My Baby Boy

Kieran has to be at school at 8am tomorrow, so I convinced him to put on his new uniform and let me take some photos.He always looked good in blue!This is the brand new senior uniform for Frankston High School, replacing the old VCE uniform and being phased in by this year's Year 11, including Kieran who turns 17 in three weeks. And senior students can have facial hair, so don't expect to see his upper lip anytime soon!(our second-last school year, ever!)

We went to the Zoo!

To celebrate Australia Day 2008, Melissa, Kaitlyn, Ashley and I went to the Melbourne Zoo. Kieran and Rodney declined to join us. We hadn't been for AGES - we used to be Friends of the Zoo when the kids were little, but it has been a long time since then! Believe it or not, this was ou FIRST visit since the elephants got their new enclosure - an event we had anticipated for decades! photo gallery

Anyway, it was hot and humid (not the greatest weather for an MSer) but we packed our lunch and hats and sunblock and made the best of things.

First stop was to see our old friends the gorillas. We used to be on first name terms with them all, as Melissa was born just before the famous Mzuri, so the families grew up together. They greeted the hot weather much like we do - lazing around not doing much! Then it was off to see the tree top apes (are we watching them or are they watching us?)

We took a detour via the Meerkats (lurve the meerkats!) and the penguins to a shady lunch spot for our picnic and then down to the bears, big cats and the lions. I rested on an endangered species (ie green lawn) while the others trekked up the bridge to watch the lions. Then it was off to the reptile enclosure (first time since seeing the first Harry Potter movie!!!!) where there were the cutest baby frilled neck lizards.

We struggled through the Australian animals display - outback design matched by outback sun - and through the Great Flight Aviary. Zebras and Giraffes (including the wonderful zebra who followed me around to the sunlight after I complained he was backlit in the shade!), then we all had a much-welcomed icy pole.

Finally, we came to the elephant trail and all I can say is - WOW! Past the tigers (pacing for their dinner) and a quick trip through the even-more-humid butterfly house, we came to see a kiosk area transformed into an Indonesian village shopping centre! Best of all, though, was our lucky timing in arriving in time to see the elephants "enrichment activity" display, which included them SWIMMING in the water hole! The attendants were grinning throughout - a hard day at the office - and it was just so much FUN! We also got to see the other elephants who were resting in the other enclosures and it was wonderful to see how much space they have. Then around the corner, the transformed Orangutan enclosure, modelled on an orphanage in their home country and it was just lovely. We saw fleeting glimpses of the Orang's and the most amazing sight of the big male's long fingers appearing as he reached up from the level below us!

Then it was off to the gift shop, where Ashley and Kaitlyn stocked up pn soft toy animals and Melissa and I got some zoo-themed scrapping supplies! Then another ice cream before we got into the car for the trip home, entertained by lightening as storms moved around us.

It was a wonderful day!

The New Deck!

This just cracked me up

How many email list members does it take to change a light bulb???..........

1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed

14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently

7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" ...another 6 to condemn those 6 as stupid

2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is "lamp"

15 know-it-alls who claim they were in the industry, and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct

19 to post that this forum is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a light bulb forum

11 to defend the posting to this forum saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this forum

36 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty

5 People to post pics of their own light bulbs

15 People to post "I can't see nothing"

7 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs

4 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL's

13 to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add "Me too"

5 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy

4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"

13 to say "do a search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs"

1 to bring politics into the discussion by adding that Johnny wasn't the brightest bulb.

4 more to get into personal attacks over their political views.

1 moderator to lock the light bulb thread.

1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.

Enjoying the holidays

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be having such a complete break from it all!

I love my work, both paid and unpaid, but this month I am not working as we close the office for January and even my volunteer jobs slow right down (well, I still get plenty of breast pump enquiries, but ... oh, and I have been on email helpine roster this week, but otherwise).

It is so nice just to sit back and smell the ... well, scrapbooking glue, I guess! As well as pottering around on the home front having a bit of a spring clean, I am getting HEAPS of scrapbooking done! It is my greatest form of stress relief and my main creative outlet and even the extreme heat still allows me to do a little each day.

There are lots of New Years challenges online in the scrapping community, so I have bitten off lots more than I can chew and am chewing madly! Having a ball, trying new things and even getting to know me better!

You can see it all, over at http://justaboutscrapping.blogspot.com/

And here is today's latest effort!

Just wish we could ditch these excessive heat days we have been having, as they do drain all the energy from me. The MS might being subdued at the moment, but is still there, making its presence felt.