The New Season

The soccer season starts this weekend so logically, soccer training started this afternoon. None of this pre-season build-up, develop your fitness, work out team structures and game plan nonsense for the Cornerstone U12's, uh uh, no way! One training run, a reminder of the basic skills, "let's start with kicking the ball kids..." and a 10 minute scratch match, that ought to do it!
Hmm!
We'll see come Saturday!
In an act of divine benevolence the taxi Co. rang today to say I'm rostered for Saturday night instead of Friday this week! No struggling out of bed at 8.30 for a 9.00 kick-off after 2 hours sleep this week!
We've lost four players from last season, and gained four new ones: untried and unseen, straight off the rookie list, no draft picks, no testing, no video scrutiny, just four new kids to somehow assimilate into our finely tuned game plan and attacking style!
Good luck kids!
Sport Boy wanted to discuss possible team line-ups when we got home but I was too tired and proceeded to fall asleep in front of the TV. As a result I missed Mrs Holt Press' phone call to tell me she has arrived safely and all is going well in Adelaide. Sport Boy passed on the important details when I woke up an hour later.

The volleyball season also starts tomorrow night and I'm again playing for Six Pack. I expect I'll be a little rusty but it will be good to get back into some activity and competition.

There's BIG NEWS in Favourite Daughter World; she has been offered a job as a teacher's aide to an autistic student at a school in Hall's Creek where one of her friends teaches and she has accepted the position. We booked her flight to Kununurra last night! She leaves on May 9!
All very new and exciting, a big adventure.

In other travel news Walter has returned home to Bridgetown after his trip to visit family in South Australia and Mum is having a wonderful time staying in a village in the south of France with Auntie Ev and Uncle Ken.

The End is Nigh

It was back to work today, with a difference. I was one of over 500 people who attended a seminar on Generational Poverty given by a lady called Nairn Walker: it was excellent, confronting, eye-opening and applicable to many work situations.
Today was a public holiday for ANZAC Day so the big crowd was all the more impressive.

Late in the day Kingy rang me to ask if I could cover his shift in the taxi tonight as he was crook so I drove from 5.30 to 10.45. It was fairly quiet but the extra money is handy.

Mrs Holt Press leaves for Adelaide tomorrow, she is going to spend a week with my sister Vicki who has been under-going a comprehensive range of medical treatments for the last few months in order to try and reduce her pain levels and bring her illnesses under control. By all accounts it is working which is great news. Hopefully she and Mrs HP will have a great and therapeutic week together.

In a handy piece of timing, Favourite Daughter is coming home to Busso tomorrow for about a week, just in time to lend a hand with domestic duties!! It will be good to see her.

Sad News

The Cats won again, this time dispatching the Lions by 93 points, a scoreline made more remarkable by the dreadful weather conditions in which much of the game was played.
Gary Ablett did his Brownlow medal chances no harm and Cam Mooney and Tom Hawkins both had good games, although Hawkins did miss two easy shots at goal from right in front.

That's the good news. It pales into insignificance compared to the bad news.

After the footy I went round to visit a father and family in grief. Their son took his own life a couple of days ago. As if that isn't enough, another son died in a fire a couple of years ago, (I conducted his funeral service). Since that time their marriage has broken up. How do you handle that much tragedy and sadness? I can't imagine. It was one of those times when there is nothing you can say, you just go to show you care. The Dad has two surviving sons, one of whom is only 11.

God, please comfort this family and give them the strengh to survive.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

These few words are amongst the most sacred ever uttered in Australia and today they were spoken many times in many places as Australians in cities and towns across the country gathered at dawn services for the commemoration of ANZAC Day.

Although I was extremely tired after working all night, I am very glad that I did bite the bullet and wake up Sport Boy and VTES early this morning and take them to the dawn service. Poor V didn't know what on earth was going on and thought she was in trouble when I woke her up but she finally grasped what I was saying and staggered out of bed and into the dark.

I haven't been to a dawn service in Busselton before and wasn't sure what to expect but was very impressed to find a huge crowd of people gathered silently in the dark around the war memorial when we arrived. I told V it was a solemn occasion and she responded appropriately even though she really didn't know what it was all about.

The bugler played a faultless rendition of the Last Post.

The words of the ode pierced the darkness.

The crowd respectfully repeated the final lines.

It was sad yet beautiful, haunting yet magical.

A thousand strangers in the pre-dawn dark joined in spirit and purpose to pay their respects to the fallen of Gallipoli and Flanders and the Western Front, and in tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces.

