Home alone

My trip to Sydney on Friday was very good. The seminar on eLending was great and I stocked up on pods at the Nespresso shop, which is quite an experience. We also enjoyed the snails.

 

The trip home gave me plenty of time to read as our 7pm flight left after 9. I got home at twenty past ten and put some washing on so Joss would have clean cycling gear for their trip to the velodrome in Sydney. Getting up at 4:50 was as awesome as you would imagine but we managed to pack and get Andrew, Joss and Tobes on the road by 6.30.

I'm sure Andrew will post about their trip, I'll stick to the long weekend Bethany and I had together. We went to the street fair at church where I gave a talk on choosing fabulous books and drank coffee. Bethany the bee played with friends, farm animals, the jumping castle and chalk.

I thought four days of just the two of us might prove a little trying. As it happens, when you have the time to give her, Bethany is lots of fun. We watched The Sound of Music, baked a cake, did crafty things and had a friend over.

This is a play Bethany put on for me with the paper Moshi Monsters she drew herself.

I bought her some plasticine for $5 and she has played with it for hours.

It was so good to have the time with her. Going back to work today was a wrench, but now Sare, Ty and three little cousins are here! 

Travelling

I'm having one of those weeks where I'm out of the office more than I am in. On Tuesday I went to the Henty Machinery Field Days with two workmates. We set up a stall in a big shed, very thankful not to be in a tent as the weather was very wet! We read a few stories, handed out lots of library bags, mobile library timetables and chatted about books and eBooks. The weather made it a quieter day than usual (according to others, this was my very first visit), so we read our books in the slow times and called it advertising. If only we could be paid to read more often!

The field days are a big deal around here. I went for a couple of wanders and the site is massive. There is so much machinery! I have no idea what it all does. I was really just interested in the food. Anne got to see some sheep dog puppies being trained. I always think of myself as living in the country, but Wagga is really quite urban. There were lots of proper country people at the field days!

This was the view from our shed. I appreciated the proximity of the coffee cart. I was warned about the mud situation so, the day before, I went out at lunch time and bought myself some gumboots. I wanted patterned one, but wasn't willing to spend $100. There are some expensive gumboots around! Mine are shiny and black and they remind me of patent leather party shoes. Walking in the mud was pretty much my favourite part.

Yesterday we went to Temora for a South West Zone managers' meeting. It sounds really exciting, doesn't it? Temora is a sweet little town and their council chambers are lovely.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Sydney for an eLending seminar at the State Library. It's perfect timing as I am almost out of Nespresso pods!

Flying by

The last week of term, again! Last week was very exciting for Bethany as she went on her first overnight excursion. The Year 3 children spend one night at Borambola, an outdoor education camp just half an hour away. Bethany was up at 6, despite the fact that this excursion is the only one where the bus leaves at a decent hour. I hoped that the level of excitement wouldn't result in a big crash, of expectations or body (Toby fell off the top bunk during his Borambola excursion and sprained his wrist). I needn't have feared, she had a great time.

On Friday morning she did have to be at school early in order to get costumed up and driven to the showground for the dancing eisteddfod. Thankfully, I was able to slip away from work and watch her dance. There were six primary school dance groups in her section and Bethany's won! I have no photos because they have been known to disqualify the dancers if parents take photos!

I did, however, get some photos of the joy that was trophy day! We enjoyed a most delightful sport-free morning and then split up to cover the two presentations. Andrew and Joss went to cycling, Bethany, Toby and I went to soccer. Bethany was very pleased with her soccer trophy, different to everyone else's as it has a girl on it, and Toby won best and fairest on his team. I was happy with my sausage. The haul of medals and trophies from cycling was impressive!

The list: Bethany got a trophy for participating in soccer, Toby got one of those too, plus another for best and fairest (as well as a voucher for La Porchetta). For cycling Toby got two second place medals and the huge trophy for coming joint first in points overall. The huge trophy he doesn't get to keep, so he also received the clock. Joss got two second place medals and a participation trophy for cycling.

