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I read, I write, I roller skate., Warrnambool (2025)

10/11/2025

Pop icon Cher sings “Do you believe in life after love?” Well Cher, and my dear readers, let me tell you what I believe in! I believe in the power of female friendships. Not once, but twice this year I have been fortunate enough to have flown to Sydney with groups of gal pals. (How convenient is Avalon Airport?!)
Whether surrounded by fabulous women perched on high bar stools or sitting squeezed into a restaurant booth, being around girlfriends has given me a rejuvenation of heart and soul.
We shared days of ridiculous frivolity, utter silliness, and uncensored banter. In a single weekend we held up traffic, ran away from a helmetless motor bike rider sticking up his rude finger, prevented a break in to our Air BnB, created an elaborate narrative about a disapproving Nonna, were offered a lift over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a fire truck and were part of a flash mob who will forever be immortalised in the official photographs of a wedding couple.
We saw nudists on a cruise ship, were clapped at by a passive aggressive runner and sweated buckets participating in a silent disco joyously shouting lyrics to the best 80’s and 90’s tunes.
We walked 500 miles and I would walk 500 more to dissolve into streams of giggles like those I’ve shared with girlfriends in Sydney this year. ❤️

07/11/2025

Today I witnessed something joyous.
Years ago, in the course of my employment, I met an amazing mother. She was a Sri Lankan journalist who had made the harrowing decision to board a boat with her young son and a few meagre possessions and risk seeking asylum in Australia. Her tale is frightening, sad and difficult and not mine to tell but she sought safety and a better life.
After living in limbo as a refugee for fourteen years, at a ceremony in Koroit today Dharshini and her son Radush were granted Australian citizenship! There was a cast of many people there to share this heart filling moment with this beautiful family and it was a honour to be amongst them. It was a proud celebration of hope and all of the good things about Australia. I’ve never heard the Australian anthem sung so loud and it moved me to tears.
Congratulations Dharshini and Radush!

31/10/2025

I’m a crazy lady in a witch’s hat enjoying the evening sunshine, here to tell you that Halloween in Dennington rocks. Tonight I met a pumpkin head in crocs, a banana in sunglasses, Moana, and an assortment of Disney princesses. Two girls dressed as cheerleaders did a trick for me - an impressive backflip on my front lawn.
I yelled across the street to neighbourhood friends that I love and chatted with locals, cricketers, school kids and Mums. I pat Murphy, the tiniest dachshund as well as Minnie the blind greyhound.
My first bag of eighty lollipops were all gone by 5:30, the second bag by 6. I take no responsibility for the upcoming sugar rush to be had by the monsters, minions, Marvel heroes and cowboys who were roaming the streets with heaving buckets of treats.
I enforced manners at my house and I teased teenage boys without costumes clutching backpacks for lolly sacks, telling them to make a much better effort next year!
Happy Halloween to our town, the perfect community evening for families, toddlers, teens and this old witch. 🎃

05/09/2025

Melbourne 640 kms.
Today we drove, and drove and drove and drove some more. How amazing are bus drivers, especially ours?!Melbourne 226 kms.
Feeling such a sense of accomplishment having survived and thrived on Year 9 camp. It’s so fun building connections with kids whilst you shoot them in Laser Tag, have them teach you a new card game or share a pizza on a windy hill.
Melbourne 86 kms.
School staff are freaking super humans. I’ve seen selfless acts of care and concern all week long. These kids were in great hands.
Warrnambool 105 kms.
I never want to eat hot chips again. I miss my husband. I have distributed most of a packet of Panadol but saved the last two for myself!
Warrnambool 46 kms.
I’ve not seen any news and wonder if they’ve found that bad man in the bush. I haven’t checked my Powerball ticket.
Warrnambool 0 kms.
Home! Thanks for the memories. It’s time to unwind with a bath and bed.

03/09/2025

Chapter 6 of the big Canberra Adventure.
This morning I got one blissful, peaceful, quiet hour to sit and read a book. Technically I was supervising a sick child but whilst they slept, I enjoyed some tranquility, which is usually unheard of at camp. But then it was go, go, go with The Zoo, Shopping and the Arboretum. Another HUGE day. I needed the large size 600 mls of Pepsi max to give me some pep this arvo. I’m a bit knackered. Am I too old for this keeping up with teenagers gig?
Whilst I have enjoyed the meals, (after all, I love any meal which I don’t have to cook myself) here are some descriptors of tonight’s burritos by the kids :
“It was some kind of indescribable meat”
“It was full of beans and I hate beans”
“I think there was cheese in it but I can’t be sure”
A student managed to drop their iphone into the African antelope enclosure today! Here’s my zoo pic of the day - the h***y rhino!

