The Biggest Winner

As those of you who know me well, you would also know that I work at one of the biggest primary schools in Bendigo.
As such, this also means that we would also have a large staff ( in number that is!! )
We are lucky that we all get on really well with each other and are very social. which explains why our current challenge is going off.
The instigator of this new challenge is a great man who goes by the name of Cam. After the last holidays, he felt that he had neglected his health and fitness a little during the two week break, so he needed a bit of inspiration and support in getting back on track.
His idea that was shared with us was to have a "Biggest Winner" competition (well, not so much competing against each other, but more about supporting each other).
The idea is that we all put in a sum of money, and some of this goes to our weekly winner, while the majority of the pool goes to our overall winner at the end of this term.
We partner up with someone for our weekly weigh in, where the weight is not revealed, just the percentage of weight lost each week. The partner is there to keep the weigh in legit!

       

That's all there is to it. No boot camp activities, no restrictions on what you can and can't eat, just a little monetary inducement to maintain a little bit of fitness and sensible eating for the term, and hopefully beyond. Above all, it has really created a sense of community and support with all of those involved, about 12 of us.
As expected, there has been a bit of banter among the participants, such as offering them the biscuit container at morning tea, or an extra bit of cake when there is a birthday (a regular occurrence on a staff of more than 50). The amount of willpower shown already has been admirable, and when it really comes down to it, everyone really supports each other, despite the occasional offer of a bickie or piece of slice!

And not everyone even needs to lose any kg's, they just want to be involved and help support others, which builds our community further.
When I said I'd do it, I had quite a few saying I didn't need to lose anything, as I do try to stay fit and healthy, but I reckon a few kg's from here and there can only be good for me, plus I reckon I'm carting a few that I don't need.
Also, Cam was the only male involved at the start, so I wanted to give him some 'man support'!!
We took our starting weigh in last week, and our first official weigh in is this week, so for the past few days everyone has been right into the good eating and exercise. My problem was that I started doing it two weeks ago when Cam first floated the idea, and I've already dropped 2 kg, which would have been better to lose after the initial weigh in. It didn't bother me though, because they were probably a few kg's that I didn't need in the first place.

And if you are wondering how I am looking at the start of the challenge, I've include my before photo, and my target photo so that you can see what I'm aiming for.

                 Before                                                                             After???

So, just a simple idea from Cam has really galvanised a lot of people to be active at a time of the year when we'd probably prefer to be inside, on the couch with a nice coffee and cake. We can still do those things, but being more careful about how many times we do it!

The biggest challenge has not been just eating a few pieces of fruit and a box of sultanas each day at school as I normally do, but not grabbing the occasional bickie as well, or having a little snack before tea when I get home as I'm normally famished after having been for a run.

Yesterday was a challenge as it was canteen day at school, and a tray of leftover pies were placed on the staff table between myself and another participant in the Biggest Winner. The temptation to grab one was huge, as it was a really cold day and we had both just come in from yard duty. We just looked at each other and went "Nuh Nuh". Without her support, or mine, we both might have succumbed!!

As today is really cold I am already thinking of going and cooking up something to eat, but just writing this has convinced me to make a healthier choice about what to cook.

Let's now see what happens with my initial weigh in of 79.2 kg (fully dressed, no shoes on) over the next 8 weeks!!

 Cheers

Happy 50th little brother!!

Well today is a special day for my younger brother Peter, affectionately known to many as "Dirty".

He turns 50!!

There are so many stories we could share about him, but a favourite tale that we always get a laugh out of is the following one, when we were all home on holidays from teacher's college one Summer.

At the Colbinabbin house where mum and dad lived, there was a big room called ‘The Boys room’ and another called “The Girl’s room”. Our oldest brother, Moose, lived in a little bungalow out the back.

Anyway, a stray cat had been coming in at night and annoying the hell out of Moose who worked really long hours at the local quarry, always leaving for work at about 5.00 in the morning, especially during Summer, which was when this happened as we were all at home.

