End of the holidays looming

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 neanderthal tendencies.  School helps to regulate all of that (although having read his interim report I am not sure his teachers would agree with that statement).  He has got himself a job as a lifeguard at the Cromwell Swim Centre, on a casual basis.  He has completed his comprehensive first aid training and is just about through the lifeguard training and assessment - so hasn't had many actual shifts yet.  This could be the big growing up moment - a job, money in his pocket - look out world!  At the moment he is whingeing about uniform - the shirts are too baggy, the pants too tight and the socks are just too itchy - we've gone from grunt to high pitched complaining pretty fast - kids are such a joy!

Lummox number 3 will be back here next week in correct uniform whether he likes it or not!

Lummoxes 1 and 2 are both back to their flats one in Dunedin and the other in Wellington - armed with home baking and gifts from Bali to get them through the rest of the semester.  My full nest has emptied out again, the food bills have gone down and this week's update from the power company telling me whether I've used more or less electricity should be happier reading - we were up 64% while everyone was home - I think they must have turned the hot taps and the drier on and walked away.  I'm sure in their flats they take much shorter showers and never dry clothes in the drier - they wouldn't want to spend their own money the way they like to spend mine.  The dog is certainly missing them - the amount of attention she has had and the number of outings she has been on has dramatically reduced this week.  Wait 'til next week pooch it's all bad news, back to the backyard and the kennel while we are all back to normal.

Lummox no.2's flat - right next door to the chip shop on Fatty Alley, Dunedin

My mum's visit also draws to a close this week.  I will drop her to the airport on Saturday afternoon and bid her farewell.  She has been for a good long visit and we have done some really good catching up.  Her mobility is limited and this means we don't go too far.  We have a mobility scooter for her and she uses a walking frame - she has a nifty 'tri-walker' for wee shopping trips - but we've kept our outings pretty close to home.  I may get over to Melbourne for a short break before the end of the year to see her - but that is only a slim possibility - most likely we won't see Mum again until the beginning of next year.  We'll be back to emails and phone calls to keep in touch from Saturday.

The break for me has been pretty busy as it often is for those called 'Mum' partly due to having a nice full house and partly due to community events and commitments.

I attended Joss Leyser's funeral last Tuesday.  It was a true celebration of a mother and a teacher, of a person who gave so much of herself to the community, who was cheery and warm with everyone she met.  I had the privilege of working with Joss at Goldfields School.  She did some release work for us and also worked as a classroom teacher for a time.  I chatted with a couple of ex-Goldies students after the service and they told me Mrs Leyser had been their year 1 teacher.  That is a special relationship - I gave the girls a hug.  Joss's illness was so sudden and she will be greatly missed by our community.

On a much happier note I attended the opening of the Hockey amenities building - a fabulous facility built by the community for the community.  The event had a really good feel to it.  Loads of kids and families as well as more senior members of our community attended.  I was shown around the building by an enthusiastic young friend of mine who had managed to be one of the first through the doors after the cutting of the ribbon.  I congratulate all those involved in persevering and fundraising for such a long period to see this fantastic project through to completion.

I didn't make it through the Clyde dam on Sunday.  I really wanted to go but the lovely bloke was off at the Wanaka trail ride and lummox no.3 was working.  Mum wouldn't have managed the walking and couldn't really see what the attraction was - I got us pretty close however - we had a lovely lunch at Oliver's in Clyde.

I attended the Cromwell ANZAC service at the Cromwell Memorial Hall yesterday as both a member of the Goldfields School community and of the Community Board.  Our Year 6 school leaders lay a wreath, as do the Year 6 school leaders from Cromwell Primary and the Head Boy and Girl from Cromwell College.  It is great seeing our three schools represented, looking smart in their uniforms and respectfully participating in the event.  It is always a moving service and so well attended.

Right, I need to get back to procrastinating about all the work I still have to do...