02/09/2025

My fifth Canberra story for those following - made it to mid week!
Last night we had some raucous card games of Spoons, Spit and Cheater. It was old fashioned, no phone fun with a group of teen girls. I’m not sure if they think I’m cool or cringe! 🤣
A really smart dude who knows Jacob G and was in his fifth year of eight years of study showed us the moon at Mount Stromlo Observatory. Our kids were a bit ambivalent but I thought seeing it up this close was pretty impressive.
I woke up this morning to the delight of discovering our toilet won’t flush. The joys of school camp life.

02/09/2025

Canberra ACT - Episode 4
Mobile phones are collected each night however one lonely mobile phone was left uncollected this morning, clearly highlighting the fact that someone had handed in a decoy phone. It’s an old trick but a good one - until you forget to collect it in the morning!
My mate Bath at Civic Subway was a champ making us 19 platters of subs, wraps and cookies for lunch and he helped me carry them all to the car. The behind the scenes logistics of organising these camps are mind blowing.
I got to Parliament House to distribute lunch but was too late to see Dan the Man. Staff reported being so proud of our students for grilling him about the state of our roads.
What a day that also included a walk up Mt Ainslie, The War Memorial and a mock election at the Electoral Commission .
It’s a big call and an early call but these kids we have taken away are super.

01/09/2025

Our nations capital - Episode 3.
Someone thought it was a good idea to give me the school car keys and I battled with the keyless entry, the park brake button, changing gears and setting the sat nav in an unfamiliar vehicle very different to my own little red car. This was all just driving it two blocks to a parking garage! 🤣
What a good staff crew I’m sharing this Canberra adventure with and last night we started a serious game of cards. When it was lights out for the kids, it was we staff making the noise as we won and lost hands of a game called Golf. There were lots of giggles and slamming cards down on the table as we shushed each other with reminders to keep it down.
My dear room buddy let me take the queen size bed whilst she settled into a bunk bed, in a definite case of age before beauty!

01/09/2025

Canberra Trip - Episode 2 - The Eternal Bus Trip
8:07 am : For want of something to do I read our Canberra handbook cover to cover.
8:36am: Our first stop and I rush to purchase service station headphones for $40. Was I ripped off or were they bargain of the century? Time will tell. There were two choices, and all the same price. This took away any indecision on which headphones to buy - a great way to shop!
Are we there yet? I look forward to a day where I don’t have to queue up along with 30 girls to go to the toilet. Three cubicles at a service station are simply not enough.
A podcast and a few chapters of my audiobook later and we crossed into NSW, where everyone knows the roads immediately improve.
4:09 pm and I’m still on this bus! But I do have a can of Pepsi max in hand.
5:21 pm Still on the bus but just saw a sign that says “Welcome to Canberra.”

31/08/2025

School Camp Road Trip to Canberra
Episode 1
6:15am : We head off from school. Some of Year 9 are pyjama clad but there is low level excitement!
I’ve realised it is the first of the month and I forgot to pinch and punch RG before leaving for the week.
6:37am : Are we there yet?
I look in my bag for my headphones to listen to the array of podcasts and audiobooks I have lined up for the 12 hour journey ahead. I discover I’ve left headphones charging at home.
6:47am : Are we there yet? The realisation that I have to raw dog the entire bus trip and we are only just passing through Terang.
7:01am : Camperdown. By now I should have been one episode deep into listening to “Erin Patterson - The Mushroom Killer” podcast but instead I’m noticing the sunrise and misty fog that is covering the top of Mount Leura.
7:03am: I check my bag one more time in the hope that just maybe my headphones have magically appeared somehow. Alas, they are still left behind. This is dire.

24/08/2025

Sadly, due to painful plantar fasciitis, my skates have been few and far between this year. Fortunately I am on the improve and tested out my feet today with a sweet skate in the sun. Yeh, it hurt, but it was satisfying to feel the joy of gliding along with the sun on my back. 🛼🛼

I read, I write, I roller skate.

10/11/2025

07/11/2025

31/10/2025

05/09/2025

03/09/2025

02/09/2025

02/09/2025

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