Moose caught the pesky cat and put it in a sack and gave me, Dirty and another younger brother, Damian the task of taking it out the bush and shooting it. He also gave us a rifle, which was an automatic with a 15 shot clip.

“Yep Moose, no worries, we’ll do it today”

So, the 3 of us head out with the cat in the sack and the gun, thinking ‘this will take no time at all’. But, to save time, instead of going miles away out into the bush where Moose demanded, we just headed out behind the local tip, about one km away.

Well, now is the time to cue the Benny Hill music, as the next 5 minutes were chaotic!!

After much discussion about who would shoot, the task fell to me, while Dirty decided that we should let it out and shoot it humanely.

Well, as soon as the sack opened out flew that cat hissing and spitting and it BOLTED!!!!!

And then the shooter, who couldn’t shoot the ground even if he was aiming at it was letting loose with the rifle while the cat disappeared into the distance with little bits of dust spitting up behind it as the magazine was quickly emptied in its direction.

“Bugger!! What do we tell Moose????!!”

We decided that dishonesty would save us, so when Moose got home that night he asked if we had ‘dispatched’ the said cat, to which we vigorously nodded in agreement.

Imagine our shock and horror at 5.00 the next morning when Moose stormed into the boy’s room, with the ‘dead’ cat back in the sack. It had returned!!!

In a less than pleasing tone he marched over to Dirty’s bed, threw the cat in the sack on his bed, and this time with a shotgun, yelling

“Do it properly this time and don’t open the sack!!!”

Let’s just say it was done more efficiently this time, without the music!!

And we let Dirty go out and do it on his own!!

Just one of many funny stories that come from living in a large family who always like to have some fun.

Happy 50th Dirty !!

The past keeps catching up....

After teaching for close to 30 years the number of kids I have taught has grown to a considerable number.

I have been lucky to have taught all grade levels at 8 different schools, as well as a short stint at La Trobe University.

In that time various kids stand out for various reasons, and also some classes stand out more than others for a variety of reasons too. By the same token, others fade very quickly from the memory.
There is nothing worse than running into someone you have taught a few years later and they are excited to see you, and all you can think is "Who the hell is this?"
It is embarrassing I can tell you!!

Then there are the others that you recognise instantly, and it's always great to see them again.

Early in my teaching career I taught a particular class at St Alipius Primary in East Ballarat. I had them for one year, then again 1 year later. For some reason this class holds such special memories.
I reckon if I saw any of them today I'd know straight away who they are. I think I could even name their parents and siblings as well. This group just 'had it', meaning they were so easy to teach and we had the best relationship. I remember the two years of teaching them so clearly, we were able to do so many things that I would never have dreamed about doing with other groups, they were just so receptive to learning.

They were clearly the two most memorable years of my teaching so far because it was so much fun and I was able to really get to know my students.

So, imagine my surprise two years ago when out of the blue I got a message from one of them to say they were having a 25 year reunion, and wanted me to come along. At first I thought of not going, as I was still picturing them as 12 and 13 year olds, but when I got around to realising that they were all in their mid 30's now, it didn't seem so bad.

The next few months involved a lot of emails and renewing contact with people who I never thought I'd see again as I no longer lived in Ballarat.
The day of the reunion finally came, and it was with some trepidation and nervousness that I entered the Lakeview Hotel in Ballarat not knowing what to expect. Immediately I was greeted by a few of them, and apart from the shock of now seeing them as fully fledged adults, it was like seeing old friends again.
We laughed at so many things, shared stories, looked at photos, and they had even arranged for me to do a roll call!!
Sadly we had lost 4 of our group in the ensuing years which was tragic to learn about.

It was just a fantastic day, with the odd part being that many had to leave late in the afternoon as they had kids at home to look after and get to bed, whereas when I was teaching them I was just about to enter the parenting phase of my life.

