Tough love

Elle's has been nannying some kids over the summer who are, well, let's just say a little challenging.

Not one to be backwards, Elle has been taking them to task over their shabby behaviour, calling them out on every eye roll, sarcastic remark and pretty much treating them as we mothers would want. She knows she's not winning any favours with the kids, but frankly, bad luck.

However, not long before she was due to finish up, the mother took her aside.
The children have been really upset... she said quietly, so said children couldn't hear.
Here we go, thought Elle, I guess this day was always coming - the kids have complained. She braced herself for a reprimand.
... they're so sad that you're leaving. I know you can't stay full time, but I'm hoping you'll keep babysitting for us on a casual basis? 

Elle could come up with only one explanation; Stockholm Syndrome!!

One very angry woman

It was only yesterday that I was saying how packed the gym is - and with that, of course, comes a parking issue.

This morning was particularly bad.

The car park was full, so I pulled back out into the traffic and attempted to park on the road. There was a woman who let me into the traffic and then seemed to be cross that I was trying to park. With the light change, I moved forward and could see the parking sign that had been obscured by a tree - no parking until 9am.

I pulled back into the traffic - now behind said women - who then went NUTS!! Gesticulating like the picture below, shaking her head, waving her hands, ranting to herself - for a full light change. It was quite the show!

She absolutely went OFF, eyeing me in her rear vision mirror - so I just calmly held her gaze and sipped my latte - which seemed to make her even madder.

As the lights changed and she pulled away, her final salute was the bird.

Seriously, she hadn't been at all inconvenienced by me - the traffic was shite anyway - I can only think she hates her life. She needs to breathe - or maybe go to the gym?!!!

New Year's resolution

I don't go in for them myself, but clearly others do.

How do I know this? Because since the start of the year, the gym has been packed - and I mean, PACKED! I can barely carve out enough space in a Pump Class to execute a lunge and have to take care not to smack the people around me with the bar of weights.

It wasn't like this when I joined - in August. Yes, it was busy, but this has gone to a whole new level.

There's a 'token' system that I'd never seen before where you pick up one of a limited number of laminated cards to secure your place in the class and - I assumed - ensure it's not overcrowded and there are enough mats and weights and whatever for everyone. Not so.

The other morning, while awaiting a class, I noticed others had the tokens, and I didn't. Whoops! I ran back to the desk and asked if there were any left. No, I was told, but just go on in and see if you can get a space.

There wasn't even any prioritisation for those with tokens - it was free for all! Maybe they don't want to disappoint people?

Eleanor assures me it will drop off as the weeks go by and that by Easter, it should be back to normal.

Not to be discouraging, but I do wish they'd hurry up and let it go - now!!

End of an era

Sass started high school this week. Here she is!

Yes -  a bit of late bloomer, she looks like she could be going into Year 4 but she really is in Year 7. With a bit of lippy and a fake id, I swear half her friends could get into a night club! Whereas Sass can still eat from the kids' menu - no questions asked.

But the real milestone is that this is the first time in 19 years (yes - nineteen!!!) that we no longer have a child in primary school.

Nineteen consecutive years.

George started school in 1998 and we've been doing drop offs and pick ups ever since.

I'd love to say how many cakes I've baked, stalls I've manned and funds I've raised - but the truth is, not many!!

And according to market research segmentation, we are no longer classified as a 'Young Family' - the criterion being a child in primary school. We've finally evolved to 'Older Family' and 'Empty Nesters' is sill probably a decade away.

Lucky I like kids!

A discombobulating start to the year

The start of the year is always a bit disruptive with various businesses taking different breaks.

That's all well and good - until it affects me!

First up was the cafe next door. I assumed it'd reopen in the first week or two of January. I'd arranged a couple of catch ups there with colleagues and when it didn't open, was forced to relocate. Frustratingly, there's no sign to say when they're reopening. I figured they were still in business as there was painting equipment on the floor and am contemplated sticking a sign, facing inwards, to ask what's going on and get them to call me.

