A funny thing happens when you tell lies.....

...your credibility becomes lower than it already was ;at below whole numbers (if it existed at all before). See, if you tell porkies about essential government services closing down, some one , some where is going to call you to account...BIGTIME.
Enough people know enough about local services to know that one such as this would not and could not close down and move away. We aren't all as gullible as they teach you in the "Become an estate agent in 10 days" crash course from NSW.
Maybe people who have leases with govt. departments should keep their mouths shut to their mates too, that'd be a good idea. Be a shame if the management of the govt department put two and two together and got five...and made the decision based on someones indiscreet chatter. They have a lovely little facility known as "media watch " in all govt departments which haunts cyberspace waiting for little gems such as that to appear, so the staff,management,ministers and such all know who started the rumour and who they are associated with...

Bragging Rights

Never one to brag really but I got my marks for first semester, needles to say...you cannot do much better and I beat out a lot who thought they were younger by that fact... smarter...HAHA. Let's just say that age, experience and having a brain that acts like a sponge with mind that can formulate valid arguments that prove that Austen was a writer limited by her own lack of experience goes further than having just been to India with Daddy and mummsie.

There is no charge for awesomeness.....but bad food and service cost you.

We set out Saturday to take the terrible three to the movies. We were going to see Narnia or as it is otherwise known here..Narna and Prince Capsicum. As Miss 11 is going out later in the hols with a friend for birthday treat to see this and as it is rated "M" we thought better of it so Kung Fu Panda it was. We had a gift voucher of $50 to use so we went to the other large movie theatre rather than our local one...big difference in prices and venue cleanliness that's for sure. Stick with Readings people, you will be happier and better off in the pocket.
After the movie we went to the local pizzeria/restaurant "La Porchetta" at Sydenham. When we entered the place was half empty..it was only 5.45 on a Saturday evening anyway, when we asked for table for five, we were asked if we had a booking! A booking?...it's a pizza place in the burbs FGS not Vlados. We said OK we'll go if there's no room*looking about at 40 plus empty chairs and 20plus empty tables in a half full restusrant* "No, I'll fit you in somewhere" was the reply. We really should have cut our losses then and left. Eventually we were seated and it was no biggie as it involved moving two tables together...any one would have thought we asked for snow from the South Pole. Anyway we ordered drinks and and when they came my Coke was supplied in a bottle SANS glass and 2IC's beer was supplied the same way. 2IC requested a glass and was supplied with a soft drink glass of some type but it was not a beer glass. When our meals arrived, Mr 8's pizza was supplied on the cooking pan with no dinnerware and the waitress attempted the pass the HOT dish to him from the other end of the table!! Other meals were passed across the table and over others heads. I know it's only a pizza place but even the most remote drive in diner with table service knows to serve tables from the left and clear from the right. That is with food. As far as beverages you serve them from the right. A good rule of thumb is to never serve with the back of your arm facing your guest. This is BASIC stuff any server learns...obviously not the waitresses at La Porchettas, Sydenham. As for the food, well Mr 8 had one slice and insisted the pizza was" yukky" in the middle, Miss 11 ate most of her lasagna but was sick in the toilets afterward...WTF! And Mr 5 ate some of his childrens size lasagna. 2IC's seafood pasta marinara was "soapy" had too much tomato paste...yes, paste, not tomatoes. My fungi con pollo penne was from the night before and was reheated and the chicken was red meat...stuff you boil for soups and such...YEECH. All in all, a place never to be revisited or recommended except to advise others to avoid it at all costs.

