March 2023

Well - at least I've managed a post by the next month!!  

We hit the deck running once school started back - short staffed, still no Asst. Principal, brand new Principal and have basically spent the last 6 weeks or so just trying to keep ahead - at least by a couple of millimeters, anyway! Another of our teachers who had been here almost 2 years, threw her hands in the air and walked out about a week ago!  The 3 new teachers who started in the last couple of weeks are starting to have a 'deer in headlights' look about them plus one of our teachers who was here end of last term is driving me crazy!!  How can anyone teach for almost 30 years (according to him, anyway) and not have any sort of commonsense or be able to think things through?  He apparently needs strict routines or he can't cope - I suggested last week Tennant Creek High School wasn't for him!!  Politely, of course - trying to make it look like I really cared!! 

Guides kicked off at the start of February - big influx of new girls and I still have at least 6 on the waiting list!  It's good, I think?   

We have a Guide Camp planned for the end of April - however, I realised the other day that I haven't put the paperwork in yet and that should have been done at least 6 weeks beforehand. I guess I'm going to have change dates? 

I finished the Terry Pratchett book 'Last Continent'.  I think it would have to be the best he wrote!  The visual picture of Drop Bears landing on the pointy wizard hats is pure GOLD!  And as for his version of how evolution happens, let alone how sex was invented ... let's just say, you HAVE to read it! 

Currently, I am reading an e-book series by Katherine Genet - the 'Wilde Grove' series.   I had bought the first one quite a while ago and hadn't read it.  I started it a few days ago, and was immediately sucked in - and have now bought the rest of the series.  She is an amazing writer.  

Very little craft has been happening - there just hasn't been the time!  I have managed coffee with the craft ladies and lunch at the Memo to celebrate Debra's birthday, but no actual playing with paper and so on.  I set the ladies a 'Pinterest Challenge' which I didn't even complete, even though most of the group did.  Not what I would call a good look at all - although the ladies were understanding about it. 😕

So what plans do I have?  We have 2 weeks left of school after this week, and then a 1 week break covering Easter as well.  This could mean more time at the pool in the early mornings, not having to be at work by 7.30 should mean I can take the pooch for a run, paperwork catch up, prep for the Tennant Creek Show - then maybe I can get to some craft stuff?  

Let's see how this all goes... 

School Holiday Chaos

 Well, school holiday break has come and gone - and it's almost quieter back at school!  Almost!

The first week was our Region Guide camp, hosted here in Tennant Creek - with girls from Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Darwin and Palmerston.  We ended up with 37 girls and 13 Leaders attending.  

And it POURED with rain, with ICY winds for most of the camp!  Tents leaking, tents down, 40km winds while canoeing... and apparently the kids loved every bit of it.  As the LIC - I was done by mid-week, but we battled it out.  Then on the last day, we had a girl test positive to Covid!  

By the end of the camp - we had managed to complete almost everything on our program - from canoeing and horses to drones and mountain biking along with UV Resin Jewelry, Mandala Rock painting, Jellyfish weaving, Constellation Cubes, Campfire (fake fire though as all the wood was wet), Guides Own, Amazing Race Style Wide Game and an Underground Mine Tour.  The only thing we didn't pull off was Solar Printing - you actually need sun for that. 

Juno was an AMAZING place to camp - and they catered for us as well.  The food was incredible - definitely not what you would expect on a Guide camp. I really can't recommend the place highly enough. 

Second week of holidays, I, along with most of the Leaders tested positive to Covid - so a week spent at home not allowed out.  Which made for a few problems trying to get the gates organised for the Show - thank heavens for some supportive people who just made it work. The dog was really quite pleased with this turn of events, though.  

Third week of holidays - quick trip to Alice for a 2 day intensive Leader training Course, from 8am to 8pm both days. And it was -3 both nights!  The car was covered in a sheet of ice the first night.  Headed home on the Tuesday - after collecting Wayne from Alice Springs Hospital where he had been for 3 weeks. 

That left a few days to get everything done at home - and back to work on Monday for a full day PD Training which ran from 8am to 4.30pm.  Pretty much need a holiday to recover! 

Any crafting that got done was at the Camp, and didn't include much paper anything!