Women of letters

Graphic Art by Tara Nielsen

Women of letters is an inspiring forum that is bringing the art of letter writing to a new audience.


There is something intimate about letter writing. Somehow it is easier to convey tone in a letter than an e-mail/SMS/update/twitter. Maybe it's because the medium is different and the sense of personal sacrifice is inscribed in each word that is painstakingly placed with the pen. Then there is the commitment to fold, seal, address and post the letter that says "My thoughts on this matter are valuable and should be given due consideration."


When was the last time you thought enough to write a letter and post it?


I once wrote one to my father. I knew not where he was and I had come to a point in my life where I was more than a little bit tired of carrying baggage that I had been constantly repacking 'just in case'. So I wrote to him and put a stamp on it no address, return or otherwise, and posted it. Cathartic!!

I like to think of blogging as a sister to letter writing for the time and consideration spent in editing topic and content are genetically similar. Posting may not be as time consuming to the blogger but it is as equally deliberted as that moment when you let go of the letter at the post box. You know, just before you let go and send it on it's way you think "Is this right?"

sick

I have a pet peeve.

I can't stand it when people say they have the flu when clearly they have a mild to moderate cold or sinus trouble.

I have another pet peeve.

It bugs me that I can get through a whole year of work with minor illnesses that don't justify days let alone a day in bed but on the first night/day of holidays I'm so sick I just want to lie in bed all day.

I think I might have a severe cold or maybe even the flu.

two

Two months until Christmas. I'm looking forward to School holidays, beach days and balmy nights.

three

Gus has been at school for three weeks now and he couldn't be happier. Before he got there I admit that I was worried. At home he would do just about anything to get out of storytime or any reading activity so you'll understand my surprise to find that he has soaked in an amzing amount of information. He's definately a kinesthetic learner who learns on the move and boy has he been moving. Everyday he's got something new and different to tell me about what happened while he was away. My heart is full to the brim.

iv

I nearly didn't make it to work today because I think I broke my toe last night and could barely walk this morning. Thankfully year 2 mainstream students don't need me to chase them or carry them or generally keep up with them in the same way as Special Ed students do. In my (soon to be) old job I would have had to have a day off. Today when I couldn't keep up with a particularly spirited student she kept skipping back to me like a little yo-yo. In class I just had to hang about at the front of the class and all of my subjects came to pay respect to Queen Dee of the Hop-a-long's.
We had a great science lesson. We made cornflour gloop because our subject this term is matter so the lesson was about how combining matter can lead to some very interesting results. We made so much mess I am very glad we experimented outside on the cement.
It's going to be good to be a teacher.

5

I've been living in two worlds. For one week each fortnight I am a pauper and I travel to and from work on the express to city bus. I get on at the Modbury interchange after lining up with all the other meercats. Then bury my nose in the flesh of my fellow sardine (thankfully a fresh bunch, not stinky). I briskly travel to the school from the bus stop in my 4 year old deadly treadlies (sneakers) and trade them for a small heel a little closer to my destination.

Then the next week I go from dog house to penthouse.

For one week every fortnight I get to drive to work in a little piecce of heaven. Let this picture speak a thousand words.

The school holidays are over

These holidays the cousins spent a lot of time together. Play days and sleepovers were the order of each day. There was even one day when I was in charge of every single child while their beautiful mothers were working hard. What made this day so memorable to me is that my Zac didn't injure, beat up or generally lose 'it' at the expense of the safety of any child in our home. Yay Zac.

This is a photo of them all together on that day. A commemoration of Zac's triumphant day. Xander was in the photo until he scream and cried and bucked himself off the couch.

Every other day of these holidays this:

is where I have spent a couple hours each night.

Reading and typing have been the only items on my holiday 'to do list'. With 4000 words due in the last two weeks and an exam in three weeks with my final piece of evidence of learning (a 50 page powerpoint) due at the same time I have had a fair amout of work to do.

But the end is in sight. If only I didn't have to worry about one minor detail...getting a job.

Have a great 4th term everyone.

Gus had a birthday

Gus is pretty cool. He was born with all the patience God was going to give him and he used it all up in the first thee years of being here. I have to admit that I helped to run his resources low. Like when he would wake up from a sleep 4 hours after his last feed and wimper as if to say 'I'm here, please don't forget to nourish me.' I would be busy dealing with Zac's latest drama and would say to Gus 'Just a minute.' A minute would turn into and hour and I would hear Gus wimper again as if to say 'No really, don't worry about me. I'll wait here until you have time to feed me.' I would feel so bad when I realised that it had been 5 hours since his last feed that I would nuzzle him and let him suckle til he was full to the brim. I would sit with him a devote my whole being to him and completely ignore the little 2 year old using my shoulders and head as a climbing gym. So now he is five he is quick to anger, yet as equally quick he will turn to show me affection.