Lest we Forget.

Tricky Decision

I'm home again after a wonderful three days on retreat and a tiring 8 hours in the taxi.

It's 4.30am ANZAC Day morning.

My quandry now is whether to-
A.) stay up and go to the ANZAC Day dawn service in about an hour and
B.) if I do, whether to wake up Sport Boy and VTES and take them with me to the dawn service.

It would be a special opportunity for V, as an exchange student, to experience one of the most significant and iconic events on the Australian calendar, and for SB to start to gain an appreciation of the meaning and significance of our most sacred day.

I just wish I had thought of it last night so I could have fore-warned them.
Going in and waking them up just after 5.00am and convincing them to get up and go into town to stand in the park in the dark when their brains will not be fully operational due to interrupted sleep may not be that easy. But it seems like the right thing to do so I think I'll give it a go.

On Retreat

Sorry to take you unawares, I had not anticipated being able to blog tonight but Cam brought his laptop and mobile modem and offered me the use of it to blog which is very understanding of him.

We are at the retreat and the first day has gone well. There are 11 of us here, Steve couldn't make it due to family illness, and everyone has settled in well and seem to be having a good time.

There was a very entertaining and at times hilarious game of Balderdash this evening with Cam's definition of the word "Hornsman" bringing the house down. The real meaning is a plumed viper but his meaning, that it describes a certain style of mustache as in  "Give me a Hornsman thanks barber" is vastly superior and we are considering submitting it to Webster and Oxford for inclusion in their 2010 editions.

The campsite is quiet, everyone is in bed/asleep. I'll be following momentarily.

Taking it Easy

It's pretty quiet down in the south west. The days tick over at a leisurely pace inviting residents to settle into their comfortable rhythm. I am happy to adapt and enjoy the peace and rest.

I will be joined in this pasttime by a dozen other school chaplains tomorrow as we spend the next three days on retreat. I'm looking forward to it.

Blogging will recommence on Friday.

Back to "Normal"

Thank you for your prayers: Mrs Holt Press has come home.

Sport Boy has recovered sufficiently to go and sleep the night at a friend's house.

Spike (the temporary and perhaps to become permanent blog name for he who used to be dubbed The Hair: I actually wanted to call him Spike before he was born but was outvoted by Mrs Holt Press and my Mother-in-law. Turns out it would have suited him well, he has a penchant for spikes, wristbands, belts and other punkish paraphernalia, not to mention a nasty looking nose ring) has been working nearly very day durin the holidays and is very pleased with himself and the money he's been earning. He has modified his saving plan to a slightly less radical goal of saving 50% of what he earns. He's off to Bunbury in the morning to stay the night at a mate's place, and tells me he's hoping to go to Perth on the weekend with his girlfriend and her family.

I did a quick reconnaisance this arvo to the Catholic campsite where we are holding the chaplains retreat this week, it all looks good and I'm really looking forward to it.
Then I caught up with Birchy and family who are in Busso for a family camp. He's going to join us for some of the retreat as well.

I've had way too many ultra-late nights over the last week or so; not tonight.

Sport Boy Unwell

My self-enforced embargo on all news of last night's footy game between the Cats and the Crows was difficult but worth it as Geelong won their fourth game in a row by 48 points with Gary Ablett in brilliant form, amassing 46 disposals and 3 goals. It also happened to be his 150th game. He has well and truly moved out of his father's shadow and is considered by many good judges to be the best player in the AFL.

My viewing of the game was interrupted however with the bad news that Sport Boy was sick and required my attendance.

He was crook all day in fact, a headache, tummy ache, temperature, vomiting and feeling at different times dizzy, weird and distressed. He has finally succumbed to sleep, albeit in my bed, in the space normally reserved for Mrs Holt Press. He can stay there for the night because Mrs HP has decided to stay in Perth an extra night so she can spend some time with Favourite Daughter. I will survive in her absence....probably.

Sport Boy in turn survived the night in the care of his brother and his girlfriend while I watched Tottenham beat Newcastle Utd 1-0 at Glass Dave's place.

Recent Paintings

Stimulated

Mr Rudd sent me my $900 cheque today, which is handy because I bought two tickets to see Simon and Garfunkel this morning. Favourite Daughter bought one too. We're all excited at the prospect of seeing one of the world's legendary music groups perform live. I was too young to see the Beatles; they would be number one on my list of bands to see if it were possible, alas with John and George both dead the best I can hope for is to maybe see Paul McCartney.

