Two in two days, lol

I know, two posts in two days, what is the world coming to. It is Friday night and I do not have to work, though I am working Sat and Sunday at the residential home on the morning/afternoon shift. Like school, working at the home means no two days are the same. Last Wednesday I got called in to work at the home so went straight from school - the last time I will go unprepared anywhere lol...

While one of the boys had a supervised visit in town with family, the other two wanted to go to the beach for a walk. No problem I thought. The boys initially wanted to run along the top of the large bank above the beach so ok, even though I was in jeans and knee high boots it looked fairly ok. Of course, it was not long before the boys wanted to go down on the beach - still ok as I was happy to sit and watch, until the water beckoned. So now I am up a large bank, they are on the beach lobbing sand in the water, then wanting to drag driftwood into the tide, which by my calculations was coming in. Boys being boys, they chose to ignore requests, demands and subtle threats to come back up the bank, until I noticed someone trying to take off with one of their scooters which they had dropped at the beginning of the walk along the bank. They then shot up the beach and I retraced my steps which was fortunate as when I had stumbled over a bush on the way in, the work phone must have fallen out of my bra where I thought I had stashed it! There it was, slightly sandy but lying in the vegetation - phew, grabbed that and caught up with the other staff member who was by now waiting at the beginning of the walk. The older boy decided to give the other staff member (who had turned up in time to rescue the scooter from the family who were trying to nick it), a mouthful of language and stormed off up the path beside a river/estuary that runs into the tide, with the younger boy following him.

Great. Deciding not to follow them along the path in case they would run further away, I took off up the beach, soft sand, puff, pant, lol until I could come up behind them which I did just as the older boy was walking into the estuary with the younger one behind him. There was nothing for it but to go in after them, so there I am, literally boots in all, in swampy water, fishing out smallest child before walking him briskly back to the other waiting staff member. I had to spend the rest of the shift with damp jeans rolled up, in damp socks, while my boots started to dry out. The older boy followed us back to the house thankfully, so it was showers all round once we got them inside.

On Monday when I got to work at the home, the boys had decided they wanted to go for a walk to the beach again (had worn sneakers this time to be prepared) and then to a park. We had the three boys this time and another staff member with me, so off we set up the beach alongside the estuary which eventually became a walking track which led to St Georges beach and a playground - a good 2k walk which took us an hour. The two renegades from the last outing almost ran the whole way, needless to say, I came up the rear with the other boy who dawdled by comparison. Again, another excellent council park with playground, toilets, seats, and a gas barbecue right on the water front. To the left of the beach is Geraldton and north of the beach is the coastline that heads up to Horrocks Beach and Kalbarri. We did not even attempt to walk back but called back to the house and another staff member came and picked us up in the van, as by now we had three very tired boys.

Meanwhile back at school, we have started a project on pollution and recycling. On Tuesday morning after spelling it was decided to research four areas around town to see what rubbish was lying about and what if anything could have been recycled. We went to St Georges beach again so after not knowing that beach even existed, I have now been there twice in the one week. We also went to a council car park opposite Woolworths that backs onto a reserve, some vacant land and the council skate board park. The kids were disgusted with the amount of rubbish we found and could not get over some of the things they found dumped such as fast food wrappings, empty alcohol bottles and cans, cigarette butts, a used condom, plastic etc etc etc. We got back to do a quick debrief before they headed off to a local gym to do boxercise and I headed off to the home for another shift.

Wednesday I got to school to find we were off to Ellendale pool for a barbecue lunch as soon as we had got spelling out of the way. Ellendale is about 3/4hr south east of town. We drove out into the countryside and again through wheat and canola and shrubs just starting to come into flower along the roadsides. Ellendale pool apparently has never dried up, and is fed by a river when it runs and from springs. It is not so much a round pool as more of a very slow moving stream/river surrounded by vegetation on both sides, bull rushes and gum trees amongst other scrub type bushes. It is the first time I have been aware of birds being about, there were bird calls continuously the whole time we were there. I saw a white heron type bird fly off as we drove in and there were ducks on the water - I imagine in another month or two, there would be ducklings as well. The area at the pool is open to campers and there were several tents, camper vans and caravans from people who were camping. There are toilets and gas barbecue there, though we took our own barbecue out with us on the back of the ute. The kids had taken out some footballs so while some of them threw them about, a couple braved the very cold water and jumped in for a swim before eating lunch. We may get out again before the flies start being a major pest so will keep fingers crossed as I did not have my camera with me that day.

Yesterday we had another outing at school - this time we went to the TAFFE careers expo which was a little underwhelming this time. Last time I went, we had a very thorough tour around the campus and got to speak to people in each area. This time we had a lightening tour through four areas and then it was up to folk to go and look at what they might want to themselves. The mining industry was well represented and did an excellent pitch through a video session that we were taken to. Everyone got a sausage in bread for lunch and they had the brother and sister illusionists who were finalists in "Australia you've got Talent" do a show after lunch. I got back to school in time to turn around to pick up my new glasses and go to the Dr's apt for my F endorsement before yet another shift at the home - an extra one as we have two new kiddies in for a week on a respite care set up. And then the flat battery jinx struck AGAIN.

