Piano man

You may remember that Toby had his piano exam last week. He was hoping to get a B because the examiner he had is a very hard marker who doesn't hand out As very often. Today, Toby found out that he got an A plus! All the nervousness was worth it and we're very proud of him.

Bethany's class performed at the Junior School assembly this afternoon. She was very excited that Andrew and I could both make it to see her on stage.

They sang a song about Jesus and Zacchaeus. The kids dressed in green were Zacchaeus and climbed on the chairs and held branches. Because the whole room is lit, the kids could see their parents and wave.

As a little celebration, Toby and I are going to see The Amazing Spiderman together. Joss and Andrew went on the weekend when Toby was ill. I confess that I'd rather be seeing The Sapphires, but it wasn't me who got the A. I'll try not to read Bleak House on my phone.

Birdsong delayed

I have not been watching the Olympics. To be frank, they bore me. I can't muster any enthusiasm for people trying to be the fastest, highest, longest, most accurate. Flicking from one sport to another is annoying too. There was one race that I would have watched, the road race with all the riders from le Tour de France, but they played a few minutes of it then went to something else. So, I didn't even get to see Cavendish not win and blame the Aussies. The whinging is the best bit. If you come second when you wanted to come first, tears are your only option, except maybe a bit of sulking. There's nothing like working with one purpose for 14 years and then having it be all over in 24 seconds. Sport, I just don't get it.

I may not be watching, but the Olympics are certainly playing on my television because Andrew and Toby are right into them. Last Sunday night, when the first show I wanted to watch in months was on (Birdsong), the Olympics were on too and I looked at the time at 8.45. I got a bit cross and then just thought I would catch up on iView. I have finally sat down at my laptop to do just that, and discovered that the ABC does not have the online rights to Birdsong! Now I have to make my library buy it! There are some very cross people on the iView forum, suggesting that the ABC should let us know when a programme is not going to appear on iView. It seems lots of people were caught out as I was. I am not going to complain about iView because, disappointing as this particular situation is, I love iView very much and do not want them to take it away. I heard a fellow from the ABC speak at a library conference once and he told us how expensive it is for them so no complaining!

Bethany did weaving in her art class this afternoon. What a great use for the hula hoop!

I might just watch Bleak House again.

A couple of long days

I don't procrastinate very much these days. I have, on the whole, learnt that it is much better to just get on with things. Somehow, between realising that my e-reader class needed to be completely rewritten, and my having to give the class, I found myself with rather less time than I had hoped. Mondays are my long work day, I am there for ten hours, and I really thought I would get a lot done. Our staff meeting and organising job interviews ended up taking until lunch. In order to make sure I got the whole talk written,  I went to work at 8 this morning and worked non-stop (I ate at my computer, I wouldn't not eat!) until the class was delivered to the 40 people who came and we had packed up again, by 5.30.

I should have an early night, but probably won't. I want to finish The Girl at the Lion d'Or.

On my way home I caught a waft of my favourite flower. I usually have to bend down and sniff them so I was surprised to catch it in the air.

Lots and lots of jonquils! It's a shame they don't last longer.

Bleak House

Yes, Toby definitely has Bethany's virus. He woke with a fever and so he and Andrew stayed home from church. Over the day I managed to get a lot of cooking and the rest of the job applications done. It's always good to start the week feeling like you have accomplished something but it is important to do fun things with the kids so Bethany, Joss and I decided on makeovers.

Obviously, I wasn't planning on going anywhere. Check out the vibrant blues in Bethany's hand! I think, when you are eight years old and have an........ exuberant personality, more is more.

Sadly, my hair offers little potential for change. Joss watched, highly amused, and took selfies while I was being done.

Ta da! The lighting does not allow you to see the full pink and purple effect on the eyes, or the Japanese raked garden effect in the hair. Shame.

Jossie and I took one eye each on Bethany and she wasn't interested in anything subtle. I ended up making her eyebrow blue.

Sitting on the edge of the bath was a little precarious. Joss soon tired of Bethany "accidentally" falling in.

I had rather hoped that Joss, who actually has some skill in the area, might do a makeover on me next but she had lost interest so Bethany had another go. I suggested browns might be a nice change. She branched out and put long curlicues coming off the outer edges of my eyelids. My eyes look like they have a handlebar moustache.

I have also managed, over the last week, to watch all of Bleak House. Love, love, love, love, love.

Getting there

Bethany is finally better after three days of high temperatures. This evening, Toby is hot, sigh. We have been busy with sick children, sporting children, new house research and arrangements, farewell dinners for work and long Saturday night gigs. I haven't taken any photos.

This afternoon Joss received a phone call from a friend asking if she would like to go to the movies this evening. First, the friend suggested a movie another friend had said was very good, Magic Mike. There has been a fair bit of discussion recently about sexual objectification and Magic Mike (along with Fifty Shades) has featured, being a film about male strippers. Joss and her friend are THIRTEEN! I was very pleased that Joss told her friend, without needing to ask us first, that she would not be able to see an MA15+ film. They saw Step Up 4, rated PG.

I have job applications to read and rate but I think I'll take my laptop to bed and watch some more Bleak House - how I am loving it!

Welcome home Mum and Dad. I'll miss your travel blog!

Love in the library

All library staff work one evening shift, that is 5-7pm. I do mine on Mondays with Shell and Kate. It's a different shift to the daytime ones. For a start, the rest of the building is empty and we become an oasis of light within a dark building and with our outer walls being floor to ceiling glass, they turn black too. We all wish we were at the library on Tuesday evening because Jeannie was proposed to!

At around five to seven, Tiny Dancer came on through the council speakers. Jeannie started dancing, thinking only that it was great to have music at the end of the day. She gave no thought to the fact that there was nobody at council customer service at that hour or that they never pipe music through those speakers. The manager rang her on the reference desk phone to get her in sight of the stairs. Matt, dressed in a suit and holding a little box, came up those stairs, got down on one knee and asked "What do you reckon?"

They checked the CCTV footage of the event today. Unfortunately Matt did not consider camera placement in all his planning so he disappears from view when down on one knee but that will do for those of us that missed it!

I went to the airport to say good-bye to Maame today. Sniff. Bethany is also sniffing, not only over Maame but she is ill with a high temperature. She did have to stay home today and won't be at school tomorrow either. At least she got her art class in!

Ups and Downs

On the upside, Toby got through his piano exam this morning, after having been terribly nervous, Joss was given a full sweep of excellent reports at parent/teacher interviews and Bethany loved her second art class.

I'm not sure what it's called, but it is very cute.

It was hard work keeping it all together on the walk home, that's for sure.

The relief on Toby's face when he came down the stairs after his exam was classic. We were told that the examiner is very tough and Toby was worried he wouldn't be friendly. He may not give out any As, Toby has been warned not to expect one, but he was very friendly so Toby's nerves disappeared and he is pleased with how he played. We won't find out his mark until next week. He relaxed this evening with his DS, in front of the olympics.

The downside is that Bethany didn't feel well today and looks like having to stay home tomorrow. I'm torn between being pleased that I don't have to take a day off work and most put out that my day off will be interrupted! I had better be able to go to the airport to farewell Maame!