School Reports and Tee-Ball

Well, it's that time of year again with the local Winter Round Robin Tee ball competition behind us and reports upon us. I coached the senior Tee ball team this year, even switched a class to do it...not that anyone cared. The teachers would just re organise the sports sessions and I'd only find out when I'd signed in and turned up and even once dragged all the equipment out. I'm only doing it because its Miss 11's last year and the kids who usually go into tee ball and softball have limited resources to help them for the games ( ie: the teachers don't know how to pay). Our school fields Gr 5 and 6 for this comp and the other field Gr 6's only and the mixed/boys teams are usually all boys against our MIXED boys and girls. Anyhow, the teams played excellently and played against some tough competition but held their own with consistency in their batting: 8,10,8 which was brilliant. I love it that I can stack a batting order to maximise the children's run rate and no one is none the wiser. Their fielding was excellent and apart from the big hitters at some school( which is no real skill in tee ball) they kept most hits to within two throws of the catcher, they watched, made excellent decisions on where to throw and were only beaten by a maximum of 4 home runs in one comp, which was their worst loss. I won't be switching any classes for softball in term 3 as it seems that after a while your contribution is taken for granted a bit because you are ALWAYS there to coach...so if I have a morning off I will coach softball but I will coach on the day of the comp provided I have no presentations or tests to undertake. I don't expect a thank you every time but being told in advance that training has been changed or canceled would be nice.



School reports and the "celebration" of mediocrity. When did a 'C' become so acceptable and an "A" so unobtainable? I have missed nothing but noted the subtle shift in this trend by the Govt and education system to place all our children within a 'benchmark' of acceptability. They have utilised the AIMs/NAPLAN system to set the benchmark since 2003 then revamp the reporting system to reflect the inadequacies of the education system by making a mid range mark reflective of the abilities of the majority as being acceptable instead of the aim for the best you can be 'A'. So that's right kids, just be a sheep and learn like everyone else, don't try too hard because unless you are 6-12months ahead of your peers, you get no recognition for it anyway.
As an educator, I should be embracing of the this new system ( so I am told) as it allows many students to feel equal to their peers, sorry, I'd rather have my students ( and my children) striving to be better than acceptable. If a 'C' is celebration, than why bother to apply yourself too much if you are on track for the 'C'. Miss 11 had fallen into this trap because she was denied the 'A' she deserved because her chronological age placed her at a disadvantage as the work is graded by year level not age, she knew she was good, even better that others in her class but could but could not get that elusive 'A'. 2IC and I were even told in 2004 that she was on 'A' in English but the 'A' was removed by the principal because no one else had achieved that level in the school at that time. So now we celebrated mediocrity in our children instead of allowing them to shine upon themselves and others creating a sense of "if they can do it ,I can do it" Ad Altoria.

Hello again

Well, I've been very busy so I apologise for the interruption to this service but after twelve plus weeks of study and PC stuff...I'm a bit over the whole PC for entertainment bit so I have had a bit of a break from blogging. I have a few (5,6,7 weeks) before the highway of higher education resumes and I'm waiting for the new timetable to show itself so I can see if my electives will fit, being they are final year subjects. I'm still doing my rounds on Saturdays and will continue to do so until end of October with the option of continuing through to end of November. There have been a lot of drop outs from the course which makes you wonder why they work so hard to get into it in the first place. Could it be that their ideal of the career choice is not all they thought it was? Or does having three or sometimes four assignments due within a two week period really freak them out? I think its more the self control and discipline needed to do the required reading, research and such...no one is at you to do it,it is just assumed you have done it.

The kids are fine, thanks for asking; and despite Miss 11 wanting her ears pierced for her 11th birthday, she has has issues with replacing the sleepers after wearing some decorative ones to her cousins 21st on Saturday. Seems the holes have commenced to heal over and I cannot get sleeper nor stud through with out literally having to re pierce her ear!! So we have decided to allow them to heal over and re do them near the end of the year...and I am so looking forward to that one, Yuri!!!Mr 5 is a social butterfly of parties and playdates and I really wish some one would have the economic and social smarts to develop a children's play centre again in Sunbury al-la the one we had in Horne St until early 2003 as I am over the Mc D's and HJ's parties that everyone is having for their kids. Mr 8 is coming along well but I feel the teacher of choice is only going through the motions of inclusion and such, she seems more concerned with what his aide and I discuss rather then being part of any discussion, and the student well being officer, well, administrative wise she's good but again...needs to learn a lot about the system. Just because a child has been given an ADDITIONAL diagnosis which is NOT the primary diagnosis, does not mean the child is now X instead of Y and will no longer be funded...not your decision, not your call, sweetheart!

Integrity, huh?

What exactly does it entail to have integrity? The Oxford dictionary defines it as 'wholeness, soundness, uprightness and honest; noun 1 the quality of being honest and morally upright. 2 the state of being whole or unified. 3 soundness of construction.'

