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| Thursday 8th March. Morning Heaven's! Over a week of this month gone already! How time flies when you're having fun.... NOT! I've spent the week in the living room painting and papering. It was hard to get myself to unplug the computer and transfer it to my dump.... oops..bedroom :-) It was the last thing to go out of the dining room. I got the living/dining room finished yesterday, just waiting for the carpet to be laid (next week) and the furniture delivered (the week after). My poor old bones ache but I guess it's worth it. Three rooms down and eight to go plus the entrance and the hall. But the worst is over (I hope ). Kitchen is next. The man came to measure up for the carpet yesterday and everything was fine till he got to my bedroom... he laughed and said..."you've got your work cut out for you here!! You need more cupboard space." I said "NO I DON'T, I NEED ANOTHER ROOM!" :-) We're off to Bundaberg today (1 hour 15 minutes north of here) to get wallpaper. No you can't get it in Hervey Bay! I was lucky to get stuff for the living room. The way I look at it is....I have to live in this place all the time so the effort will be worth it. The rest of the rooms are smaller so shouldn't take as long (except my bedroom BUT it's not getting papered, just painted). The fellow hasn't got back to me yet, with a quote for ripping out the sink in my dressing area. All's quiet on the school front.... no more "time outs" for quite a few days so I'm keeping the fingers crossed. I told Jared that if he gets through the week without any time outs I'd give him $5 at the end of the week.... he said "Make it $20 and you have a deal!" OF COURSE I told him to GET LOST... it's $5 or nothing :-). Can you believe him???? Little jerk!! The Back to Basics maths course is working like a dream.... which goes to prove that the methods WE used to learn maths are much simpler than todays' methods. When is someone in the Education Dept. going to realise this?? Got my February Journal, Trip pages and Trip Photos uploaded and running last night. So some of the photos didn't load but hopefully that's fixed now. That's taken over a month in between all this other stuff and my eyeballs are hanging out of my head. Didn't I just come back from a 2 month holiday???? What holiday?? <grin> Checked in with Jenny Craig this morning.. only lost half a kilo (1.1 pounds) these past 2 weeks... guess all the ice creams are to blame... but hey it's been hot and I still lost, so I'm not worried. Well, it's almost 10am... I'm off... Evening -8th March 2001 Well.... the trip to Bundy was a success. I got enough wall paper to do the rest of the house and it only cost me twice as much as the living room alone! It was great... we sat in airconditioning for 3 and a half hours selecting and double checking and making sure one room wasn't going to shout at the other. They all blend in beautifully. So now, the only excuse I have for not working at it is this infernal heat. It was stifling today, very damned uncomfortable. If I'd been home it would have been too hot to do anything. Friday 9th March 2001 Today was a write-off!! Only good thing about it was that Jared made it through the week without one single Time-Out!!! Money talks his language :-) Our cat Smudge is in my Baaaaaaad Books!!!!!!!
The little bitch somehow managed to open the cage of the beautiful Peach Face yellow Cockateil, that Jared got for Christmas.
IT DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE!! We still haven't found the body... only the feathers! So Smudge may well find herself in a new home, I can't be bothered with her any longer. She knows it too. I am really upset, I can only imagine the sheer terror it went through, especially since Jason had one of it's wings clipped by his weird girlfriend before we arrived home from holiday. So it couldn't fly and couldn't escape the clutches of the blasted cat. I've thought about it ever since... I don't know if this will happen any more...
Anyway.... I decided I hated the pelmets without the fabric on them so.... went hunting for the fabric I'd removed... nowhere to be found. Of course Mum HAD NEVER SEEN IT! The last place I looked.. in the trailer not quite full of stuff for the dump... there it was... in a plastic garbage bag!! Mum had been nagging me to get rid of the stuff in the trailer... I couldn't see the point when it wasn't full yet, LUCKY FOR ME! Naturally Mum had NO IDEA how it got there and I know I didn't toss it out. Anyway I washed it, dried it and put it back up on the pelmet with a staple gun. Virginia... you'd be proud of me :-) (Virginia is my friend in Columbia who is an professional upholsterer.) Saturday 10th March 2001 Happy Birthday Virginia!! Hope you had a super day. Again, another lost day! Jason didn't come to collect Jared until 1pm and returned him at 2pm! They had a falling out. I told him to grow up and act like a father! You don't just drop Jared off here because you both disagree about something! Jared had been looking forward all week to spending time with his dad. I told him to stop thinking about himself and stop taking the easy way out. He left... slamming the door!! I wonder how he'd cope if he had Jared full time??? Jared locked himself in his room when he got back BUT he was out 10 minutes later... he'd got over it... whatever it was. That could have happened at his father's place, but try to tell Jason that! He rang his dad an hour later and asked if he could come over.. he said "No", he'd pick him up tomorrow. I thought I was mean sometimes but my son "takes the cake"!! It was stinking hot here today. They're having flood down south and we haven't seen a drop of rain for weeks. |
| Sunday 11th March 2001 Isn't this supposed to be a day of rest???? Hey! We have a plague of ant in the house! They're everywhere... Does anyone know a sure fire remedy to get rid of them? I'd be forever grateful. The little blighters seem to have set up home inside my keyboard now!!
