Dust and Glory

I read Dust and Glory by Evan Green for My Year 12 English independent study a few years ago now..   This was a poem I wrote after reading it.  It’s not particularly good but it worked.

Dust and Glory

It was only around Australia

Just 10 000  miles

Driving for 3 weeks

In this years Redex Reliability Trials

A couple of kangaroos to dodge

And creeks to navigate

Driving at breakneck speed

In this years Redex Race

Out in the heat and the blinding dust

Visit the lonely pub

Driving down the toughest roads

Going places where only the navigator knows

Anything can happen in such a race

A blowout or a breakdown

Out on a 25 mile claypan

Or one of Koziousko icy mountain trails

What's a bet on such a race

On this down under island

Sabotage, what's that mate

What does the results mean to the rest of the world

We'll all finish I suppose

Does it matter where

It was fun for all

Unless your life depended on the outcome of this years Redex Race.

Lovely Mosquito

Lovely Mosquito

Lovely mosquito, attacking my arm

As quiet and still as a statue,

Stay right where you are! I'll do you no harm-

I simply desire to pat you.

Just puncture my veins and swallow your fill

For nobody's going to swot you.

Now, lovely mosquito, stay perfectly still-

A SWIPE! and a SPLAT! and I GOT YOU!

Doug MacLeod

Doug MacLeod is one of my favourite poets.  He has many poems and books some which have different levels of humour which will appeal to adults.  With kids and governessing sometimes you need an edge, something that will make them laugh for hours.

OTHER favourite authors

Max Fatchen

June Factor

Micheal Dugan

Wonder if I can remember the rest, I will have to blog when I find good ones.

Bean Bags and Cranky Kids

Every outback schoolroom has one...you know one of those quiet corners where you put the kids when they need to read or just have quiet time.  OR it is where I go with the kids for some laughter and relaxation (OR tickles)

Today was one of those days when Mr Quick ( My youngest student) just needed to go there...after lunch he was not in the sharing mood with his his little 4YO cousin who was in for a visit.  Mr Quick has black circles around the eyes and had to be told to stop several times.

Mr Quick had finished most of the work so with a reader he was sent to a bean bag

 

After finishing the read and seeing Mr Quick is still lolling about.  I then put on my 'I am not taking no for an answer' voice and say close your eyes, get comfortable and rest.  He was that tired today that he did so immediately and fell asleep almost instantly.

Unfortunately he had a special lesson later in the day and I had to wake him up after 45 minutes.  If it wasn't one of those lessons to help him catch up to the class he wouldn't have been doing it.  He also woke up happy and wanted to do it.

Hopefully over the house tonight he is much easier to handle and ready to enjoy the current family visiting.

A days work is never done for a govie.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. - Hanlon's Razor

Life is often filled with moments of stupidity not malice.  

People often don't think about what they are doing and saying.  This often seen in print on facebook but I don't blame facebook as these people do/say the same things in life.  People need to also take responsibility for their actions and words.  Sometimes what we say is misconstrued, think carefully about how you say something.

Working in the outback means that I get to enjoy the setting sun.  My currently accommodation has my room positioned on the setting sun and there is nothing better on a rainy day or sunny day looking out the window and watching the sun set as I eat tea.

I love looking after myself on property.  The freedom of cooking my own meal and eating when I want is fantastic.  If means I get to watch the setting sun.  I don't think of the isolation, after long days in the schoolroom a little time by yourself it brilliant.  I also have facebook chat at my finger tips and can make phone calls to friends and family.

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome - Samuel Johnson

How true is that.

I often listen to P&C or other community groups and you spend an hour being negative, wasting good meeting time.   Throwing up negativity and bitching about people is SO easy.  No one puts forwards what they would like to do, just what they don't won't.

I am a doer, I like to chuck up ideas or make improvements.  I don't like things getting stale.  This reflects in my schoolroom.  Some parts move on a regular basis as long as it doesn't effect the usability of the schoolroom.

Human's don't like change but it is such a good thing for people.

Our local gonna come in under the clotheline everyday.  Such a friends dude and has been here for quite a few years.  I wonder what the life span of a sand goanna is? 

My forgetter

My forgetter 

This poem relates to a lot of govies, parents and kids I know around the country.

My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm "here" I'm wondering
If I really should be "there"
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!

Oft times I walk into a room,
Say "what am I here for?"
I wrack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say "Hi" and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, "who was that?"

Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.

CAN YOU RELATE??? Please send this to everyone you know
because I DON'T REMEMBER WHO I SENT THIS TO!!!!

Found this on Governess Australia

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. -Eleanor Roosevelt-

I love a good quote or phrase...they can some up a moment, life or people  AND this blog will be filled with them.

2004 to see black cockies flying through the years at lamb marking in QLD was a whole new world.

Some days I just feel tired and quiet.  Tired of battling on every front and in need of something to go the right direction.  Even if the thing going right is just the fact that I don't drop the whole container on the floor to spill everywhere.

After a day in the schoolroom I often feel like the ocean a low tide, drained.  What is more draining when the jobs list of after school jobs has 15 things listed.

I am a person who NOW compartmentalise my life into family, everyday and work. At the moment 2 of those 3 parts of my life are crappy and it is not in my control to make anything go my way.  Patience is something I have a lot of but some times it is the people around you that pressure you just by asking continuously what is going on.

  This sunset was in 2005 as I was working up to the house for tea after a day fencing.   

 When looking back through photos you are often reminded of beautiful moments with friends and family.

When I started writing this blog I was thinking about writing about governessing, but I have read a couple of great blogs about governessing (Grits and Giggles & Unwritten Etiquette of the Governess World). They made me realise that for me here it is not just about governessing but my whole life.  

My whole life--past memories, present moments and the future.

I am a person whole like to take a problem and look at it from all angles EVEN when I don't agree with those angles.  I feel if I can appreciate the argument from the other side then I can defend my side better.

Of course some times I am just contrary and there is no logical argument.

Time to get organised to head to the house for tea, so until another day.