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Friday, December 3, 2010

major accomplishment

This is a story I have great pleasure to put on our blog, My little man also suffers from dyslexia and processing issues as does my daughter, whom is in the process of writing her story as you can see in other posts A door and a whole lot of magic.

Now you may be wondering why I have named this post major accomplishment and the reason being is at the start of this year we were struggling to get my little man of eight (who we will refer to as BP) to even write a sentence, it was to the point of we were happy if he wrote even a few words with the help of his aids (who I might add are the salt of the earth).

By the end of term three this year we had a sentence, it may not have been grammatically correct or the spelling totally right but we had a full sentence of writing and boy were we proud.

So I am sure can understand my absolute delight upon hearing that we have almost two pages of written work( big writing) written with enthusiasm by BP.
And I would like to share this with you as I believe this deserves all the recognition it can get.

Note: Spelling has been corrected but all the rest is as it is written by BP.


The Marvellous Machine.

One day the President of Afghanistan sent his spy Mr Shadow to find a Marvellous Machine which makes extremely brilliant robots.

Mr Shadow heard a noise in the biggest pyramid in the world. Mr Shadow went to investigate the pyramid.
Mr Orange spotted the spy so the spy ran away from the robots. The robots ran after the spy. The spy got away and the spy told the news to the President.
The President said "well done"find out more about this marvelous machine.
The spy went back to the marvelous machine. The spy got caught by the robots.
Mr Shadow said let go of me the robots took the spy to Mr Orange, Mr orange said why did you try and steal our machine the spy said nothing.
Mr Orange said go away and never come back.

The End

Friday, November 26, 2010

The things we do continued

As I have mentioned in my last post we are most fortunate to lead a full and what I beleive interesting life with the activites and experiences we are able to partake in.

Water sking is one of these such endeavours in which I feel very grateful to our friends who own a lovely boat and we get to out sking on a regular basis.

Waterskiing has been part of our life even before kids and before marriage, so needless to say a long time.

We would head alot up to Frazer National Park and stay in the camping ground and have many a night full of alchohol fueld games(not that I would partake in this activity but certainly had to put up with the noise right out side your tent) and still get up a 6am to make sure took the opportunity to ski on flat water, as you and then back to camp for a Nanna nap to prepare once again for a fun filled night.

We have also been heading up to Mildura every easter for the last twenty years where we get to camp on the river bank and ski and generally relax the day away and then enjoy a huge camp fire which would have cooked our roast earlier on.


It has now come the time where our children are enjoying the same experience and lucky for them at alot younger age than myself.


Both of my children have progressed from the kneeboard to the wake board and have many goes on the biscuit, it is wonderful to see there faces as they scoot acroos the water and enjoy what I have enjoyed for many years.


I am certainly blessed to have this as a part of our lives and if I am still doing it into my sixties Iwill be all the gratefull.
Tan

Saturday, November 13, 2010

The things we do.




I have often thought about our life and the things we do, we are certainly lucky enough to have opportunities to experience some great things with some great people.

Off Road Rush is one of these such opportunities in our life with which we are grateful, As many may know my husband is an instructor for a company called Off Road Rush,and for those who don't you may ask, what is it?

Well it is an adrenalin pumped experience where you get to learn to drive a V8 Off Road Race Buggy and then experience the thrill of hot laps which are taken by the instructors.

Aside from the adrenalin pumped experience being part of what we enjoy, the owners of the company are people who are excited and passionate about what they do and we feel very privileged to be involved with people who are positive and fun to be around.
We feel we have formed a great friendship,even though we do not get to catch up all that often as we live in different states but as in all good friendships we just get along as if we saw each other yesterday.

It is also about being part of something where you see the customers smiles and excitement of an experience we can sometimes take for granted or treat as a normal part of life.

All these elements are great to reflect on and we often relish the great opportuniites that have come our way and enjoy the fact we are pretty lucky for them to do so.
Tan

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fungal Fascination

Now don't worry I am not referring to liking my husband's feet when he takes his boots off after a long day at work, I am referring to a new found interest that seem to have occurred not by any design but by situation.