Now if we take it as a noun applied as a character description we have: honest, wholeness,and morally upright.

Hmmm, so if someone were to know about something that was confidential-in-confidence YET alleges that someone else breached that in camera code YET that the first person was not privy to the information nor part of any consultations regarding the information...how is that person to know the alleged information was a) commercial-in-confidence or b) told in camera? Unless some other individual told said, first person . Bit of double standard there with the word integrity, me thinks. Not a lot of 'wholeness' of the story either.

Gets tricky, doesn't it? Moving on to the matter of honesty...now its a matter of some conjecture as to what makes an honest man. Thomas Jefferson once stated

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Melish, January 13, 1813

Or as Pope said,

An honest man is the noblest work of God.

Alexander Pope
English poet & satirist (1688 - 1744)

So by the definitions of these illustrious historical figures, an honest man is one of fairness and social conscious, who was created by God. Ok, then we have;

Honest people don't hide their deeds.
Emily Bronte

So we have social conscious, God fearing, and open about all matters and what of 'morally upright'? Do you have to be upright in the sense of publicly seen to be upstanding in order to have morality? Or can a person be upright by the above definition yet amoral?

Or still ;is a person capable of being morally destitute whilst still proclaiming to be the litmus test for integrity? The answer is a resounding 'NO".

A person cannot hold themselves up in judgment of an attribute, they have no comprehension of nor possess themselves. In the definition of integrity, many other characteristics come to light and in assessment of these characteristics it would seem that to question the integrity of one persons alleged actions ; places the integrity, honesty, wholeness and morality of others on a far higher platform for query.

Oxford or Harvard..?

No, I have not been offered a scholarship to these halls of learning (you never know) but I was intrigues today at during a history tutorial when we were critiquing a recent essay from the other tutorial group. We were discussing the referencing systems used, it seems the education stream student use Harvard: quoting author, title, edition and page after the quote and as a past Arts student I use Oxford as I studied history and literature and later, law but use Harvard for my education stream subjects only. I was surprised that one student ( 2nd year) announced he had never been penalised for mis use of referencing system and only ever uses a bibliography. Myself, and several others were aghast at this. I was also shocked at the standard of writing the essay in question offered and the tutor stating it covered all aspects of the rubric for a good grade!! This despite the author using both Oxford and Harvard referencing...good trick that one.
On another aspect, I took Miss 11 to the movies with a few friends to see Nim's Island.
It is a fantastic movie but has it's flaws which are lost to many kids, some reviews of it canned it others have applauded it. There are a few too many things happening at once and a child younger than 12 would not see the parallel of JackRusoe( Ruscoe sounds like Crusoe as in Robinson Crusoe) and Alex Rover being the same actor. The whole Australian cruise ship finds the 'deserted' island ideal is a bit too rough and ready and cartoon like and the back and froing between Nim, Alex and Jack's individual hurdles and the consequences of their actions can get a bit monotonous and confusing to a younger viewer. All in all, I liked it and will probably delve into the book on a whim.

Funny thing happened .....