Well, the kitchen's cleared,, ready for me to paint tomorrow. Yesterday I rang around to see how to clean the other 2 pelmets without taking the fabric off. I found someone who dry cleans them and he was supposed to be coming mext Tuesday. BUT my mother thinks I haven't enough to do with my time (sigh) and ranted on about how clean the other one looks since it was washed... they'd never get them the same...it'll only be a waste of money... and on and on and on! She won! I took out over 250 staples in each one (YES... I counted them!) and washed the blessed things. They were dry in half an hour and 2 hours later they were back where they should be... all nice and clean BUT I'm going to have swollen hands in the morning from the staple gun and my back is KILLING me! Now I have to cancel the guy I organised for Tuesday. Jared brought me a shoe box today and asked who the things inside belonged to.... I burst into tears... They were my Dad's. His talking clock and watch, his hearing aids, magnifying glass, the little personal radio I bought him so he could listen to John Laws every day; his comb; shoehorn; hairbrush; clip on sunglasses and his ribbons and medals from the army... Lord I wish he were here... I miss him so much. I found this photo on my computer when I was looking for something else .. as you can see by my age it was taken SOME time ago
Don't you just love the old sepia photos. How I wish that all the nice people could live forever. Sunday 18th March 2001 Another week gone.... now what happened..... No deaths this week :-) I managed to rescue a sparrow from Smudge's clutches (mouth) after 3 attempts. It must have still been in shock still when I let it go... Smudge on the other hand WAS in shock from the slap across her rear end she got from me!!! She hasn't brought anything in since.. Got the kitchen painted, what a difference! The walls must have been filthy (even though they didn't look it) and the ceiling... well... Now it's so bright it's blinding <grin>. Having trouble with new curtains. Have had some on appro, they look great in the shop but lousy here. Decided to wait until the new floor is down, besides no-one can see in so it doesn't matter. Too many trees and bushes outside the kitchen window. Painted the kickboards this morning.... not a pretty sight, me lying sprawled on my stomach on the floor *S* 'specially from the rear.... UGH! Got the living room curtains back from the dry cleaners and they're up. They ruined my tie backs, it took hours of pulling and poking to get the inner padding respectable again. when I have time I'll unpick them and put in new padding. Carpet is held up because of the floods in NSW. It must be coming from Sydney... oh well, the longer it takes, the cleaner it will stay. The new lounge is held up for the same reason. It would be nice to see the living/dining room "come together" BUT I can wait, I'm in no hurry :-) Mum and I have been at each others throats this week, the atmosphere has been thick. I waited and waited for days for Jason to help me put back the pelmets, he raced in on Friday and put them up and after he was gone I saw that 6 screws were missing... I asked him why he hadn't put them in and received 'lip' from him, so I can't be bothered talking to him now. Funny how kids suck up BIG TIME when THEY want something yet when you ask for a little help they haven't the time. Well, I haven't seen him since Friday... he's been here... but I disappear... saves arguements. But that's O.K., they day will come soon when he'll need something, he always does..... need I elaborate? I decided we should take the morning off on Saturday and get into the air conditioned cinema (it's been stinking hot). So Mum, Jared and I went to see "Miss Congeniality". I loved it and it was great to relax for a couple of hours and have a laugh. I got myself a king size pop corn (not Jenny Craig) and pigged out! Oh, by the way.... I weigh a pound less than I did before I took off on holiday. So that's 35 pounds all up (I think)... another 35 and I'll be happy. It's now 5pm and I've just finished the ceilings in the main bathroom and toilet and the windows in both. The perspiration was pouring off me... LORD... when is winter coming???? All's left to do is the papering, BUT Jamie is going out to lunch tomorrow... can you believe it? I decided I'm not foregoing it this month. It appears that we ( 6 other mothers from Jared's school... see they don't think I'm too old for their company..) are going to a really nice restaurant... great food... sorry Jenny Craig but I ain't even considering YOU. The papering will have to wait until Tuesday. Signed Jared up for Soccer this week. Starts after Easter. So that takes care of my Saturday mornings *S* No point in asking his father to rearrange his work schedule so he can take him.... NOW, if his name were Hayden, (Jared's brother) that might be different! Now, now, I'm getting bitchy and I promised myself I wouldn't. The fellow I asked to quote on ripping out the sink and cupboard in my dressing room hasn't got back to me.... maybe he doesnt want to do it. So what! I'll do it myself. Men!! The only man who did anything handy around this place was my Dad. He was always willing to help. George was hopeless... he always paid someone else to do it. I hate to admit it but there ARE times you need a man around... not for long though :-) Well that's it for these 2 weeks... hope the rest of the month is worthwhile. Should be close to having all this finished by the time my next Journal appears. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter break. ************************************************************ |