As many you may or not know our family have managed to go away alot this year, fantastic you say and I would have to agree whole heatedly it has been fantastic.

On our adventure we have had many opportunities to walk through some very lovely forest and take in the tranquility ( well when my son can keep quiet that is) and the sights as we go.

And this is where my fungal fascination, I believe reared its head.

Have you ever noticed how fascinating fungus is, here are these growths sprouting out of trees, logs or under foliage. Sometimes if you blinked you would miss it, they are either bright in colour or in muted tones that blend into the very plant that that they are attached too. They sit there in there damp little homes you could almost imagine the fairies using them for stools or for finding shelter from the rain.

They have many different forms and each have their own features that give them an unique appeal.

I have taken photos of these such finds in my travels and thought
I would share them with you and maybe just maybe you might
find yourself just a little fascinated in these weird little growths called fungus.

Tan

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Mum,Wife,Friend,Sister,Myself

In what order do we rate who we are?

I randomly wrote the title of this post and then realised that whilst I was thinking about life and what we as mums wives friends sister do in it, I realised I wrote Myself last.


Not that I feel this was intentional at all, it is sometimes how it is, We quite often put other things before we are or allow ourselves to be just that ourselves.


As I think and ponder the question I have realised that I have not even factored in the fact that amongst all of those things I am an employee.

Well not so much today being the employee because I have my little man at home sick and being Mum today took priority.

Or has the opportunity to write my thoughts down taken over, he is quietly sitting on the couch with the dog watching one of his favourite movies, wonderful what panadol will do to help with the pain relief, something a mums hug can only partially fix.

So how do we manage to find ourselves in all that we have in our lives when there is so many influencing factors that seem to get in the way.


E,G little man home sick form school and I have no choice but to be Mum, even if I had chosen to be Tania at the start of the day.


What sparked off this thinking was two conversation I had, interestingly enough at separate occasions to a husband and wife who are friends of mine. The wife who by the way is also a wife, a stay at home Mum and a writer and I am sure she will fit into the friend category along the way, she was having a particularly hard time with her two year old who was doing what two year old's do well, say No and chuck Tanties.

Now most of these events as mothers we know and deal with on different levels and at different times in our lives, having being there myself I could certainly sympathise with the frustration that it can bring,but this also brings to mind the frustration of juggling the sense of self, with this overwhelming feeling of guilt to want to be your own person.


I find that a lot of the time I am who other people need or want me to be but not necessarily who I want to be.

I struggle with the fact that I do work and feeling the need to be more home with my children because as they say they are only this little once, But I could only get the opportunities that have come my way only once, so how do you make the decision?

I think I would go totally around the bend and feel like my friend is feeling with her two year old if I was to stay at home full time.

So I make my decision to be a Mum,Wife Friend Sister, Myself and an employee and manage to fit it all in, I think reflecting on the situation we put ourselves in helps us realise to put our selves first at least some of the time and deal with all the others as they arise or literally just smack us in the face.

Tan

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Why do they have an opinion?

I was wondering something about Why? people feel the need to give their opinion clearly when you dont want it.

Let me explain.

I attended my first market today as a stall holder, I have been thinking about this for some time as we have a great product.

Being my first market I was green in how things worked and how to go about certain aspects and was usinng this opportunity to feel my way and work things out. I fugure the more I do the better I will get.

But this is not my beef, I get so frustrated when you tell people that this is your first market and yes we know our product has potential but you have to start slowly and work your way to expanding the range and potentially where you might market your product.

But these people just still have to tell you what you should be doing, I am sure they are doing so with all good intention but when are they going to listen and just let me do it my way and how I am comfortable.

Some days I wish I wasn't so polite and just tell these people to BACK OFF.

I will get there in my own good time and when I am happy to do so.