...When you take a 10 almost 11 year old to get their ears pierced as I was apt to do this past Saturday. She had been very, very intrigued by the process for months and wanted it done and as it was hardly a whim birthday wish; she had asked prior to Christmas 2007... soI made the arrangements. We didn't hype her up about it but I was clear that it would hurt a bit and that hygiene was of the utmost importance when dealing with pieced ears. She was ok about it all and still wanted to do it. So off we went to our appointment and she was asking a few questions about the same stuff we had gone over, but being the ever patient mum I re answered them for the eleven hundred time. When we arrived she was able to choose from a series of stud type earrings which she was very quick to do, so quick in fact I asked her to look at all the choices and she told me to pick!!! Hmmm, 'we may not be doing this' I thought then. We ,then, realise that despite all the information we had been given, the actual operation,per say,was not being done by two attendants simultaneously but by one. Which meant that one ear would be done, than another. Given her strange and off handed attitude to choosing something...jewelery related, let alone, sparking and shiny; I had visions of leaving with a distraught child with one ear pierced!
Miss 10 Almost 11, had one done then started with "It hurts, it hurts, ow it burns"
and the attendant sprayed the ear with some anti infection spray and then it was "Ow, it stings, it stings" 'Here we go, I'm leaving with a child with one earring' I thought to myself, but she trooped on and had the other one done( repeat all of exclamations from above). Then as I was sorting out payment and care details, she comes up with "I'm gonna be sick" and has turned a lovely shade of white usually reserved for those on deaths door. We sit her down, with a rubbish bin and the lovely, S who had done the piercings got her a cold towel and we tried to get her to eat a sugar sweet. As S, explained to me she thought Miss 10 was too calm and has seen it several times before (only in Sunbury), all the sugar in their system is taken up by anxiety and stress and they crash after the event. After about 20 minutes. Miss 10 was fine and off we went. Now we have to wait 6 weeks before the "I love those earrings" starts, luckily school rules limit the type of earring permitted.
Despite this, Miss now 11 had a lovely birthday, ending in a family dinner at her favorite restaurant. She was given a money from relos for her birthday and as Mr 8 had birthday money and Mr 5 had a find of $20 on the floor of the supermarket a few weeks ago. They also bought some things they wanted. Miss 11 got a new bunny complete with clothes from "Build- A Bear".
She already has a bear with clothes but you can never have too many stuffed toys as a girl!!
Mr 5 bought some mew clothes for Kangraoo Jack at the same shop and Mr 8 went with 2IC to get his Transformer PLUS he got a new PS2 game..so every one was happy.

I'm BAAAACK!!

To all who know me, know where I've been ( right here) and what I've been doing( not blogging). I am making my way and carving my niche at the new undertaking of my life and it's not that hard to fall back into the routine I knew, with the exception of outings to the pubs ( not done any more it seems) and sitting about the caf., neither of which I do now because I have to collect the terrible three from school or a friends place. Mr 5 has settled into school nicely, reads well and sings all the songs he learns to us. Mr 8, yes we missed that one on line, had a birthday in February with a Wild Action party....snakes and a croc, and a kookaburras and lizards...it was a hit!!!
Miss 10 is now a senior and vice sports captain of her house, she was even a school captain candidate!!! She has her illustrious senior jacket and has not been the only one wearing it these past over 30 degree days. Much to the dismay and horror of many parents.
Suffice to say we are all learning and some of us are re learning what we did know and learners are teachers too you know.

Three lunchboxes

There's three lunchboxes on the kitchen bench now,
Bright and shiny and new
There's a bigger rush in the morning now
"Are you sure those socks fit you?"
There's a blur of green and yellow about here
Yet no one has a tear.
Its a rush and tear about, whilst Lego ships are built,
And I ask again and again
About teeth brushing, which to kids is such a pain.
As children pull on their jumpers,
And I ready them for the twice daily trip
The washing's in the washing machine and dishes in the washer
I'm brave enough and busy enough
Not to let my bravado slip.
Because now I have three lunchboxes,
Bright and shiny and new
Now my babies are all at school....
What the hell am I gonna do???

Christmas, New Year And Beyond

Well Santas been and gone and a new year is upon us all. I have been supa busy helping Santa and organising not sure exactly what but have just really been busy doing lots of stuff...story of my supa life, I guess. The children finished school and kinder with great results and Mr 7 got the teacher I requested; whether it was because of the request or not ..I really don't care. But another mum who is a teacher has told me "we need to have a long talk about who I choose in the new year" Trouble is it was the devil you know or the one you know yells too much. Time will tell..teacher H, who I requested has had a friends special needs child last year so her recommendation supported my opinion and observations . Miss 10 has AGAIN got the non preferred teacher she had for Gr 5 ... and to make matters worse this teacher is getting married in "08 so we all know what her priorities will be as most of us have organised a wedding whilst working, haven't we? *SIGH* And Mr 5 got the incredible R as his Prep teacher!!! Without so much as a hint of wanting her...what a start to his school life!!!

Santa bought the kids a trampoline with a safety net and everyone pitched in for a fun filled Christmas Day arvo putting it together. It was only fair anyway as the uncle. aunt. cousins and nana saw fit to give them a games table with soccer,pool, table tennis, and air hockey which required some assembly..yeah, right and the Styrofoam packaging was the type that breaks up into little balls and the boxes were like boats...so we had a white Christmas in the main lounge anyway. HAHAHAHA!

