Phew! He Drives!
Despite popular opinion teenagers are OK. My Young Negotiator (18 1/2 yo) has just gotten his driver's licence and as every parent knows this is an anxious time for us. Will they crash and die some horrible death, get booked and have to be driven everywhere again, break down in the middle of the night and call us up for advice/help/solace? But we parents have to let go, tough on me but do-able. In fact it has been better than I thought.
On the day he passed his driving test I had a dinner and show to go to that night. Kate Miller-Heidke is EXCELLENT by the way. Bloody fantastic concert, but I digress. Dinner in a noisy restaurant and then a music concert is a big deal for my brain injured noggin, causing fatigue and unsteadiness on feet because of sensory overload so driving is a no-no for me in this situation. I asked my newly appointed driver-son to drop me off and pick me up later which he readily agreed to. We have an extra teen in house at moment, his friend the Country Lad, and both boys escorted me to town in my car and dropped me off. I held each lad by the shoulder, looked straight into their eyes and told them sternly "DO NOT MUCK AROUND IN THE CAR". This would be the Young Negotiator's first drive without a responsible adult. I know right?
Dinner was fantastic but expensive, concert was FANTASTIC, did I mention that? Kate Miller-Heidke is one talented Vegemite, and funny to boot. My mobile was on silent but twice during the concert it 'rang' vibrated. I ignored it, I was out man! The show finished quite late (for me) and as pre-arranged I texted the Driver-son to pick me up. No reply. Great, he has his music up too loud. Oh shame mother, shut your mouth, he and the Country Lad were already there waiting for me. It was he who rang me twice during the show to see if I was ready to be picked up. I was thrilled to see them alive and undamaged.
In the car I was relegated to the back seat, the driving team up front were 'men' and I was the passenger. My worries of them fooling around while driving were also squashed. They were working as a team. The Country Lad is still on his Learner's permit and he was the Driver-Son's extra eyes. He pointed out to the Driver-Son that he was "still in neutral you idiot" when the car failed to reverse out of the parking spot. Mind you the Country Lad also had a small torch in hand to shine on the T-bar gear stick because the light showing you which gear you are in has been dead for years.
They made me laugh when they complained to me that the car did not have a CD player in it (the car is too old for such modern technology) and there is no where to plug in an MP3.
The two teens worked together on driving carefully but we also talked and laughed in the car. I am so impressed with them. I know the Driver-Son will make mistakes, have (hopefully) small bingles and still need our guidance in the car but we all needed that at their age. Phew, the initial stages have been low stress but I am sure there will be exceptions to this. There are three drivers in our family and only two cars so there will be juggling and compromise from all of us. It is a thrill to have our Young Negotiator driving. Unfortunately, we have to start again with the Dynamic Daughter in a couple of months but that is life.
Have I mentioned to you how BLOODY FANTASTIC Kate Miller-Heidke was?
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
A Proud Proud Mother
Have I bragged enough about my offspring? Nope, got more of it.
The Dynamic Daughter is in an important year at high school. Year 11 involves lots of work towards the HSC and she is attacking it like a woman possessed. She also has her out-of-school drama lessons. That amazing teenager has also taken on a fundraising effort for her trip, with a group of teens, to a developing country where they will trek for days, do volunteer work in a village and play tourist at the end. A huge undertaking for these young people as they have to make the decisions, source their accommodation, food and transport in-country. It is a team and character building challenge which is not meant to be easy or simple. And they will be helping those less fortunate then themselves. Wow! I am in awe. It is expensive and the costs have to be met by fundraising/own pocket and she has taken this on with gusto.
I am certain I was not mature or confident enough to take this sort of thing on at her age. I believe the youth of today are amazing.
The Dynamic Daughter and her friend the Curly Headed Young Man, who is also going, ran a trivia night recently in our little country community hall and what a success it was. I was not allowed to help. The Old Cheese (my mother) and I were allowed to cook and supply food but the two teens completely ran it themselves. All teams had excellent fun and at the end everyone helped pack up the hall and clean it. The community spirit was outstanding. They raised a gross total of $730!
My team were not allowed to win and so with great restraint we came nearly last. The things we do for our children.
Just to add to the Dynamic Daughter's workload she has also become a youth ambassador for the local performing arts industry.
And...she wants to organise her 16th birthday party. Phew, I am exhausted. Oh, that's right it is not about me (damn!).