Tan

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Family Or Friends Or A Bit Of Both

I attended a funeral the other week and generally I would feel sad after such an event but not this time, I came away feeling happy and content.

You may ask Why? and I suppose it deserves an explanation.

The gentleman had reached 94 years of age and had a full and rewarding life, He had been a C.F.A volunteer for over 30 years, he had volunteered at Puffing Billy Railway, survived a attack whilst in the navy through the war,married the love of his life and had a family that cared and loved him and many friends who held him in high esteem. And that is just tipping the ice burg.

The people who attended the funeral were all from when I was a member or The Basin Fire Brigade, which I joined when I was sixteen, yes all those years ago, these were the people who saw me grow up, get married, have children and all the things in between.

They are the people that no matter how long it has been you feel welcome and that you fit.

The sense of belonging is hard to explain and hard to come by but there I was amongst the people who I could only call my family, not one of them a blood relatives but people you know are always there and who you can be yourself and know that they no matter what or why, they are there.
It was like coming home.
Tan

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Silent Time Together

Here we are sitting side by side not saying much, both engrossed in what we are doing, Well as you can probably guess I am writing, The man in my life is sitting playing what I can only guess to be some kids game that he has found whilst looking on the internet, You know those ones that have the monotonous music that plays over and over,but kind of has a relaxing element to it and entices you to play just one more game.
Not sure what number he is up to at the moment and really it does not matter, here we are together happy in each others company, doing our own thing and every now and again we might utter a few words, hah like now he has just uttered "How are you going you crusty haggis", that's all no more and that is OK, some women would be offended by his words but I know he is just saying Hi.
How did we get to this comfortable part in our life, just happy to be in the same room just knowing each other are there.
I am not going to think too much about it, I am just going to enjoy the fact that it just is.
Tan

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A DOOR AND A WHOLE LOT OF MAGIC PART 4

Soon they realised they were being taken to someone very important because they were being led into a chasm that looked like a great hall of magic, it had sparkles all over the round tall room.
There was a chair in the centre of the room with gold,silver and crystal clear diamonds on it!

And there was a fairy propped on the chair.

The fairy looked a lot like the others except he had a crown on his very royal and noble looking head, he also had a cape made out of red and green leaves which draped across the floor and in his hand he held a big staff.

“He must be their king” whispered Nicholas.

The King then shouted “Who are you” in a deep and dark voice.
I am “Nicholas this is my sister Chloe.”
Where did you come from boomed the King.
We live in Australia said Nicholas.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

TIME TO ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS.

My life at the moment seems to be so busy with everything that a working Mum and Wife entails and the opportuninty to enjoy the little things seem to be put on the back burner.

I find this quite sad but when you at least expect it a moment will appear and you have that opportunity to do just that.

And this happened today.

We were rushing out the door running late for swimming and there they were, a bunch of little mushrooms making their home inbetween the sleepers that make up our path to the front door.

At this precise moment I did not take the opportuninty to have a closer look, as stated previously we were already running late. and if I was to take this moment it would seem like it was not worth going to swimming at all.

They will have to just wait.

And they did, after what has been what I would call "not the best morning" I was fealing quite low and then I remembered the mushrooms so out I went with my trusty camera and took some photos of these little musrooms. and this is what I saw,



A little cluster of mushrooms working their way up through the earth to adorn my path and help me realise sometimes it is the little things in life are what matters, They can go on sitting there unnoticed or I can enjoy their beauty and give myself some time to enjoy the smaller things in life.

Tan

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Dad I'm going to Fire Brigade

Now this is a moment I would never had thought would happen

Dad I am going to Fire Brigade"

Now you may think there is nothing so weird about that and I would normally tend to agree with you, but in this instance, the Brigade for the last 25 years has been something that only I have attended.

Not any more, my daughter has decided to give the Junior Fire brigade a go.Funnily enough something I never had the chance to do,I joined the Fire Brigade when I was sixteen and was eligiable to go straight into seniors.