2IC has been busy with home projects and such including building a outdoor BBQ area with built in BBQ....NICE.

The virulent neighbors (read "they who have no life") are up to their old tricks with a letter received before Christmas from a utility co alleging we were watering not only at 0815 am but watering our back lawn!!!!! POINT OF NOTE ...you can water lawn ANYTIME with recycled water, IDIOTS. Some people really need to stop looking over fences and stop being such hypocrites. We invited the water co to visit and see our yard which is watered via recycled laundry/bath water via a wheely bin and hose, we also invited them to visit our street and look at two of the very green lawns of the complainants. What goes around,comes around and revenge is a meal best eaten cold.

NYE was a blast with 2IC's new toy, iPod classic ,being rigged up to a six speaker system and music on tap via a docking station. Good friends, good food (2IC has almost mastered the ribs al la BBQ) good drink (apart from that bottle commemorative Draino someone had given to them HAHAHA) good music all equaled a good time till almost 0300AM!! Apart from one friends dog getting out and the ranger calling to tell us someone had it and the ensuing trip to collect the wayward canine and return him home to the safety of the laundry (bloody fireworks but hurray for the rangers working NYE) we stayed at Chez Supa all evening/morning.

Moving right along....

Mr 7 had his follow up appointment with his paediatrician and he has grown 3 cms and put on 1kg ..so much for the growth stunting side affect Ritalin is supposed to induce. We discussed his speech pathologists re testing for research purposes and his paediatrician was all for a paper being written on the effects of ADHD meds on children with auditory/expressive/ receptive delays...especially since Mr 7 had all the required interventions and tests prior to commencing formal education and his improvements in the areas can be attributed to the medication and not external factors. Try and convince someone who is being paid nicely and works their own hours to co author such a paper....snowballs chance in hell. Anyhow, his aide ( read guardian angel) and I spoke tongue in cheek about her coming with us to his next speech appointment, as it turns out, this is a very common occurrence as R, the speechie; has little to no time for school visits because of her increased and high demand workload. She even has a waiting list that he feels personally responsible for. So next appointment, Mr 7's guardian angel comes along too.

Mr 5 attended a session at school yesterday, for just over an hour he drew and did I don't know what in a classroom with 5 other newbies and the rest of this years preps whilst the parents were given a run down on the "You Can Do It" program and other things programs the school.. Here I was hoping to by pass that and sit in the yard and read...but no chance.

Now there is a study that shows that children diagnosed with ADHD catch up academically to their peers in about Yr 5...roll on then, He's turning into a whiz now with his nmemoinc skills what would he be like when he can retrieve and use all that stuff....bit like Supamum, socially inept and able to spout useless facts in a single sentence.

The school start money given to Victorian students commencing in Prep or Yr 7 by the State Government looks to be a fiasco in 2008. Instead of mailing out cheques from the Education Dept. they have opted for vouchers issued by the schools and able to be cashed after January 14,2008 at the POST OFFICE. Nice to let the schools know that DET have cited the initial contact if a problem arises to be the school..talk about passing the buck. And apparently the PO staff knew nothing of this....they do NOW!! And there is the little issue of DET "paying" schools and initial fee of $35 and a pro rata fee of $2 per voucher processed to cover the administration costs. Apparently this $$$ is not being passed on to the individual Catholic schools by the Catholic Education Office...nice little earner there for the CEO whilst our schools suffer.

Childrens lives and adult angst

Oh, to be a child again, with little concern but the perception of too much homework, not enough play time and having to get up early for swimming. As I often tell my three...Don't wish to grow up too quick or try and be older than you are; you are only a child for a little while but being grown up lasts a LOOOONG time.

The eldest two have commenced Milo cricket and whilst it is good, Mr 7 always groans about attending yet has a brilliant time throwing himself bodily on the ball. Miss 10 with all her softball skill, shows up some of the boys her age, but batting with the bat to the ground is just so WRONG! Now if only some of the parents would stop treating it as a Friday evening piss up...bringing eskies and beer, it's set a better example for the kids.