Fast forward another two years and I noticed a message from one of them on Facebook, which I replied to. This then started a line of discussion about how to use a slow cooker to cook a roast!!
Imagine that, 26 years later I am still offering some of them advice, and in cooking of all things!!!
It just goes to show that some connections can remain solid throughout the years.

It all started with Kellie asking about her slow cooker...

And having just cooked a frozen chicken in ours just a day or two earlier, I had to add my bit...

This exchange made me realise that although we may think that some people may have passed through our lives, we just never know where or when we we will catch up with each other again.

I look forward to our next reunion.

Last day of holidays...

Well after a massive hiatus after our overseas trip, I seemed to have developed writer's block for a few weeks, as I just couldn't come up with anything as good as what I had just been lucky enough to experience.
Thankfully, these holidays have got me going again, and although the content isn't as exotic as I'd like it to be, it is what has been happening.

Being a devotee of the Richmond football club, it hasn't been great being so starved of success since our last flag in 1980. Not only have we not won a flag since then, we have been perennial cellar dwellers and at times the laughing stock of the AFL. Nonetheless I have tried to fly my Richmond flag proudly for the past 35 years, often at the expense of relentless ridicule from friends and colleagues.

So how good has it been for the past two and a bit years now that the team is actually winning more games than they are losing!!

As I was in Melbourne for a few days last week with lots of time on my hands, I took the opportunity to go down to Punt Rd and watch Richmond train, then went to the game the next night with my son Will and one of his mates.
Although not overly confident of our chances, as experience has taught me to expect everything and nothing when following the Tigers, it was great to see us get up and win in what was an extremely ugly game of football.

 A good crowd already assembled to watch training at Punt Rd.

 The boys going through some drills.

I left the task of buying some good seats to Will, as the forecast was for terrible weather, and he didn't disappoint!

And the best part of the night, hearing the song after the game!!!!

It was a great night, not just because I got to watch them train and really soak up the atmosphere, but because I was there with one of my boys and one of his mates, and we had a great night regardless.

It was funny though at one stage during the last quarter when the rain started coming down.

We decided to head to the bar behind us which was out of the rain and have a beer, and the group of blokes we were next to had obviously hit the bar a lot earlier than us!! 

They were all probably in their late 50's, but to just listen to their banter was hilarious. The best comment we heard was when one of them yells out to his mates "What quarter is this?"

They were well and truly oiled and were having a big night, but they were harmless and very funny to watch and listen to.

A great night and a great result.

So what does one do??

As my readers know, I am enjoying the luxury of a few days roaming the streets of Melbourne while my wife attends University.

Yesterday I had an experience that is really troubling me, and I still don't know if I did the right thing or not.
When I say the right thing, it has two ways of being taken - one being what I felt was right for me, and secondly, what was right for the other person involved. This is something that I didn't consider until after the event, which I'll try to describe now...

Firstly, let me put it in context. In an earlier post I described a situation we experienced in Berlin a few months ago where I had the opportunity to help someone who was down and out, but left it too late and was then unable to do anything at all. The message I took from that was to address a need as soon as you see it.

So, yesterday morning as I was walking through the city I passed a homeless bloke who was sitting on a bench shaking severely from the cold.
My first thoughts were "Poor bugger", and then I remembered the bloke from Berlin.
There was a Macka's just ahead so I went in and bought a meal and a coffee and took it back to this bloke. Imagine my dismay when I saw that he was now joined by another bloke. Only later when I talked to Jen about it did she suggest I should have gone and bought another meal for him too. Agreed.
As I gave it to him, and apologised to the other guy for having nothing for him (and to his credit he was ever so gracious as he said he expected nothing) he was so thankful.
But it was his parting comment that stirred so many emotions within me, and I still don't know which way to think.
After his very gracious "Thank you",  he then said "Next time could you ask me what I want, because people give me food all day". I was taken aback by this comment and my first thought was "Bloody hell, what more do you want". Immediately I felt guilty for thinking this way and tried to put myself in his shoes.
I was determined not to give money after hearing a recent interview with Brendan Nottle from the Salvation Army. They explicitly ask not to give money to beggars and street people (I hate those terms). I did what he advised to do, short of giving the money straight to the Salvos.
And if I did ask beforehand what he would like, perhaps I might have found that he may have wanted fruit, or something sweet, or toothpaste or whatever.
I now wish that I had done that, but what stopped me was that I was concerned about insulting his dignity by asking in the first place.
So now I am in a difficult place because I didn't want to do nothing, and by doing something I feel that perhaps I did the wrong thing? Does that make sense?
I can sort of understand where he comes from, but I will never understand fully as I have never been in the situation that he is in.

