SPAM

The word 'spam" always makes me think of Dr Seuss - "I do not like green eggs and ham"..... I do not like spam. I've just reluctantly tightened up the access to my blog due to "click here" posts from weird names saying I have a virus, which I don't - yet! So I apologise that you now have to be moderated and type in those tricky letters, but I had a virus once and it was the death of my hard drive.

Busy weekend approaches, with both the community groups I am involved with requiring my presence ON THE SAME WEEKEND and I still want to do my sunny weekend things. and schoolwork. and housework. sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........

avagoodweekend, as we say in Australia!

Secret Sydney

I've had a whirlwind week living on Hong Kong time with my sister visiting to settle her daughter in to university in Sydney. We packed a lot in to our week, with me working and Anne and Julia organising uni during the day; at night - dinners out, movies, pasta & DVD's at home, nice wine; on Sunday - a lovely cafe brunch with extended family. After brunch we walked to the end of the road and explored the old BP (British Petroleum) site. The huge old oil containers have been filled in and the site handed back to the public. (Well, not to the original owners - the Aboriginal people) There is a wonderful rock carving of a whale, protected by just a low fence. The view is from an angle we don't see very often. The Opera House is just peeking over the edge. To make our day, a huge ocean liner sailed under the bridge and did a U-turn right in front of us. I <3 Sydney too !!!

Start spreading the news........

I'm going to be a part of it - New York, New York!! Just booked my ticket to NYC, getting in early - for 7th July...flying out of San Francisco on the 23rd July. I'm a nervous traveller, not the actual flight, but the sense of the unknown. My sons says it is fear of losing control, inferring that I'm a control freak, which I'm not - I think - I don't try to control other people, but I do need to control my own life, so he may be right.

If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere......

Enjoying the weekend........

Weekend (TO DO) Have Done List:

• Saturday brunch
• lunch at the Art Gallery Cafe (above)
• Enjoyed ArtExpress exhibition
• DVD at home night ("Evening" - I'll give it two and a half stars)
• Weeding!
• Pruning!
• Ironing! Washing!
• Vacuuming!
• Art journal, sketching, painting
• Blogging, net-surfing
• organised next week for school
• ....and tonight we are going to see "There will be Blood" at Leichhardt (Sydney's Little Italy) so pasta and a glass of red will be appropriate.

Was it only two days long, this weekend??

Wordless Friday

Sorry - not the hardest word

I shared a historic moment today with 120 children. Gathered around a small television set, we all listened quietly as our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, read a thoughtful and moving apology to our indigenous people. The public gallery in Parliament House, as well as the lawns outside were filled with aboriginal people who had travelled to witness the event. The previous evening a community group known as "GetUp" spelled out the words "Sorry. The first step" in candles on the lawn. I am always impressed with the sense of fairness children display when they learn about moral issues, and this issue is no exception.

Thank you, Prime Minister Rudd.

99 ways to love a child.....

Googling around on Sunday afternoon, looking for lesson plans to (plagiarise) (borrow) (steal) use, I came across this lovely piece from a teacher in Norway:

99 Ways to Love Your Child:

Accept Admire Adore Advise Advocate Aid Allow Amaze Answer Applaud Appreciate Approve Ask Assist Assure Attend Believe Care Carry Celebrate Challenge Champion Charm Cheer Cherish Comfort Commit Compliment Confide Consider Console Defend Devote Discipline Discover Educate Empathize Empower Encourage Endorse Enlighten Excite Explain Guide Hear Hold Honor Hope Hug Imagine Influence Inspire Involve Join Kiss Know Laugh Learn Like Limit Listen Marvel Motivate Need Notice Nourish Nurture Observe Offer Participate Play Please Praise Protect Provide Recognise Regard Respect Respond Show Smile Speak Squeeze Stimulate Suggest Supervise Support Surprise Talk Teach Thank Train Treasure Trust Understand Value Watch Wish Wonder.

Hold their hand so that they can walk, let go so that they can run, cheer so that they can fly!

(By Trine Meyer Vogsland , who teaches English as a second language in Norway)http://home.cogeco.ca/~rayser3/writing.htm

Back to School!

It's a new school year in Australia, and what could epitomise day one more than this? The slightly too big, shiny new shoes; the crisp new uniform with slightly too big blazer; the very envious little brother, who is set for another year at pre-school with no lovely uniform! These are my beautiful nephews, Jack and Tom.

Art After Hours...

One of my favourite places, the Art gallery of NSW in Sydney, has an innovative program whereby they open late every Wednesday. I went along last week to enjoy the exhibitions, celebrity talk, cafe, jazz and bar. There was a real buzz about the place, and a different crowd to the weekend/weekday as people arrived after work. I saw the Sidney Nolan exhibition, which was amazing - from a distance, his works actually glow.