Life can be a Pain

@Owlunar I have one little cherub in my class that used to suffer quite badly from anxiety - it was amazing as the year progressed last year to see her confidence grow and her anxiety decrease.

Could you return as a helper to a local school to begin with Hon. I know we love having parent helpers in and the kids get so much out of it too.

Hi @Zoe7 @Shaz51 @outlander @Emelia8 @Appleblossom @Hams @Anastasia

@TAB @Historylover @greenpea @Snowie @Meowmy @EternalFlower @Judi9877

@Clawde

I hope everyone's week has been as interesting as possible - and as interesting as mine has been - wow what a story

It was hard to get a good moment to post anything - I love to tell stories so I will tell one now. It's true.

Some time back in the spring we had some really bad storms in Melbourne - as did many other places - one night I woke up hearing heavy banging outside in my courtyard. I didn't go outside to look right then because the wind was blowing hard enough to shift a large sailing boat and the rain was bringing cats and dogs and sheets my mother always said it was raining but I never saw.

Anyway - when it stopped raining I got partly dressed and went outside with a torch and my side gate had blown off its hinges. Oh damn. I propped a garden chair against it and got onto the owners - it took months but this week I have had that gate replaced and there is a new bit of fence, repairs replacing damaged woodwork around the back door and today a new back door. And I am so glad to get all of this done - I must say - it's fantastic.

But interesting - so much work. So much noise. What fun! Luckily I had been out to collect something important on Tuesday because I have to be here for all of this. I must be getting old because I couldn't get my head together with all the noise - it's still happening and it will be so good when it's finished. I am actually so pleased to have all this work done.

I can't reply to everyone at once so I do appreciate all the replies - thanks everyone.

My life is never dull - there is still work that needs to be done around here - the lockdowns made it hard to get anything but the emergency work achieved. I know a lot of people have been waiting and waiting.

All the best to all of you who are waiting for work to be done -

And today - it's chilly in Melbourne - there's no need to complain about the weather here because in a few minutes it will be different

I hope everyone's day is the best it can be

Owlunar

Hi @Zoe7

I am hoping the little kids are settling in now after a week of school. I don't remember ever being bothered about going to school and could hardly wait to get there every day - not everyone is so happy about it - this I know.

Returning to the classroom is something I would love to do - I gave up CE because one parent as upset about something - I have only a vague idea about what it was and it's over 20 years ago now. I am a vulnerable person now and a slight knock from an innocent child could put me in hospital - so that is too risky. Which is such a pity.

My teaching certificate would be out of date now - I achieved this to teach ESL at Tafe - so long ago now - unfortunately some disabilities and of course age - make things like this difficult.

Owlunar

12 is a good result @MDT

I wouldn't laugh at that

Sometimes I get a good score - other questions are not in my personal data base.

I used to play Trivial Pursuit. That's a great game

Owlunar

Hi @Shaz51

The weather in Queensland has been excessively hot I have heard - which could be exhausting for you.

Yesterday Melbourne was perishing - it felt like the middle of winter. This morning was very chilly with heavy rain too - however - the sun is out now though I think the wind is pretty chilly - I haven't been out to feel it - just because I haven't bothered.

I took some stuff to the op-shop - including some DVDs - and I was chatting to a woman there to has a deal with the volunteers there - she takes jigsaw puzzles and puts them together to make sure they have all the pieces - also - she checks DVDs to make sure they are in good condition.

She had a DVD of The Way the West was Won which I saw in Cinerama back in 1963 I think. It was a great movie - I read the book way back - it was a good read - I watched the movie this afternoon - I enjoyed it. Oh yes - she gave it to me.

I hope you are reasonably well - the hot weather must be hard on you - I imagine the fluids you can drink are restricted which has to be difficult.

Owlunar

Hi @Bunniekins

Great to see you too - it's great to be back

Last week was unusual - I can hardly get over how much work the carpenter had to do to replace my side-gate, replace the damage fence, repair the door frame around my back door replace the back door itself - which needed replacing but I didn't realise how damaged it was. It was really noisy here for a few days - really good it's all been done though. How it has to be painted

I hope you are feeling the best you can be

Owlunar

Thank you for your earlier update and your latest message @Owlunar

My mum and I did that too with the jigsaw puzzles for the op shop too for years

I used to do the children's toys too and put them in little bags

My aunty who works in the op shop wants me to come back and help again

Has been very hot lately, but not working as much as we used to , getting older

I have no restrictions on the amount of water I can drink yet , see the specialist again this month so more blood tests are needed

Mr shaz's birthday today and he got a big unexpected visit from his mum. Sister and brother in law, I was telling @tyme how negative his family were and his mum lives nearby and sent his birthday card in the mail

Anyway step daughter is bringing dinner over tonight so I don't have to cook xxx

Hope you have a good night and a good sleep xx

@Owlunar @Shaz51 hey there, hope you're both okay. I completed all chores around the house. Sitting down with cup of tea. Life is hard ha

Thanks @Meowmy

I have just had a vegemite sandwich and a cup of coffee and I feel okay right now.

It's not a good idea to run out of coffee - it's not my thing to go out first thing for something so basic - but so necessary. But I did - and glad I did - I don't enjoy tea but coffee - of course - coffee - is my favourite thing first thing each day.

It was after WW2 - I was still a little girl and my Gran would take me into Melbourne with her often - she actually had a big role to play bringing me up. I enjoyed her company.

We were walking down Flinders Lane when I grabbed her arm and cried out "What is that smell? What is that wonderful smell?"

She was excited as I was - "That's coffee - that's real coffee!" She grabbed my arm and we hurried down the street to a coffee shop that had little tables with red gingham clothes. I had my first cup of real brewed coffee. Up until then the only coffee we had was chicory - a fake coffee that came in a black bottle and was sticky syrup - this was post war austerity. I didn't know about that then but I have never forgotten that first cup of coffee. And Gran did not have it watered down or have extra milk added. It was the real deal. Fantastic!

So coffee has great memories attached to it - in the 60s when I was working in the city I would often go to that coffee shop. It's been gone a long time now - with so many things of the past - but I will always remember

Owlunar