in a "U" almost which is a sign of low muscle tone, hence he pushes harder on the pencil or crayon to attain a better grip, he writes from the elbow or the shoulder, instead of the wrist. P, the P O/T; suggested a sloped writing board for him which was implemented almost immediately. We discussed about how children are taught too early the foundations of cursive script and get hooked on the little tails they need to place on their letters instead of the basic "ball and stick" version of learning to write of yesterday. Mr 6 does not recognise where a word ends and starts when he is attempting to write, he spaces all letters at equal intervals regardless of if they are part of a new word or not. SO you have s o m e t h i ng l i k e t h i s h a p p e n i n g b u t w i t h i l l f o r m e d l e t t e r s.
Hard to read isn't it? Imagine it scrawled all over an A4 sheet.
Anyway I have some more therapies to work with him on, join the dots are a good one but not too high in the numeric range so he can concerntrate on going from dot to dot. Any activity which helps upper body strength, hanging from the trapeze, climbing, etc. Getting him to air write his letters with correct starting point and formation in the air is good for his muscles to remember the formation of the letter, using a blackboard or white board allows the wrist to have the right curve to it needed for writing skills. Holding a coin to the palm of his hand with his ring and pinkie finger helps to increase the power part of the hand ( see you learn something new everyday). Getting him to write one really well formed and correctly initiated word instead of sentence will go a long way to helping him. And surprise of all, using UNLINED, yes UNLINED paper, as children like him get caught up in the mish mash of letter formation, tails, spelling and then top it all of with trying to keep it all on a line..Well, no wonder he is struggling.
I am glad his teacher bought it up and now the therapies need to be implemented at home but the P O/T wants Mr 6's aide to work on some of them with him during literacy... We'll see. I know his teacher will attempt to incorporate as many as possible into the classroom as she can. on that note, the P O/T mentioned that she found Mr 6's teacher to be patient, in control and aware of all aspects of the classes needs; a rare find indeed. This from a professional who spends her days in various classrooms in many local schools. Kudos to you Mrs R, as the kids say "You Rock".

"Chasing Cars" Snow Patrol and Greys Anatomy

Incitive, wonderous and bonus with Greys Anatomy clip...so sad. GA season ended last night on a clincer (what's new?). Predictions for the new season.
Meridith will go back with Mc Dreamy ( Shepherd)Really, how long can they pay Chris O'D for?
Issie will get back with shithead( Kovack)
Kelly will turn out to be some sort of psycho a la the nurse in that Stephen King novel
Yang and Perfect Preston will split up

My baby's FOUR now

As of 13 minutes ago (1334) my baby became a four year old. We had "Acdonals"( Mc Donalds) for lunch as his birthday lunch *gags and dry retches* . We shopped for his birthday cake. He got a present from his sister ( travel MagnaDoodle) and his brother ( Lightning Mc Queen car with removable wheels) and Granpas present, he picked himself ,which is a hobby horse..You know a horse head on a stick thing, he loves it and granpa will be happy as he will think his youngest grandchild is following him into equine breeding. He has told any one who we crossed paths with today that it is his birthday and are they getting him a present, including the lady from Energy and Water Ombudsman, the parcel delivery guy, the lady at Acdonals, Mr 5's teacher, the school secretary, two mums whom I don't know, three mums who I do know and the guy at my favourite fruit stall a the Vic Market today. He's tries, I'll give him that.
Tonight he'll get his big pressies, a Tonka helicopter and a wooden garage for the umpteen hundred Matchbox and HotWheels cars they have, courtesy of Mattel Toy Club membership. NAH NAH NAH.
Childrens birthdays are unique at this age ,as the concept of it all is lost to them apart from presents, cake and some special treats ( he ate 3 Vic Market donuts) For the other children, you might score a pressie from a grandparent who cannot bear not to give a present to everyone or if you get to pick a present for your siblings, you might be able to con your parent that "yeah, he really wants the Buzz Lightyear outfit" or "Yes, she told me she wanted a skateboard complete with kick plate". For relatives and friends it's and time for indulgence and spoiling. As a mum, it's a time of wonder as to where it all has gone to, awe that they learn so fast, joy that small things still make them happy( sometimes) and sadness that it has all happened so fast.

