House full of blokes

I'm sure most parents of school age children are looking forward to the end of this week and the return to normal routines from Monday next week.  The amazing autumn weather we have been having (becoming cold and windy as I type this) will have helped to make the holidays easier to bear and the inclusion of ANZAC day and Easter in the mix will hopefully have made child care options more manageable.  I know teachers are all gearing up for the term ahead, re-arranging classroom furniture, locating and making resources, and planning programmes. Fabulous autumn weather for the school holidays - photo from Heliview flights, Cromwell I'll be glad that lummox no.3, age 16, in Year 12 is back into a more normal routine next week too.  Teenage boys in general, and my youngest in particular have an amazing capacity for sleep.  He's mostly through 'grunt' stage and is usually quite a chatty young man - but when he is in extreme lazy mode he goes straight back to neanderth...

I've not managed to be a very regular blogger over the last couple of months - it is sometimes hard to make time to sit and reflect and to put those reflections into words that make any sense at all to anyone but myself.  I've also had a bit of time away with my husband in Bali to attend his eldest brother's wedding anniversary celebrations.  It felt a bit naughty heading away in term time (not something I have ever really done as a teacher) - but after Craig and I both lost a parent in 2014 we decided to say yes to family occasions and invitations and to try really hard to find ways to be there and connect with our wider family, particularly those we only see rarely.  We are really glad we went - it was an amazing experience. Brilliant times in Bali It is six months since local body elections so it is a good time to look back on the journey so far and to think about what being a member of the Cromwell Community Board is shaping up to be. There have certainly been...