| 19th March 2001
I've been desperate for cooler weather to come.... WELL it came with a VENGANCE today! The continuous rolls of thunder began while we were at lunch today and we'd only been sitting 10 minutes when there was an ALMIGHTY CLAP! I think we all jumped 3' in the air. BUT it didn't rain... the loud booming and rumbling continued for a couple of hours and the rain started as I came out of the supermarket on the way home. Got a bit drenched loading the groceries into the car... didn't care... IT WAS FINALLY COOL!
Arrived home to a snappy welcome! Jared's school had phoned at 2pm... he was sick and could someone come and collect him. Of course I was the worst person in the world... because I'd been to lunch and not able to go pick him up BECAUSE I couldn't be contacted......... He HAS a father....!! She'd already phoned Jason and he arrived 30 minutes after me... I could have been to Brisbane and back in the time it took HIM to bring him home. I suppose he was getting permission to go from the Gypsy he lives with :-) Grrrrr! Anyhow, I decided to come through and see how Jared was... busy eating an ice cream!! Didn't look too sick to me. Whatever was wrong with him he'd gotten over it. Of course I got the blame for his ailment. I gave him an apple and grapes I'd pureed at breakfast and THAT caused his problem! It's so handy having a "live-in medical genius"!
Who needs a doctor when I have my Mum around. Lord, you would have thought I'd poisoned him the way she carried on! My Bowen Massage Therapist told me to give it to him to help his bowels move... he thinks his backache is coming from his bowel problem. BUT I CAN TELL YOU I WON'T BE GIVING IT TO HIM TOMORROW or the next day.. or the next! I don't need all this garbage. I had the dregs that were left in the blender and I wasn't sick. Of course Mum finished off what was left in Jared's glass after we left for school and she had stomach cramps ALL DAY. My fault! Jason hung around for 5 minutes and left with the excuse he had windows to close.... Oh...what was he doing before he went to pick up Jared???? He's so full of it! The rains came ... the thunder clapped and the lightning didn't stop for hours. The dogs are in my bathroom just now, Dingo is terrified of thunder. My bathroom hasn't been renovated yet. God forbid I should leave them in the laundry.. I'd never hear the end of that. Heavens... I even had to turn off my computer :-O .....Honestly, it was so bad the ground was shaking constantly, I was even a little worried. It's now 9:30pm and I can still hear it in the distance. That's 9 and a half hours it's been going. BUT like I said.... it's COOL. Lunch was great (sorry Jenny Craig). Prawns swimming in a creamy garlic sauce.... mmmmmm!! Lots of salad and some Jasmine rice... deeeelicious! Can't wait for the next one but I'm going to have to, it's not until after the school holidays. SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!!! DIDN'T WE JUST GET BACK FROM HOLIDAYS! I think Jared has 2 weeks... or is it 3... . What a life... oh to be a kid again! I didn't shirk my duties today... I painted the laundry door and window before I got ready for lunch *S* But hey... who noticed? Beginning to think I shouldn't write this daily... could end up being a mile long by the end of the month :-( Well.. that's it for today, I'm off to bed. I must have done something to my hip doing all the contortions painting and it hurts like h... So I'll try and sleep the pain off, still have lots to do, can't fall apart just yet *S* *********************************** Tuesday 27th March 2001 SHOOT!! 