Appreciation

I had to take Phill to Junee to work today and driving home alone it struck me that I don't really "see" my surroundings as much as I did when we first left Sydney to live in the country.  I was raised mostly in Sydney and spent most of my adult life there as well until 1999 when we moved to Junee.  It was such a culture shock to me in many ways but I loved it.  And I still love it, especially after the awful 18 months or so that we lived in Sydney after we returned from our time in Western Australia.  Today I really took in (while keeping my eyes on the road of course) the beauty of the countryside, the farmlands, the bush.  There are drawbacks to life in a country town but we are so lucky that we can live in this place and raise our children here.  The kids have settled into school well now and I know I made the right decision to move back here from Junee so they could be at our excellent school.  Yes there are bullies and lowlifes at the school, seems they are everywhere, but I have faith in the principal and most of the teachers there, that they truly have the kids' best interests at heart.
Josh has a new PE teacher this year.  He said he is a really nice man, in stark contrast to the teacher he had last year.  Instead of belittling him for his total lack of skills and interest in PE he is gently encouraging him and allowing him to help with the class and not join in if he doesn't want to.  I know it seems like mollycoddling but Josh gets bullied enough on the playground, he doesn't need to be made fun of in class too.  Physical activity is important, but I think schools place way too much emphasis on sport.  We've had some shockers of PE teachers over the years and I've had my share of run ins with them. 
It would appear our excellent acting DP has defused the bullying problem by threatening the thugs with the highest form of punishment short of expulsion. 
Emily, Emily, Emily what WILL we do with you?  She told me a story today about a teacher who had his hand on her textbook discussing some work with her, and for some inexplicable reason she impulsively snapped the book shut on his hand.  He was livid and gave her detention and rightly so.  Can't help giggling though (ssshh don't tell Em).
She came home with two merits for maths and says she has been put up a couple of classes and now "gets it".  At last!!

Phill came home and surprised me last night with a lovely single red rose (not from our garden!) and a really nice card.  Bless him.  We had a lovely curry dinner and they loved their cards and the little chocolates I left for them. 
Josh and I have been for walks three days running now, we are trying to do this every day, to get both of us fit and lose some weight.
My mother turns 84 tomorrow and we are soooo lucky to still have her with us.  Her own mother lived till almost 100 and my aunt is 95 so I'm expecting we'll have Mum around for a good while yet. 
One more tiny pumpkin on the vine, and the vine is huge.  Looks like it'll be pumpkin soup, scones, and pies this Autumn and Winter.  Found a little cucumber too this afternoon.
Making chicken burgers tonight for me and the kids with some cheap chicken mince that I got for $2.84.  I do love my meat bargains, especially now so many things are expensive after the floods.  I once overheard someone diss the idea of buying marked down meat.  Good!  More for us I say.  There's nothing wrong with it and I freeze or use it right away.
Hot and humid and shaping up for a storm here this evening, hope so the garden needs the water.
We ran into Phill's old boss in the ref rooms at Junee today.  A lot of people in the town don't like him much, he shafted a few workers when the company closed down.  Phill got out just in time and got his entitlements but others weren't so lucky.  He was very good to us, and actually financed (very generously) our return to Junee from Gunnedah in 2001.  He's an oddball but I'm always friendly to him when I see him.  I don't forget people who treat me well.
So all is well right now and I'm feeling happier and more secure than I have in a long time.  Amazing when just a few short months ago I was ready to give up.  Really give up.  Just goes to show the old adage "this too shall pass" really does hold true.