Goodbye autumn! Hello winter! Today is the official start of our winter season in Australia but I think the SE states of the country already had their winter season started earlier. Even for Queensland it started to cool down at nightime quite quickly. We had a couple of minimum temperatures reached in the early single digits already. But I think today would be the first to have the coolest day with the maximum temperature of only 18 degrees as it is quite an overcast and wet. I knew today was quite cold as my cats are staying indoors and my air conditioner is turning on more regularly then normal. I hate to know what the next electricity bill will be like as the air conditioner has been used daily at nightime and the dryer was accidently left on overnighter once as the timer died on us.
It seems the month of May just went out the door. I had a busy month with normal commitments involving my family and friends, bowling and scrapbooking. I only managed to see one recent movie at the cinema. I saw THE AVENGERS with my best friend. I love the movie with lots of action about our past fictional character heroes. This weekend I am hoping to see MIB 3. I was told this movie is quite enjoyable to view.
On Labour Day weekend, Brisbane RNA show grounds had their Model Train show for people of all ages who love trains (in smaller scale). I prefer trams more but they stopped running in Brisbane before I was born. I have been on suburban trains in Brisbane many times and made a train trip to Gympie once, long before I had my license to drive a car.
I taken Rachel along to see the model train show on Sunday morning and she quite enjoyed it. Some people were quite friendly and happy to chat with us. Even one guy let Rachel hold a big model scaled train. It was more an educational purpose for Rachel to learn the history about trains and such. I taken the kids there once before when they were younger but I don't think we stayed as long as we did this time. At the model train show they displayed some photos of past trains and buses which was great for me to use for BOM scrap album. I did capture alot of photos of the model train show but they are still in my camera. I don't intend to download my photos after each time I take photos. They will be in my camera for ages before I decided to download them and use for scrap projects.
All schools throughout Australia had their NAPLAN testing on 15th-17th May. The parents won't know th resutls until at least the end of term 3. I am not expecting the best outcome from my kids but I am more proud of them for just taking part and doing their best to their knowledge. The tests are only for the school's benefit for teachers to know if they are doing their job right. It seems afew schools are bitching to each other about how good their schools are. If the school community acted more appropriately for respect and responsibility to their fellow community members, there shouldn't be any negative reports about any schools. All schools should be treated equal!! Of course we see how students misbehave outside of school hours in public. If they are wearing their school uniform still, it would give an outsider a first impression of a negative report. I always keep telling my kids to behave well in public. Because you never know who you would run into after hours.
Besides being my Dad's birthday on 18th May, it was National Volunteer week and I received a certificate of appreciation from the primary school to say thanks for my contribution towards the school community. All I really done this year is attended to afew P and C meeting and made my contributions there. I was met to attend to a morning tea session at the school but I was still recovering from the flu that week.
On 20th May, Monique and I went to the Gold Coast border as there was a junior intercentre tourament on at Coolangatta. Of course I got lost as I don't own a GPS (now I wished I borrowed one from a friend) and I don't know New South Wales roads that well. And it doesn't help when the state doesn't have enough signs on where to go either. I was only going by my goggle map on how to get there. After 45 minutes of driving I found a local at a car sale yard and he was happy to help. I wasn't too far by then! Once we got there (just on time for check in) the kids bowled against other centres from the Gold Coat and Northern NSW. Monique didn't win any individual medals but her centre is still in front by only two points after two rounds. The next competiton will be held at Lismore (which is in Northern NSW). It's held on the same day as TQI tournament and that tournament will be hosted north of Brisbane. I prefer to drive more locally as I am not keen on driving in NSW that day.
On 25th May, Monqiue attend to her first junior pageant for a footy club. It was only a 90 minute event for the pageants to be interviewed in different aged classifications with a variety of questions. Monique never done one of these before and I don't think she will even do this again as I wasn't keen on answering alot of questions. And going by some answers, I don't think she even knows what she wants to do in the future. To me that doesn't look good! When they asked her, why she applied.......her answer, I was dragged into it!! Everyone laughed! The problem with Monique she seems to take up on things, only because her friends do it.
On 27th May, the girls went to the Pumpkin Festival in Goomeri with their father. I think it's a 45 minute drive, west from Gympie. I never been there but I have heard of it as they went there last year with the girl's grandparents. After a couple of dramas with the ute, they got to the festival at lunchtime. They seemed to like it but they never runned into their grandparents as it was quite crowded that day.
On 28th May, I was invited to go to the high school to witness over 300 students from years 8 to 12 being awarded for outstanding effort and behaviour during this semester. This award is based from the information given in their report cards after term one. Monique received a silver certificate (as she received more Bs then As)! Last year she received two gold awards but her grades have slightly slipped abit this year. I don't know if it is the workload abit too hard for her to handle without assistance or is it the peer pressure from school? After the award ceremony all parents were invited to have morning tea in the school's restaurant.
Guess that is all to report about my life during the last month of autumn. All the best to stay healthy over winter.
You definitely had a very busy month. I did too but I found it was more of a reflective month than anything else.
ReplyDeleteAnd your Dad is born on the same day as my late-Grandpa - 18th, May - how cool! Wish your Dad a belated happy birthday from me and my family.
And I hope this month is as exciting and interesting as last month.