8 days since I entered anything! Can't say it's been a fun time... Lord, how am I going to remember the last 8 days??? I can't even remember yesterday! Oh well....s'pose I better try... What I do remember is it has not been joyful.. I think my mother hates me! I know she's fed up with the mess... who wouldn't be... but I don't get any help, just complaints... incessant complaints. I wanted to tackle her room and gave her a days warning... so what did she do... spent the next day in bed! SO... I did my bathroom instead dammit! Then she decided to get up and spent the rest of the day cleaning up the kitchen AGAIN. After I got the main bathroom, toilet and laundry done I was ready to put the decorator border around the top of the paper... she decided SHE didn't like it. She liked it in the wallpaper shop... it costs about 30 bucks a roll and now she DOESN'T like it!! So, it's sitting in the box unused. Then she decided she was sick of being at home all the time (like I'm not...) so I took a day off and decided we'd go looking for new bathroom fittings... I got ready... she didn't want to go!! I cracked!! WE WENT to the wholesaler and she selected new towel rail, taps and toilet roll holder. It was pouring rain... ah yes... that was last Friday (I remember now because we were supposed to take Jared for his Maths tuition and didn't go because I wasn't going to drive the distance in a storm). So I was going to install the new items in the bathroom and toilet..... SHE wanted the OLD one back... didn't like the new ones! I just can't win!! 4 days... I've been waiting to do her bedroom.... still not done. The carpet arrived on Friday... old carpet pulled up... underlay down... new carpet laid on top... GO GET JAMIE!!.... The new carpet had a fault all along one side! The guys went back to the shop and checked the rest of the roll ... all the same. So they offered to lay what they had to tide us over until the next Friday (just to keep me happy). I told them not to be silly it was just making double work for them. It wasn't their fault. So it had to be sent back to Melbourne and a new lot would be here next Friday. Of course the furniture was being delivered Monday... they said they'd move it once the carpet was laid. I was worried about the unit being delivered because it weighs a ton.. they said that was OK. As it happened... when the unit was delivered the bottom section broke before they got it off the truck! So... they took it back and are ordering a new one. So, I guess everything happens for the best. I'd have hated for the carpet men to damage the unit. Jared spent last weekend at his Dad's.. overnight. So we didn't have to worry about him. Mum said I should get someone in to clean up the jungle that our garden has become... I haven't the time... so I got a couple of phone numbers out of the local paper. This woman and her partner' arrived on Friday to cut back the area around the pool since the pool man was arriving Saturday to install the new liner. Her 'partner' kept disappearing... she was left with the lot. Before I went out I gave her half the money she had quoted for the job and she promised to be back early Saturday to get rid of the huge pile of trimmings. I was out, getting milk... she phoned Saturday morning to say she was running late ... some equipment wasn't working... Mum told her to "GET LOST!" plus a few other choice things. So... now I have a huge pile of rubbish to get rid of and no-one to help! Wednesday 28th March 2001 5:00am Now.... where was I.... Ah.... would you believe I finally got into Mum's bedroom... ceiling done and window surrounds painted... hallelujah!! Jason is supposed to be helping me move the beds out today so I have room to move to do the papering... we'll see if he keeps his promise. I was going to install the new towel rail in my bathroom... on Sunday asked Jason to bring his drill (he left mine on the boat 4 years ago... doubt if that'll work any more).. he did bring it... no gadget to open and close it to get the bit in! That's a big help!! Of course it took another day before he attended to it... can't find the 'gadget' so he used a screwdriver... sorry.. doesn't work.. bit is too loose so I can't drill the holes. So I have half drilled holes in my bathroom wall! Why does everything take so long to get done!!!! I'm getting depressed now with the place in such a mess. There's not one room... except the toilet and laundry that is tidy. I burst into tears when I was painting the window yesterday... guess it's all getting the better of me. I had a cry to myself... no-one knew or cared. On Monday Mum cleared out the laundry. We have one big cupboard in it and it was full of stuff we hadn't looked at in years. She didn't even check to see what was in the boxes or bags (she said)... she chucked the lot! I saw the bags at the front door and told her I was going to go through them before they went to the dump. I went off and continued with the papering. Went out to collect the garbage bin in the early afternoon... ALL THE BAGS WERE GONE!!! I asked her what happened to them... she said Jason took them to the dump! That's a FIRST! He never does anything straight away! I didn't even know he'd been! It would have been nice to be given the chance to check if there was anything that could be used... since it was all MY stuff... so she said! Now, you wonder why I'm depressed! I really think she hates me! The blind for the kitchen was outside too... I told her it WASN'T to go because it could be revamped when I decide what fabric to get. The fittings and spring were perfect. THAT WAS GONE TOO!!! NO-ONE EVER LISTENS TO ME! But that's OK Jamie can always BUY A NEW ONE! Dammit... I'm sick of forking out ( $ ) unnecesarily because