The year is nearing an end and Mr 7's speech pathologist has retested some cognitive receptive stuff from the CELF 4 ( Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, 4th edition) as a research into whether the Ritalin has increased his concentration spans, at a glance this was obviously a contributory factor as his progress looked remarkably different from a few month ago. We are under ongoing review by his pediatrician as the side effects can be varied and static so I am happy for regular follow ups.

My baby, turned 5 last month, he's a big boy now and goes to school next year. He is so independent and fun filled I actually enjoy having him at home, whereas with Mr 7; I relished the quiet time of his kinder time. A remote control truck was the order of the day for this birthday and although we did not get the requested talking version of Cars: Lightening Mc Queen or the Tonka truck with a plane, he has a wonderful time zooming the truck about the yard with Mr 7's remote control truck in pursuit. His grandpa's and uncle and aunts monetary contribution allowed him to go to the local toy shop and get his truck with a boat ( better than a plane) and of all things, a collection of plastic horses. He was allowed to pick what he wanted for a birthday dinner and he choose pizza, so we lobbed at a La Porchetta restaurant on the way back from some shopping...after checking the menu, no, he does not want dinner here. The conversation went something like this:

"But you wanted pizza and this is where they have pizza"
"No, I don't want pizza now" By now we have ordered drinks for three thirsty children
" Well, what do you want?" It's his birthday and he can push the envelope a bit
" Not pizza"
"Well, what do you want?" Envelope is tilting slightly to the red side now

" I dunno"

We eventually ordered pizza and pasta, and moved on to the ice cream place up the road for dessert. My little boy is growing up, no longer a baby in the physical sense but always my baby in the ideal sense.

Miss 10 is developing a wicked sense of humour and irony, she often creates nonsensical songs and ditties which her brothers copy with glee. She has been asked on a "date" by classmate and declined, too shy and shocked to accept. Apparently a 'date" in senior primary school consists of hanging about together...nothing new there; Miss 10 has about three male friends she hangs about with at school that I know of. She attended a senior leadership course a few weeks ago and now has aspirations of being a school captain. She becomes a senior buddy again next year to a prep child and the principal has realised that the youngest sister of Miss 10's own senior buddy ( who is now 18) will be starting in Prep, and Miss 10 hopes that history can repeat and she can be buddied with that child. It would be providence in a way.

I don't want to be the over zealous parent but really do not want Miss 10 o have the same teacher as this year for Yr 6. This teacher is all groovy and cool with the kids, often cranky and strict, gooey eyed for the male parents and tries the false empathy with the mums...it's a crock of shit. She is lazy and limited in her abilities to teach outside the curriculum, no library time has been allocated for this class all year and I wonder how the children who do not have Internet access at home, reference books at home or public library access got heir assignments done this year. "Not a teachers bootlace" is an expression that comes to mind. I also want Mr 7 to have a particular teacher next year and plan to make that request soon; I have asked this teacher if they are OK if I request Mr 7 to be placed with them and they are OK with it. A quandary now emerges, do I take the bull by the horns and also ask for Mr 5 to have the irrepressible, Mrs R, for his prep teacher? Taking my request to a "pick the teacher " style of parenting I really do not like to prescribe to. Methinks, I will ask for Mr 7 to be placed with the preferred teacher and leave the rest to chance.. I can always ask for a swap of Miss 10 once class assignments are made. WHO knows, she might get one of the new, whizz -bang, here to impress teachers who were interviewed last week.

What a turncoat.....

What a spectacular display of political horse shit Peter Garrett has shown. With the spinelessness of an amoeba, the spin doctoring to rival Monicagate and the loyalty of a hungry dog...he has single handedly destroyed any belief that the ALP will do any thing much for the environment if elected despite any promises to the contrary. Even Bob Brown has forgone his mate in greendom due to his lack of support to fight the pulp mill which is to be built by Gunns. Has Mr Garret forgotten the Franklin Dam issue of 1982/1983 when both the Opposition and Government supported the building of the dam but public outcry, protest and pressure won and the project was dropped? Does he forget that in his then profession as a lead singer of "Midnight Oil"; who were the musical personification of the environmental protester; he showed great disdain for the mechanizations of politics and associated environmental blunderings which he now seems so adept at. Give back your OA and your Australian Humanitarian Foundation Award, both for services to the environment...you don't deserve either now.

