I'm So Excited.... And I Just Can't Hide It....

This was Matilda this morning!  She started school today.  She's in kindergarten, two days a week, at the local primary school.

She wanted plaits in her hair.

I need more practice - that back-parting is atrocious!

Matilda insisted that her uniform include a dress.  And that's what she wore today.

We took some pictures in the driveway...

...before walking up to the school.

There were no tears from her.  There were no tears from me.

It's going to be good!

Do You Have Plans?

I've taken 2 weeks leave from my part-time day job.  I'm claiming it's so that I can walk my daughter up to school for her first couple of weeks - she starts kinder in 4 sleeps (she keeps telling me)!  But really, I'm looking forward to having a few hours at home to myself.

I've borrowed a couple of Elizabeth Zimmerman books from the library.  Worth hunting out if you're that way inclined!  I'm seriously going to try and teach myself the speedy method of knitting, and knitting in the round may be just what I need to overcome my inability to sew anything together.

I've also bought some Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury wool to attempt a couple of Tea Leaves cardigans - a tiny (for Tilda) and a massive (for me).  Everyone else seems to be churning these out (Kate, Tania, even the SouleMama!) - don't hold your breath waiting for mine!

I'm also going to sew lots, and tidy out the sewing room / guest room, cook delicious meals and make amazing packed lunches.  I know that these are grand plans - I might just end up in the hammock, reading a good book and snoozing where necessary.

Stay tuned!

Wocka, wocka, wocka!

No, it's not Fozzie Bear!

Image from here

It's the sound of our homemade cardboard box helicopters!

Generally I get really frustrated with overpackaging, however, you've got to love when you order something and the box comes in another box and you're all feeling imaginative and you have masking tape on hand and a plan comes together (including the use of the kitchen broom - we rarely sweep our floors anyway - that's why we have a dog!!).

And the Leatherman Pocket Knife I was given for my 21st Birthday still makes a mean cut (for opening doors and removing box flaps)!!

Penguin Parade

Last week we had a lovely picnic at Nutgrove Beach, but it wasn't any ordinary picnic - it was a Penguin Picnic!  It was one of the activities being run as part of the local Council Bushcare "Bush Kids" school holiday program.
Firstly the kids made some penguins in the shade of the pine trees, Kelvin seems pretty pleased with his little effort!

Kelvin with his penguin

And then we headed down to the beach - one of the hidden treasures of Hobart, with the most amazing views up the river toward the city.

A boat passing by!

We had our picnic before creating some sandy nests for our penguins...

A penguin lounging in its nest

And some face painting (that's a penguin in case you couldn't tell - see the little orange beak and feet)...

Penguin Matilda!

Kelvin getting in face painted.

And then we created ourselves a penguin hole and a special channel to guide them out of the river into their hole.  We also lined up all the penguins for their own special penguin parade.

Our penguin parade!

Very soon after this most of the kids had their trousers off and were up to their waists in the water.  A summer day in Hobart can provide some surprising moments of fun and frivolity with friends!