Asha's Birthday and The Camels Hump

Asha has had a great birthday. I have just got off the phone to her. It's weird not seeing her on the day. I enjoyed the afternoon I spent with her yesterday. I have taught her well about birthdays and hers is being spread over a couple of days. Today, on the day, she has spent with her boyfriend and close mates enjoying a variety of pleasures. Her boyfriend filled a room with ballons to 'wrap' her gift. She had fun with that! Tomorrow night she is having a party with her friends.

She works at a new coffee shop, whilst attending Uni. I called in after we went for dinner last night, with the intention of meeting and thanking her boss and co-worker for the great care they take of her. She often talks about the lovely things they have done for her. They have been very sweet to her whilst she has been working there and it's reassuring for me when she lives away.


She did describe how good it was to me, but to be honest I was expecting some kind of trendy place that wouldn't really appeal to me. I have to share with you all the ambience, coffee and cake of this place! Where do I start?


The atmosphere is warm and very comfortable and cosy. Soft lighting, variety of fabrics and textures and all with a rosy glow and clean. I immediately wanted all my closest dearest friends to be with us and to spend a few hours there kicking back. It has comfy couches with cushions. It feels very much like home with the secluded partitioned spaces to nestle into. A home where someone else would be bringing the coffee and doing the dishes!


On arrival, the water and chocolate covered coffee beans were enough to indicate this was going to be a delicious and well thought out experience. There was a slight hint of lemon and orange juice in the water, it refreshed my mouth in preparation for what was to come. It was the right temperature too, I dislike chilly water.


The cake I had, 'Sultan's Citrus Tart', was great. I wanted to bring some home for Rhonda. It is our favourite so I have many to compere it with, and can be ordered in the slim version, which was abundance for me. It melted in my mouth, the presentation was attractive and it was just yummy.


The coffee I have saved for last because it was just the best coffee. It was perfect coffee. It was pretty and the crockery was cool. My mouth felt at ease after I had finished, apart from the desire for more. I had the Jamacian Blue Mountain, as recommended by my previously non coffee drinking daughter.


So apart from being really good people who work there, which is usually enough for me, everything else rises to the occasion to make it something out of the ordinary and wonderful. I wish it was around the corner, yet the 2 hour drive will probably save me from gaining a lot of weight. I don't think I will ever be able to drive past it again, without stopping for some more of that. I intend to work my way through the menu!


Some others who are not related to the waitress have reviewed it, so I will add the links for those who suspect my alliegances:


IronEaters:The Camels Hump
My Journey: Camel Hump

The Camels Hump Website (has details of menu and how to find it, when it's open etc)

10 th December New Moon in Sag 2007

The new moon in Sagittarius occurs on 10th December in Australia. This is a good time to make some decisions about the month ahead. It could lay the foundations for your new year planning and goal setting as well. The next fortnight will likely be quite hurried and busy so I am taking some time this morning to tweak my goals, dreams and hopes.

I keep a private journal where I write my plans, checklists, rants, dreams and any learning experiences I hope not to have to repeat.

Most of the astrologers I am reading are speaking of new beginnings, fresh starts and what time is better than a new moon to make a start, especially for all us Sagi's - Megan, Kelly- Marie, Karen and Katie . (Sorry if I have missed someone, let me know!)

There is an interesting article on the Living Now magazine Stellar Stuff that mentions our current astrological lineup as similar to that at the time of Australia's Federation. With the change of government, it's kind of exciting to think we can enter a new phase as a nation.

Tomorrow is also my beautiful daughter's 19th birthday. I am heading to Melbourne to have dinner with her today as I won't be able to spend time with her tomorrow. I couldn't be prouder of her. I still can't believe I have been blessed with her. I remember clearly when she was born, looking into her eyes and feeling such awe and admiration for her clear, strong, vibrant spirit that was so totally present. It is one of the moments of my life that gives me the most power to recall.

Mosaics Teacher?

Next year I have been given an Integrated Projects class that consists of teaching students Mosaic tiling. I am not an art/technology trained teacher, although media studies was considered in the art stream when I did my course and I did those teaching rounds with an art teacher. The Art/Technology people definitely don't consider me to be 'one of them'. I am more confident teaching English. I have taught Humanities though and had no training at all in that area.

I am excited because this week two of the teachers are going to show me how to grout and what better project to grout than my unfinished mosaic table! So, no matter how this experiment (me teaching an arty subject) goes, I will have finally finished this project! That's got to be good.

I enjoyed making the table and I love mosaics, so it could be fun from that perspective. It will no doubt be a learning curve and hopefully not too steep. I am confident that I will be supported by the teachers, because they are good people.

