reality bites

Its just been a little bit normal crazy around here, the normal sort of crazy that means dealing with animals of all sorts, unexpected trips to the city, the realisation that yet again the school holidays have simply slipped away and school starts in just 12 short days, and with suddenly quite a bit to do between now and then.

And I haven't picked my camera up at all since my last post. In days, maybe a week or more. In fact I've had to think about where it my camera even was for a few seconds! So much for that little plan.

The past few days included a four hour trip to the city in a NON airconditioned car, to take the boy to the dentist. Apparently cleaning his teeth means look at the toothbrush, wave it around a bit, but certainly not doing anything like clean ones teeth with it. (Teeth brushing time is now strongly supervised, when it is normally a time that one might sit in the corner, thanking the lord that they will be in bed a few short minutes) Several dental visits lie in our future.

Thankfully our return from the city was in an airconditioned car. Expensively repaired, although once the initial aghast-ness subdued, very much worth its icy goodness. And my hair is thankful too, no long arriving at our destination with not so much as a windblown look, as electrified and rather scary looking.

The next twelve days will bring mustering and branding calves, during the hottest few days that I think we've had for a long time. The state of my hair will not be an issue, although any chance to enjoy the car airconditioning will be savoured. On the bright side I may sweat out a couple of the Christmas kilos that may have snuck on over the holidays. I'm blaming the rum balls myself.

In the middle of all of the bovine activity will be another dental city trip, a much scarier one for the boy (or perhaps his mother) Have not told him about the needle and whizzy tools that will be used. Pre dentist trip bribery purchase of toy helicopter/car/truck/tractor may be made as incentive to remain in the chair and be brave!

And then the school year for twenty-twelve will begin. And the start of my childfree time between 830am and 230pm. (well, on and off for a bit, our prep days build up gradually, the benefit of a small school).

Are you ready for school to start? Have you bought new lunchboxes? There has been a ban of any further tupperware-like purchases in this household (oh, I love my plastic like I love my shoes!) and even I can see there is nothing wrong with last years lunchboxes. Oh, the pain of making lunches every morning, no more lingering over that cup of coffee and toast.

So much for lazy summer days...what are your plans for the last lingering few lunchbox-free days?