I've seen the Rollingstones, in Rotterdam in 1982.

I've seen Bob Dylan, around 1987 in Perth.

I saw Pink Floyd in 1987 too I think.

I haven't actually been to that many live concerts, and none for a few years, but the artists I can remember seeing live include Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eurhythmics, James Taylor, Cold Chisel, LRB, Skyhooks, Dr Hook, Jackson Browne and AC/DC.

The show I was most pleased to see was Graham Parker in the mid 90's at the Fly By Night Club in Freo, he had been my favourite artist for many years.

Of the artists I haven't seen, Simon and Garfunkel are probably number one on my wish list so this is a big occasion.

The other contender for that title is Bruce Springsteen who I was robbed of the chance of seeing in Saratoga many years ago by an act of beauracracy.

I'd like to see the Eagles, Chris Rea, and U2.

There are others no doubt but it's too late to think about them now, I've just done an 11 hour shift in the cab, finishing at 6.00am so I need to get some sleep.

Mrs Holt Press is away at Northam for the weekend.

Sport Boy stayed the night at the Cramers. He told me he really likes Mr Cramer, and that he is very wise!

I'm not impressed that the Geelong v Adelaide game is not being telecast live tonight even on Foxtel! First chance I'll have to watch it is not until 8.00 Sunday morning, not exactly an inspiring timeslot!

A Happy Customer

BBQ Sauce Boy takes delivery of his commissioned painting, Green Star 6, adjusted to his requirements.
He and Sport Boy spent three good days together, much of it spent at the pool or rip-sticking.
Sal and Warren picked him up this morning, minus his wallet which he lost somewhere, possibly the cinema.

Yesterday all of us went to two of our favourite places, Goanna Gallery for lunch and Simmo's for ice cream and mini golf. Waz lead the whole game until dropping a couple of shots on the last hole allowing me to snatch victory with a birdie!

While the boys went to the pool the four of us went for a long walk on the beach, taking in the beauty and serenity of Geographe Bay in all it's glory, complete with stunning sunset. Mind you, with the end of daylight saving we finished the walk in the dark.

I was out-voted 5-1 in the choice between Eagle Boys and Dominos pizzas for dinner but am happy to say that Eagle Boys was much better than any other time I've had it, especially the steak and prawn!

Sally refused to accept my challenge of a game of scrabble when we got home but agreed to play Balderdash then insisted that I blogged that she was winning at the time we(she) stopped the game!
The scrabble board awaits Sal!!

What Day is it?

I'm enjoying my time away from school. Sleeping, painting, watching DVDs, generally taking it easy. I've completed 4 paintings over the last couple of weeks, one of them a commission for Sally & Warren for BBQ Sauce Boy's bedroom! He liked one of my earlier pictures that isn't for sale so I did one in a similar style and in colours to match his newly painted room. He likes it. He is staying with us for a few days while his parents have a bit of time to themselves in the south west, he and Sport Boy get along well; they spent the afternoon at the pool.
THPCFKATH has got himself a job at Quinn's Bakery and has worked three of the last four days and seems to be enjoying it. He surprised me tonght by handing over his ATM card and instructing me not to give it back to him until he's got a thousand dollars in the bank! Good for him. Sadly he didn't give me his PIN as well!

Blood on the Window

Drunk and disorderly taxi passengers are one of the less attractive parts of my other job. Tonight a group of four surprisingly aged passengers gave me a hard time about the fare, the princely sum of $15.90, complaining that the outward journey had only cost $12 and thus that's all they were going to pay. I pointed out that in that instance they probably hadn't made me wait in the driveway for 10 minutes before deciding to all get in. As I am totally entitled to do, I started the meter while I waited, thus the higher fare.
I wasn't happy or impressed with their difficult attitude and pointed out that thanks to me they had gotten home safely without getting picked up for drunk driving, or killing anyone in a car crash and that if they weren't so tight and cheap they'd realise that the $16 fare was good value!
Unimpressed with my persuasive argument the bloke, who must have been 60 if he was a day, threw the $12 on the seat and got out whilst delivering a stream of complaint, abuse and eventually threats.
They had put their eskie in the back of the car and when they requested it be returned I requested they pay the money they owed me! I turned the car around and attempted to drive away but the most obnoxious one of them stood right in front of the car and refused to move, even when I kept driving forward! He in fact sprawled himself across the bonnet and continued his abuse. I couldn't dislodge him but as he realised my intent was growing finally climbed off the bonnet and "agreed" to pay the balance of the fare in order to ransom his eskie. All the while he continued to berate me and tell me what he would do to me if I'd only get out of the car! I told him to go away, in more colourful language! He proceeded to punch the car window twice then smashed the side vision mirror, leaving blood stains on the window as evidence of his aggro.
Having received the balance of the fare and surrendered the eskie I was finally able to drive off, angry and shaken. All this over $4! I waved down a police car and reported the incident as well as going round to the taxi depot to tell the boss what had happened. I heard later that the passengers had also contacted the police to complain about me. Not sure if any more will come of it but the police were very sympathetic towards me, knowing from their own experience the particular pleasure of dealing with drunks and their obnoxious, aggressive and anti-social behaviour.