I am very excited for her in regards to what she is about to be involved in, it is a great opportunity to experience something that not all get too and she will have the chance to meet some great people and hopefully will experience all the great things that being invloved with the C.F.A has to offer.

So we will see, what the future will bring, she has enjoyed the first two nights and is keen to go back,so time to sit back and let the future unfold.

Tan

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

To Achieve or not to Achieve this is the question.

Ever wondered why we strive to achieve what we do in life, I have been thinking quite alot about what I would like to achieve in my life and also what I have already done so far.
But I had this thought today Why do we do it? We inevitably will end up six feet under and will what we have done made any difference anyway?

Is it for self satisfaction, to keep up with the Joneses or is it so at our funeral people have something to say and there are not those deathly silences (excuse the pun) with the guests wondering what to say whilst they stand around eating cucumber sandwiches and drinking coffee.

Or does it really matter what is said? you cant hear it anyway( well don't quote me I have not experienced it my self and am not planning to do soon).
So this still brings me back to my original question why do I feel the need to achieve, why cant we just be, is this something I put on myself or is it society that creates these pressures to do so.

I'll go now and let you ponder if you have any insight to the answer please let me know.

Thanks
Tan

Sunday, May 16, 2010

A Door and a Whole Lot of Magic (Part 3).

They woke up with all these people who looked alot like fairies standing around them, they had wings which were see through and their clothes were made out of yellow and green leaves.
The fairy people were staring at them with an amazed look on their faces.

WOW! I feel dizzy Chloe said to Nicholas , I do too replied Nicholas and where is Annabella?
I don't know said Chloe feeling worried and who are these creatures?

Who are you? said Nicholas and where have you taken our sister?

The fairy people did not reply they just picked them up and pushed them along a pebbled path that led towards a big giant tree.

Once they got to the tree they saw a big hole in the trunk, Nicholas and Chloe stopped and stared at the tree in amazement, It was the biggest hole they had ever seen.

The fairy people did not let them stand and stare for to long before they started to push them through the hole.
Chloe and Nicholas were feeling quite frightened, it was dark and they could not see anything.

As they were being pushed along a corridor their eyes started to get used to the dark. And they could see a light at the end.

Where are they taking us? said Chloe and Nicholas at the same time.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Love

Love
A drop of love means everything
A drop of love means gold
A drop of love means kindness
A drop of love means laughter
A drop of Love means you.
A drop of love means everything
Love.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

A Door And A Whole Lot Of Magic

Part Two

Wow! Said Chloe it's a door with gold all
around it.
Let’s take a look inside said Nicholas,
NO! Said Chloe who was a bit frightened.
Nicholas didn’t listen and opened the door anyway and was very surprised to feel a big gust of wind that nearly made him fall over.

Annabelle came over and started staring in through the door at a big Tornado, she was staring so hard that she fell through the doorway and just like being sucked through a straw she was taken into the Tornado windstorm .
Nicholas jumped in after her and just caught her hand and held on to her tightly.
Chloe was worried she was all alone the only thing she could think of was to follow them.
I coming yelled Chloe!

As the three children fell through the Tornado they felt dizzy and weary their bodies went all limp and they found it hard to keep awake before they knew it they were asleep.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

As Life Goes On


Time passes really quickly and I wonder what is it I really want out of this life of mine, I have two beautiful children one fantastic husband and of course we cannot forget the dog.


I have dreams of finishing our house, becoming successful in my job, traveling the world, seeing my children grow through teenage hood and into respectable caring and loving adults and spending quality time with my wonderful friends.


But I have now reached forty and have realised my life is already half gone, If I look realistically when I reach my eighties I could have all my faculties and be fit and healthy but then maybe not. So how much time do I really have and how am I going to fit all that I want to do into what seems like such a short period of time.


Now I know you are thinking I am reiterating what many generations have thought and felt before but how do you plan for the next forty years. I am open for suggestions.


This situation I have found myself in has also made me start to think what have I achieved in the first forty years of my life.