Funny about that.....

Some thing I noticed lately that would be of interest to local readers only ( sorry to the not so local viewers). There is a group touting them selves at Sunbury Residents Association or SRA. They don't advertise their meetings and which seem to be held in camera. No one knows who the membership involves or even if there is a membership! There seems to be one member only who rallies forth about supposed "residents issues" which always seem to be political issues. The minutes nor AGMs are not published ( to my knowledge) and there is no address to join...after all we are all residents of Sunbury and should be able to access an association which claims to be for the residents. Strange enough, when a certain faction of local councilors or individual councilor votes for or against a local issue, this mob of so call "residents" attempt to challenge the decision via various modus operandi. Including but not excluding, putting forth objections via the VCAT and writing amateur attempts to question some elected local representatives decisions on the issue. Seems a pattern here, a very revealing pattern.....if an openly affiliated political party member/s vote on a local matter the SRA and their wanna be cronies get involved. HMMMM could be the SRA is really a politico-support, party funded group in the guise of an 'advocacy' group? IF their membership is restricted and not publicized, where do their members come from? And where do they get their money for VCAT challenges against elected council officials decisions?

My little radical protester

Two weeks ago, 2IC was handed a pamphlet and Miss 10 wanted to read it..it was a info page about the Anti-Work choices march today. Miss 10 asked some questions about it and read some articles in the papers and heard first hand the issues her older cousins are having which requires them to work two or three part time/casual jobs instead of being employed full time..she decided she'd like to go and protest. Now, you might say that she has been "taught' this mindset by her parents and family; but no, we rarely if ever discuss politics around the children as many dinner table conversations revolve around school, sport or "eat your dinner!", "sit down" "leave the Lego alone"ilk. So this has manifested itself from her own views and opinions and a want to have a say. We explained to her the right to protest as being a democratic right and why the people were protesting. She decided that she wanted things to "be fairer and to be same for her as they were for us". So today is a daddy/girl outing to the march, The Ian Potter and the NGV as well as some prenegotiated stops at two "girly" shops and a look at some softball bats.
All in all, I am proud she has come early to the realisation that not every one enjoys the same rights and there is an outlet for that and a method to effect change.

What a winner!

Miss 10 arrived home from school last Thursday to an envelope from a print media competition page she regularly enters. It appears our budding artiste had again won a competition which gave her adult passes to Tesselaars Tulip Festival
As kids are free anyway plus she received a bonus of a free pot of tulips card too. We often attend this magical and wondrous place each spring and having a freebie was icing o the cake. It's a lovely drive and they have days dedicated to many nationalities including their own as well as three children's days with special activities for the children. The masses of flowers and the amount of work put into not only the farm but the retail operation and then to run this festival is awe inspiring. The place is a family home and each generation has built on the land or adjoining tracts, it's a family and community business and many new hybrids are named after employees and family members

WIN, WIN

It pays to complain if something is not right, really it does. I have been ont he phone to Telstra/Bigpond who have changed their billing system and now want almost 2 and 1/2 months of Broadband fees up front because of the new system which "98% of customers wanted" ( I must be of the 2% who weren't consulted) Disatisfied with Bigponds response I went to the TIO.
Two days past and today a lovely lady from Telstra calls to tell me the new system sucks and she's in the same boat and she credits our bill over $200 placing us in credit for a month also because we have been long standing customers with never a bill on arrears!!! HOWZAT!! Thank you, Dianna.
Win no 2 came about with our private health insurer, I called to check if Mr7's recent audiology exam was covered to be told the provider would have to be registered with the PHI and I would have to ask the provided to register with the fund. "Not my job, that's your job" I tell them. "No, you must use providers who are registered with us", they say. "That's restriction of trade", I tell them and "I will not do your job for you, I pay to have expenses reimbursed not to run about for you". Ask to speak to a manager and get told they will call me back, 10 minutes later a call comes back to say they will cover the claim as we have been with them for many years ( 7 years) . It pays to stay where you are if you are happy with the service, because when you aren't happy the years in, pay off.