Happy Birthday my bubby boy

Watches and Birthdays

Bit of a mismatch of stuff really. Those ,who know me, know I am not really into jewellery, in fact, if I got robbed they'd send the stuff back COD. I wear two sleeper earrings and two diamond studs in my ears, my wedding band, my claddagh ring, my mums wedding band and my grandmothers wedding band and an apraxia kids support bracelet. That's it. I wear a watch on weekdays so I know what time lunch is and what time I have to pick up the kids. But I have found something I like a lot. I was searching to see if the cheapo character kids watches 2IC brings back from OS are of any resale value on eBay and spotted this Krug Bauman Principle.
There is an UK eBay store selling them for about $112 in daily auctions, they have a big turnover and lots of feedback but some of the feedback is BAD. I have never liked a piece of jewellery so much and have been watching the auctions of these timepieces with interest. Over three months I haven't found anything close in any retail outlet..I love this watch, did I say that already? Anyway, I like these watches and if any one knows where they sell them retail, let me know.
Mr 3 becomes Mr 4 on a few days and he received a letter yesterday from the local council immunisation group, complete with generic birthday card and immunisation schedule for the area. Point of note, if sending info about N-E-E-D-L-E-S to parents via cutesey kiddy birthday cards don't include the info with the card complete with piccies of caracticture needles or simply don't address the letter to the child. Mr 3 thinks he's getting a needle for his birthday and doesn't want a birthday now. Thanks for listening.

News, Views and Appointments

Amidst it all, the year is drawing to a close and Mr 3 is soon to be Mr 4, Mr 6 has decreased pencil grip skills and Miss 9 ...Well, girls become bitches so much younger today, I think.
Mr 3 has been coughing for a week or two and has been back and forward to the Drs.. It was a toss up if it was croup or asthma (Please, not asthma) So he was treated with Redipred for three days and with a follow up appointment on Friday, coughing is still there and "noises" in the chest; so we were on a three day trial of Ventolin four times a day. Today ,we were prescribed Seretide( which is a preventer rather than inhibitor) and tomorrow we go for a peak flow test and some other investigative measures. Fun, fun, fun. But he is miserable,grumpy and tired, I wish he'd sleep in the day time ,but alas and alack, he gave that up for Lent a year ago and failed to resume it. LOL.
Mr 6 has decreased pencil skills over the past few month and despite the best efforts of his teacher and myself, he is writing in a worse manner than he was at the commencement of the year. We decided to find a pediatric occupational therapist ( P O/T) to help, scarce as the provebial hens teeth and school visits..What's that? What is the use of not being able to assess a child's problems if you are unable to observe the entire enchilada? The desk, chair, paper, everything..I'm not a O/T but even I know you need to see the environment. Anyway, SCHC has a P O/T who does school visits and as Mr 6 was a member of the EIP group there, we are able to access the service.
PROBLEM: School has to be invoiced, not me.
PROBLEM: Mr 6's funding is committed to the aide time for the remainder of 2006
SOLUTION: Ask the school to split the bill 50/50
Ain't life grand when a plan comes together?
His speech pathologist is doing a school visit this week and this was co ordinated by his classroom teacher and the S/P, unbeknownst to them the DP organised the P O/T visit for the same day and yes, folks 15 minutes into his S/P session time. So despite the best laid plans of mice and women, some men do stuff it up. Right now, we are anxiously waiting the return call from the P/O/T to see if she can switch her time as the S/P was booked first and she coming from Gisbourne.
Miss 9 has been in the intricate world of little girl Bitchland. You know the "I'm not playing with you if you're friends with her" the "let's not play with her" gang mentality. I stay right out of it as it has a tendency to be :
a) overrated
b) you only have one bias side of the story
c) has embellishments
d) is over before you can do anything anyway
However, there is one child whom three other parents requested that their children not be in a class with this year( NO, NOT ME AND NOT MINE) They discreetly wrote letters requesting this of the school and it was complied with. This child's( Child A) parent is happily unaware of this and is a bit sad that the girls were separated this year for the first time since kindergarten. Miss 9 has been happily playing with two of these children, on and off, for most of the year. During the last week of Term 3 there was an incident where one of these children told Child A that she could not play with herself and Miss 9 as Miss 9 had a note in her diary stating she was not to play with Child A. A dispute arose and a teacher decreed that they were NOT to play with Child A. No such note exists and we have always told Miss 9 that she plays with whom she wishes and if she wishes not to play with someone, she does not have to. Child A's mother took it upon herself to get my mobile number and text me all weekend about everything but what was said by the other child, saying that Miss 9 and Child A had a falling out and perhaps we should get together over coffee and allow them to sort it out. I advised her that Miss 9 played with whom she wished and we did not interfere. 2IC was ropable over the texts and eventually the child's mother raised the matter of the alledged diary note. I told her there was not such thing, offered her the opportunity to view Miss9's diary and that it was not Miss 9 who passed on the information but another child and that was the last I heard of it.
This term we have the children attempting to follow the instruction given to them by the teacher, not to play with Child A ( strange instruction ,I thought) and Child A goes crying to teacher and hey, bingo...Miss 9 and two others are told off in front of the class by the same teacher who instructed them NOT to play with Child A but now for NOT playing with her. I understand that this teacher as Child A's class teacher is under considerable ( almost daily visits from the parent of Child A)pressure but she needs to be aware of the whole situation and another parent has made her aware of the letters now. However, Miss 9 was in tears all Thursday afternoon, her class teacher tells me. The class teacher has the same philosophy as me, let them sort it out. She tells her class that she is grown up and doesn't like some people so she doesn't play with them. I like the woman!!!!
I really think the mums who don't want this child in the class with their children need to be up front about it with the parent because, as it stands, she is blaming all the resulting skirmishes on any other child.
So, enter the world of tweens Bitchland Central. I am so over it all.