I was born in 6 weeks prematurely in the Sandringham Hospital Melbourne and lived in Cheltnanham before we moved to Boronia when I was approximately 2-3, I believe I reached all the milestones and achievements that any child was meant to meet at this time in in my life, nothing has ever come up in those family conversation to tell me otherwise anyway.


When I was about four we moved to Mt Gambier, where we lived in a caravan for eighteen months and at Nelson for a short period of time before we moved to Yahl and lived on a horse stud, our house was an old shearers quarters that I shared with my sister,The room was big enough to fit three average caravans in it (always thought that was a great bit of trivia to tell people when I was a kid).

I went to Yahl primary school and at this stage I cant remember much achievement in my short life except riding the three kilometers to school, along the dirt roads in the rain, hail and sun shine.

We then moved to Mt Schank where we lived in a little cottage made of the local stone, We had a volcano in our back yard and twenty acres which held our menagerie of animals.


This is also the time I started at O.B. Flat Primary School ( see other post memories from
a time gone by), I believe I achieved the notoriety of being a tom boy, was recognised as a potential long distance runner except I kept going the wrong way and would come second or third or worse, I also achieved my first goal in footy( lunch time footy) and played centre and wing attack in netball ( I could actually run then). I managed to get a first ribbon in the 100 metres running race at our school sports day.

Big achievements really did not come my way until we moved back to Melbourne.

I was sixteen. getting settled into a big city school was an achievements within itself. But I then managed to impress someone and was nominated for School Captain and yes I got it.
Not that I feel I achieved much there except the odd talk at assembly and representing the school on the odd occasion.


Nineteen eighty seven saw me leave school after completing year twelve and go on to qualify as a hairdresser, something I actually never wished to do but certainly have never regretted.
Once I had qualified I went on to run my own business for about ten years.

I met my husband when I was twenty and bought a house with him four years later, After two year of living together we got married had our two lovely children.

1999 was a big year for me I had Leshea in the August and turned thirty in the October, can I count that I stayed up until LeSheas 4'o'clock feed as an achievement in my life? I believe I will as I don't do that so easy anymore.


Whilst our children were young I worked casually when needed in whatever line of work I could get at the time( Not any thing untoward might I add)there was factory work where I pulled lollie pop stick to make sure they stayed in, delivered spare parts,went into more retail, starting off at the registers, then into special orders, in store trainer which has moved me onto where I am today as a workplace and industry co coordinator and coordinating a campus in Pakenham AHHHH!

So I suppose all through this working period I finally worked my self to where I am today and more in the line of work I wanted to be in, teaching, I did fancy the idea of becoming a Drama teacher but as I did not do so well in year twelve Uni was out of the question.


I am certainly glad that I have done all I have done as I have had exposure to many different experiences which is keeping me in good stead for my job role now. you never really realise the impact people and the environment you are currently working in has on your further endeavours or how we handle situations that you are faced with.


I would be remiss in saying that my jobs have been the only achievements in my life due to the fact that being involved in the The Country Fire Authority as a volunteer Fire Fighter for the past twenty five years. Has been the longest achievement so far, (other than survival).


I experienced so many challenges within the years that once conquered have been the greatest achievements I could note. And they are not necessarily going out and fighting fires, because unlike others I may have been in the C.F.A for a while I have not had the opportunity to go on many strike teams as others have done. This is certainly by no means that I have not had the desire to go with my fellow fire fighters and do what we train to do, I have found there has been other influences that have made that a difficult task to complete.

I have had many vast and interesting times over the twenty five year period and have found that all have contributed in shaping me to be the person I am today.

I have held positions of Secretary of the Dandenong Ranges Group, President of The Belgrave Fire Brigade for 8years and have been awarded Firefighter of the year, and a few others that recognised the contribution I made in other areas of the brigades I have been in.


I have completed The Chairman's Challenge which involved Abseiling down Little River Gorge, Hiking,White water Rafting,and caving, All done under the supervision of Outward Bound and C.F.A leaders.

