Saturday, 4 July 2009
KL medal 5
Bronze for 50 m freestyle
Swimming was really tough. We were no where near them and up in the stands away from them. I had to yell her name so she could find me (and so she knew we were watching). This was with a zoom lense and was the closest I could get.
Swimming was really tough. We were no where near them and up in the stands away from them. I had to yell her name so she could find me (and so she knew we were watching). This was with a zoom lense and was the closest I could get.
Fond Farewell
The person who I started this blog for died last wednesday (the day C girl turned 10 1/2). She had been fighting Pancreatic Cancer for 2 years and 8 months. We believe the artificial pancreas that was put in to replace the cancer riddled pancreas gave out, she was in chemo for liver cancer at the time. Within 24 hours of her dying she had taken her beloved dogs for a walk (owned by disabled neighbour), visited an elderly friend and gone grocery shopping. Her pain started in the afternoon and by 7:30 she had been admitted to hospital.
She died at 11:30 am on Wed. I spoke to her at 9am and she was unable to speak - but I did speak to her and she heard me tell her I love her (and to stop fighting because I couldn't make it in time).
We couldn't get a flight out until Wed night and it was only with J's company that we managed to at all. Without the kids though - there was no possibility of getting 5 flights.
Thankfully J came with me. We had virtually no sleep on the flight and we shared the 5 hour drive from Melbourne to Portland between us. On arrival at 4pm Thursday afternoon - the normal funeral fun began. Families unfortunately have their own dynamics. But at the funeral on Friday, we didn't do what my Mum wanted, as some people believed their own wishes were more important - but we were all still on talking terms (how's that for a method of getting away with what you want).
I wore a beautiful black silk dress with colourful flowers on it with black boots. Not many people wore a dress (too cold). But Mum dressed up every sunday for church and I had never seen her wear pants to church. I think I inadvertantly achieved my lifetime dream...... to not look like I came from there, in fact , before the funeral most people didn't have a clue who I was. It has been over 20 years since I lived there and I can count the number of times I have been back on two hands.....okay - some people looked at my face and knew instantly how I was related - but they didn't know who I was.
My brother ran the service - him being the biggest godbotherer ever (I mean minister). It was very sad - obviously - but his talk was 90% pretty good (the non religious part bit I mean).
I said something at the service.
I told her what she meant to each of her grandchildren and what they liked doing most with her(which I stole from their letters), how much they loved her, how much they felt her love. I am grateful that we were on such good terms when she died. If she had died 12 years ago we would have been almost strangers.
I have promised my kids I would never take them to see their grandfather again after their Nan died (something C girl asked again after finding out Nan had died and before we left for the funeral). (Do not leave me a comment about them missing out on anything.....you have no idea). So I will miss my sisters family and my Aunt and Uncle's family, but I won't go back there again.
Feeling a long way away at the moment (from where?). C girls friend left last week (see photos below), as did his Mum who was my friend. School finished yesterday - a long 7 weeks holiday. Everyone is leaving for holidays over the next week. 2 of the 3 kids are on a sleepover tonight. We are going to a farewell dinner.....
Arrggghhh - need to cheer up. But don't worry I will. I went swimming yesterday, I went running today. I won the Heart of Gold medal yesterday at school for the work I have done with the scavenger kids and PTA....the school has 1300 students....they gave 3 awards. I even went shopping today....and enjoyed it.....who is this person.
Promise - I will be back in full swing tomorrow (after brunch at the Ritz Carlton).
Plus skiing in 4 weeks, with J's brother and his family (and potentially his two sisters with their families as well).......do we dare cross our fingers and hope for such luck?
She died at 11:30 am on Wed. I spoke to her at 9am and she was unable to speak - but I did speak to her and she heard me tell her I love her (and to stop fighting because I couldn't make it in time).
We couldn't get a flight out until Wed night and it was only with J's company that we managed to at all. Without the kids though - there was no possibility of getting 5 flights.
