G'day for Tuesday.
Sharon/LDM, I'm sorry you feel you've missed out on winter. Enjoy the book fair, maybe immerse yourself in a copy of "Snow Queen" and perhaps dream a little.
Rabbit, it's good to see you bouncing up on the Good Morning thread.
We had a productive day today. And a long one. Because husband's car was in the workshop, we all left together to get him to work on time. As a result, we had a dream run in to the city and got there even before the school opened. Bizarre, sometimes it takes three times as long to get in.
So I catnapped briefly, then we headed in, two hours early. My intention was to get difficult child 3 to do some work in the school library while we waited for the teachers to be ready. But one teacher was able to bring his session forward, so we didn't wait long before that lesson started. He left to fetch the next teacher whose lesson began as scheduled. Both lessons really were helpful in both directions - difficult child 3 got a better understanding of what is wanted of him and they got a better idea of what he can do and what he needs from them. The maths lesson was especially effective - the teacher was already aware that difficult child 3 is good; but he didn't realise HOW good. He also discovered (I think for the first time) just how careful he has to be when he gives difficult child 3 instructions on how to do his work. Thankfully he's now modified the instructions he gave difficult child 3 before Christmas, so we should get through the schoolwork much faster now, and more effectively.
We also had a quick chat to the Special Education teacher who sought us out, knowing we were on site.
We'll be doing this again some time soon, I think it will help to keep difficult child 3 working well. There is a Maths study day coming up in a few weeks, which will mean difficult child 3 having to share his teacher with other kids in a face-to-face lesson. He doesn't work so well in a group.
Because we had the re-shuffle, it meant we leftwith plenty of time to spare, to head back to our district. I had some medical tests organised plus planned to do some shopping. I had the leisure to be able to have another catnap in the car, the day was cool enough and cloudy enough that I didn't have to seek out a quiet, shady spot AND leave all the car windows down. It's only been about 22 C (71.6 F) today, with occasional dampness from the sky (not sure what we're supposed to call it).
Then we got on to do some grocery shopping at my new favourite gourmet discount warehouse place, before my tests and then some serious grocery shoppping. I bumped into an old friend - difficult child 1's former high school teacher and aide, who was such a marvellous support to him despite her colleague's lack of support. This teacher also used to work at difficult child 3's correspondence school, I mentioned the Maths teacher we'd just seen and she exclaimed about him in delighted memory. There's something encouraging about bumping into someone like this, it empowers you and encourafges you to keep fighting as a Warrior Parent, you are doing the right thing. And there are some really good teachers out there who are in the job because they care and want to make a difference.
We were late home because from shopping, we headed to difficult child 3's drama class. He has a birthday party invitation from one of his drama classmates (a couple of weeks away). Hopefully we'll remember to go, although it clashes with a meeting of mine. I'll just have to leave early.
husband met us at the drama class which meant all three current members of the household were all together. So after class, we headed to the fish 'n chip shop to get some classic Aussie takeaway - a burger for difficult child 3 (Aussie style, nothing like a Big Mac - these are two-fisted jobs, full of bacon, a slice of cheddar and a fried egg on top of the salad and meat pattie, although difficult child 3 has his burger without beetroot). husband had fish pieces and potato scallops (slices of potato par-cooked, then dipped in batter & deep-fried) while I stayed moderately healthy and had grilled fish. These are fillets of fish prepared in the shop, from fish caught that morning.
After a dinner like that, we were able to go home and not worry about turning round and cooking dinner.
Tomorrow husband takes my car, because his still wasn't ready, we saw it in the workshop as we drove past coming into town. But after the day we've had today, I won't mind at all, being forced to stay home. I have some cooking to do, with the ingredients I bought today. And we'll skip the beach again tomorrow, I think - another coolish, damp day. The sort of day where the sand sticks to you even before you get into the water. You go for a swim and then have to dry yourself on a towel damp from light rain, unless you pack it in a plastic bag. Too much hassle, I tihnk. Although the water will be warm, it's currently running at 23 C in the sea at the moment. That's warmer than the air temperature!
husband has headed for bed, I need to be right behind. It's after 11 pm now, I'm just up watching some news. The fires in Victoria - still burning but everything possible is being done. No more deaths happening from the firs continuing; the rising death toll is still from Saturday, they're still finding more bodies plus injured people from Saturday are still dying - there are people in hospital since Saturday whose lungs are irreparably damaged, they're not expected to live. Others might have a chance but will be in danger for a long time to come. They think the toll could go ashigh as 300, one figure I heard from the conservative network. Thousands are homeless and resources such as electricity will take months to be put back, with power poles and substations all destroyed. I don't know how their water supply is going - I remember we lost ours for a week in '94, then had it at low pressure for several months. And we were a much smaller fire in terms of area burned. It was just as bad in terms of size of flames, heat reached - someone on the news tonight described dead birds falling from the sky. I'd forgotten that.
Also please keep in your thoughts our CD member, Matty's Mummy, who I'm afraid is caught up in the Queensland floods. She lives in the flood-affected area somewhere. Not sure exactly where, but in her part of the state just about everywhere either is still or has been under water. Her nearest city, where she goes to see the doctors, is one of the many currently mostly underwater. We've not heard from her since the tropical storm hit, a week or more ago. Let's hope it's just because she's a bit distracted right now, busy with clean-up.
Marg
Good Morning Warriors!!
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