Later I was flashed by a kid with his penis hanging out as I drove past, his mate pointing and waving in order to make sure I saw what was on display!

Then as I returned from a fare to Dunsborough a car I overtook tail-gated me for a few kms then overtook me, yelling abuse as they did, before slowing down and forcing me to also slow down until we were both doing about 45 in a 90 zone! This continued for a further 4-5 km until I picked up the phone and rang the police to report their behaviour and rego number. They must have seen me on the phone because shortly after they pulled over and I was able to go past and continue on my way back to town unimpeded.

An eventful and at times unpleasant night in the life of a country taxi driver!

Australia has a notoriously high Easter road toll each year. Encountering this sort of behaviour and getting caught up in it emotionally and personally makes me realise just how easily bad things can happen.

Dead Saturday

Mrs Holt Press is not well and has spent the last three days in bed with a headache and other symptons. Therefore I did not go up to Perth today as planned for Letchy's 50th birthday party.
It was a shame to miss it but I was needed here. Happy Birthday anyway Letchy.

Sport Boy has returned to the church camp following his misadventure and late night trip to the hospital. He was injured while playing soccer and had a very sore hip and lower back but after examination at the hospital there is no major damage, just soreness. He hobbled around home this morning and by mid afternoon had regained his strength and enthusiasm to go back to the camp, though obviously he'll need to take it easy.

I cruised a few garage sales this arvo, scoring a jackpot at one, a cap covered in badges from China for a bargain $3 plus several books for 10c each including the classic Catch-22 which I will recommend that The Holt Press child formerly known as The Hair (THPCFKATH) read for both his enjoyment and education. He had a late night at Dunsborough with Zac W and co last night and is sleeping it off. He came out at one stage tonight, not awake, mumbling and asking strange questions before telling us "He's not to be killed". That's good news. Later he staggered out, sat on the couch for a couple of minutes and told me he had got a job before again retreating to the safety of his room. He used to "sleep walk/talk, do strange things" quite often, as did his older brother The Heir but has not done it for quite a while.

I swapped a few text messages with Chris V after St Kilda thumped West Coast today provoking her to call me a "smug toadie". Uncalled for I felt. Even though I tipped Carlton I was very happy to see them lose to Essendon by 4 points tonight, they were starting to get very cocky on top of the ladder.

Once Mrs HP went back to bed tonight I went round to Glass Dave's to watch the soccer and was pleased and relieved when Spurs beat West Ham 1-0. His grandson is staying with him for Easter, keeping DJ company.

By late tonight Mrs HP was feeling a little better, hopefully come the morning her health will be further improved.

Good Friday

The Hair is No More

"Tragedy" struck the third Holt Press child this week. He discovered that his much prized dreadlocks had become the home of a family of head lice. A quick look on the net at treatment options convinced him that there was only one option, and off they came!

There he was, the son we remembered, revealed again. Removing the dreads was only the first step in the process of course. Various treatments with local WA product "NitWits" followed, then a trip to the barber before he was given the all clear.

Having head lice sounds unpleasant but it is a pretty common occurrence amongst kids, the school regularly sends home letters to say head lice have been found in someone's hair.

The Hair* of course won't entertain the possibility that the dreadlocks contributed to the problem; his mother and I have a different opinion! Either way we're not sorry to see them go, although I'm resigned to the possibility that they may return!

So,seeing as they were the trademark item by which he got his blog name, I need a new blog name for him. I haven't thought of one yet but when I do you'll be the first to know.

For those who've been anxiously awaiting news of this month's scrabble club results, I'm pleased and proud to declare that the Scrabble King is back on his throne following 3 wins out of 3, the most important of which was against the new lady who beat me last time!