of other people's moods! I'm beginning to think that's all I'm good for. On to other things.... The pool is finally full... Jared has been in it the last 2 afternoons. It was only half full yesterday... he didn't care :-) I can't believe it has taken 2 whole days (48 hours) to fill! When it was installed about 10 years ago.. it filled overnight... so much for the water pressure! At least the water is clear... not green like the first time. Must say the garden looks better already with the pool in working condition instead of looking like a big cemented hole... It's raining again this morning so... maybe cooler weather is on it's way. If that's the case I might have the incentive to work in the garden once this place is finished. Jared has had 2 Silver Certificates from school in the past 2 weeks... looks like things are returning to normal for him at school again. Thank the Lord! One more and he gets a Gold Certificate. I'm sorry to say I lost patience with him last night when we were doing his homework... sometimes he acts so dumb AND HE'S NOT! It just infuriates me when I give him 20 clues as to how to get an answer to a problem and it just doesn't register. My mother of course spurts out the answer for him! That's what made me crack! I wanted him to use his brain not hers. Jenny Craig again today... I lost 2 pounds 4 ounces last week... so now I weigh less than I did before I went overseas. Still got a way to go though. Hey, I lost those 2lbs 2oz even eating ice-cream every day and with going out to lunch!! Guess all the involuntary exercise (up and down ladders, stretching in all directions etc...) is helping. Don't know yet what I've lost this week... I don't weigh myself at home. I finally got a response from the guy who was to quote on ripping out the sink and cupboard from my dressing room... which will become my computer room. I've to let him know when I'm ready for him to start work. There's still 2 rooms to do after Mum's is finished THEN we get to Jamie's quarters... so, might be another week or so. The cat just came to visit me.... Smudge is in our bad books still... I can't handle the bird and lizard killings... she's got to go! She gets out of the kitchen window... I keep it shut BUT Mum keeps opening it! What else would you expect! I got a guy to come give a quote on a new security screen on the sliding kitchen windows on Monday but haven't heard back as yet, She's also pulled at the mesh on the TV room screen door so that she can get out of THAT when the kitchen window's shut... like I said.... she's GOT TO GO! 12 Noon... Well I blew it didn't I!!!! Mum said why don't I cut out a few strips of paper at a time.... save runnung back and forwards... well, I listened to her, because she expected her bed to be back in her bedroom tonight! Stupid MOI thought it would save time... NO... NO..... NO Jamie! The damned paper doesn't match! I cut 4 bloody rolls... DIDN'T I !! God I miss my Dad... we used to do wallpapering together and never had a problem. He'd cut and I'd hang. Well Dad... you came in for me... In my misery I began to THINK instead of feeling sorry for myself. You must feel sorry for me too because.... I got your message. "Hang one of the cut strips THEN go cut the next to match... hang another cut strip and go cut the next to match." You're right Dad... the cut ones match every second strip... so all is not lost. I remembered we used to cut 2 rolls at a time... thanks to you I haven't wasted all the paper after all. 6:35pm.... Only a couple more small pieces and one long strip to go and the only place it doesn't match is behind one curtain.... PHEW!! My feet are killing me... should have had shoes on for going up and down the ladder. Well.... sitting here won't get it done... I'm off.... 8:30pm... Had dinner, had shower... totally exhausted! Jason helped move the beds back into the room so 'madam' had a bed to sleep in tonight. Jared did his homework with Mum instead. My feet are throbbing and ankles swollen, every joint aches, The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that there's only 2 more rooms to do (except for mine) plus the hallway and entrance. The hall only gets painted and the entrance ain't too huge... I'm longing for the day they get started. Thursday29th March Today is a write-off. Jenny Craig this morning (cancelled yesterday) and hairdresser at 11am (forgot I had an appointment last Wednesday.. so I didn't turn up.. oops) So, what I might do this afternoon is NOTHING or get the spare room ready to tackle tomorrow morning. Friday afternoon is also a write-off... Jared has to go to Maryborough for maths tuition.... maybe we'll get another storm??? Still haven't had a "thank-you" or "It's nice" or anything... about the work I did on her bedraaom. 