But what it does mean to me is that we should not give up on helping others, it just means that we need to have a better understanding of each situation.

I know that it sounds like I was offended by his remark, maybe I was slightly, but I have brushed it away completely as I was embarrassed to find myself thinking that way.
To his credit, he was dignified, thankful and respectful throughout our brief encounter, so it now appears that I gained the most benefit out of this situation.

We can always learn so much from others...

A little holiday to end the holidays...

Well here we are in Melbourne for a few days, courtesy of my wife needing to attend University as part of her Master's Degree that she is doing.
While she goes and studies for a few days I am being free to do what I want down here as I completed mine a few years ago.

So what plans do I have???

We did a few things in the city today that had to be done (the yearly eye tests as we ARE getting older!) Thankfully for the second year running I don't need my glasses changed, but it's still a pain needing to take them everywhere.

When I mentioned this they kindly raised the subject of contact lenses, "and it will only cost $90 to set you up".
Well, this sounded too good to be true, so I stopped the lovely lady and bluntly asked her "So you're saying I could have contacts for just $90?" (I knew it was too good to be true, particularly as she started to shift in her chair a little.)
"Well...umm...aahhh...".
She then quietly, very quietly mentioned that there would be a slight 'production cost'. When pressed further, this 'production cost' was close to $300, and it would need doing every 6 months!!
We left on good terms, and I told her I'd think about it.
I'm not discounting the idea, it was just the sinister way that she was trying to hook me in that was a bit dodgy.

We then went and checked into our digs which are in a great central location. After going for a walk and tram ride to see where Jen has to go tomorrow, I suggested that we walk back to our digs, as it wasn't really that far. She was on to me straight away and knew why I suggested this plan of attack, as my route took us straight down Elizabeth St, coincidentally past all of the motorbike shops.
Some of you might know that I had a bike for a few years, but sold it as the two younger boys were on their L Plates and any time I rode the bike to school meant that they missed out on driving practice, so I sold it...regretfully. It has always been my plan to get another one, and as our youngest is soon to get his licence, I have started to keep an eye out.

It wasn't a big bike, but it was good first one.

I had to kill some time along Bridge Rd in Richmond while waiting for my eye appointment, and it became rather nostalgic when I found myself walking past the block of flats I lived in with a few school mates years ago when we all worked in banks and lived like slobs for a year. While everything in this area near the town hall has been redesigned and redeveloped since, the old digs haven't changed a bit.

Many great parties here, no wonder we were invited to leave!!

And while I still had time on my hands I just couldn't resist the temptation to duck down Punt Rd to see if the Tigers were training. Unfortunately they weren't, but you can guess where I'll be at 10.30 in the morning!!

So, my plans for the next two days are to just have a ball exploring Melbourne, something I've really been looking forward to. Just me, going where I want, when I want. And doesn't that sound so selfish!!!!

Well, the plans look like going a bit haywire, as one foot has decided to just hurt really badly for no good reason. What started as a bit of tenderness has now reached the stage where I am struggling to walk at all as my foot and ankle have decided to go on strike. I even packed the runners and a few sets of running gear so as to hit The Tan a few times...wishful thinking it now seems.