For example I'll stub my toe in the kitchen and cry out in pain. Gus will leave his 'time-out' spot and walk into the kitchen having heard my cry and ask me "Do you want a kiss Mum?" How can I refuse him.

He's funny too. He was telling knock knock jokes at three and at five he still loves a good joke telling session. He'll hide something before I walk into a room and as he looks at he his eyes will dart to the hidden item. He can't help it. He gives it away everytime. But he laughs and thinks it's all great fun.

I hope he remains as loving and tender as he is today and I hope he gets a refill on the patience soon.

Too Chicken to Post

Hello Neighbour

I'm really sorry to bother you but I feel impressed to let you know that either yourself or someone of your acquaintance performed an impressive burn out at the corner of *****St and *****Gr last night. I do not wish to quash the youthfulness of the driver of the vehicle but I ask that this person be mindful that my husband is a shift worker and as a parent of three young children he seriously covets what little sleep he can catch. The antics of the driver last night disturbed his sleep and I ask that you or your acquiantance please refrain from this type of behaviour in the future.

Thank you for your consideration.

Just because you asked so nicely L-J

I'm getting much better at this teaching gig. Since I last posted I have done another 25 days of teaching practice and I have learnt so many lessons. I have a new mentor teacher and a new classroom. This time I am teaching the year 4 girls. They are beyond gorgeous and every morning when they say prayer (Catholic school) at least one of them prays that Miss Vojnovic (me) will have a nice day. They also pray for the dead loved ones of friend's families. Like one girl's mum and the teacher's cousin every week if not evey day. They have not a single deceitful bone in their bodies combined. For example today I took in money for the introduction to this topic for maths and when they had finished handling the $100. $50, $20, $10, and $5 bills and discussing then I moved onto a different subject and left the money sitting in plain site at the front of the class (I know , stupid) but when I realized my mistake I went to get the money and it was still there (all of it!) (I know, unbelievable). Hearts of gold. These pictures are of the display we made today to mark the beginning of our space project. I'd like to thank Corrie for looking out for some science stuff for me eventhough she has been super busy summer studying and getting her class ready for the new school year. And thanks to mum for fielding all my phone calls of late about resource stuff.

'Our Solar System' title is all glitter.

We added some whimsy to our solar system with martians and various other fantastical space objects.

The planets are to scale (sort of) as though the sun were 4meters in diameter.

Reflect, reflect, reflect.

I learnt my first two big lessons in teaching last week.

1. don't try to fit a whole unit of work into one 45 min lesson



2. don't do a really cool activity with 1/4 of the students and not think the other 3/4 will really want to do it too.

Other than these two biggies I'm learning a lot from my two mentor teachers. Today Amanda taught me that not every moment needs to be a teaching moment. Some task are for discovery. I have been watching two very good teachers over the last three weeks and my stress pendulum is starting to shift. I don't spend so much time in panic mode anymore. I'm beginning to spend more time in 'I could probably do this' mode with short burst in panic mode before I put on my teacher inner voice and say 'I can do this. I don't have to be all knowing and all wonderful. These girls have been doing this job for a very long time. I'll get there too.' And most times I believe it and when I don't I fake it.

I got my ass back

Ass = Uni Assignment

I haven't written a uni essay in 10 years and this assignment is the infamous last minute one. Before I got my assignment back the lecturer posted some general comments for all the sudents. The basic gist of the lecturer announcement was that there are some people who did well and others who did not. Because of the speed with which I produced mine I was certain that I would be in the later category. Turns out I wasn't. I got a credit which is better than a pass. I was so pleased, it gives me just enough boost to think that I could possibly do alright in my studies this year. To top it off I have done two quizes and in both I got 29/30.

Yay Me!

It starts with a 'c'

It was my first day of school today.

I learnt about a type of poem. I forget what it's called but it starts with a 'c'.
It has five lines
First line is one words about the item (Noun)
Second line is two words to describe it (Adjective)
Third line is three action words (Verb)
Fourth line is a four word sentence about the object (sentence)
Fifth line is one word giving another name to the object (Noun)

School

Big, busy

Sitting, writting, counting

79 days to go

College

Give it a go.

Year 1's can do it.

Don't you just love the way

a new haircut can make

you feel.

I'm going to start teacher prac placement

on Tuesday and I desperately needed

to have a look that said

"professional",

"practical"

and

"a little bit glamorous".

Do I look a little bit like Katie Holmes?

Competition

Kristie is giving away a special edition copy of the Delicious magazine at our kitchen comfort blog. No tricks, no extra posting, just make a comment and you could get it. Check it out. Click on the Kitchen Comfort button on the side -->

Hansels and Gretel

Nearly didn't come out of the bush for being too goofy.