After completing this course,it was an interesting exercise to see what people had managed to achieve, some of the group learnt that it was more important to help others than be first, other learnt tolerance and how to be a little more humble, other how important their families were to them.

Where as I learnt I have a great sense of Independence ( which I think I already knew but it really hits you in the face when you are dealing will difficulties and challenges)



I have had the opportunity to go on a couple of strike teams which in itself was a great achievement not only to go but to leave your family and hope they are alright for the days you are away is quite nerve racking especially when you are the main person who runs the day to day running of the house hold. Nothing to worry about really my husband did fantastically. And I was able to come home to everything intacked except maybe my emotions, amazing what adrenaline and the lack of sleep will do.

I would say my latest a greatest achievement of late was completing the Oxfam, this is a walk or run which you have to complete 100kms in 48hrs, I did complete this in 36 hrs and 14 mins along with my team mates, might I add I thought at times I was not going to get there, but the thought of not getting there scared me me more than anything else, failing does not sit well with me and I can be my worst critic.

So over all I feel I have made some fairly significant achievements in my life but the question still stands how do I fit the rest in.

Maybe I am not necessarily meant to know I have not really planned all the achievements I have laid down before you, so may be life will deal me what it knows I can deal with. But if I find the answer in the mean time I will let you know.


















Saturday, March 13, 2010

A Door And A Whole Lot Of Magic



Once upon a time there were three children, their names were Chloe, she was the oldest, and she was thirteen, her brother Nicholas was ten years old and they had a little sister called Annabella, she was three.

They had just moved into the giant mansion a couple of weeks ago and were outside playing tag but after a while they got bored. Chloe came up with some great idea's to play but no one was interested, Hmmmm! sighed Chloe, l give up.

l’m going to have a look around said Nicholas
Where? Chloe asked.
Through the bushes over there. And off he ran.
Wait up shouted Chloe, she picked up Annabella and ran to catch up with Nicholas.
OOWWW! Yelled Nicholas.
Are you OK Nicholas said Chloe,
Yes said Nicholas, WOW! come over here look at what l've found.

L

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

memories from a time gone by

I have recently caught up with a few people from my primary school through the wonderful world of face book.I resisted joining the throng for quite some time mainly due to lack of time and inpatients on my behalf.

I finally did bite the bullet and since joining last year or maybe the year before I have found myself in a routine that some of you may recognise, check emails, check face book check face book check face check face book.

So this leads me to my original point, of catching up with some old friends whom I went to a lovely school located in O.B. Flat all those years ago.

Where is O B Flat you might ask?

O.B. Flat is a little place outside of MT Gambier, South Australia.
The school is situated on a corner block with nothing but paddocks surrounding it and the old church next door.

When I first started going there, the school consisted of one class room that held all of the twenty students.
Thinking back, it was a fairly unusual experience to be in the same class as your sister who is actually two and half years older than you.

There was one teacher who taught all levels from reception (in Victorian terms prep) to grade seven.

Within the school grounds you would find the old school house which lent itself to being our library, teachers aids office and the kitchen which had varying uses from staff room, to where our cooking classes were held.
There was also a spare room which was where you went if you had music lesson's.

I would like to just take a moment to reflect on what it would have been like for the teachers aid who's office was situated down the hall from kids learning to play the violin, trumpet and the piano. No wonder she always seemed a bit grumpy.

There was one oval down the back which was lined with pine tree's along the far edge and a white picket fence dividing it from the main body of the school.
The pine trees were where many games of tree chasey were played.
You had to be careful not to fall, the barbed wire fence located under the trees posed a bit of a hazard.
As with many school ovals there were many footy matches played as well as tiggy but if a game of British bulldog was started the whole school would have to play, as you would guessed it just wouldn't work otherwise.