Thankfully J came with me. We had virtually no sleep on the flight and we shared the 5 hour drive from Melbourne to Portland between us. On arrival at 4pm Thursday afternoon - the normal funeral fun began. Families unfortunately have their own dynamics. But at the funeral on Friday, we didn't do what my Mum wanted, as some people believed their own wishes were more important - but we were all still on talking terms (how's that for a method of getting away with what you want).
I wore a beautiful black silk dress with colourful flowers on it with black boots. Not many people wore a dress (too cold). But Mum dressed up every sunday for church and I had never seen her wear pants to church. I think I inadvertantly achieved my lifetime dream...... to not look like I came from there, in fact , before the funeral most people didn't have a clue who I was. It has been over 20 years since I lived there and I can count the number of times I have been back on two hands.....okay - some people looked at my face and knew instantly how I was related - but they didn't know who I was.
My kids wrote their Nan a letter each (We always put something special into the casket before burial). I read her the letters privately as soon as I saw her (in the funeral home) - think it was the first time in my life that she didn't interupt me with a smart alec statement. She looked peaceful.
My brother ran the service - him being the biggest godbotherer ever (I mean minister). It was very sad - obviously - but his talk was 90% pretty good (the non religious part bit I mean).
I said something at the service.
I told her what she meant to each of her grandchildren and what they liked doing most with her(which I stole from their letters), how much they loved her, how much they felt her love. I am grateful that we were on such good terms when she died. If she had died 12 years ago we would have been almost strangers.
I have promised my kids I would never take them to see their grandfather again after their Nan died (something C girl asked again after finding out Nan had died and before we left for the funeral). (Do not leave me a comment about them missing out on anything.....you have no idea). So I will miss my sisters family and my Aunt and Uncle's family, but I won't go back there again.
Feeling a long way away at the moment (from where?). C girls friend left last week (see photos below), as did his Mum who was my friend. School finished yesterday - a long 7 weeks holiday. Everyone is leaving for holidays over the next week. 2 of the 3 kids are on a sleepover tonight. We are going to a farewell dinner.....
Arrggghhh - need to cheer up. But don't worry I will. I went swimming yesterday, I went running today. I won the Heart of Gold medal yesterday at school for the work I have done with the scavenger kids and PTA....the school has 1300 students....they gave 3 awards. I even went shopping today....and enjoyed it.....who is this person.
Promise - I will be back in full swing tomorrow (after brunch at the Ritz Carlton).
Plus skiing in 4 weeks, with J's brother and his family (and potentially his two sisters with their families as well).......do we dare cross our fingers and hope for such luck?
Kuala Lumpur June 2009
After being quarantined in Kuala Lumpur, some of us parents decided that we would attempt to finish on a positive note. So we went to a water slide/adventure park - then went out to dinner.
We all knew that it wasn't as much fun as competing for the two days and then basking in their glory.......but we tried. They all wore their good clothes (which was planned for a gala dinner and dancing). It was a little out of place at the steak restuarant, and there was no dancing. But there was balloon keeping in the air, they were together, not quite as much fun as soccer, but an attempt at least. Great kids. Unfortunately - two from this group are leaving/have left now.
This is friday night before leaving. C boy (below with C girl), left on the following tuesday. That was almost 2 weeks ago. She is still very unhappy about having such a great friend leave - but she informs me that they are going to Uni together so it's not the end of the world.......good to know (she needs to start saving).
(His knees are bent - there really isn't that much difference between them). Sunday, 21 June 2009
Gorgeous girls
C girl recently got the urge to shop (don't fall over). She wanted a special dress for the gala dinner after the sports competition she was competing in over in Kuala Lumpur (more on that when the photos are on the computer (there was a major hiccup)).
She spotted this dress in March and wanted to go back and see if it was still there - she was in luck. Luckily the shoes were close by and the total shopping time from our door back to our door was 1.25 hours - and that included a lap of ACE hardware. These photos were to show off the dress for our friends who popped over.
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Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.......would it.........
But this one - hold the butter
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You can dress a girl up - but you can't make her act like one.
She spotted this dress in March and wanted to go back and see if it was still there - she was in luck. Luckily the shoes were close by and the total shopping time from our door back to our door was 1.25 hours - and that included a lap of ACE hardware. These photos were to show off the dress for our friends who popped over.