Despite a late scare when she made a 7 letter word with her second last turn, not even the 50 point bonus was enough for her to overhaul my lead and I won 389 to 348!

My practising had paid off!

The school term ended today and the Easter holidays have started. I distributed little Crunchie chocolate eggs to kids as they were leaving school at the end of the day and wished them a safe and happy easter.

This also marks the completion of five years as chaplain at Busselton. The time has gone very quickly; I well remember the decision makng process we went through before making the big move from Perth. I can state without any hesitation that we made the right move and that I love living in Busselton. We are very happy and settled here and have no intention of moving, back to Perth or to anywhere els, regardless of how long I keep working at the school.

I'm grateful to God for leading us here and for the positive impact it has had on all the family.

Talking of family, we're down to one child at the moment, the child formerly known as the Hair.

Sport Boy has gone away on an Easter Camp with church. VTES as gone to Melbourne wih another family to a church conference. The Heir has moved to Perth of course and Favourite Daughter is still up there having done a couple of week's work in her old job at the cafe in Mt Lawley. But, the house is full. Zac W is staying the night and we had a call from FD asking if a couple of her Red Frog friends could stay the night because they couldn't get into the accommodation where they are staying with friends for the weekend. They are asleep now having dutifully watched the football with me tonight!

The good news is the Cats had another win, defeating "bogey team" and universally hated Collingwood by 27 points. It doesn't get much better than that!

Dinner with Sheedy

I took Sam, a kid from school to the dinner with Kevin Sheedy last week. It was a very good night. Sheedy was funny, inspirational and is a lateral thinker about football and about life. We got some autographs and pictures and Sheeds gave Sam an autographed copy of his new book, an autobiography.

We had the school athletics carnival today and standing out in the sun all day left me with a headache so I went to bed when I got home from work. Consequently when I woke up I wasn't tired at bed time so I started painting. I've only just stopped! Thankfully tomorrow is the last day of term before the Easter holidays.

Monday

The good news is I've stopped hobbling. Thank goodness we only play masters footy games every three weeks!!
Can't let the weekend pass without reporting that Geelong won again, albeit after a scare from Richmond and by a margin of only 20 points, but they won all the same.
I was cruising the garage sales and listening to the game on the radio but when it got close I decided to go and watch the last quarter at the pub. Steve Johnson turned it on with three goals to right the rocky boat.

This is the last week of school before Easter and the school holidays. The term has been busy and passed quickly. I'm looking forward to the break, especially to the second week when Cameron and I are running a chaplains retreat here in Busselton. There'll be about 15 people coming which is a pretty good number and we've got some great things planned.
I also plan to get some more painting done, with the aim of getting ready for an exhibition!!!

Over the wekend I helped Sport Boy prepare and practice a speech on "Argentina" which he had to give at school today. He volunteered to go first and obviously did a good job because the teacher said it was "outstanding, and that he had obviously put a lot of work into preparing it"!
Good job Sport Boy.

Meanwhile, a blog name change may be in the offing for The Hair! More on this breaking news tomorrow.
Oh, and tomorrow night is Scrabble Club night! I've been practising on the computer and I'm out for redemption! I made EQUALITY on a triple word score tonight for 113 points!! Look out ladies!!

What was That?

The earth shook at Collie this afternoon: the reason? I played my first game of footy in the Masters Rules new season. I was a lumbering slow moving giant, completely out played and out paced at centre half back in the 1st Qtr, spent the 2nd Qtr on the bench, missed two easy goals in the 3rd Qtr playing in the forward pocket, and finally redeemed some of my tattered self-esteem by kicking a goal in the last Qtr. Just a shame about the other two shots I missed!!!!
And of course I'm paying the price for it now, hobbling around the house, stiff and sore.
The joys of football!

Sport Boy played in his first tennis tournament today and managed to win all four of the games he played, including a 7-5 victory after trailing 0-5!! He enjoyed himself.

I'm a little concerned about Mrs Holt Press, she worked tonight starting at 6 and is not home yet despite it being after midnight, most unusual for a Sunday night.