Jumped in my car to head off and nothing - I think I must have knocked the lights on when I got out of the car!!!. NOT a happy camper at all but no time to dwell so raced and got the ute keys,went and picked up my glasses from the optometrists,then to the Drs, so far still on time. Met with the nurse first who did an eye test - (have perfect vision with my glasses on), took my height, weight and my blood pressure. I think it was 112 over 72 which she said was excellent - good oh, round one done. I then met the Dr who turned up wearing jeans, sneakers and a shirt with his sleeves rolled up. What happened to Drs looking like Drs,lol!!! First impressions are that he is ok - he has a sense of humour at least. He did a range of neurological tests, reflexes, peripheral vision, heart and lungs and ticked all the boxes so all good for my licence. He made a comment that I did not see a Dr often and I said I hadn't had a GP for over 20 yrs but along with the licence I thought it was time to do a medical warrant of fitness given my age and stage. He has given me a form to get a fasting blood test which I am to do when I have the time and then make another apt. I told him about my arm which has been painful at times and then he asked what had I diagnosed - I told him tendonitis and he said it was exactly that. Woohoo, all that "Shortland Street" and "All Saints" medical training has paid off lol. (hospital soapies for those not familiar with either of those TV programs). It would seem it does not mend in a hurry, not what I wanted to hear - so have to be careful when using it and I need to get an arm bandage if I am going to do physical work. I went to pay and was told it was $118!!!!! She said something about a cost for the licence but he had made it into a consultation because I had talked about a few other things. Just as well I didn't have my blood pressure taken at that point. I get around $60 back on medicare apparently but was still in shock. I asked how much is it to see a Dr normally and the receptionist said $65 - another gasp. I am surprised they are in business. I think there maybe a medicare component to that as well so have no idea how you would manage if you had a chronic situation. I think the last time I went to Dr in NZ I paid something like $25.00. Note to self - keep well.

I was already meant to be at work by the time I finished with the Dr but also needed to return the ute as the WM needed it later. Neither of them were at home so made a lightening dash to Auto 1, bought a set of jumper leads and headed back to school to get my car going. Good oh, the bonnet lifter switch thing in the ute was broken and obviously not working but there was a wire coming out from behind it. Great, now needed to pull with both hands, (sore arm) and was terrified in case I pulled the whole thing out. Needn't have worried but it did take some force to get the bonnet to pop. Of course the battery was not on the right side for ease of connecting it to mine, so had to manoeuvre about the car park to park at right angles to my car, lift my bonnet up, connect jumper leads to the ute, connect leads to mine, start the ute, out of gear with handbrake on, leap into my car start my car and hey presto it worked. Then had to take the leads of my car, off the ute, move the ute as Nagle boarding school bus was trying to get into where the ute was, re park the ute, then zoom down the road to the WM to drop off the keys before heading to work. Luckily she was home by then, the WMH was in a meeting in town hence having to do all this on my own. For all that, I was only an hour later than I thought I would be getting to the home. At least I now have jumper leads, so I will laugh in the teeth of any future flat batteries (as long as there is someone else around with a car that goes, lol). I probably will not get another flat battery now for years but can live with that kind of Murphy's Law.

Today was another good day - Friday school only goes till 11.30am so after our morning meeting and weekly spelling test, the kids wanted to go sandboarding again so off we went out to the sand dunes. I was wearing my new glasses so getting used to the new graduated lenses so chose not to hurtle down the one in one gradient cliffs of sand but was happy to sit and watch the rest having various successes at getting up and down the dunes. I had worn sandshoes again today, even so it was quite a hall walking sideways up HUGE dunes of sand to get where the kids were. The coastline looked magnificent from where I sat and it was great soaking up the warmth of the sun as we are now in the mid 20's for temp. Am down to two layers of clothing lol.

It almost seems sinful to be paid for having so much fun at work, at either job. We threw out a challenge two weeks ago at school and said we would give out movie tickets for anyone who made it to school 10 days in a row and this morning we gave out four. If they miss a day other than being legitimately sick, their score goes back to zero. We have another four who will get their tickets on Monday and by the following Monday all going well some will be receiving their second ticket. Call it incentive or bribery, lol, the pay off has been an amazing change to how much they have achieved because of the continuous attendance. People who get two or three right on a Monday for spelling are now getting 8 -10 right on a Friday. Two boys have asked to go onto harder words and the participation and the confidence they have gained has been awesome to see unfold. We have taken on two new students this last week and likely to have two more new ones next week so the official role is up to 21 I think. We have gone from having five or six a day turn up to I think it was fourteen today and we have not had under 10 all week. This may not sound like much, but these are kids who have been completely disengaged from the school system from a term to a year in some cases.

Will have two very busy days over the weekend at the home but have Jude coming to stay on Sunday night so will look fwds to that.