5:00pm Didn't lose an ounce this week! Find that hard to believe... but then my ankles and hands are swollen from the work so it's probably all fluid... not worried it'll come off next week. Friday 30th March 2001 Took Jared to school this morning then went to the auto-electrician to see if he could get my electric windown on my car to work.... not until Monday.... so, we'll have to SUFFOCATE for a couple more days <grin> No carpet..... hasn't arrived yet from Melbourne... so we still have a cement floor in the living/dining room. Oh well, if it takes much longer I'll have 3/4's of the house finished by the time it arrives and the can lay in evry room except mine. The pool man sent around a friend who does gardening for a business... $240 and 2 days to get the place "ship-shape" again... he's startiing on Tuesday. He's not a 70 pound weakling... neither is his assistant so they should have no problems. My darling mother jumped on me for not cleaning the curtain rail which I had Jason screw back up yesterday afternoon! The fact that she walked past it 75 times in 3 days while it was on the floor never gave her the inceltive to do it HERSELF while I was painting and papering!! I really don't believe some of the snide cracks coming out of her lately, she's getting worse. Of course I screamed back at her that I wasn't "cleaning" her bedroom... I was painting and papering... what more did she want!! "When you do a job you should do the lot!" she snapped back. Won't tell you how the conversation continued! Saturday 31st March 2001 Last day of the month!! Where did it disappear to... the month, I mean???? It'll soon be Christmas again! Didn't do much yesterday as far as decorating is concerned.. had to take Jared to school which meant I had to scrub up and look presentable <grin> also had to take him for his maths tuition in the afternoon so... didn't want to have to go through the scrub up process twice *S* Picked up 4 new fans... will have to pin Jason down to get them installed. That could take forever. Wish I could do it myself. I ended up buying myself a whole heap of new tools which will be kept under lock and key. It's nice to be able to put my hand on something when I need it. Makes the 'little jobs' so much easier. *S* I cleaned up my bathroom and am really pleased with the result. Got the new towel rail, toilet roll holder and wallpaper border up tentatively. The border makes a huge difference to the 'plainness'. Went to the hardware shop and found new handles for the doors to match the towel rail. Only bought one since I wanted to make sure it would fit without having to drill more holes in the doors, will pick up the rest today since it looks great. Temporarily pinned the border in the main bathroom waiting for 'you know who's" approval. It looks really good too... Mum condescended to advise it passed muster so I could go ahead and make it permanent. "Finding Forrester" is on this weekend at the movies... I really want to see it... Jared went to his dad's last night and won't be back till Sunday night, so maybe I'll be able to squeeze in a couple of hours to see it. Talking about Jared... when I got to school yesterday one of the kids came running up to me to tell me Jared was "in trouble!" What is it with kids that they just can't wait to pass on bad news <grin> He was on the verandah with the Acting Head of Primary along with his friend Jackson. The AHP was questioning them but stopped when I arrived and took me into the classroom to tell me what happened... It 'appeared' that Jared had been fighting with Jackson at lunchtime. Jackson didn't want to have Jared sitting next to him (they're friends... mind you) so it apparently ended up in a fight and Jared had run off to the secondary school area and the staff had trouble finding him. So he got a 'dreaded' NOTIFICATION (get 3 and you get detention!!) Let me fill you in on something.... I overheard Mum and Jared talking last night... seems someone had hit him at school yesterday and he did nothing about it. So, Mum told him if someone punches him.. he doesn't just take it... BELT THEM BACK! (She used to be in fights all the time at school.... no-one walked over the top of her..EVER) Jared and I discussed the days events on the half hour trip to Maryborough for his maths tuition. He had wanted to sit with Jackson for lunch but Jackson didn't want him next to him... who knows why... they're KIDS! Jared didn't move so Jackson let him have it with a backhand in the face. One of the other kids got hold of Jared's hat and threw it across the playground. Jared went after it and came back to have his lunch. They got his lunch away from him as well and made a circle so Jared couldn't get through. Jackson got Jared down on the ground but Jared managed to kick his way free. Then Jared got Jackson on the ground holding his arms (crossed across his body) and pinned to the ground. Other kids came and pulled Jared off and Jared ran away because one of the boys who had got him a couple of weeks ago and accosted him in the toilets said he was going to get his big brother on to him! I love how the teachers only get HALF the story.... He missed out on sport for the afternoon because as punishment he and Jackson