from the south 7

G’day all,
It’s a strange time in Coburg. Winter arrived with its colds southerlies & icy rain & low skies & big dark overcoats & dark clothes & dark rooms in dark houses very suddenly here. Four weeks ago it was hot. But it seems autumn has been skipped this year.
Cold-weather footy is back. Went to watch Collingwood in Round 1. Collingwood Football Club was defeated by Adelaide Basketball Club. Chip-chip-chip. Keep possession. Kick sideways. Kick backwards. Chip-chip-chip. Utterly infuriating.
And I’ve experienced high school teaching now, with three weeks of Year 8 Maths, Science and Year 11 Maths. Placement was a great learning experience – so much happening in schools, and a very wide array of teaching styles consider. It was a tiring time for us all; Catherine & Stephanie carried a huge load during that time.
Steph will be 6 months old on Wednesday. Howabout that?!
It somehow makes all the recent meals (visits and visitors) with family & mates feel more special with the knowing of Steph’s little milestone. More & more I’m realizing that these shared experiences are the bricks of life. I think the mortar is probably the attitude or philosophy you bring to a situation. Maybe. I’ll think about it a bit more. Certainly, we have been lucky to make many shared bricks lately.
Listening to Tim Rogers here: “As the social climbers pack their four wheel drives out to the coast/Drag this load out to the bay & just let him float away” …and reading John Banville. Eclipse.
Work & daily life did, I’m afraid, consume a little too much of me lately. But very happy to have emerged from the Frantic Times & to be again writing stories & again strumming the 6-strings & again singing in the shower.
May your shower be full of songs today & tomorrow!
Salutations!
(And many thoughts to those in Darwin as Cyclone Monica tracks ever closer)
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from the south 6

g'day -
this is the best time of year in Melbourne, I reckon. Cold mornings and bright sunnny days. Haven't seen any fog yet - that's probably still a month away. But
it's been my birthday. 31 now.
We ventured down to the Yarra River last week to check out this reported Games Fever gripping the city. Apart from visits from Mum in her volunteers uniform &
parking her Games car in the driveway, the whole thing had nearly slipped by without us noticing. Last week was the first time CJ or I had hung out in town in at
least 18 months & it has really changed a lot. The city square has again been redesigned. The general hatred & avoidance of Federation Square that I remember appears to have turned around 180degrees - the place was chockers. And someone put parks & gardens on the north side of the river. Good idea.
Melbourne scrubbed up well.
Steph seemed to have a good time visiting her city for the first time, but wasn't too thrilled with the loop section of the train ride. Life is on Fast Forward for the next week or so here, as CJ is working 2 days/week, I am still working for
Charles Darwin Uni & my first placement in a school begins on Monday 27th. I've been placed at Brunswick Secondary College for 3 weeks...
ciao all.