The toilets were an old corrugated and Mt Gambier stone building which were situated near the one and only netball court, the netball courts was also used for playing four squares,eight square or as many squares as needed,all depending on who wanted to join in at the time, there was hopscotch,and then the whole court could transfer into a roller skating rink, when that was the cool thing to do.

There was the old fort which comprised of a concrete tunnel leading up to the treated pine fort.
(Those were the days when playing on timber, that was most likely carcinogenic was deemed normal practice.)
The old fort was to be later out done by the new playground near the oval which was happily constructed on one of the many family working bees, where the dads put their hearts and soles into making what seemed the best playground ever was.

Pie and pastie day on a Monday and hot dog day on a Wednesday were a highlight,our little school did not have a canteen to a speak of, so these lunches were organised in the school house kitchen.
Orders were placed on our order sheet, which were produced by the teachers aid with the use of a coping machine in the hallway,I am not sure what it was called but it had a big drum with purple ink on it and you would turn the handle which rotated the drum and it would copy the work sheet,I vividly remember the smell of the paper when it came out.
Probably also carcinogenic, might explain my mental attitude at times.

You could have a hot dog in bread that was wrapped in wax paper and the paper would have advertisements of local business printed on the outside.
You could choose between chips or a cake (which were lovingly made by the mums of the school)if i remember rightly the cakes were five cents.

Pie and Pastie day was very similar except for your choice of mains.
What a treat for a child, that usually got sent to school with a round of sandwiches cut into triangles and a piece of fruit.

Excitement always grew leading up to our annual sports day where we would compete against the surrounding schools of the area, at the local oval in the Mt Gambier town ship.
Many hours were spent practicing for this event, there was tunnel ball, accuracy throw, sprints, long distance,high jump just to name a few.

All the schools would congregate at a park in the middle of town and line up ready to march down the main street, the street would be lined with all the parents, siblings and locals cheering us all on.

During the march O.B Flat had the greatest of opportunity's, we were the band, and to say we practiced, we practised our little hearts out,up and down the road, near the school left, left, left, right, left playing our instruments with much gusto, even if it was the triangle.

If you were lucky enough to be nominated to play the kettle drum or hold the school banner you knew you had made it in the world of O.B. Flat school ranking.
I had the great pleasure of doing both at different times but do not let me misguide you I had my fair share of the triangle, the stick with bottle tops on it and even the wooden tapping sticks.

The Christmas concert was one of the biggest highlights, It would be held at the local hall, we had to walk to the hall for final practices or if you were lucky enough to have your bike you could ride.

The stage was lucky enough to be the size a lounge room of a suburban flat, it had only one entry and no curtains that I can recall.
To get from the stage to the dressing room, you had to navigate your way around the out side of the building, to the back of the hall, and hope you missed all the land mines in the shape of cow patties along the way.

There would be a play from each grade, piano recitals, usually a dance performed by the girls who did calisthenics and if we were lucky the parents would put on their own play. Snow white and the seven dwarfs was one of the funniest shows I remember seeing.
Never knew the parents tummies could make such funny dwarf faces.

I always remember my last school concert, mainly due to the fact I was one of four girls in the school, two girls in grade 4 one in grade six and myself in grade seven, we featured quite a lot in the end of year concert, don't know why the boys were adverse to playing a female role.

I have many more memories of that little school on the corner next to the church and surrounded by paddocks but I will leave them for another time.

I hope this have given you a lovely insight to many years of my life that I am very fond of and memories of times gone by, with people I still hold dear, even though I may not have seen them in thirty years.

Best wishes and happy memories

Tan

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Welcome to my or should I say our blog I have decide to create this Blog to give my daughter the opportunity to publish her story, She is currently working on a book titled A Door And A Whole Lot Of Magic.



This blog is to celebrate writings from a young girl who struggles with language and literacy due to Dyslexia and Auditory processing issues, but is still willing to give writing ago even though that is one of her greatest hurdles.

And what else can a parent do but support her efforts and give her every opportunity to succeed in her endeavours and feel inspired by her determination to keep trying even when it is tough.