Softball, PSGs and weekends away

Well, Miss 10's softball team did very well indeed. I was roped into umpiring two games for the girls team and looking out for them so rarely got to see Miss10 play as she plays on the mixed team. But when I did, well, the practice payed off...she caught one out when she played 3rd base and was savvy enough to tag a runner on a sneak at 2nd when the baseman there forgot. She bats like a Gatling gun too. As for the rest of the team, I had one boy come late to the team...by late, I mean that morning because we were short and he proved to be a great copy for pitching and took to it like a duck to water. The kids all played as I taught them, encouraging each other and the other teams, our catchers even handed bats to new batters, and our waiting batters stopped balls for the fielding team sometimes. All in the spirit of good sportsmanship. I did not teach them some of the subtitles of high level softball, the psychological pressure a pitcher/catcher team can apply, nor any of the nastier elements I know. This was; after all; a nice social round robin of 3 out/all in games or was it? Next year if I coach again, I will be teaching the teams a few choice tricks of the trade, nothing nasty or unsavory; just a few skills that they can use to enhance their already brilliant game. And as for the teacher who thinks she knows softball...I called her on not one , not two, but three occasions when she ruled against my team...seems the only way that team gets a win is her "make it up as you go along" rules..well, this time round she met her match and I stood my ground. It pays to be loud, know the game and carry a big copy of the rules!!!!

PSG's ...forget them, last one was Term 1, missed term 2's for god knows what reason, then term 3's was to allocated without consultation..you get told this is your time for your PSG and it was Mr 7's paediatricians appointment so we had to reschedule, that was over 6 weeks ago!! I have left 4 messages with the DP for times I am available for the PSG, to no avail. Now on the cusp of the end of term 3 with term 4 upcoming, I think know is the time for all good mums to make a call to the CEO( again) DET does not allow PSG minutes to be late nor to be held over so why am I waiting for my term two and three PSG still?

Weekend away, well, it was interesting but cannot say too much as what happens away stays away, don't ask, don't tell and all that . Suffice to say, if I ever hear the name "azzopardi" I will cry laughing.

No longer quarantined

Well, it appears most in the not so supa house are healthy again. Mr 7 who had a bad ear infection has recovered, Mr 4 had a croup like throat infection, then I got my usual throat infection, Miss 10 got a cold which affected her asthma and 2IC got pneumonia. All in all, some one( or two) was home sick every day for over TWO WEEKS!!! It also appears that Mr 7's grommets have come out and as they were present less than 12 months ago, the fact that he has an ear infection after being without infections for 5 years, may be indicative that they need to be replaced. All in all, he is doing well on Ritalin and astounded his teacher and aide a few weeks back with suddenly grasping the concept of 10's and units and creating his own maths equations with bundles of ten matches and singular ones. Result of Ritalin or placebo effect on us???

We've had a birthday, totally forgettable and unmemorable. The boys have a birthday party next week end as my pal, A; has bitten the bullet with her usually great and wondrous kids parties ( her two kids birthdays are only days apart so they have a share party)and under doctors orders is taking it easy with her sons birthday being at Mickey D's...hardly think the kids will mind, A. And the weekend after is her daughters Cafe Craft party, great idea and is being hosted by her craft orientated friend and her sister is doing the catering...smart move sending out menu options with the invite, so you only buy and supply the food you need. And I have my inaugural girls week end away coming up, we have a house for gratis, courtesy of one of the girls parents and whilst we are forgoing the massages and facials and pedicures and all that goes with it...we will be sans spouses and kids which in itself will be restful!


I have been coaching the softball teams for the Summer Round Robin at the kids school. Some very good players to be had and even more gutsy, "give it your all" players on both teams. Bit hard to take them from tee ball to soft ball in 5 weeks but they are in with a chance as they have an excellent understanding of the rules...only hope the rules apply unlike a certain teacher from a certain local school during tee ball who made up the rules as she went along. No matter anyway, the batting order is designed for some big hitters and small shockers; we have several pint sized dynamos at bat and some even faster pitchers, throw in a left handed batter who hits a home run every time and pitchers and catchers who have been taught to signal instead of call a "sneak" and you have two teams who will give the others a run for their money even with the sledging and "make it up as you go along rulings". Only this time, no more standing for it, if the rule is valid and not adhered, I will say so...one team lost due to runs being continued after an overthrow back to the catcher last time..no more Mrs Nice Now.