Still going

I haven't been deathly ill, I have just had a nasty cold and hayfever as well. I went home from work early one day and just suffered through the rest of the week. On Friday evening, after work, I went to the physio and he strapped my still bruised ankle so I could run in the Lake to Lagoon.

Saturday was such a beautiful day and I appreciated living in the country more than ever as I walked straight into the polling station, voted (above the line, I'm lazy and not sufficiently informed) and walked right back out again. No crowds, just lovely country side and I was back home in 15 minutes.

I wanted to take a photo of the countryside around the uni, but I was driving. This is directly across the street from our house!

Sunday was also sunny and bright. Toby, Bethany and Andrew rode the 10 kilometer course of the Lake to Lagoon at 10am and I went in the fun run, starting at 10.30. Due to the cold and the ankle, I took it easy, not running the whole thing. I made it in an hour and thirteen minutes, which I don't mind because I think I could try for an hour if I ran the whole way. It was awfully hot and sunny at that time of day, I'm used to running in the early morning, late afternoon or even at night (tonight I'll probably go for my run after 10pm). I have been in two races now, haven't run my best in either, but I definitely prefer the fun run!

Round up

OK - Amy's not well, so I'm going to update the throng that hangs out for a post on this blog. Pictures can tell stories quicker and better than I can though, so here's a few for your consumption...

This was B in her Get Smart dancing thing at the school fete...
...'twas great.

J & H doing some hair makeup (same fete).
Love the look on B's face.

Last game of the season today. A thumping loss  *shrugs shoulders*
Tobes gave it his all though - always does.

The must have group photo post season.

The 'force to be reckoned with'

Many goals came from a setup from K to T

Meanwhile - B as usual gives 120%
No goals this season, but won the hearts of all the parents.

The must have group photo post season (on iPhone though)

B was the only girl you might notice - held her own though...

The sweet individual photo

J getting ready for track season
2nd run on the new track bike and LOVIN' it...

Reading

How I love to see kids reading in the morning.

Injured

People have asked me whether I have had any problems with my knees or shins, since I have been running. I have been very pleased that, in my forties, I have been able to take up running, never having been sporty in my whole life, with no ill effects. I haven't even fallen over while running, though I have stumbled or tripped a few times. I fall over while walking, quite regularly! Usually because I am looking at my phone instead of where I am going, sometimes because I try to fit through a crack big enough for my legs, but not my Ugg boots....

On Sunday evening, after a very busy weekend, I left for my long run. I was hoping to run 11 kilometers. It was rather later than I had hoped and so it was mostly dark and I trod on a large rock and twisted my ankle. I managed to stay upright and just kept running for a while, but it didn't feel right, so I rang Andrew to come and pick me up. I am disappointed that I didn't do my run, and the 10k race on this weekend is not going to be as I had planned, but I have discovered the world of physiotherapy and am amazed!

A friend recommended I show my ankle to a sports physiologist and physio, to see what to do with it now, and ask when I can start running again. I have never been to a physio before, but my ankle feels almost better already and I may be able to run and walk the race on the weekend. It's so odd, becoming this new person so late in life. I keep on feeling the need to explain that I am just learning everything. I even think, that after seven months, I just might be starting to enjoy the actual running, just a bit.

School Fete

I won't say that it wasn't a long day. I went to a trivia night the council's social club runs every year, on Friday night. I am pleased to say that the library table came second. I now have a $20 iTunes voucher to update my running playlist. Still, having been at a conference the week before, a quiet Friday night might have been a better idea.

The fete started at 2 and Bethany did the dance her group will be doing at the eisteddfod next week. I missed that part as I had a stamping class, but I arrived after 3 and we were all there until around 7.30. They really do a good fete, with lots of rides and stalls. I was rostered on the plaster cast stall for a while, which was fun. Toby and Joss were off with friends and Bethany and I had a great time, getting a plaster cast, riding pedal go-carts, eating fairy floss and playing with the farm animals. I didn't actually eat any fairy floss.

I don't know why I try and take photos of fireworks, they are such a poor representation! The fireworks were just beautiful. I am always very blasé about them beforehand, but ooh and ahh more than everyone.