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But this one - hold the butter
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You can dress a girl up - but you can't make her act like one.
Please note - this was a sunday - we have no staff on sundays and can do massive damage in a very small time (especially when there are 4 sports bags to be packed and they haven't already been done for some reason).
Sunday, 14 June 2009
The Countdown is almost over
We are anxiously counting down to Wednesday for the interschool sports being held in Kuala Lumpur. C girl is representing her school in Football (soccer), T ball, Swimming and Athletics.
She has been getting up at 5:30 every Tuesday and Thursday (since easter) to do swim practice and has done 2 semesters of competitive soccer in order to be picked on the team. Since easter she has done 14 hours of training a week, both before and after knowing she was on the team (and there are some kids who are the reserve who won't be going, but they have still done the training -now that is tough). 6 girls and 6 boys were selected from Year 4, 5 and 6 (about 96 kids in each year group) - so it has been very competitive.
She is VERY excited. I am VERY excited (because there is no way she is going alone). Jay is excited because he is getting to go on Friday - Sunday. Munchkin and Bear are being bribed because they want to come but we know they will not appreciate the waiting between events, bus trips, airport terminals etc (plus babysitting when the parents social events are on).
She isn't staying with us. The kids have to stay with their team in a seperate hotel. The parents stay next door and have been looking forward to this nearly as much as the kids.
Fingers crossed we will get a repeat of last year's soccer result. No. 1, No. 1........no really - it's all about the kids having fun (honestly). Don't they look like they are having fun.
But seriously - they are going away with their best friends to do something they love doing. There are social dinners every night, a big gala dinner on Sat night and NO SCHOOL WORK for 3 days plus they spend sunday doing fun stuff before coming home in the afternoon. If they don't win everything - they are still going to come home very happy, because that is not the focus of the games (there is no winning school).
Wish us luck - all messages of luck should be sent directly to C girl......her phone will be on.
Thursday, 11 June 2009
BWA Fashion Show
Went to the BWA fashion show in May. It's the end of the balls for the year (northern hemisphere school year) and we now have to wait now until September for the ANZA ball (yes getting a dress made as we speak).
We had to leave early so the family could compete in a Biathlon the next morning.
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We had to leave early so the family could compete in a Biathlon the next morning.
Sambolo
We went to Sambolo in March for the long weekend. It happened to be Jenjen and Jay's birthday so it was a double celebration. We stayed in our usual 4 bedroom bungalow.....6 kids, 4 adults (a 5th adult for one night) and one spare bedroom (not when the 5th adult was there).....you do the math...and we chose this.
Yes - she does surf. This isn't her board - but who says five year olds can't have fun (okay - 5 years 11 months). She had a great time while GJ stood out in the surf for 4 hours helping her. You've got to admit - she has surfer chick written all over her - just glad she's doing the surfing and not waiting patiently on the beach for some boy.........
There really is something special about catching waves.....I love it....in fact the whole time Munchkin surfed, I was boogie boarding just meters away.....it had nothing to do with wanting to be there incase I needed to help.....nothing at all. C girl was very cautios - but at least she was out there.....baby steps.
In fact we all have the bug for boogie boarding.......the alternative of course is the river. But for some reason the kids felt overdressed for that one.
Going to Ocean Queen next month for a long weekend (before the Aussie tour).....kids are not going in the ocean at all. Have only recently read the story of a family with children older than ours. 3 of the 4 family members (both parents) almost drowned along with 4 other adults in their party. These were not people who didn't know how to swim. We are using the pool and believe me - not going past our ankles in the ocean. We may sound pathetic - but the ocean here is unlike anything that I have ever encountered. I just want to come home and still have 5 people in my family.....happy thoughts.
Update cause I'm too lazy to think of a name
Hi,
t
long time no writing. Sorry about that.
It's not that I haven't been doing anything - it's that I have been doing so much.