The only thing I can think that could be the cause is the fact that I have just come off a course of anti-inflammatories, and now my body is reminding me what it can do to my best laid plans.

At least I was still able to get a bit of exercise in the gym here, because if I couldn't I would just about go around the bend.

The funny thing in the gym was that when I went in, there was just an old bloke on an exercise bike  reading a paper at the same time. From what I could see, there was an element of leg rotation going on. Not much, but at least movement was detected.

So I just hopped onto a rowing machine nearby, plopped in the headphones and started to give it a go, but nothing too strenuous mind you as there wasn't much competition in the room.

Or so I thought.

Just then two young bucks who didn't look like they needed to be in the gym in the first place rocked up and started their workouts. Not wanting to look like a total flog, I upped the tempo in order to preserve my "macho-ness" and look a bit better than I actually was. For the first few minutes I was fine, until it dawned on me that they were not in the gym for a quick fix, they were here for a good session!! And then the old guy on the bike packed up and left, leaving me and the two Manpower Candidates alone!!

Eventually we all made eye contact, gave each other 'the nod of approval' ( you know, "Yeah mate, I can see you're doing a solid workout, good on you") but I knew they had me worked out from the start!!

Thankfully they finished first, gave another 'nod' (and a bit of grunt as well!) and left.

I kept pumping for another minute or so until I was sure it was safe to go back to my more mediocre pace, picked my heart and lungs up off the floor and headed back to our room, exhausted, but glad for the workout regardless.

I'm just hoping that I'll be mobile enough in the morning to get to training and back to the motorbike shops for a long look at what is around.

And to end the week, middle son Will is coming down on Friday and we are off to see the Tigers hopefully belt Carlton at The G. As the weather is going on the stink over the next few days, I gave Will the task of purchasing good seats, and from what he has told me tonight it seems that he has done a mighty job. If we win that will great, but if we lose, I'd rather watch it from good undercover seats!!

So, the two days of prowling Melbourne has got off to an eventful start, which is what I love, because wouldn't life be boring without these things to test and challenge us.

Cheers!!

Who Are You????

Just a request...

I see that there are quite a few readers from around the globe who are regular readers of my humble blog.

You don't need to identify yourselves, but if you could just leave a message to say which part of America for example you are from, I'd love it.

Also, if possible, leave some feedback about the blog so that I can add more about what makes you read it in the first place, how you found it, why you read it etc. The best communication goes two ways, so I'd love to spark up some communication with you all.

At the moment the focus I am working on in my role as a teacher is in providing opportunities for rich and effective feedback, so any that I could receive would be graciously accepted.

There is a Comments link at the bottom of each posting where you can click and add your feedback, so go on, have a go!!

Cheers!!

Keeping up with the family...

As those close to me would know, our eldest son, Sam is on an extended overseas work/holiday trip.
I suppose I should also add to that the categories of sport, socialising, partying and risk taking!!
He has been away for about 10 months, seeing most of Europe, and spending a fair whack of his time working in London and also having the opportunity to play soccer at the highest level he has been exposed to.
Jen and I were lucky enough to have been able to go over to Europe about twelve weeks ago and actually caught up with Sam twice while we were there. We saw him at the start and at the end of a three week trip, and it still remains the highlight of the entire trip for me.
Seeing another part of the world is one thing, but meeting one of your own kids there is something else.
The early part of our trip involved seeing some parts of London that Sam wanted to show us, and then we took him to some parts that we wanted him to see.

My favourite photo from the trip.

From the viewing deck of The Shard building in London.

Just off Trafalgar Square in London

Since we last saw him in April, we have been kept informed of his exploits by the boy himself and also through messages from his friends. Needless to say, there are photos that I love, but his mum cringes at!!!

Through cruising the beaches of Greece to his latest exploits in Spain, it is great to see him living the life with his great mates and having a ball while he can.

Following in the footsteps of his motorbike loving dad!

