Archives for August 2012

There’s Stress on the Costume Department

There’s been more activity at Alfie’s school.  Last week it was Wacky Wednesday, this week it’s Book Week. As part of the celebrations of Book Week, Alfie’s class enjoyed an excursion to the local library.  At the library they were fortunate to listen to a talk from one of Australia’s most successful children’s authors, Duncan […]

Banana Bread and The Canteen

Archie and Arabella went to a private primary school.  On top of the fees we were required to do ‘maintenance hours’.  If you didn’t do your ‘maintenance hours’ you had an extra fee (more like a fine) added to your fees.  I’m forgetting how much it was but probably around $350.00. In order to keep […]

Afghan Cookies and Swimming Lessons

For some reason I started swimming lessons for Archie and Arabella when they were just babies.  By the time they were five and six they had progressed from the baby pool at a private swim centre to a swim school held at the local council pool. We loved the lessons at the baby pool and […]

Individual Carrot and Pineapple Cakes and Pre-School Wars

When Archie went to pre-school he had the best teachers who were not only amazing, they created a wonderful, relaxed and happy place where all the care and education was given without bureaucracy and rule-books getting in the way. Twelve years later when Alfie went to pre-school (a different pre-school) things had changed.  More rules […]

Mixed Bean Salad and The Dinner Party

On Friday night we had a dinner party.  Carl had invited clients over for dinner.  People I had never met.  Carl’s good like that, he’s sadistic. I wasn’t stressed though because I knew it would all go well because the teenagers wouldn’t be there – out as usual and I would have the whole day […]

Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto and Illegal Acts

Today was Arabella’s HSC Drama Examination and no surprise, we’ve had plenty of drama. She had to be at school before 7am for a final rehearsal.  At 7.01am she phoned to say she’d forgotten part of her costume – the riding jacket. ‘Mum, could you bring it down to the school like now?’ she asked, […]

Brandied Fruit Slice and ‘How old do I look?’

I have a sister who’s a very successful lawyer and and she’s very attractive and brilliantly witty and extremely smart.  Can you tell she also reads my blog?  Yes, we’re getting together for lunch very soon so I’m making all the right noises.  Oh, you might remember her as being the one who laid a […]

Choc-Walnut Slice and The White Shirt

Do mornings in your house run swimmingly or are they a battlefield? Because this morning, just as I was leaving the house to take Alfie to school for ‘Wacky Wednesday’ there was a three-way altercation between me, Archie and Arabella over ‘the white shirt’. Arabella came into my line of vision and asked, ‘Have you […]

Chocolate Fudge Sundae and It Never Stops

After organising her costumes a few weeks ago, Arabella left for school this morning confident she had everything all sorted for Friday’s performance.  It’s just when she arrived at school she remembered she needed to bring her costumes with her as they were supposed to be photographed today.  That’s when I received the emergency call. […]

Strawberry Gelato and The Costume Department

We don’t have a Costume Department. And schools seem to think that inside every home, there’s a Costume Department. Arabella is performing her Group Performance and her Individual Performance in front of the Board of Studies on Friday.  This is a very nerve-wracking experience and will make for a stressful week where we will tiptoe […]