Performing Arts classes recommence for 2010

Patrick and Angus do performing arts out side of school. This culminates in two performances per year - one in June and one in December.

On Monday evenings they go along to rehearsals and undertake tuition in singing, dancing and some drama. Of the three streams, drama is definitely the gift that keeps on giving. At home, any day of the week you can see Patrick or Angus giving a dramatic performance.

It could be because they don't want to go to bed, or they don't want ham on their sandwich or simply because they have no reason why they are acting out.

These classes are really money well spent.

On a serious note, it's great to see them enjoy the rehearsals and they absolutely love being part of the performance. The performances are held at the National Theatre in St Kilda to a full house. The costumes, props, lighting and the performers are all top notch. They are part of the Childrens Performing Company of Australia (CPCA). We recommend them if anybody's interested.

Here's a few photos from the December 2009 performance.

And so ends another season of Pennant

Without boring all of you non-bowling types into a coma, my team was relegated from Division 2 to Division 3 as of yesterday afternoon on the back of some stupid decision making and a bit of luck for another team. There's always next year! Pffft!

Anyway, on with the show.

The coming weeks and months will be interesting and my colleagues and I look for support to be elected to the new Bowls Victoria board. With the current board being only an interim board to steer good ship Bowls Victoria from the time of unification until the first full board can be elected, it will be interesting to see how the cards fall and how many incumbents stick their hands up to go around again.

This is the single biggest opportunity in more than one lifetime for bowlers to effect change in their sport - for the better and towards the future. I'll keep you all posted on how this goes.

So, apart from kid's sport - weekends are now free (mostly) until September!

Getting back to nature

When I was a kid I'd take off for hours with my brother or some mates and we'd go up into the bush behind the next street of houses and just go on an adventure. Never got into strife, and on occasion saw some wildlife.

This morning I took a walk and rather than cruising around the normal few blocks I took a different route down near the local tennis courts and then behind them where this is a creek.

It's summer, and as and adult isn't it funny how your thinking changes. As a kid I wouldn't have a second thought about walking through there, but as I was walking this morning my mind turned to snakes. Living where we do, it's a real possibility that you could encounter the odd 'Joe Blake' in that sort of an area. But I soldiered on and lived to tell the tale.

I next thought that the kids would love to go exploring down there, get a bit dirty and maybe see a lizard or something.

I should really get my lazy ar$e out of bed early more often and do this :)

Winter Olympics

I love the Winter Olympics. Last night I watched some curling - lawn bowls on ice! I also really enjoy the Alpine skiing and the Giant Slalom as well as the Snowboard Cross and the Half-pipe. I still don't get moguls or figure skating, but the speed skating is awesome.

I get similar feelings about the Summer games as well, but you don't often see cycling or athletics advertised or promoted in the media - these are things you need to seek out. So we're off to the Melbourne Madison soon, thanks to Robin letting me know it was on.

So many people enjoy watching many of these events but wouldn't know that there is a domestic/national/international series held locally and so forget about it until the next Olympics. Most of us will never get to an(other) Olympic games so you should support your local versions of the same sports I reckon :)

Literacy assessment

Owen had his Prep literacy assessment today. All of first term the Prep's only go to school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday while Wednesday is reserved for Literacy and Numeracy assessments.

While he doesn't really show much interest and reading (despite being asked if he'd like to read to etc) he surprised us and apparently his literacy is about to TAKE OFF!

There's no doubt he's ready for school and all that it entails, and now we know that he is capable of reading and sounding etc, but just not too keen on it when there are so many other cool things to do like play DS or Wii or shoot hoops with his big brothers!

Yay Owen!