Time is counting down until C girl goes to Kuala Lumpur for her interschool sports. We are so excited - we have now officially broken the one week to go mark.........wednesday here we come. I am going on the same flight and Jay is flying Friday morning and coming back sunday morning (we are flying back Sunday afternoon). I say we, but I mean me.......she is staying with the school and we are staying in the adjacent hotel.....not allowed to stay in the same hotel. It will be great - not only parent get together time, but supporting their team time (6 boys and 6 girls in each team, 4 different sports (T ball, Soccer, Athletics and Swimming). She has put a tonne of effort into her swimming this semester and wants to continue now from this point on.......got to say - I don't mind the early mornings and I have been going in with her - I want it to continue as well.
I have just come back from Kalimantan (the Indonesia state on the island of Borneo). I got to fly 1 hour instead of having to sit in the back of landcruiser for 10 hours (with bumps the size of the road and 1m deep - truly). Left monday morning - back Wed night - quickest trip ever.
We went to Singapore a few weeks ago. It was a great family vacation. Jay has been travelling too much (even missed easter holidays with us). We went with our friends and had a really nice time.
This photo was taken in Feb or March. I just worked out how to download (slack aren't I). All in soccer clothes for the 3 of the 5 games we had that day (Jay had one and C girl had another one in the afternoon). I think they look gorgeous.
t
More soon - will post some photos now that I have some (thanks Jenjen for giving me a cd with some).
Saddest thing - C girls very good friend who is a boy is leaving on the tuesday after interschool sports. I'm very sad on two fronts - his Mum has become a great friend, plus - he is a close friend of hers. They will be missed a lot......why do people have to care about silly things like careers that move families all over the globe.......okay.......we all might be guilty of that......
Friday, 29 May 2009
Update
I have finally got to the place I want to be..........on the exercise front.
I am now swimming 2km at least twice a week (luckily or unluckily C girl is doing early morning swims at school twice a week so I can join her (or not)). I am running on the treadmill at least 3 times a week. Once a week I can squeeze in 10km in 1 hour, but usually it's a calm 9km. I competed in a biathlon a few weeks ago and although I didn't come close to winning (my swimming technique let me down), I passed 5 people on the run and came in closer to the front than the end. I am now working on my technique and can do the 2km in under 55 minutes - easily..........all with the assistance of my latest toy - the ipod skin, so I can listen to music as I swim (how good is that)?
I need some photos on this blog. I just looked and there have been no photos downloaded onto our computer since January - although there have been lots taken......talk it will have to be.
We went to Singapore last weekend from Wed - Sun. Our good mates at jenjenqld.blogspot... came with us and we had the adjacent units in a really nice apartment complex thing going on.
We finally went to Sentosa, went to Underwater world, the gondola, the toboggan rides (going up in the chair lift we discovered that our girls are excellent spitters (yes Spitters). A skill neither Jen or I have ever been able to acquire. We finished our day there with a swim at the beach (kids) while we tested the service in the seaside bar (good drinks, bit slow on the nachos).
On the friday we went to the Science centre, saw the da vinci exhibit and the imax movie on sea monsters. On friday night we went to the night safari at the zoo. It was excellent - so glad we have finally been, and I can tick off the zoo in singapore now because going during the day sounds horrificly hot.
On Sat we did a full day of.......SHOPPING. I know - I say I hate it. But we did shopping for sports equipment, toys and books. Things that we all love. We went to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner and then went for another walk up Orchard Road because J forgot to buy the speedy shoes (for quick transitions) that he NEEDED. I bought a dress because I went past it on the escalator. Bear told me I should buy two because I couldn't decide between fabrics - he is SO going to be a popular husband to some lucky girl.
Anyway - great family time, great adventure and a really great experience to be had instead of continually going to Sambolo.
And yes - we flew with Singapore airlines - but there were NO queus - so work that one out. Queus in Aus, no queus in Asia.
I am now swimming 2km at least twice a week (luckily or unluckily C girl is doing early morning swims at school twice a week so I can join her (or not)). I am running on the treadmill at least 3 times a week. Once a week I can squeeze in 10km in 1 hour, but usually it's a calm 9km. I competed in a biathlon a few weeks ago and although I didn't come close to winning (my swimming technique let me down), I passed 5 people on the run and came in closer to the front than the end. I am now working on my technique and can do the 2km in under 55 minutes - easily..........all with the assistance of my latest toy - the ipod skin, so I can listen to music as I swim (how good is that)?