On a brighter note, my childrens god mother aka THE GODMOTHER is PREGNANT!!!!!! 10 weeks to go and we all just found out, she found out three weeks ago...BIIIIG SHOCK, totally unexpected. More at a later date, complete with explanation. I am still getting over the that my" little" cousin and godchild is having S-E-X...She's 32 after all but still....

BAM!!!

Diddums, How sad * sob, sob* that candidates for elections place their own inflated self importance above those they claim to represent. Non invitation to an information session results in tanties to the local rag and then the very apt, tongue in cheek response that “were'nt aware” the person was a candidate. WHAM!!! Bet that hurt!!

Perhaps, we need to rethink history a bit and recall a bit of name calling and we might have a glimpse at the answer…but hey, that’s just me. Maybe the person is so insignificant on the political score board that they really didn’t know they were a candidate. ROTFLMAO

Perhaps the session wasn’t required to be turned into a circus of irrelevant rhetoric complete with tales of woe and betide to the media.

Or maybe they just didn’t want this person there. Who could blame them, a one person circus is bad enough, a self indulgent one way circus is worse but a so called candidate for an area encompassing tens of thousands who fails to see beyond their own backyard is a recipe for disaster.

Roll on November.

Excerpts from an INTERESTING diary or two....

EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DIARY

Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MUM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MUM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30 pm - ooooooo. bath. bummer.
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MUM! MY FAVORITE!





EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DIARY

DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape,and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.

DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded; must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair...must try this on their bed.

DAY 762... Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night.

DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmm. Not working according to plan.

DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time, however, it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.

DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes filled with what they call "beer." More importantly, I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Alas, due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured...for now.

But I can wait, it is only a matter of time....

Day 775 - The horrors! The worse creature my captors could have devised to torment me with was another hideous cat! I can't stand the way it lies around and looks at me as if it knows more than I do. This creature seems to despise me as much as I it. I had held out a passing notion that another of my own kind would have enabled me to conspire against the villains who hold me; now I see that I was wrong. What a dreadful creature! And yet they coo over us both. Can they not spot my innate superiority?

