Jackie went to school ...

.. for Bradley's 'Pet Day' and she loved it !!



Jeanette and family don't have a pet and as Bradley has grown up with our dogs, Robbie and Jackie, we thought it good idea for me to take Jackie. I would have loved to have taken Robbie as Robbie would have absolutely loved all the attention but it would have been too much for 'the old man', so I took our little Jackie - whose not that much of a 'spring chicken' ... she's 10 !!

Bradley was delighted !!! Only four dogs went along to his class that day .. no other pets .. I thought there would be hamsters, mice, rats .... !!! There were other dogs waiting outside the other Grade 0's ... some small, medium, large and extra large !!! I carried her passed the 'extra large' ones !!!!

All the other children in his class brought photographs. Our little Jackie was a star!! She was so well-behaved that we were the last up !!! She sniffed around the classroom in between sitting quietly waiting our turn ....

Oh yes ... very proud of our little 'girlie' !!

The Big Bad Wolf ... and the three little piggies

Grrrr! 'Little pig, little pig, let me come in .....'

Bradley getting into character for his school concert which was based on the Disney stories. Their class performed The Three Little Pigs and Bradley was one of three wolves ... all the other littlies were the little piggies - pink ones and black ones with cute little noses!


I went along with Lance, Jeanette and Connor to watch last evening. Love the excitement in the classroom when the littlies are having their make-up on ..
...reminds me of the days of Elaine's ballet concerts with all the little ballet girls crowded into rooms crammed with costumes hanging from every hook and door knob, tying of endless ribbons on shoes, hair gelled into tight buns ......



My photos are not half as nice as Jeanette's - she had all the 'bells and whistles' for her camera and I only had my little pocket Lumix - we had enough to carry without my larger camera as well. Just shows you what a good quality camera can do!!!!

Aren't they just so cute .... three little piggies with a big bad wolf!

Let the show begin ....

Photos also taken without the flash ... as Jeanette did ... but look at mine!! Zoom and colours are not good .. wished I had taken my other camera but it was a little difficult with Connor not sitting still for one minute ...

... he loved it!! Here he is singing along with the songs ... then he climbed from one chair to the next, copying all the actions ...

I wasn't fast enough to get photos of him dancing on the chairs.

Look ... it's Winnie the Pooh ... and Tigger too !! He loved it ... that was his favourite bit!

Yay .. bravo !!

Bradley's karate demonstration

Bradley's karate class had a demonstration yesterday for parents and families. Only a handful of parents were there which was a pity, but the usual mums, grannies and grandpas who usually wait around - like me - while the class is in progress twice a week ... and believe me .. there are lots of children who are picked up by grannies and grandpas as both parents are working.
It's a full afternoon for the instructors but we are first as we are the white belts!!!

They have recently done their gradings .... Bradley now has two stripes!!



The dots are for standing on - to keep them in lines .. in order .. their own space .. disclipline to stand still and listen and do ...


Part of the greeting to Sensai .... (next time I go, I shall listen more and take less photos!) :) maybe I need a dot to stand on!



... face block ... oops wrong arms! (yay for Brad's - correct arm!) :)


... chest block with the 'baddie' (Sponge-people) attacking ...

...and 'another-kind-of-block' when the 'Sponge-people' attack the head ...

Bradley (Sponge-person) 'baddie' - on the right with yellow sponge-stick .....

..... concentrating on attacking ....

... chest block against the Sponge-people ...

... then Sensai demonstrated tournament karate ... (it was the first time they had done this so it was new to them as well as to us!)

All done!!

... and well done to Sensai for keeping all these boisterous littlies under control twice a week and during the demonstration .... then it was time for handing out the certificates, which was done at great speed so my photo is a blur ... so we had a 'photo shoot' afterwards ...

Well done Bradley!!!

Rain .. and being Nan

Flooded .... again! That's our patio. It rained most of the day yesterday ... and at one time the really really black clouds burst!! Was driving home from doing some shopping in the morning, after my yoga class, and the heavens opened!

