“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one

 

 

“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.”

― Erma Bombeck

 

 

DAY 11 January 3

 

So I didn't come to Melbourne to shop! I don't love shopping.

 

Ang came to shop.

 

I came to do girlie things like massages and facials, have nice meals and maybe catch a show.

 

But I might become a convert to the whole shopping thing. we walked for ages. Although some of that might gave been thanks to my dubious abilities to read a map! And we shopped up a storm. for someone who didn't come to Melbourne to shop I did a fairly good portrayal of being an avid shopper!

 

And after a Christmas week at mums we had also decided that eating was going to be very sensible. So who should booked the motel right next to the delectable speciality chocolate shop? and in the middle of restaurant heaven?

 

So we spent the day shopping and eating and then shopping some more. Left the hotel before 8am- damn the time difference- and didn't return until nearly 5!

 

Pretty good effort!

 

 

(The results of a days work, Ang would like you to pick which is her pile and which is mine!)

 

Not sure what wins in the race between Melbourne shopping and eating at the moment!

 

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That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me

“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations


DAY 10 January 2

So the next part of  the journey began today.

Angela and I caught a shuttle bus to Auckland where we checked in to travel to Melbourne.

I am writing this entry sitting on the plane an hour out of Melbourne.

And I could say all kinds of things about the first step of the journey on an international flight! But I get the feeling there will be many more chances to do that over the next few weeks.

So instead I have been reminded of the powerful journey books and movies could take us on.

I was introduced to the book Mr Pip by a friend and colleague in the middle of last year. It was seeming like a great book to read to kids  maybe helping them to see that there people in huge world much less fortunate than them. However Megan got so far through the book with the kids and had to stop reading it as the content got a bit too heavy.

When the movie came out Megan again recommended it but I've never had a chance to see it.

I'm not sure on a plane was the best place to experience this journey.

There were a few moments where I literally jumped out of my seat! and I'm sure at least one moment where I exclaimed loudly in horror at what was happening.

The queues of people linking up for the toilet right over my shoulder were also slightly off putting, I kept looking to see if any children were coming so I could turn the screen around! Not always the happiest of scenes bring shown.

And at least the sad young man on the other side of the aisle who spent the first hour of the flight crying, has cheered up as he laughed at me!

But what a powerful reminder of the importance of letting books and movies take us on figurative journeys.

 What an important message to impart and inspire in the young people of the world.

I read a really good "teacher" book a few weeks ago about the ways to inspire middle school kids to embrace reading and watching this movie about the power the book Great Expectations had on this remote community in Papua New Guinea has again rekindled my enthusiasm for making sure the young people I work with over the next year have every chance possible to immerse themselves in the journeys that books and movies can give us.


I know I am looking forward to grabbing some time over the next few weeks to immerse myself in some of the fiction I have downloaded on my kindle. Reading fiction is something I don't make enough of a priority for sometimes in term time. A few long flights in the next month might give me the time to sit and get totally immersed in those stories, whether it's reading them or watching them.



Fantasy is a good exercise bike for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can. Terry Pratchett

Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family.

Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family.
Joseph Brodsky

So today was a day six weeks in the making. It was Mum’s 70^th birthday celebrations. A bit of a surprise for her because she turns 70 in about 2 weeks. She was expecting the five of us and our respective partners and families for lunch.

At 10.30am we told here that there was actually a few more people than that arriving and that we would be having lunch at the rugby club instead.

The scheming of the last few days, the all going out at different times to decorate the clubrooms, to practice songs, to prepare food, all came together.

  

Mum and Dad before leaving the house

Everyone got involved and contributed different things, all using our various skill sets to their best use.

We ended up with about 70 people there for lunch. 

Friends and families. Connections from long ago, and connections more recent.

People we didn’t know but had ferretted out contact details for.

People who had last seen some of us 20 years ago.

Photo stories, grandchildren speaking, a daughter and granddaughter singing Ave Maria, speeches from all five children, some amazing food  and lots and lots of laughter marked the day a special one for Mum in ever so many ways.

 

Over the shoulder looks from the youngest and eldest grandchildren- born 25 years apart!

Children, partners and grandchildren.

And the fact we managed to keep it mostly a secret from her until an hour before it started was pretty special too.

So today was all about connections. 

Connections with family.

 It’s a pretty telling indication of the family connections that the parents of partners of the family were present. Connections spread everywhere in our family.

Connections with friends. Old workmates and friends. New neighbours. All there. All mingling and making connections together.

Mum speaking at the end of the day.

“Connecting with those you know love, like and appreciate you restores the spirit and give you energy to keep moving forward in this life.” 
― Deborah Day

Years end is neither an end or a beginning but a going on...

 

 

 

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instil in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” — Oprah Winfrey

 

 

So the last couple of days have been spent with family of all ages, eating, drinking and scheming.

 

The funniest site must have been Sam sitting at lunch today at the grand kids table with her bottle of beer while the rest of the grand kids had their juice!

 

She bought all her cousins a big bow to wear in their head and they formed the cousins club!

 

Very cute end to the year!

 

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"Babies are such a nice way to start people."

So today was all about babies.

 

Heather arrived with baby Pippa, the newest family arrival, who is just the absolute spitting image of her father in a way I've never seen a baby be.

The day comprised of pass the baby around, and play with the baby, and feed the baby, and just go goo ga over the baby.

 

 

 

Sam arrived in the evening and it was very cute to see Sam with her baby cousin, born 25 years after she was born.

 

Poor mum and dad have 5 grandchildren 25 years apart. I really think they thought they'd get a few more from having 5 kids, only 7 years apart.

 

 

 

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Winter is Coming

"Winter is coming." George RR Martin, A Game of Thrones

DAY 5, DECEMBER 28

So today was a day to hit the shops and make sure I had enough warm clothes to handle the potentially negative temperatures of Finland and Poland in 10 days time!

Not a lover of shopping I wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but off we headed. pulled up at the Mount shops, walked past the first shop, into the second one and bought the jacket I needed, the beanie I needed, the gifts I needed for the schools we are going to visit in Finland, and we bought the couple of small Christmas presents Mum had asked us to get. Walking back to the car we walked past a lovely NZ Merino shop and bought one other jersey to replace one I'd been unsure was warm enough anyway.

Within 30 minutes we were back in the car, heading towards KatiKati. If that's what shopping with Angela is like, bring on the Melbourne shops for 4 days!

Maybe I'll become a convert to this whole shopping lark.

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To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give

To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give, To roam the roads of lands remote: To travel is to live. ~ Hans Christian Anderson

DAY 4 December 27

A stay in KatiKati between Christmas and new Year just isn’t complete without a trip to the Gypsy Fair.

Angela and mum wandered the stalls and bought clothes and hippy magnets, while I wandered with Dad. 

Cue the candy floss, hot dogs and chips. Dad thought it was better than Christmas Dinner!

Tarot cards read for the next 12 months, potions tried, hair braided and jewellery browsed.

A beautiful sunny day to wander amongst the gypsies and their house buses.

And to pretend you live in a different world for a couple of hours.

“The bridge will only take you halfway there, to those mysterious lands you long to see. Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fair, and moonlit woods where unicorns run free. So come and walk awhile with me and share the twisting trails and wondrous worlds I've known. But this bridge will only take you halfway there. The last few steps you have to take alone.”

― Shel Silverstein