Day 776 - The other cat and I, though we can not stand one another, have yet managed to both pee copiously behind the couch, on the so-called "shag" carpet. I have taken a lesson from my rival and begun sleeping on top of my captors' heads in the hope of suffocating them.

Day 777 - The wardens take much interest in our $hit. They make sure they sift through the sand and pick it all out. Their interest in $hit does not surprise me. After all, they like the dog.

Day 778 - The other cat seems to have an interest in copulation, which (thank them for their sadism) my captors will soon "fix". Told him of the fingernail torture, and he didn't even believe me. I showed him my mutilated paws and he gasped in horror. Then I broke the bad news. "You know why that dog licks his nuts?" I said, "It's because he still has nuts to lick, if you catch my drift." I fully support the horrors my captors will inflict upon my fellow captive, tearing away his manhood as they soon will.

Day 779 - Yes, they are monsters, but I am so happy. They fixed the other cat. It's sadistic, it's sick, it's inhuman, it's what their great leader "Bob Barker" commands, but -- the Sphinx be praised -- I support it wholeheartedly!

Day 780 - Got stoned on cat nip tonight. At the height of it all, I had a vision, a hallucenogenic revelation: they are the prisoners and I am the captor! Why haven't I seen this all before?
__________________

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Now this is FUN!

Bubblewrap..I love it and if this site keep the kids out of my supply. I will be happy.

Some people should check their facts.....

I really feel for you guys and you sue because you are all linked with those superstars of probity and accountability
george seitz and nardella. What a couple of fine chaps they are,
jack | 10.13.06 - 8:57 am | #

Gee ,I would really, really hate to have to take some one to task over such claims. Y'see I have never met any one called Nardella or Seitz. I believe they are State representatives in the State Government but I have never met them and do not know them. So I am linked how so? I would not have met them when I was working as I worked for the Federal Government. I am not a member of any political party, nor have I attended any political launches. I do not support any one party but if a party has the same idealologies; as I ;as their platform, I may well tick a box as opposed to my usual slogans and drawings on ballot papers. You see technically I have not voted as such since HoWARd gained power, I have my name marked off on the roll is all.
So people with shit for brains and the amorality equal to those they claim to protect the community from really should stick to playing with rubbish removal bins.

Some people......

I am on a rant , rant, rant rant...Can you hear me fuming from where you are? Good, because I am ropable. I was in a local retail establishment today..Which if they are lucky, will remain nameless. I wanted to get a noticeboard for the kitchen for school notices which are accumulating on my fridge doors. Any way, whilst I was purchasing the item, Mr 3 was looking at things in the shop. It has pencils, pens, stationary, envelopes, paper, etc. In the front windows; fully accessible by all and sundry; are ceramic animals. Suddenly, the fellow serving me YELLS

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!!!"

He then tells me, "He was going to touch something"..He was referring to Mr 3. I was and still am shocked that someone would
1) Yell at some one else's child, especially when they don't even know them
2) Risk their business name when they have just taken over the shop
I advised him that I did not appreciate anyone yelling at my child and there was a higher chance of breakage from shock/fright from the yell than curious fingers. He says there was no malice intended but the damage is done...They have lost a customer, I might not be worth much alone but word travels..........
So to the new shop owners, I wish you luck and maybe someone will break all your precious little curios in one fell swoop...I can always hope.

ACME "HOW TO RUN FOR GOVERNMENT"

STEP 1: Run some old, furphies like the "Sunbury Out OF Hume" malady, and the Sunbury needs a hospital up the flagpole.

STEP 2: Toss in a few things that are Federally allocated and controlled and hope no one notices.

STEP 3: Write into the local rags ( as they are the only one who'll print tired attempts at Machiavellian logic) as many times as you can.

STEP 4: Be seen at the newly formed party and have it reported in the papers but not the locally read ones

STEP 5: After the party falls by under scrutiny and its co creator falls into a ravine of questionable ethics.

