Alvechurch Hall...

So crisis averted we arrived at the Alvechurch Village hall. We set it up and I got changed in the toilet (no time to go to the hotel). The Australian flag was hiosted high, the music was played loudly and we had lots of fun.

Rowan and Dan wowed audiences with their musical stylings and we all ate, drank and made merry.

Most came in fancy dress and we celebrated Xmas and our journey to Oz similtaneously.
Despite the stress and problems we had getting the party started I am really glad that we did make it in the end. It was so lovely to see everyone again. There was no way we would have been able to get round to everyone before we go so having everyone gravitating to the same spot meant that there were hugs and wrestles for all!

Lof had threatened some naked mud wrestling back at the hotel and not with me. No No No but with Adi... What can I say - Sarah and I have seen it all before :) but it never did materialise... More on that later.

Thank you to everyone who came. It really meant a lot that you could all make it. Gerin, we missed you but we love you! (Give Oscar a munch from me)




More pictures on the Flickr thingy!

The war of the Golden Roses.

Last night was the night of the Australian Christmas Party to end all parties. Lof and I were on course for a stress free, easy and relaxing evening. Yes, we had a lot to set up but the hall was booked, the decorations and food bought and costumes ready to worn.

After getting the key for the Hopwood Village Hall from the manager, having been shown around, after changing a light bulb, learning how the heating worked and agreeing that we would be tidy by 11:30 LOf and I booked into the hotel next door and then set off back to Redditch to pick up the rest of the stuff required for a cracking party.

When we got back some old ladies had let themselves into the hall and we telling my parents that they had booked it a year ago. :0 Not good.
Now, unlike nice, caring old ladies who have manners these evil women had decided already that my party was cancelled. This was made very clear from the moment they opened the boots of the Volvos and removed boxes of sandwiches and table cloths. - Anger rising now...
LOF was trying frantically to get hold of the manager of the hall who had convieniantly decided to pop out for an hour. So no-one to solve the arguments the evil ladies of the "golden rose" began to instruct us to cancel the band because they had booked a disco and began to set up their tables.

BREATH --> In with love out with hate-->

Now part of me was thinking oh good they're setting up the tables for me. Thank you very much and the other half of me wanted to scream, shout, cry and throw an enormous tantrum. I sent LOF to talk to the manager's neighbours on the off chance that they may be able to get hold of her. Instead the lady he discovered was much more useful. She organised another hall for us. At this point (45 mins on) I was getting angrier than an angry thing without chocolate.

I made my anger very clear to the roses who replied with "be reasonable" ME? Be reasonable - what about you?? She said that she couldn't cancel it - she couldn't possibly phone all her guests and who would pay for the DJ? Her guests had paid £5 a ticket and she had access to the hall 3 times a week.. BLAH BLAH BLAH - Yes --- but I've paid to use the hall tonight.

In the end a decision had to be made. Do we sit and argue with the battleaxe for another 2 hours and wait until the guests begin to arrive or do we cut our loses and sort the situation out - We still need to set up and now we need to re-direct people. The sooner the better.

I asked the gang to get everything back into the car and was told by the generous woman that she wouldn't begrudge my using the oven. - F()^^* off!

We marched to the manager's neighbours house and were escorted to the Alevechurch Village - hall - T minus 2 hours!!! ARGHHHHhhh

Barmouth

A small sleepy sea-saide town in North Wales and the home of LOF for many, many years. We visited a few weekends ago for the last time. By the time we return from our little jaunt his mother will have moved away - to an undisclosed location - and as his father has already left to find solice on the other side of the estuary we though that we would document this very picturesque location. Check it out... Hope you don't get car/sea sick easily :)

Stuck for ideas?

When you arrive to the party there are strict rules.

You must either be dressed as a famous Aussie or be prepared to dress like it's the summer... Here are some ideas...

"Paul Hogan, Shane Warne, Kylie and Jason, Harry Kewell, Elle McPherson , Men at Work, INXS.


Almost forgot. Do you know what it is yet? - Rolf. (Wobbleboard and Didgeridoo)

An Update. - Just keep focused! Don't panic !

Yes it is. We're out of special measures.. Thank goodness. That school hasn't needed to be in special measures for some time now. We were deemed to be a satisfactory school with some good and outstanding features. Ofsted like things to be done in stages, poor --> satisfactory is quite a leap but I imagine that next time they come we will be a good school with some outstanding features. That next time will be in 3 years thank fully!

The last week has been really hard. I went to see Colette and felt cool, calm and at ease. We visited LOFs Dad (which was lovely) and his mother at the weekend and then by Monday I was getting myself into a right state- god knows why. I wasn't even particularly scared about the invasion of the inspectors but, nonetheless, I found myself in tears repeatedly throughout the whole experience. The reason? Sheer exhaustion I think. I couldn't even eat for one 24 hour session!

I have only 3 weeks left until we leave. 3 weeks and a list as long as LOF's entire body of things that need to be done. Conti-boarding seems to be taking for ever and the attic in our old house is now empty. I still need to do the shed, the garden and buy rucksacks and walking shoes. I need to pack everything. Order goods for a party on Saturday (see you there), make sure the sale of the house is moving (it's seems to have stood still for weeks now. How hard can it be???) Pack away all of my stuff at school, tell the kids, plan lessons and teach, etc etc etc. Arghhh.

I just have to remind myself that it will all be worth it! Sometimes it's hard though and there have been moments when I have even felt a little panicky about it all. If you think that moving away to another country for a year sounds appealing then stop and think about the hard work that needs to be done before hand - there's a lot of it!

The car hasn't sold yet. There were 8 people watching it (I suspect blog people) and no-one made a bid. I've put it back on there again now. Please don't watch it unless you want to buy it - I got my hopes up last time...lol.

At least this week I will be able to move my priorities to Australia rather than school and I'm afraid that's probably where they'll stay now. It's not possible to do everything. here's to December 23rd.

It's over... Is it for the last time?

We don't know yet. They're sat in "the house" making a decision right now.

They arrived on Wednesday (when I had 5 lessons and a break duty) and are still here now. I had 4 lessons today. They didn't bless me with their presense in any of my lessons despite my having stayed at school until gone 7pm every night to get everything ready. That'll teach me for working too hard!

Now I can relax I hope. :)

I'll be out of the cave tomorrow.

I've been in it since Wednesday last week when we received a phone call. HMI are here. I'm knackered and went the last 24 hours without food! Tut tut!