And looking a bit shabby after running with the bulls at Pamplona.

After experiencing Europe twice in the last 12 months, I am in love with the place and can't wait to explore it further, especially with our other two sons. They both have mentioned places they'd love to see, and it is no coincidence that I'd love to see those places too. Who knows, perhaps a boy's trip could be on the cards in the next year or two???

Cheers!!

Being totally random...

Our Senses

A totally random thought came to me tonight while I was cooking tea, and also watching 'Masterchef' on TV.

How much do we rely on our senses? And how often do they remind us of totally random events?

Just while pondering this, a flood of memories came back to me when I thought about different smells, tastes, sounds, textures etc. The more I thought about them, the more others kept coming to mind that I hadn't thought about or remembered for years and years.

It was like a whole new library was opened up before my eyes, and the amazing thing was that the memories that came back to me were generally positive and enjoyable ones. Maybe it's because I always look for the positives in all that I do rather than the negatives?

Who knows, but I certainly enjoy reliving the great memories of my life.

So, here are a few just for starters...

• Wiping the last bits of gravy off your plate with a folded piece of buttered bread
• Walking through a puddle in gumboots (sloshing sound is clear here!) and the sensation when it finally goes over the top of your boots and into where your foot is.
• The sound of kids laughing, REALLY laughing, and it reminds you of moments when you had the same experience.
• Terrible smells...the Principal's office (Secondary school was more scarier than Primary school!), the Dorm Master's room at Boarding school, the room you wait in before going in for an interview, the 'something is wrong with my car' smell.
• The smell of the chocolate pudding our mum use to make ( and none of us have ever got close to replicating)
• Walking into the house after work and smelling tea already cooking, and wondering what it is. Or even recognising what it is and thinking 'YES!!!"
• The smell of your mum or dad or child when you are snuggling them when they, or you are sick.
• The warmth of the 'sick snuggle'!
• The smell of your own car.
• The sounds that your car makes that worry others, but you know 'Everything's alright!'
• The sounds your body makes...clicks, clunks, squeaks...or is that just mine!!!
• Going somewhere and smelling something and it reminds you of a moment years before that you'd otherwise never recall. I went through a run in the nearby bush recently and the smells brought back clear, vivid memories of nicking off into the bush behind the school I went to in Rushworth as a kid. The nuns would crack it whenever we got caught playing in the bush, but it was the best playground ever!! And it never stopped us from playing there!!
• The warmth of lake water on a really hot day.
• Tasting something as an adult and loving it, but remembering how disgusting it was when you tasted it as a kid. eg Smoked cod, tomatoes, yogurt, cheese, custard, peas, pizza
• Remembering every groove and scratch that was on your old desk at school.
• The smell of plasticene in Gr 2 (mine was blue!)
• The sounds of a really hot day...cicadas, lazy crows.

The more I think of them , the more I remember. I could just keep adding to this list.

So, if you are one of the many anonymous readers (who still has not left a comment!! Next to do so is a dead set legend!!) add some of your own sensations, I'd love to compare.

Above all, be acutely aware of how much our senses bring back so much of our past, not just the present!!

Holiday Rattlings..

Well here we are three days into our holidays and I'm loving the relaxation after a hectic weekend.
Thursday and Friday night started with me kindly (naively!) offering to pick up the boys who were out at various 'gatherings' with mates. In my day they were called parties!!!
Needless to say I was somewhat tired each morning after the late drives, but I never mind doing it if it means they get home safely.
Then I asked Lachie who he was playing in soccer on Sunday. "Swan Hill" was the reply. The next question was fraught with danger, knowing there were only two possible answers, so I tentatively asked...."Umm...aahhh...Where is the game at?"
"Swan Hill" !!!!!
Great.
A two hour trip along the most boring route between two towns, but always looking for a positive, it did mean a few hours driving practice for Lachie on the open road, so all was not lost.
To his credit, he drove beautifully all the way up and nearly all the way back before his body packed it in after a fairly physical game, so I drove the last 25 mins or so. He just about has his 120 hours needed before he can go for his licence, so that is a weight off his mind, and also ours as we know he can drive really well in all conditions.

