Day 347 - The last day of the old year - but blog continues

Too hot to do anything but flop in front of the TV with your papou and watch cartoons.



In the evening we had friends and neighbours around for some interesting conversation as we farewelled the old year and welcomed the new. Thank goodness for the drop in temperature and the much needed rain.
My daily blog will continue for a little while longer - 28 days to be exact.

Day 346 - a new name and a visit to the beach

Let me introduce Manu Gabriel.Manu is a Maori word for "man of the birds" as well as a hindu title for the very first king to rule the earth, who saved mankind from the universal flood. Gabriel acknowledges a good friend as well as the other associations.





Grandchildren having fun at the beach at the end of a hot day

Day 345 - Luncheon and siamese cats

Enjoyed a charming luncheon atop the Dandenongs with genteel company, feline companions included.

Day 344 - a reading day topped off with burritos

Been lost in the next bookclub book for much of the afternoon so very pleased when Pen and Isaac offered to make burritos for dinner. Took about 100 pages to really start enjoying the Children's Book by A.S. Byatt - but really into it now!

Day 343 - another family gathering

We travelled the back route to Nick's aunty's for another family gathering at Endeavour Hills and passed country scenes such as these. The white expanse is netting of some sort protecting fruit trees from birds.

Day 342 - Boxing Day

The meaning of Boxing Day? -In case you're wondering and according to one source - the distribution of gifts for the poor – kept in a box until the day after Christmas Day – dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.



And here is Aunt Penelope getting to know her new nephew a little better

Day 341 - Christmas Day

After our very delicious Christmas lunch, Michael accompanied our Christmas carolling on his cello. He also plucked some tunes on the cello strings - pitsacado - our new Italian musical term for the day.



Little neice Selvi is growing beautifully. I haven't see her for about 2 months and she has very noticeably blossomed.

Day 340 - Little new one

Delighted parents


Draped in blue silk showing a dignified profile


Sleeping peacefully


Proud brother and sister to little new one

Day 339 - Christmas shopping

Last minute Christmas shopping today at Knox City - it was a bit crazy but manageable. Tomorrow we're going to Warburton to meet dear little as yet un-named - what do you think tomorrow's pic might be?

Day 338 - a new grandchild born at home

No pictures of him yet but he has arrived at last - a beautiful baby boy born at home at sunset tonight - our third grandchild. It was a straight forward, midwife assisted birth and my daughter and her family are extremely happy - as we all are.

Day 337 - Fruit platter

Isaac prepared this fruit platter for a gathering he and Pen were attending tonight -isn't it scrumptious looking?

Day 336 - Baby chicks and gig

Drove over to visit the Warburton folk today - no baby yet but plenty of baby chicks. Then over to Healesville to the Bodhi Tree restaurant for the launch of the Beautiful Bohemians CD. This went off really well, the band sounded great and the audience was very receptive and supportive. Michael had fun on his little wurlitzer electric organ - a change from his double bass.

Day 335- roast for dinner

Mum is staying with us this weekend and we cooked up a storm for dinner. The steamed zuiccini is from the garden. Mum also stewed some plums from her garden and jellied them with raspberries - it was very yum.

Day 334 - Last Day of school, goodbye to Sue

We had our Christmas lunch today and lots of goodbyes to various staff members - quite a few retirements, people whose contracts weren't renewed or others just seeking a change to greener pastures. This is what my friend Sue is doing - taking 12 months leave to check out another educational environment. She was sad saying goodbye to us as she has been at this school almost all her teaching life and she compared it to saying goodbye to her family. I will miss Sue and she is a significant loss to our school. But she has left a great legacy at Upwey HS and many of her ideas and innovations will continue. I am indebted to her for the many adventures she has persuaded me to embark upon. Her new journey will be invigorating and exciting for her and I wish her every success and happiness.

Day 333 Michael in the local paper

Three years ago, a young man was senselessly stabbed to death on the train as it pulled in to Box Hill station. His name was Darren and he had just started a music course at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts. He was reading sheet music and completely minding his own business when this unfortunate, drugged crazed, mentally ill young man killed him. Darren was a very good friend of my son's and of course my son was deeply affected by the horrific tragedy. This Sunday Michael has organized the launch of a CD that Darren had been working on at the time of his death - that's what this article is all about.If you click on the second page you will eventually see an enlarged version

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Free Press Leader
16 Dec 2009

Day 332 - Parrots strip loquat tree

I really wanted to show pics from the last training day for tribes but my camera batteries died. I used someone else's camera but obviously did not impress on her my need to receive the photos today. Some people just don't appreciate the daily blog concept. So anyway, I came home to this - the complete denuding of the loquat tree. It had been heavily laden with fruit for sometime and I had been waiting for the colourful parrots to descend on it so I could get a picture of them. Well they came today and completely stripped the tree but had disappeared by the time I replaced the batteries and aimed my camera.

day 331 - Nativity play

Ishaa was very pleased to be given the role of Mary in the class Christmas play. Unfortunately I couldn't attend the performance but apparently she was quite the natural actress. Just received these pics today so they're hot off the email. Note also the fringe she recently styled herself. I think her mother did something similar when she was about the same age.

Day 330 - New desk and broody chicken

Moved into my new staffroom and desk today amid much to-ing and fro-ing. I am now in an upstairs staffroom - a light and airy room with rounded walls.I share this space with members of the year 8 team and am feeling very positive about this new environment.
Other pics show our hen, Silky, who has become very broody. When she is approached her tail feathers fan out in protective posture against predators.There is no rooster in the chicken pen but she obviously has not made this connection. We plan to procure some fertilised eggs for this clucky chick.

Day 329 - a busy but energised Sunday

I snapped these pics during some spare moments during a productive day catching up on chores. With no pressing school work to worry about I feel energized to tackle those jobs around the house that have been waiting around for some time. However, I also took some time out to take these pics - Butcherbird up a tree,washing on line, beautiful but scary gum tree of neighbour's that looms over our house - taken straight on and from in front of our house

Day 328 - a quiet Saturday

I had to show off freshly weeded and swept brick patio.Plus a rather lush garden outlook and some healthy potplants - all grown from cuttings.