Adrienne & John

Adrienne and John got married this afternoon and we were privileged to be invited to the wedding.
I lve weddings. They always remind me of our wedding and what a special day that was, and of he vows and promises we made to one another. Even though they are not so fashionable now, weddings are the most joyful and happy celebrations of love and life, surrounded by family and friends, people who are all there to join your celebration and who want the best for you.
I even enjoy the speeches; they come in different styles, some better some worse but I like the gathering together of people and the saying of special things, emotional messages, important words and the mixture of love and humour and memory and hope.
Adrienne's brother Brayden sang a beautiful song which I think is called "The First Day of my Life".
He told me later who the band were who wrote it but I can't remember, although he said it's on one of the Triple J Hottest 100 CDs so I'll have to have a look for it.
As well as the bride and groom and their families, it was also great to spend the day and evening with close friends, the Letches and the Van Wollingens, who along with the Edwards' are all Beach Mission friends.
There was a moment of drama during the ceremony when the bridesmaid could not untie the knots holding the rings to the pageboy's cushion. Eventually I couldn't hold back any longer and stepped in to assist by snapping the ribbon they were tied on with. Always good to be involved!!

Lucky Escape

My last pick up in the cab tonight was from the police station, usually a sign of trouble for someone. I wasn't surprised to learn tht my passenger had lost her license for drunk driving a couple of hours before, but I was surprised about two things.
Her age: She was 18, still on P plates.
And that she blew .144, which in her own words, "was way over the limit".
Resisting the temptation to lecture her or make her feel more guilty, I did make the obsevation that she was actually lucky, she could have been dead.
She agreed, admitting that she had no memory of getting into her car and starting to drive home!

We live in a drug using society, and the most popular drug of all is alcohol.

We passed three white crosses on the way to her place.

Heads and Feet

A typical day at Phat Phriday. A little bit of surgical glove nasal inflation headwear.

When I was a kid we all played in black ankle high boots.

Low cut boots were completely revolutionary when they first appeared in the 70's.

The first players to wear white boots were considered lairs, ala Dermott Brereton.

But now, black boots are the odd ones out and footy footwear comes in all the colours of the rainbow, as witnessed at the Clontarf training session the other day.

I've just gotten home from having dinner with Kevin Sheedy (and a couple of hundred other people). It was a good night. I'll post some pictures soon.

Skipping Girl Vinegar Meet Sculptures by the Sea

Having been unsuccessful in my attempts to secure a gig in Busso for Chris' band, Skipping Girl Vinegar, I went up to Perth to see them last weekend at the Fly By Night Club in Freo. The day after we met up for lunch at a nice little cafe in Subi then I took them to Cottesloe to see the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition. They enjoyed the day out and some time just to chill, especially as it was a beautiful day in a beautiful place.


Mark the lead singer was particlarly taken with this large pencil sculpture, "Line in the Sand", as the band encourage a return to old school pasttimes such as hand writing letters and writing with pencils. They even sign their autographs in pencil.

Chris and I went for a walk up the beach through this avenue of poles, the final exhibit. It was nice to offer a lttle bit of WA hospitalty and welcome as Chris has hosted two groups of students I've taken to Melbourne in the last couple of years.

On that note, a couple of kids asked me at school today when the Melbourne Footy Trip was on?

I wasn't necessarily planning to run one this year, but if there is sufficient interest I could be persuaded!!

I took four boys up to Bunbury this afternoon to train with the Clontarf squad at Newton Moore.
Tomorrow night I'm taking another kid to a special dinner, with Kevin Sheedy, legendary AFL coach. The kid in question is a bit unengaged at school and getting himself into trouble. This is an attempt to do a bit of bridge building and try and get him moving in the right direction. The tickets are $100! but I managed to get a deal for two for the price of one from the organisers.

I hope the food is good! I'm sure Sheeds will be.

Table Turning

We turned the tables on the kids at Phat Phriday the week before last, literally.
One of the challenges was to see if they could traverse the table( ie. start on top and go all the way round underneath and back to the top) without falling off or touching the ground. Lots of them tried, only two succeeded.

Unfortunately the game was disrupted by some touble-making older students throwing food and when I asked the culprit to pick it up he shoved a piece of it in m face! I was stunned at his audacity and brazen disrespect. Resisting the urge to flatten him I told him not to touch me. To my even greater astonishment he then proceeded to reach up and touch my face twice and my chest once, taunting me as he did!! This in full view of a quadrangle full of kids!
I called a teacher over to intervene but by this stage the kid was beyond control and told him to go away in more graphic language.

The result of the incident was him being suspended for 10 days and a great deal of concern and support expressed towards me from the staff and students.

Now comes the time for him to return to school. I have arranged to visit him at home this week as a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to resolve the situation. I had never met the kid before and bear him no ill will, I'm just hoping that he will accept some responsibility for his actions and make an effort to make amends.