Now, as I mentioned in my last post, my body feels like it is being controlled by the CFMEU (a militant Union here, for the benefit of my overseas readers). It just wants to lie down and do nothing!!

I had my cortisone shot in the shoulder last week which I was actually looking forward to as I was sick of the pain and ready for any sort of relief.

Well, imagine my disappointment after getting the shot and having a reaction to it that I was not expecting, especially as I've had a few of them before, and they have all worked perfectly.
The needle went in, which stung a bit, but that was expected. But then it went in further, and further, and FURTHER!!!! By this time my eyes were rolling and the three lemons were just about to appear, and thankfully the doctor pulled it out, smiled and said "No problems there!!" and walked off.
Yeah, no problems for him, but what about me, his dartboard!!
I went back to school (it was a before work appointment) and I just went downhill. I managed to get things done that had to be done and then I went home at lunchtime as I couldn't move my arm.
Wasn't the needle meant to make things better???
Since then, things have slowly improved until today when I put two screws into a wall, and now my shoulder has packed up again!!!!
At least the other one works, so there is always a positive to everything.

The Dentist

I am in the process of getting a few crowns fitted (and a lot of money removed!!) to replace some fangs that I haven't been too careful with over my 51 years.

I had one done a few weeks ago and all is good with it. I'm sure the dentist is enjoying the proceeds too.

So now it is time for the next one, so I made an appointment with the dentist and straight away I could see the dollar signs replace the pupils in his eyes.

Actually, I'm only joking about this as he really looks after me and I think he's just fantastic.

Before I got this one done, he offered me a free clean and scale as there had been some stuff ups with my crown being made, so I took up the offer.

Well, the results are good..but the process.... OUCH!!!!

Dentists should be banned from uttering these words...

"This is going to hurt a bit, so just raise your hand when it gets too much"!!

Why bother telling me it is going to hurt??? Just do it for goodness sake, and let me experience the surprise for myself rather than waiting for the 'expected pain'!!!

I'd much rather have a bit of pain as a 'surprise' rather than be told it is coming!!!!!

Needless to say, the clean and scale was something I was not looking forward to as it was done over two sessions. 

It was a different dentist who did the clean and scale, so I was much relieved to go back to my main man for the crown job, only to hear the same words again!! I thought he was the gentle one!!

So, I got the main work done and then walked around for half a day being paranoid that I thought I was dribbling as I was waiting for the effects of the anaesthetic to wear off.

He whacked in a temporary filling and in two weeks he throws in the 'gold bling', and then probably spends a few weeks in Monte Carlo with his family on the proceeds!!

So, for the last few days, between the fangs and the shoulder, the holidays could not have come soon enough!!

Nearly a "Weekend at Bernie's"

  ( a few weekdays??)

The good wife has gone away for a few days to spend some time with her parents a few hours away.

So, because she is strictly gluten free, that means the boys and I are living like kings and eating everything that tickles our fancy.

Although it sounds like we are pigging out, in fact we are just having a go on stuff we normally don't eat. There has even been trays of roast veges and bowls of salad!! Maybe the 'hero of the dish' has been something that normally doesn't visit us at tea time!!

At least the boys have enjoyed it as I've been restricted to soup after two visits to the dentist, and have been left with a mouth too tender to enjoy what they have been eating.

As you can see, I have had a bit of time on my hands today, hence the pictures  on this posting.

However, I have managed TWO visits to the new Bunnings that has opened near us and done some more work on the ensuite that we refitted a few months ago. 

But true to form, my shoulder packed it in after putting just two screws into the wall, so now I am back to banging on here and being very sedentary, something totally foreign to me!!

Let's see if tomorrow brings more news....