Thursday, March 31, 2016

Made my day!

Doing some shopping at a local market this morning I met Suzie, a wonderful young lady I taught during my years at Willetton SHS.  I urged her to visit for a cup of tea and we had probably about an hour of great reminiscences about family, school and friends.

Suzie has an ongoing affliction of migraine headaches and over a number of years she has tried the usual medical treatments and even some alternative treatments to no avail.
She is hopeful of eventually finding the cure.



Suzie today and another pic from my scrappy marks book when I taught her in Year 8.


You made my day Suzie.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

How is it so?

Today I received a small tool I had ordered from Germany.  It is designed to accurately push out pins in a metal watch band to adjust the size to suit a wrist.  As an old bloke I am getting quite skinny and I needed to shorten the band of the watch I received from my school upon retirement some 17 years ago.   It cost a mere A$1.40 and was sent air mail, post free and delivered to my door by Australia Post.  How is that done?  Click to enlarge the image.

  
I’ll try it out tomorrow, but not be too upset if it doesn’t do the job.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Music on the Brain

Wonderful programme on ABC Catalyst recently....Music on the Brain.
Research worldwide has shown that people in deep dementia awake and even sing along when headphones playing familiar music are placed on the head of patients with remarkable results. Similarly, patients with advanced Parkinson’s Disease when experiencing dance music lose all the dyskinesias associated with Parkinsons and begin dancing effortlessly. Footage taken in nursing homes show this amazing temporary change.
If you are in Australia you can view this 30 minute program on ABC iView.





Monday, March 21, 2016

Oldies gathering


Had a gathering yesterday of a bunch of oldies with a lifelong association with the scouting movement.  As we have lost a few in the years gone, their wives have remained friends as part of this small group.  Most of us started out in the Cub Scouts at around age 9/10; progressed to Sea Scouts and then the Rovers.  So I, at least, joined the movement at around 67 years ago.   Here is a pic.  I am not in it as I was wielding the photographic machine or whatever it’s called. 

Click image to enlarge

Friday, March 11, 2016

Imagination

This morning I ‘installed’ a small job I did for daughter Helen’s Pre Primary class. I drove to the school and went to the office to sign in as a visitor.  The school registrar quizzed me about what I was here for and asked if I had a Working With Children certificate.  I told her I hadn’t and she was on her way to tell the Deputy Principal.  I yelled out that I was not going into a classroom and my daughter had chosen this exact time so that her class would not be outside in the playground.  She hummed a bit, but signed me in and gave me a visitor’s badge to wear.  A lot of people think that Principals run schools, but in my experience the registrar seems to be in charge most times.

The little job was to try and attach a few things I had made onto a tree to entertain the kids and spark a bit of imagination.  The tree wasn’t my choice as it was difficult to get all the things looking like they should.  I would have preferred a straight trunk tree, but Helen said it looked fine and the kids would love it.

I stood outside the fence when the kids were let out to take a look.  It was a great success.  One girl told everyone the ‘there is someone inside there’ and tried to open the little door.  Worthwhile project.

Click to enlarge

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Young performers

A friend (and ex-student of mine) Sean, has two lovely kids, Cody and Bae.  I took a snap of Bae when my wife Joan and I visited Sean and his family in NSW some 10 years ago.

Click images to enlarge.


Bae is now 16 and is quite the thespian.  Pic here of her playing The Bad Joke Monster in a production of ‘Conundrum’ and was nominated for Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) award.


Cody is a music performer and has recently commenced a music diploma.


Friday, March 4, 2016

Canadian visitors

Had a nice couple of days with cousin Ann and husband Doug visiting from Canada.  Ann was a Lock from Narrogin Valley in Western Australia and she met Doug who was in Australia, working and they returned to BC, Canada where they still live.  They are leaving Australia on Sunday flying direct to South Africa (Sith Iffrica) for a few weeks there on safari etc.


Many laughs in the two days they stayed over at my place.  My wife Joan and I visited Doug and Ann in Canada for a pleasant week and they suggested that I could return for another visit.  Maybe; or I could just wait for their regular four yearly visit back to Australia to catch up again.

click image to enlarge