We had an excellent parent teacher interview night recently and so all is going swimmingly. I am mildly concerned (as are a couple of her teachers) that she will crash and burn with all this pressure upon her. She has had issues with anxiety and depression in the past and she is cyclothymic which means she can have extreme highs and lows but we talk with her about it and try our best to keep communications open. Well, as open as a teenager wants to be with their parents anyway. Hopefully with maturity comes better ways of dealing with these pressures and as parents, all we can do is be there for our babies........err sorry, teenagers. Slipped into smother mode there.
The Dynamic Daughter and the Curly Haired Young Man are holding a high tea soon, another fundraiser. I offered to come and do the washing up and was met with stone cold silence (crickets chirping). Okay-y-y. Only if you want I plead. Silence. Hmmm, is the thought of something so elegant and ladylike impossible to imagine with me in the room? Aaaahhh! I am an uncouth slob obviously.
Have I told you how proud I am? Oh, alright. Good luck Dynamic Daughter!
The Dynamic Daughter is in an important year at high school. Year 11 involves lots of work towards the HSC and she is attacking it like a woman possessed. She also has her out-of-school drama lessons. That amazing teenager has also taken on a fundraising effort for her trip, with a group of teens, to a developing country where they will trek for days, do volunteer work in a village and play tourist at the end. A huge undertaking for these young people as they have to make the decisions, source their accommodation, food and transport in-country. It is a team and character building challenge which is not meant to be easy or simple. And they will be helping those less fortunate then themselves. Wow! I am in awe. It is expensive and the costs have to be met by fundraising/own pocket and she has taken this on with gusto.
I am certain I was not mature or confident enough to take this sort of thing on at her age. I believe the youth of today are amazing.
The Dynamic Daughter and her friend the Curly Headed Young Man, who is also going, ran a trivia night recently in our little country community hall and what a success it was. I was not allowed to help. The Old Cheese (my mother) and I were allowed to cook and supply food but the two teens completely ran it themselves. All teams had excellent fun and at the end everyone helped pack up the hall and clean it. The community spirit was outstanding. They raised a gross total of $730!
My team were not allowed to win and so with great restraint we came nearly last. The things we do for our children.
Just to add to the Dynamic Daughter's workload she has also become a youth ambassador for the local performing arts industry.
And...she wants to organise her 16th birthday party. Phew, I am exhausted. Oh, that's right it is not about me (damn!).
We had an excellent parent teacher interview night recently and so all is going swimmingly. I am mildly concerned (as are a couple of her teachers) that she will crash and burn with all this pressure upon her. She has had issues with anxiety and depression in the past and she is cyclothymic which means she can have extreme highs and lows but we talk with her about it and try our best to keep communications open. Well, as open as a teenager wants to be with their parents anyway. Hopefully with maturity comes better ways of dealing with these pressures and as parents, all we can do is be there for our babies........err sorry, teenagers. Slipped into smother mode there.
The Dynamic Daughter and the Curly Haired Young Man are holding a high tea soon, another fundraiser. I offered to come and do the washing up and was met with stone cold silence (crickets chirping). Okay-y-y. Only if you want I plead. Silence. Hmmm, is the thought of something so elegant and ladylike impossible to imagine with me in the room? Aaaahhh! I am an uncouth slob obviously.
Have I told you how proud I am? Oh, alright. Good luck Dynamic Daughter!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Pothole Art
Some artistically bent, community minded citizen is going around painting our many potholes with bright coloured paints. It is actually quite useful because as a driver you cannot always see the ruddy great holes until WHAM!
Coupla' Chicks Scheming
Don't these girls look like they're planning something. Does it remind you of the animated movie Chicken Run?My two bantam Wyandottes were sharing the love in their clucky state.
Beachside Humpy
Check out this beautifully made humpy. It is on the coast and on public land. Most amazingly is a sign at the base of the structure asking for respect and shock of shocks, no one has vandalised the humpy in any way. I love it. On the day I photographed it an elderly couple were sitting in its shelter on camp chairs enjoying the view. Beautiful.
Malaysian Vegemite?
The Lovely Husband and I ate out at a Malaysian restaurant recently, it was beautiful and authentic but I could not help but photograph this part of the menu. Check out the ingredients in the Mama Prawns. What the...?
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