Happy and Tired

It's been very busy at school. I have farewelled my much loved year 9 students. They head off to the senior campus next year. I was immensely touched by the warm good-byes I received from the students and their families. They are amazing young people and the future looks bright for all of us if it's in their hands.
Today we had the last school day for the year 7's and 8's and it was typically energetic. After last nights events with the year 9's graduation mass and social, tonight I had a farewell dinner for two wonderful women who are retiring from teaching. If it had been anything less than such an important occasion I would have 'wagged'.
So now I am feeling quite exhausted but immensely satisfied with my working year. I have another week of attending work to get through, yet without students, it tends to be less demanding.

Massage Reflections

Tonight I had my last massage for 2007. It was lovely. This morning in the staff room, many teachers were complaining of sore backs and shoulders from long hours hunched over the computer, writing reports. I went to the chiropractor last night. Two other teachers had been there before me. I feel great, even though I had a pretty busy and demanding day.

I was chatting to the masseur tonight about the many courses I have done in my life. I love learning new things and she does too. She was commenting on how people sometimes think you are crazy to be learning all the time or doing more courses. I have usually done some kind of study at most times of my life. Even when I am not formally attending a school, I have been focused on learning some new skill or practising something new.

Blogging would be in that category. I don't know everything there is to know about blogging, but I know enough to do it to the level I want to, with ease. I expect to learn more over time, yet at a more gradual pace now. One of my friends commented to me last night, after checking out my blog that I must put a lot of time into it. I have in the past, yet I don't really now. I would spend around half an hour on a post usually. Occasionally I spend a couple of hours when I want to rearrange or shuffle things about, or have something I really want to write properly about.

What's the connection between massaging, blogging and learning? Well I realised today that I do all that learning to make the things I want to do quicker and easier. Short term pain, long term gain. I think you are crazy if you don't try to make your life easier and more effective! Learning is the fastest route I know of.

Girlosophy: The Love Survival Kit by Anthea Paul

I read "The Love Survival Kit" over 2 nights. It's brilliant. It covers everything I would want to say to my daughter and know for myself. I wish I'd read it when I was 16. I had to learn many of the contents the hands on or rather hearts on way, complete with messy and painful learning experiences. Not that I think a book could have changed it all, yet I feel there are great signposts given in this book. It is reassuring as "The Soul Survival Kit", it builds self esteem. Even for older girls like myself.

I have loaned this book to a few young women, who have totally raved about it. I am really impressed with Anthea Paul. My son said the other day when I was raving about her to his friends, "Move over Al Gore, mum's got a new hero!"

I have a couple of her other books ordered, so I 'll be sharing more in the future.

December - What a great month!

December is such a huge and wonderful month. Summer starts and my birthday, which continued coming today. I received more gifts and good wishes as I went back to work and caught up with a few people who didn't catch me yesterday. I love it! When I was a kid I used to say my birthday is always good for a weeks worth of joy, and it hasn't changed much really. So many treats....

Tonight's 'Awards Night' at school was a most enjoyable evening. It is always a treat to see the students who work diligently during the year, receive acknowledgement from their school community. We had the author Scot Gardiner speak at the event tonight and he spoke very well. I enjoy the guest speakers I have heard in the two years we have been holding this event. Scot was excellent. He spoke for long enough and was very entertaining. The common factor with both speakers was a message that academics is not everything and it is important to be a good, kind human being. Our school strives for that personhood aspect of education and that is what I love most about it.

This week I have one more evening out for a school event. I also have a massage and chiropractic appointment, so it's a busy week. My daughter is home staying with me which is lovely, yet I will need to enjoy every moment we have, due to the heavy commitments. She's just out with her dad for dinner right now. I'm giving her a massage when she gets home and looking forward to another practise.

My 42nd Birthday

I'm 42!

I had a great birthday. I've been in contact with the people I love and received visits, phonecalls, emails, gifts and comments from lots of great people wishing me a happy birthday.

I enjoyed my day out for brunch with my friend Rhonda, who is born the same day as me. It was good. I went for a swim in the afternoon and then my parents visiting, bringing dinner this evening.

I feel tired and grateful for my day and my life.

I'm a rssHugger

I've hugged many a tree, yet now I will find the joys of hugging a rss? This morning I read, Cerebral Mum and thought I'd join her in this new place. The benefits for bloggers are to gather more readers to your blog and for readers it's another way to find quality blogs.

Last night I completed my first draft of my reports so I can now imagine trawling through blogs to find some great reading for the holidays. This is the most exciting time for me. I love the last week of school. So much promise for holidays ahead. Celebrating the year with the kids. Life is good.