Gap Year Soldier

The Young Negotiator, as I have said, is having a gap year next year.  And, it turns out, he has applied for a gap year with the ADF (Australian Defence Force).  I had no idea such a thing existed and am totally surprised at his decision.  Don't get me wrong, the Lovely Husband and I think it would be very good for him but I think he is going in to it with rose coloured night vision goggles on.  When the Young Negotiator looked it up initially I don't think he got past the dollar signs before he decided that this was for him.  Yes they pay well, he receives accommodation and food, medical and comradeship.  All that is great.  He gets to leave home but will not run out of rent money, will not go hungry and can afford to see a doctor or dentist. But, the army do get their pound of flesh out of you too, and that is what the Young Negotiator is choosing not to see.  They have to go through the full-on army training both physical and mental.  They may have to be on duty for 7 days at a time, all hours.  They may be deployed within the country or overseas if the Australian Army is needed in an emergency situation; natural disaster or humanity.  All this for an 18 year old who barely gets his school work done, does not have a natural 'hurrying' bone is his body and likes to relax in front of the computer or game consul.  Assuming he gets in he is in for one hell of a shock. 

I have advised him to read the whole story online but you know teenagers, details are not necessary apparently.  "It'll be right.".  It'll be right alright.  He will not know which way his head is.... although I have been known to underestimate my children.  Maybe this is one of those times.  Perhaps in that skinny, sloth like frame is a tiger ready to leap out and take on the Australian Army with all guns blasting.  At the moment the earphones are surgically attached to his ears and the only thing blasting is his music.  Maybe his hours of gaming will transfer to the field and he will be brilliant at tactics and war games, assuming they give him five lives and he gets to choose an exaggeratedly fantastic weapon with the push of a button. 

Aah, sarcasm.  It is my own weapon against worry.  I hope he gets accepted.  I hope he gets something out of it like pride and self discipline, mateship and motivation.  I will, of course, worry about him and miss him and hope that he is happy. 

Teenager Makes Amazing Discovery!

My 15 year old Dynamic Daughter made a miraculous discovery at school last week. 

"I am exhausted.  I have been concentrating and focusing on my school work for the last three days and do you know what?  It actually works!!  I am understanding it, I am ahead in the work!".  Shocker, really?  This from a girl who has written quite nice poetry in her maths class.

The Young Negotiator is Turning 18!

 Bloody Hell!  Next week the Young Negotiator turns 18!!!  This time 18 years ago I was the size of a small house, couldn't fit behind the steering wheel of the car and was snarling at people who insisted on saying to me "Oh, you haven't had the baby yet?!" every time they saw me.

He was such a great lump of a baby, huge.  He then became a very small child and didn't start to catch up with his peers until half way through Year 9.  Now he is a gangly youth with pale whiskers and unruly hair (well, he always had the unruly hair).

This is the Young Negotiator's last year at high school.  Double bloody hell!  My baby is all grown but he still doesn't mind his mother's hugs and kisses.  He can run but he can't hide.

Some Interesting Facts About Our Boy

• Although able to talk well, he chose not to say very much until the age of 3.  And then he made up for lost time.
• Once he started talking was often mistaken for an American.  We blame his fascination with Sesame Street at an early age for his mild accent. 
• When little he had a fascination with wearing a small bucket on his head and wielding a large broom, hence "Mr Bucket Head" was born.
• At school was lacking in concentration and working ethics but somehow absorbed the information through the air and knew his stuff.
• First pair of glasses happen to be round and for years was told he looked like Harry Potter.
• Huge fan of Harry Potter and read the books more than once.
• Nick-name at Scouts and early High School - Harry.
• Was mistaken for Harry Potter in McDonalds by small boy one day when Young Negotiator was about 13.
• Next pair of glasses were not round.
• Not a risk taker.  Felt justified when his mother tried to get him to climb a tree and the first branch she grabbed had ruddy great thorns on it. (Smarty pants).
• Took up karate for a while with inspiration from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
• Took up cricket for three games, hated it (thank you God!).
• Took up hockey at 9 and has been playing ever since. He was unaware that his mother had played and also his grandmother.
• At age 6 was caught trying to pull his teeth out so tooth fairy would leave him enough money to buy Buzz Lightyear.
• Is a gentle soul but sufficiently stubborn not be pressured into anything that makes him uncomfortable.

Our Young Negotiator knows not what he will do when he leaves school.  A gap year is in order to work, live and think about what he wants to do with his life.  I can see a lot of young people have a hard lesson to learn about money when they leave school.  Such high hopes for leaving home, buying a car and somehow being able to afford all this and more and the Young Negotiator is no different.   Occasionally teenagers do seek advice, sometimes they don't know everything but not often.  It is nice to be able to offer advice/answers when the mood takes them, even if it is to ask if we have any grated cheese.

Good luck my son.  We will be here for you whenever you need us.  Go out and grab that first thorny branch, say a bad word, bleed, feel the dent to your pride and ideals.... oh that's right, I am supposed to be talking about him not me.  Hmm, well, umm, I am all out really.

An Update on THAT Horse

OK.  You all know the story.  My mare, the aforesaid Piece of Poop, threw me about six years ago, I got a brain injury, blah blah blah.

Well...I gave her to a woman to sell for me.  This wonderful woman and her teenage son worked with her and Shadow was working and behaving beautifully.  They sent her out on trial to a couple of places with full disclosure of her past and that Piece of Poop, again, threw her rider.  Poopanola!  Right.  It was decided I would give her to the woman and her son and they would try and re home her.

That Piece of Poop went to a new home on trial.  The new people were horse-savvy and dealt with her issues and loved her.  All is good right?  She had been living with them for some months after all.  Wrong.  I heard recently that she had thrown the woman who rode her.  This woman received a concussion and damage to her ankle and was unwell for some weeks.  WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THIS HORSE?!  She has people who love her, give her time and patience and still she throws a tanty.  I can't believe it.  The breeders who sold her to me assured me I could teach children to ride on her.  Huh!  This horse probably has a trail of concussed riders across the country, wondering what they had done wrong.  Apparently the latest concussed woman wants to give her a second chance.... ooh, I don't like that idea at all.  I am so disappointed and unhappy she has struck again. 

Now photography is a much safer hobby.  True, 90% of my stuff is crap but I can just delete it.  Easy.  I do love horse riding but have not been on one since my accident.   I intend to one day, I have a new helmet, my old jodhpurs and boots.  I know I will not own a riding horse again.  It is not for me anymore.

Well, good luck lady with the concussion and dodgy ankle.  I hope you keep safe.

I've Got a Frog in Me Pineapple!

...and a bit of old chook poo.

Koala in Gum Tree

Deny Deny Deny



Pregnant? Me? Just putting on a few pounds, nothing to worry about. Very good paddock this, not at all low fat.