And I do not like it when it rains at lunch time! That's when I do the 'kiddies pick-up' - and there's nothing worse than fiddling with 'brolly's' and rain jackets in and out of the car! Waited a little at home for the heavy rain to ease .. then dashed to Bradley's school. Had to help him dress into his karate suit (looks so sweet and will take camera .. when-not-in-rain) !! He had done karate last year but now has the proper outfit - as I said looks 'so sweet' in it! We both weren't sure how the belt went and I couldn't tie it properly. Both huddle under 'brolly' (I forgot my rain jacket at home!) to get him to the Dojo - they have one on the school grounds - how cool is that! Kiddies have to be taken there by Mum or Gran or someone (actually there were several grans and grandpas) - they .. the kiddies .. not the grownups .. are not allowed to walk around the school on their own. At first I thought it was crazy - I have to go to the school, collect Bradley - walk him about 100 metres .. within the school grounds - then either wait and watch the class or go home and come back in three quarters of an hour. In my case that's what I have to do as I have to fetch Connor at 2.00. Actually, I still think it's crazy but they are little still so it makes sense!

On the way through the soggy grounds, belt falls off in mud, I get soaked brushing passed bushes and then we wait under the dripping shade-cloth for the karate teacher to come. I know they are called Sensa but have no idea how to spell it .. so karate teacher will do!

Strict instructions to Bradley when they pile into Dojo - "I am taking your school bags to the car, going to fetch Connor from his school, then I will come back to fetch you .. stay right here and I'll be back".

Was raining still and one mom commented under her breath that she was glad she didn't live in England - "how do they cope with weather like this .. all the time!"

Decide to dash home to fetch my rain jacket before collecting Connor .. rescue him from noisy cooped-up kiddies who are not used to being indoors! .. dash back to collect Bradley. Raining now at B's school again ... so find Connor's rain jacket .. struggle getting it on (in car!) .. getting cords all caught up in car seat. He thought it was fun and wanted the hood on first! By the time I reach Bradley .. which was only a few minutes past 2.30 .. he's in tears "I thought you weren't coming back to fetch me". Oh my .. ... I huddle him under my rain jacket and we skuttle off to the car .. ... another 10 minutes or so before I can actually drive off again .. rain jackets off (it's hot in the car) .. organise B with some juice and something to nibble on - and, of course, to share with C - and explain .. again .. that I needed to go home to fetch my rain jacket, collect Connor (and always have a short chat with teacher and helpers - always need to know how C got on for the day!) .. and I would "never ever leave you anyway. I will always fetch you .. maybe a minute or so late sometimes ... but I will ALWAYS be there". "And you must stay right here and not go with anyone, anywhere."

Actually we had this little drama because last Friday when he was supposed to go to karate, he didn't get there because we didn't know of the 'procedure' to get to the Dojo (100 metres away)! and when I got to the school ... with Connor who weighs a ton and insisted on being carried, until he saw the jungle gym and scampered up .. making Granny climb up to get him .. !! ... I traipsed around the school looking for him - couldn't find him anywhere .. eventually when I was back at the car about to phone his mommy .. not to send panic through her spine .. but just to make sure I had the right day and that he wasn't at a party .. as I had heard mention of a lunch time party sometime .. .... ... I saw this little tearful figure waving at me through a security gate! Found!! I now know the procedure on where the kiddies go when the parents/grandparents/care givers are late!!!

Now - two happy boys on the way home .. nibbling, chatting and singing along to nursery rhymes I have permanently in the CD player of the car.

Deep sigh out here ... looking forward to a nice hot cup of tea. That's only possible when I get a DVD playing .. one which BOTH want to watch! Had to be a DVD because the TV doesn't pick up the signal when there are storms around - just like the little box on top of the telephone pole!)

Make sure they're happy before I can get my 'nice hot cup of tea'! ... which I often never get a chance to finish .. but I do so enjoy the first few sips!

Nan it is .. not Gan, Gwan, Gran, Granny .... it's Nan. Connor couldn't find me (I was hiding for just a few minutes of ... shh! ... peace) and then I hear this almighty .. Nnnaaann ... Nnnaaann !! It's Connor .. calling me! Yay ... for the first time I have a name!!!! I am referred to as Granny as that's what Bradley always calls me ... always has done. Started off with "Ganny" then went to "Granny". Grandpa was always referred to as "Grandpa" when Bradley was tiny (being the first born grandchild) but when he started saying words and talking, he insisted on calling hubby, Papa .. and so that stuck.

Talking of grannies and grandpas - congratulations to C and B on the birth of their newest little grandson, Nathan Stuart in London .. and congratulations to his very happy and proud, brand new mom and dad. Welcome to the world, little one, and may you be blessed with a full and happy life!