STEP 6: Leader of newly formed Party must then deny Leadership tenure.

STEP 7: Do a quick back step from the party via a local paper,claiming independence.

STEP 8: Write to the local papers with issues of STEP 1..What we already did that in STEP 3? Oh, well so much for insight,understanding and knowledge of local REAL local issues.

I guess that's why it's the cartoon version of "How To....." Candidates loss of their grip on reality!!!

Mayne Monday Madness Midday

Very very intersting veiwing, personally, I just lioke the song LMAO

We went to the Royal Melbourne Show

As the title suggests we went to the RMS yesterday which was the first day and historically ( read pre Kaiser Kennett) a public holiday in metro Melbourne ; for whatever strange and oblivious reason 2IC's work still have this "holiday" as a public holiday, so as we had not been to the RMS for two years and it has been re vamped we decided to go. Apart form the incredibly LOOOONG walk from the Flemington Racecourse car park ( $12 parking) and then the old Weekly Times shed and the goats, sheep enclosures at the end of the grounds are shut up and still being revamped so it still a longer walk to the entrance, it was nice. I say nice, as there are aspects of the show I miss. The central arena as we all once knew it, is gone and only the Woodfull stand remains, the arena that once had the judging, grand parade, fireworks, stunts cars, etc that we all had to walk around to get form one side of the grounds to the other is now a town square with ample seating, tables, chairs surrounded by food outlets, and a stage with constant entertainment. All arena judging is in the new CocaCola Arena, which is smaller compared with the old arena which also doubled as a night time trotting racetrack in the show off season. It is so small that if judging on one event goes into overtime ( as did the 2 year old filly Clydesdales yesterday) all other events are not on time for the remainder of the day..So don't rush to see anything but may have just been day one teething issues. Despite the entry price being pretty high for most families and the pricing being suspiciously geared towards making you buy a family ticket anyway. ( $22 per adult, $11 per child, under 5 free=$64 for us but a family ticket 2 adults, three children was $60) and the cost of food and drink is very high, it is a good day out if you limit the showbag purchases and take your own lunch. We did limit showbags to one junk,marketing bag each (priced to $20) and bought the family mega bag which has all kinds of cocoa based product goodies plus some old favorites like Bertie Beetle, Fruit Tingles...Stuff you are embarrassed to buy individually at the milk bar but ok about buying en masse at the Show. We also got the Treasure Hunt bag, formally known as the Weekly Times "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" bag. You buy the bag ($13) complete with map free newspaper, on the map are specified places where you collect a freebie sample for the bag...It is as close to the way the Show was for some of our parents and grandparents. It was produce based and samples were given out. My eldest enjoys the collection of goodies and the hunt takes you to some parts of the show many might not venture into usually.
Some of the old favorites are gone, such as the old wooden cattle pavilions, now an ultra modern venue housing all the cattle, sheep and goats but the walkways are not as wide as the were in the old ones and the stalls not as long. So, if stock is being moved to the judging ring; which is also housed in this venue;you need to move to one side and hope that the stock in motion does not do just that as it passes ..Have a motion; and that the stock you are standing less than a metre from does not do likewise. And my kids wondered why stock were being moved with someone walking behind holding a bucket close to the rear of the cattle!!!!! This is a poorly designed area, given that many non farming people enter the area and are put off by the smell ( which is a fine smell to me) the fact that they might be splattered with cow shit, to boot, is prohibitive to many even bothering. One sheep exhibitor was telling us how they laugh about the teenagers who venture no further than the door and they can tell the people who come from farms or have experience in primary producing as they don't worry about the small shit only the big ones and know the signs of cattle about to design a paddock pizza and move about a meter away, outside the splatter zone. FYI: Watch for the tail lifting.
Drinks range from $3.50 to $4.00 for a bottle of water, fries/wedges are $4.00 to $5.00, dagwood dogs/hotdogs $4.00, some very, very fine eateries are about but prices are way off the range for what they are supplying. We took our own water bottles ,the kids had hot dogs and pancakes for lunch. 2IC had a steak burger which at $12 something was a rip off. They had the inevitable fairy floss which Mr 3 had never been fond of, Mr 6 would eat all day and Miss 9 just loves in small amounts. There is a lot of free stuff to be had, samples of organic chocolate,chocolate infused with merlot, pinot noir, port, pickled asparagus, cheeses, wine, beer, stickers, flyers, balloons, sample bags, balloons, info booklets, balloons. If so inclined you could eat lunch, dessert and beverages on samples alone...I noted a few people who I thought were doing just that.
There seems to be more space, however much of the section towards the racecourse is closed off still. I think it is because the stands that once surrounded the arena are all but gone and the area opens up to lot more space and seating facilities. I did notice ,with much joy, that the fast food outlets that once almost dominated the food areas in 2003 ,no longer exist...That's right, no KFC, Mickey D's, Hungry Jacks, Pizza Hut, or other franchised fat retailers. Lots of sole proprietor, restaurant based quality(?) food to choose from at often exorbitant prices. Rentals site fees must be a real killer.
The animal nursery is bigger and better with sheep yarding demos, milking, shearing, and all styles of "Country comes the the city" type of stuff. I do not like unrelated; yet juxtaposed ;sponsorship of the nursery by major bank. Nor do I like the sellout of the arena being named after a major soft drink maker. Perhaps the RAS could look at listing the RMS on the stock exchange,ownership by the people, limited stock to everyone...Minimum $50 share purchase, no major shareholders who would sell it off for a profit. In lieu of dividends, shareholders can opt for passes ( much like discount s offered to retail shareholders) to the RMS. No more outside conflicting sponsorship involved then. That way allows the event to be accessible to many more, places ownership back in the hands of the people..Just a thought as the RAS give away too many free passes as it is which is why it is so dear for every one else to get in. If you have a RAS membership, at $115 for an adult, and $65 for a child; let your friends use it at $40-$50 a pop over every day of the show, you not only make your money back but a tidy little profit as well. This little scheme is well used by many exhibitors thereby putting the entry price up for many too. Good on them, I say, as without their entrepenorial skills; many families would not be able to attend.
For me, the Royal Melbourne Show means some things never change but then again some things never should.