I need some photos on this blog. I just looked and there have been no photos downloaded onto our computer since January - although there have been lots taken......talk it will have to be.
We went to Singapore last weekend from Wed - Sun. Our good mates at jenjenqld.blogspot... came with us and we had the adjacent units in a really nice apartment complex thing going on.
We finally went to Sentosa, went to Underwater world, the gondola, the toboggan rides (going up in the chair lift we discovered that our girls are excellent spitters (yes Spitters). A skill neither Jen or I have ever been able to acquire. We finished our day there with a swim at the beach (kids) while we tested the service in the seaside bar (good drinks, bit slow on the nachos).
On the friday we went to the Science centre, saw the da vinci exhibit and the imax movie on sea monsters. On friday night we went to the night safari at the zoo. It was excellent - so glad we have finally been, and I can tick off the zoo in singapore now because going during the day sounds horrificly hot.
On Sat we did a full day of.......SHOPPING. I know - I say I hate it. But we did shopping for sports equipment, toys and books. Things that we all love. We went to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner and then went for another walk up Orchard Road because J forgot to buy the speedy shoes (for quick transitions) that he NEEDED. I bought a dress because I went past it on the escalator. Bear told me I should buy two because I couldn't decide between fabrics - he is SO going to be a popular husband to some lucky girl.
Anyway - great family time, great adventure and a really great experience to be had instead of continually going to Sambolo.
And yes - we flew with Singapore airlines - but there were NO queus - so work that one out. Queus in Aus, no queus in Asia.
Friday, 1 May 2009
Visit to Victoria Part 2
With two weeks distance between when we left and now, I can now write about the trip to Victoria.
To say it was disturbing is an understatement. To say it was horrific is probably pushing it too far.I am absolutely, without remorse or regret, extremely happy that I took the kids to Victoria and stayed at my parents home for 5 nights. Without doubt I did the right thing.
My Mum was in extreme pain the entire time. She tried really hard to not look like she is, but she most certainly was gritting her teeth and trying to get through it for our sake.
No one - no matter how nasty or selfish, will change the fact that my kids love their Nan. They illustrated it beautifully while we were there as she illustrated that she loved them. Not a moment was lost between Nan's waking time and the kids (yes, the kids were awake longer). We went to the pool, we went on walks, we went to an indoor playground, we went out for dinner (for Nan's birthday party), we went to her sisters house (who is her best friend (I wish for a best friend that would span 65+ years)).
When she was asleep - we spent the time with my sister and her 3 daughters. 2 of those daughters are C girls age (yes 2 - not twins (362 days apart).
My kids learnt some valuable lessons while we were on this leg of the trip. Ones they won't forget and ones that I don't regret that they learnt (although it was difficult at the time).
I truly hope my Mum has some "holidays" in the future (a week with someone who will wait on her hand and foot (like a princess)) - once a month would do her the world of good.
I hope my brother teaches my father how to go shopping, how to cook a simple meal and how to do some housework - because at the moment that is all in the hands of a very sick woman and she could benefit hugely from her husband of 43 years doing something domestic to help her(some things can be left too late).
Mostly I hope that my Mum can enjoy ALL of her life. Is that too much to ask for?
We flew back on the Sat. The kids ran ahead after customs (as is their custom) into the waiting arms of their Dad. "ARRGGGHHH they screamed - he has hair on his face", I could hear it before I could see him...............the horror had just begun.
(Thanks A and L for telling him he looks handsome last Sat, now I'll never get it off).......
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This was last Sat night - before you mention it - you are right, I shouldn't have worn horizontal stripes - what was I thinking (maybe I got the dress on sale - can't remember now). But I have been waiting to wear it to something. We had a great time. We were the only english speaking table. I think we offended all 23 other tables. I don't think we did anything wrong, other than have a great time with our friends.
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