First Day of School

It was a very busy, bustling mess getting to school this morning, for Henry's first day at a proper State school (very different from the hippy, fields of flowers, chickens, peacock Montessori school of Oxfordshire!).  It was a lovely sunny morning. But halfway to our destination there was limping, whinging, tantrams - so I surrendered "Oh alright David! I know your foot hurts but get out the way of the bloody pram.".

When we met Henry's Prep teacher, he was EXACTLY LIKE MR. G FROM SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH.   For those of you who are clueless to Mr. G, look at a clip on You Tube.  The teacher's real name is Mr. Mannam, but David thought it was Madam - very apt.  We got through the journey to school using one pram, two bikes and one scooter - and David and I were not even riding anything so figure that one out. 

And I've just realised that I have to do all of this in reverse this afternoon.  This school/kindergarten malarky will give me more of a workout than the last 20 years of my professional dance career.

Red Back Spider

Our own Deadly 60 presenter came running into the house yesterday with news of yet another trecherous looking spider down the driveway. The Accountant and I wandered out to find that indeed, Henry had actually found a Red Back Spider (Duchess read no further...).

I thought perhaps it was dead, but Henry had seen it scampering along.  He identified the spider as a Red Back (poisonous, deadly but quite small) from his books and from watching episodes of Deadly 60 on BBC iPlayer.  It was a terrific find for a six year old boy who has been looking for Red Backs for two years, even though it was the wrong country back then.

I love that my own father doesn't know my new address yet. So people take note here it comes:
40 Christowel Street, Camberwell, Victoria, 3124. Australia. The  other side of the world.

There's No Place Like New Home

Hey! Finally into our new house people.  Lots to do and obviously have the little tackers running excitedly around whilst trying to clean and unpack. I am truly the Queen of Rummaging and so in my element looking for places to put things. And the shipping freight has not even arrived yet!

Brian (more of him later) and his young and sexy apprentices arrived at the truly godforsaken hour of 6:45am this morning to deliver the rest of our stuff from The Cousin's house.  The Cousin and Second Cousin (Sophie - sister to Jacqui) were little bloody angels last night. Helping with the children, washing dishes, unpacking, drinking Champagne. Was a lovely welcome into our new home.

Sleeping arrangements are all over the place. Boys on lovely camp beds in their own room. Me on airbed in parental room, with Jonty in crib - and The Accountant chose to sleep on the boy's floor wrapped in a duvet. What's that about?

Also I'm online!
Over and out.

Joan Margaret

Very sadly my maternal Grandmother died this week.  Jonty and I are flying down to Melbourne for the funeral.  Nanna Smith, to use her full name, was a lovely, kind and sweet lady.  Nan and Pop's house was always a welcoming, homely place where all of us grandchildren were made to feel safe and warm.

Pop Smith was a funny old man, short and round with false teeth he used to remove for our amusement - and become an ape!

Nanna taught me lots of womanly skills - cooking, sewing and knitting, and she was always bustling around the kitchen baking and cooking. All done with good humour and much humming of Bing Crosby songs.  She was much loved by our big family and will be very much missed.

But as is the way of life after the old comes something new and so congratulations to Monica who has given birth to a baby girl!  Much joy and celebration and who would have thought we would have seven children between us six years ago!

Prodigal Son Returns

The Accountant returned one night early from his travels abroad for work. He was very much in my good books after bringing home some Christian Dior make-up, L'Oreal mascara and two Vogues - one India, one Hong Kong. Much fun.  Browsing through Vogues from other countries is always one of my favourite things. I'm sure Julie Andrews didn't sing about that one though....

The Accountant also bought the boys some crazy Japanese toys, which they love, and they spent all day yesterday zinging these little spinning tops all over the house, whilst wearing an attractive pair of Batman sunglasses. On a cloudy day.

So the favourite son arrives home and lies on the sofa barking out orders for food and drink to The Grandparents, who either happily run about for him or have a "Get it yourself" attitude.

He has just asked me to "help" him unpack his bag. This means me unpacking for him and sorting out his washing and every other bloody thing as well. The problem is he has both a Wife and Mother as captive audience in the same house, so he knows one of us will cave in the end.

1985

OK so it might be paradise out here in sunny Yarralumla, where there are mountains, lakes, trees and flowers, but I took the brave step of driving out to the shopping centre and it was like another world. And not a pretty world.  Walking through Woden Shopping Centre was a bit like the scene in Harry Potter where the Dementors are sucking the very life and soul from him.

Bustling: yes. Pleasant: yes. Boring: my God yes. I am sure I saw a hay bale blow through a deserted courtyard/plaza whilst I walked back to the car.  Shopping centres or malls are not quite my cup of tea in any country, I prefer High Street shopping, but it was all a bit Stepford Wives in there. With a few mullets thrown in for good measure.

I also had to pick myself off the floor when I bought my quite modest L'Oreal mascara. About eight quid in Boots.  "That will be $27 thanks." Fuck me!

The children in general have been coping quite well with the change of countries.  However little Henry (now six) has just started getting severe homesickness. He wants his bed, his house, his friends, his school, his swimming/gymnastics/karate lessons and the Union Jack blowing in an Autumnal breeze.  He is not a happy chap at the moment. I should have known this was coming because on Day Two he remarked to me "You said we were going to be living in Australia. We are not even living.  It's like we're on holiday - only worse." Find a happy place, find a happy place.........

Paradise Refound

Once the two Davids and I were seeing Bob Downe (hilarious Australian camp comedian) at High Wycombe.   He was picking Australians out of the audience to ask where they were from. David L very enthusiastically raised his hand: "Where are you from?" (Me thinking: "Don't say Canberra, whatever you do don't say Canberra".) David L (loudly) "Canberra!"

Without missing a beat Bob Downe came back with "Canberra? Canberra? I don't even have any jokes about Canberra. Canberra is so boring you spike your own drink when you go out in the evening".

So here we are in Canberra, and it might be boring and home to politics, but to us city-weary folks it is bliss.  We are staying at The Grandparents house. More like a 5-star spa retreat really. The sun never stops shining and it is totally gorgeous.  David and I have got time off for good behaviour tonight and going to the lovely Hyatt Hotel for a drink.  The house is right next to the lake, and we can see Black Mountain from the garden.  The birds are chirping (not swooping!) and blossom of all colours adorns the gardens.

Very peaceful and pretty and lots of nature nearby.  This afternoon I am off to Body Balance. Like a workout class with yoga. Girls - me! Off to a funny old workout class!  Will report back on how it went. I even packed LEGGINGS just in case such an opportunity came up. Luckily I haven't posted any photos on this blog yet, and the very thought of me in LEGGINGS sends a shiver down my spine.  Down my nice warm, 23 degree, well-exercised and flat white coffee spine.