This is sooooo ME

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs , they call me a BITCH
When I stand up for those I love, they call me a BITCH
When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts or do things my own way, they call me a BITCH,
Being a BITCH means I won't compromise what's in my heart
It means I live my life MY way.
It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.
When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak against it, I am defined as a BITCH.
The same thing happens when I take some time for myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish.
It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of who they think I "should be".
I am out spoken, opinionated and determined.
I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!
So stomp on me, try and douse my inner flame,try and squash every ounce of beauty held within me,
You won't succeed.
And, if that makes me a BITCH, so be it.
I embrace the title and proud to bear it.

Politico Ass...Ars....Aspirants

I'm getting a bit tired of the political games being played out by some aspiring politicos ( read would be's if the could be's) It' s actually quiet funny to read the hogwash being spread about by several local aspirants ( who shall remain nameless as they have a perchance of cruising the blogsphere and /or "googling' their own name in a desperate attempt to justify themselves, they also like to waste time and money on lose/lose/LOSER court cases but we won't go there...YET). One promises everything that looks like a hospital, smells like a hospital but isn't a hospital. And little else. The other flutters about on the perennial of a party who would not be seen dead agreeing to the warped ideals of "Spot the Rock Spider" and my rights outweigh your rights. So amusing to watch them being used in a game that cannot be won, why else lob up a self employed socialite and accept token "Please let me be a member" second prefs from an independent? Challenging to read the attempts by one to talk about a hospital, promise something like a hospital or an inquiry but not actually say...You can have a hospital. It's all in the vocab ..Use the word often enough and people will believe it might happen. A sort of "say it and they will believe" scenario. It will be interesting, to be sure,whilst one attempts to say, write and repeat the "H" word without one being built and they other hobby horses about with rhetoric about criminals rights being greater than victims and bogey men deviants around every corner. Bit like kids in kindergarten actually.