Blondie Rocks!

R's birthday present finally came about last night - we went to the Blondie concert here in Cambridge!!! Most of our lives when we have been able to go to concerts we have never lived anywhere they came. It was really great - incredible performance. Deborah Harry has an amazing stage presence. They played all the old hits at great rate of knots, no mucking around between songs it was relentless. Lots of 40-50 year old men in the audience, and a lot of Blondie wannabees in various stages of decay! Was very funny in that the audience would all be encouraged to clap away, hands over heads, as one does at rock concerts, but everyone is too old to sustain the clapping like we used to - arms hurt and gentle swaying is substituted!! God knows what our generation will be like in another 10 years!! Will we nod politely along? Though of course one has to adjust the degree of emotion expressed for the fact that a) this is England and b) this is Cambridge!!! Not overly known for expressive enjoyment of anything really. Could have been different in Sydney (or even Canberra).
For their treat the kids went to a childrens theatre called Them With Tails, which was wonderful - a real treat here is the quality of children's theatre. This group is 2 young men in their late 20s who specialise in winding up small boys (my interpretation). They were great, really high energy, and really enjoyed playing with the kids incorporating it in the performance. Different from the last equally high quality thing we went to which was all about enchanting them with stories.
M has her end of year drama performance this Monday - she is going to be a mouse which she chose (costume by mum of course). The school end of year event is also coming up - bit of a contentious event in our house - J is getting to be a chorus member, which he is feeling keenly, and M is Mary, which of course being her she doesnt give 2 figs for!! At least I dont have to do the costume.

Snow today!

We cant match the snowy eastern climes, but we had our first snow today! Very pretty and very cold. Looking forward to some warmer weather for Xmas. Our snow didnt settle but its so much more pleasant than sleet. Sunny but cold forecast again for tomorrow - we are off to the theatre.

camera's broke

No picture til we get a new camera - old one gave up. R is pleased cos he gets to play gear junkie until he finds another one. Looked at first replacement car possibility today, but decided clutch and brakes didnt look good enough. We of course only want to pay pittance for something that will last the whole period - our previous car was such a bargain! Oh well, its a squashed bargain now. Its getting cold and we think going to the supermarket on the bike in the freezing dark sucks, so transport is required. Little M is better now, back at school and she has had a breakthrough on the reading front. Very proud of herself. We had an eventful Saturday, after she and I had to go to emergency dept with her having an allergic reaction to penicillin - not that severe she came up in an allover red and (apparently) itchy rash, with high fever. They were very good - highlight of her week was they gave her lunch in hospital. Must have been good it was the first she had eaten for about 5 days really, now she just wants to go there for food all the time. Funny things kids. They must be adapting cos they have decided they want to have school dinners - which they adamantly refused when we arrived as 'gross'. Admittedly quality has been improved after huge furore here on quality of school dinners, but still not great. Other than that pretty busy just getting on with life.

we've grown

The kids have been going through their dressing-ups. Well Mum has anyway in order to rationalise things a bit. These are beloved dressing ups that just may be a mite too small - the Batman suit J is wearing was made when he was about 3???? Anyway he has decided that just perhaps he could pass it on to a smaller cousin. Bit dubious. M on the other hand is casting things off to cousin E at a great rate of knots. At least one of them isnt a pack rat! Just had to go and find wombat again, he was in his bed when I tucked him in but got lost in the 15 minutes that have passed since then apparently. First of course I have to get into his room which is an obstacle course in itself. Our visitor has gone, so we are by ourselves until the next arrival next week, only for a couple of days. Its nice to see so many people though. We held a 'party' for work colleagues last Friday, which went well but was of course hard work. R cooked up a storm, everyone very impressed (as they should be). M has been in Manchester for the past few days - the train route is very scenic, a choice of routes through Leeds, or Nottingham or Doncaster. I went Doncaster and the Penines on the way over and Nottingham on the way back. Unsure which is better, one is faster but more changes the other is slower but stay on the same train. Off to Ireland in a couple of weeks then to Netherlands again for a couple of days before getting ready for the trip back to Aust. May has a fever again, low immunity after chicken pox so is home again - anyone who wants to send her a letter would be appreciated. She has 2 girls in her class with pneumonia at the moment, both of whom are her really good friends, there is some nasty infection going around which seems to weaken them a long way and hence the pneumonia. So we are taking no chances and she will stay home until really better. J is bouncing around as usual. Parent-teacher night last night. That was fun - nice teachers this year. J is fine, main issue is social skills in listening and waiting (I can believe that!!). M is also fine, mainly discussion about self confidence and her progress in small group work. She hasnt changed, still doesnt like big groups of strangers (having said that she managed to offer around the plates at the work party so she is improving a little).
All for now!!