Next is the car wash over the road. My car is filthy. I always pre-purchase my car washes there and probably have about nine left. The sign said they'd be reopening on the 12th so figured I could hang out until then. As the 12th approached, the sign now said:

(In fairness, they did spell 'until' correctly!)

I tried calling - I think they've taken the phone off the hook as it's continually engaged. The shade sails have been removed so I was hopeful they were just renovating. However, Geoff's heard a rumour around the 'hood that they've shut up shop. Damn!! What about my nine car washes??

As I type, Sass is cleaning my car - for cash!

More karma

Elle had been home from Sydney for less than 48 hours and I was already asking her, repeatedly, to tidy up after herself. In particular, her room, that in 30 seconds had gone from show-room perfect to looking like we'd been burgled and ransacked.

Naturally, she ignored me.

Actually, that's not true. She may have rolled her eyes and told me to stop nagging.

So, I was working in my study above the shed yesterday and heard someone yelling in a high-pitched voice 'Mum!! Mum!! Mum!!" I initially thought it was a toddler, then Elle, then maybe a toddler... then my phone rang. It was Elle, and through sobbing, I gathered she'd injured her foot.

I ran down to discover her face down, across the debris strewn on her bedroom floor, with this bit of a belt stabbed and stuck deep in her heel.

Ouch.

Take me to a hospital!! She screamed. Oh for goodness sake....
I'm just going to pull it out - are you ready?
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I realised surprise was my best approach so without warning, wrenched it out.

I ran to the recently tidied medicine cabinet and got some gauze and a band-aid.

Is there lots of blood? Elle asked, still face down on the carpet.
Not really. It was pretty much a clean in and out, I calmly replied.

Furthermore, I managed NOT to mention that had she tidied her room like I'd been asking, perhaps this wouldn't have happened - at least I didn't say anything, or laugh, for at least a couple of hours 😂

Lady Elliot Island

Ever heard of it?

Neither had I, but on looking for a place to see the Great Barrier Reef, it seemed to be the place to go. Being so far south, the impact of Cyclone Debbie and bleaching has missed this spot. This is it - and yes, a large chunk is taken up by the airstrip.

We booked in for three nights in an eco-cabin before Christmas.

I'd heard it was renown for bird life so reminded myself 100 times not to forget my binoculars.  It turned out I didn't need them. December is breeding time for these guys and, they're literally everywhere. Some poor unsuspecting tourist had the bacon taken off his plate and breakfast! If you don't care for birds, this isn't the time of year to visit, but apparently, they all disappear in February.

Bird's eye view of the birds

No binoculars required!!!

The real attraction is the snorkelling. We saw a Spotted Eagle Ray (no Mantas, unfortunately), large reef sharks (about 2 metres), a mother of a stingray - perhaps nearly 2 metres across, nestling into the sand, a huge moray eel, a row reef squid that were eye-balling Elle and me in some kind of surreal Mexican stand-off, a massive grouper, trumpet fish, batfish that look like super-sized angel fish and hundreds of others. And each time, we saw turtles! Some as small as a dinner plate but most the size of an occasional table.

A whole row of these guys was just.. so...weird

Eagle Ray - they're big!

More of these than you could point a stick at

It was the egg-laying season for the turtles so a night walk along the beach was less about possibly seeing one and more like how many. They were very busy girls!

Gorgeous sunsets

To quote another guest;
"Turtle, crab, sunset - I don't know which way to look!!!"

Hermit crabs aplenty on the beach in the evening

I BYO-ed champagne. They were happy to provide glasses!

If you like a nap when you're on holiday, be warned, the eco-cabins (in fact, I suspect all the cabins) get very hot in the afternoons. There's no aircon, but they do have a ceiling fan - which changes it from being in an oven to being in a fan-forced over. Sass tried napping on the deck out the front, but baby birds kept jumping on her!!

Anyway, if you like a bit of what nature has to offer, I'd recommend it.