School's out forever

Another milestone occurred this weekend as we all went to the Year 12 Formal. Our girls did their high school years at a K - 12 rural school with a population of around 420 kids. At the event Friday night were 36 Year 12 students and their families, friends and teachers. Everyone dressed up and danced the night away. This event officially finishes our connection to school.



 uni student's preschool photo

We started preschool in 1997 during the week we moved into our new house. Our daughter was so excited about preschool she wanted to have a uniform like the big kids at the primary school so we went out and bought some yellow t-shirts and a blue skirt. Within months I was asked to be President of the P&C and started years of committee positions at school and for sport. I even coached a netball team. They had no idea that I had no idea and some of the girls still play.




youngest daughter's preschool photo

So for us school is over. We know that whatever our girls choose to do they are well-equipped from their years of primary school in the city and high school in the country and they have great friends along with them for the ride.

 

I had a couple of days break from the textbooks as my final assignment is in. Just some tests to go. I am reading another Katie Fforde book called Stately Pursuits. 

My secretive family

I have just had the best weekend. It was my birthday during the week and my family and I were heading into Canberra for dinner  and to see Denise Scott at the Canberra Theatre. My husband and I were staying over at a very nice hotel and having a shopping day today.

Imagine my surprise when we arrived at the restaurant and the table was booked for 10! There are only four of us and in walked some of my best friends and neighbours. And they were all coming to the theatre too!

We had a lovely night and Denise was hilarious. I can’t believe they all kept the secret. This outing has been planned for months apparently and no one said a word. Even youngest daughter didn’t say a word when I was giving her a hard time about driving home after the show and trying to convince her to stay over as well. She had plenty of company for the drive as the car was full of my friends.

I did finish Love Letters but haven’t read anything else as the end of semester is looming and I have work to do.  Assignments have left NaNo behind too.

After the HSC - jump out of a plane!

This weekend has been a big one for our family. On Friday our youngest daughter finished her HSC! When I saw her after the exam her face was lit up with relief and excitement. We went to dinner with another family and their now finished HSC student. It is a strange time for them now as they wait to move on to the next stage of their lives.

After a late night we had an early start to head down to the coast for my husband and now finished HSC daughter to do their first skydive. It was so exciting! Uni student daughter and I are not inclined to dare-devil activity and we were happy to stay out on the deck at the airport watching the sky, taking photos and cheering the skydivers. This was a present to our youngest for her 18^th birthday and my husband has always wanted to have a go. Needless to say they loved it and wanted to go up again. My husband says he will go again but only if I go too. In his dreams! My dare-devil inner self was let loose a number of years ago for a significant birthday when I went up in a balloon. That was amazing and I would love to go again. It’s such a shame it happens at such an ungodly hour and now we would need to leave home around 3am to get there on time. He says he isn’t too keen on the balloon idea but is happy to jump out of a tiny plane at 14,000 feet!

Nano is happening too. I have actually written about 5,000 words at this point.

I am still on Love Letters by Katie Fforde. It's been a bit busy around here but I must make some time for reading.

 

It's November

Offline October is finished and it’s on to Nano! I did pretty well with only going online for an hour a day during October. I did fall off the wagon a few times but that’s okay because overall I reduced my internet time wasting and only looked at what I need to look at.

So, it’s on to Nano for November. This will be a huge challenge but I am willing to give it a go. My goal is to write every day and get the words down, and however many words that is will make me happy!

Good luck to everyone having a go.

Letting go

For years my dream has been to write. I have done courses and read books about the craft and written bits and pieces and had some published in various forums. I have had ideas for two books, written a couple of thousand words, done lots of planning but never had the discipline to actually write them. Deadlines are good for a procrastinator like me and I have signed up for NaNoWriMo and am going to make an effort to get lots of words written.

If I don’t make the effort during November I probably don’t want this as much as I think I do and it is time to let go and move on to something else. Letting go is a recurring theme in our lives at the moment.

My husband has been back to Perth for the funeral of a family friend and met up with the ’gang’ he grew up with. Everyone is going through similar events in their lives and coming to terms with the ‘empty nest’, health issues and changing careers or retiring after a lifetime in one job or industry. His work life is changing too and he will be working one day a week next year and figuring out what he wants to do with the rest of his working life after 25 years in the same industry.

My proofreading partner has been offered a full-time job she really likes and I love my part-time library job and want to pursue more days. We have decided to wind up our business and see where these new opportunities take us.

Making decisions and letting go is scary but life is too short for holding on to jobs and projects we don’t have the passion for anymore. Finding new ones keeps us engaged, active and happy.

I have just discovered Katie Fforde and have finished Wedding Season and started Love Letters.

Good luck to all those having a go at NaNo!

 

Rain, snow and sunshine

What a week! The weather has been the talk all around town with lots of rain and snow. It snowed all around our district except where we live. By the time I arrived in town for work it had all gone! My husband has been on holidays, the sun is now shining and he has planted lots of new flowers in the garden.

 

 

I have done well with Offline October. I did go over the hour a couple of times but not for too long. My writing productivity hasn’t been as good as I had hoped but I have read some books, done my CIT homework and gone to bed early!

Just finished reading Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke and started Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich.

Offline October update

It’s day one of Offline October and I am feeling very pleased with myself. I did a lot of CIT work and although I did need to go on the internet for my assignment I did not go wandering. I stuck with what I needed to look for and got off!

I can keep this up for a month!