spent the afternoon with 3rd grade in class!! Of course the teacher on playground duty at lunchtime (Jared's teacher) was off playing netball with some of the other kids!! If he'd been doing his duty this probably wouldn't have got this far! Now, while the AHP was telling me what she had found out so far.... "Jackson didn't want Jared to sit next to him because he gets him into trouble.... so Jared hit him...." Give me a break!!!!! Jared and Jackson are friends! I proved that point by directing her attention to the glass door of the classroom.. they both had their noses pressed against the glass looking in and giggling. I asked her if THAT looked like they were arch enemies??? (Mum's up... I can hear the bathroom door being slammed..) Back to the story... Well, I am sick to death of the way 4th grade is ending up this year! Jared has Detention on Tuesday afternoon from 3:00 to 4:30pm which means he'll have half an hour to get from school to home to get changed and be a Touch Football by 5:00pm. I don't think so! The AHP told me that the children have to learn to "talk over" their problems... not fight them out! Nice in theory... but this is the real world! Kids are kids... even best friends fight sometimes! What is the school trying to develop... a bunch of WIMPS? What infuriates me more is that Jared and Jackson were not the only children involved in this "altercation"... why is Jared always singled out for punishment! What about the rest of them??? Oh yes, she told me that Jared's teacher would be 'talking to the class as a whole" on social behaviour.... RIGHT! With the lack of respect the kids have for him that's going to make a BIG IMPRESSION on them! You know.... up to the end of 3rd Grade there were never problems like this. The children respected each other and respected their teachers. They were great kids. Heavens.. we've had the whole class over on more than one accassion and they've been terrific. Why the big change THIS YEAR? I'm sick of Jared always being the "bunny" and the only one at fault in their eyes. He never gets the chance to telll the whole story. The school rules are (in black and white) if you have problems, of any nature, the first contact must be the Teacher. If you don't get satisfaction from the teacher THEN you go higher. In OUR CASE the Teacher and the AHP has told US all OUR problems are to be directed to the AHP and the TEACHER BYPASSED! WHY!! Because he can't cope!! Lord... he has six more children in his class than normal.... too much for him to handle! He's the same age as my son... has no idea how to gain the respect of the children. They walk over the top of him and interrupt when he and parents are in conversation and he lets them get away with it. To finish this I just want to say... Jared is no Saint BUT he is definitely not a LIAR. He ALWAYS admits when he's done something wrong and accepts his punishment. He just can't understand how other kids can lie and get away with it. I told him that they DON'T get away with it... they get found out eventually. I want to know why the attitude of the kids has changed THIS YEAR... and I won't give up until I do. Well, I'm off to have breakfast..... 12 Noon... My Jenny Craig (dry not frozen) food seems to have disappeared.... fairies must be on a diet! No doubt the bag will turn up towards the end of the week.... < snarl > Borders up permenantly in my bathroom and the main bathroom and toilet.. Yippee!! Well the month ended on a happier note. I made Mum get ready and we went out... While we were having coffee something strange happened.... We were sitting at a table outside the coffee shop and this elderly lady came straight up to us and started talking to us about things in general. She was born in Canada but lived in England and was here for 6 months with her son... does it every year. At the end of our chat she put her hand on Mum's shoulder and told her to "stop making a mountain out of everything... everything will work out". I couldn't believe my ears. Mum just stared at me and then this lady.... I asked her why she'd say something like that... she said she was psychic! She knew more than she let on... she could tell by Mum's eyes that she was troubled! Wow!!! Well, everything seemed to get better after she left. We were both flabbergasted! On our rounds of the shops I managed to pick up curtains for the kitchen and TV room and probably saved myself hundreds of dollars... what a bargain! All they need are edging and hemmimg... the material already has the rucking for the pinch pleating attached.. I also saw a blind I want for the kitchen but have to measure the window first. So, what started off as a lousy month ended up on a happier note. Hope it continues. :-) For those of you who missed out on my Easter Gift it can be found HERE. I hope you have a safe and happy Easter Break. Just try to remember the reason for the Holiday. |
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With special thanks to THE TUBES site for the DIDDL Graphics |