Got to come home for being so cute.

I'm so glad that is over!

48 hours ago I didn't look like this. 48 hours ago I realized I had an assignment due in ... what for it ... 48 hours. I had done nothing. Oh sure I had given it some thought a few weeks ago and I had familiarised myself with the general premise of the assignment but I had not jotted down a single note or random thought. I had mistakenly recorded this assignment as being extended by lecturer decree. However on Sunday night at about bed time I thought I'd give the old laptop a bit of a workout, maybe check out the next weeks worth of lecture materials before I really get back into the study thing AFTER Easter.
There on the uni announcement page was the assignment reminder. I freaked out. Not on the outside of course there were children still to put to bed and 1 husband to tell. I thought about not telling him for about 10 mins but that would be lying, (tsk, tsk). This was a car wreck and I was not going to be able to hide it for 48 hours. I calmly put the children to bed and then sat down to tell Mick of my huge mistake. Sure there were some tears but once he calmed down we figured I was going to get through this just fine. (Okay honestly Mick didn't cry, I did, but only because I was a little bit stressed.)

We worked out a plan for me to be able to study, eat and sleep for the next 48 hour and not worry about anything else. Thank you Mum for looking after my children last night. Poppy told me how much fun ("Crying Granny bed eva hunh.") she had sleeping in your bed and Zac told me about watching Night at the Museum at 6 o'clock and Gus told me about doing a flip. I apologise to my family for not showing up to the Easter Monday picnic. Thank you for looking after my family in my absence. And a big huge virtual hug and kiss for you Mum for proof reading my essay. Most of all thank you Mick for not freaking out, for making a plan and for telling the kids to not bother me.

I submitted my teaching materials and materials design guide PDF's about an hour ago. I was surprised by how nervous I was to press the send button. In the last hour I have been able to reflect on how it's possible that I had thought to just check the uni site on Easter Sunday night. Of all nights this is one that I should not have been thinking about study stuff. I know that it was the Holy Ghost who quietly prompted me to just check. I hate to think what would have happened if I had not listened to the still small voice. I am grateful most of all for the Gift of the Holy Ghost that is a constant force in my life that reminds me of the love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for me.

Damn stress gave me a pimple. See?

Good Looking

I know that these guys are half me and half Mick

but somehow they got lucky and all ended up with

the good looking half.

Poppy is such a poser. She is keen to be in front and behind the camera.

Gus is loving and generous and swears like a sailor. I'm not proud just intrigued by the 'butter wouldn't melt' way he talks and the language he uses in the heat of the moment.

Zac's pictures speak a thousand words.

capital r and capital r

Ladies who lunch

You know that feeling, when you hope you're making friends and not just embarrasing yourself. Forcing your interests and opinions on others.

Well I think I'm in. I was casually invited to lunch with some school mum's. Yay! Our kids go to school together and since I'm not working 9-5 I'm able to hang around and chat a bit in the school yard. It totally reminds me of being in school. All those insecurities come flooding back.

'Am I pretty enough?'

'Am I interesting enough?'

'Do they really want to hang out with me or are they plotting to run away from me?' (That really happened to me in year 8. Thank you Natalie and Ruth for letting me hang out with you guys when it did.)

These girls are all so pretty and all so interesting and all so not running away.

I had a great lunch today. Thanks girls. We'll discuss BFF momentos next time. (too soon?)

We went back to school

Come follow me

Kristie is an ideas woman. In January Kristie asked Ing and I to help her start a food blog. It's an excellent idea because of late I had become VERY bored with cooking same old, same old. So come and check out some of the stuff we've been cooking in the kitchen. Just click on the button to the side.

My baby girl

She's just so pretty. I look at her and think "We did this" She is of me and I still can't believe it. I am suprised by her gentleness. She is my girl and my heart. She is a nuturer with a tough heart and amazingly so sensible and practical. Those curls, those curls, those curls, those incredible curls. And yes what they say about curls and little girls is proven in mine.

Not my baby anymore.

Miss me much ?

I've missed you too.

I think about you all the time. I can't explain why I have been away for so long. You have'nt done anything wrong. You have been there for me and I know it was wrong of me to treat you so badly. I've been so busy and the longer I stayed away the harder it was to tell you that I still care.

I thought about you when Zac learnt to ride a skateboard and insisted that he get 'skate shoes' for the occassion.

I thought about you on Christmas day when the weather was great and the company was perfect

I thought about you when the boys played together and also when they fought.

I thought about you most when the days were long

and the sun went down.

I want to make it up to you somehow. What can I do to make it up to you? How can I show you that I still care very much for you?