Last year of primary school

Well it's official - Cherub is enrolled for High School! His - and our - final year of primary school is slipping away so quickly, and I am not doing a very good job of recording it here!  So here are a few of the recent happenings for my Grade 6 boy.



Last night we watched his last ever primary school production, the Grade 5/6 kids doing Alice in Wonderland Jnr. Their normal drama teacher went on leave this term, and Cherub and his friends, who had been keenly looking forward to their last ever big production with that teacher, were very underwhelmed by the sudden change of plan.  They didn't put themselves forward for roles, and told us it was lame.  Which was a shame, and I kept exhorting them to change their tune and make the best of it. The show must go on etc. They looked unconvinced.



Actually, the show was completely fine. They hired costumes for it, and Cherub looked very cute in his lion suit.  Well, I'm pretty sure he was meant to be a lion. Other guesses include a dog, or a possum or a werewolf.  But his classmates looked quite like the cast of The Lion King, so I'm going with lion. We're still unclear as to what place wild animals have in the Alice in Wonderland storyline, but at least we parents didn't have to sew anything this year. The wig/mane looked so much like Cherub's own hair first thing in the morning that he was very easy to identify on stage.  As always, his dancing was very good indeed, and he fulfilled my stage mother requirements by being in the front row, although whether he was put there because of height or merit is unclear.



The best thing about it was it was very short, so we were none of us too tired to enjoy our traditional post-show gelati.



In other 'lasts' of primary school, Cherub had his final ever Bookweek Parade. A few years ago he went as Frodo from Lord of The Rings, this year he was determined to be Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit.



He insisted he needed a red coat, not too long, and we eventually found one to borrow from my sister.  I also made him a little green vest from a jumper I'd accidentally partially felted in a hot wash.  To make the ears I sewed some foam padding  rounds in half and threaded them on to a hairband made from hat elastic. Threading them meant the ears were adjustable on his head, I was actually pretty pleased with myself for thinking that design through.  I found a shirt and some shorts at the opshop, and for his overlarge and hairy bare hobbit feet we put a pair of Fixit's brown socks over a pair of sandshoes with some padding down the end, then used some flesh-coloured knee high stockings over the top, which we drew hairs all over.  It worked really well. He already had the Hobbit Sword and a Ring, but he didn't look for the ring until leaving time and it was nowhere to be found, so I had to quickly fashion one out of picture wire.



Here he is going off to school in costume with all his bags for Friday (music, futsal and school) ...

 

...and here he is parading.

 

While we're playing catch-up, here are some shots of the Friday Night Futsal team that Cherub has been playing in these last two terms with his school buddies.  All the kids really progressed throughout the season, and they even made it to the finals, which is so good considering they only started this year.



 

Also a shot from Cherub's last week of soccer, because hooray, soccer season is over and we don't need to be always taking the kids to soccer!



And we don't have to be the Team Managers any more, which was stressful and boring and bad for our relationship. Note to self, don't say yes to that job ever again.  Cherub's team played in a division too high for their abilities this year, so they got thrashed most weeks. Just at the very end of the season they started to hit their straps, and so they managed one win against the second-worst team and a draw against the 3rd-worst team, before finishing the season losing 8-0 to the league champions.  We were all pretty ecstatic the week they won, I can tell you! Here's the Team Captain looking happy.  He worked his guts out all season in defence, and made us proud every game.



To end this post on a good note : here are the lads enjoying a delicious home-cooked breakfast of pancakes and bacon for Mister Fixit.
 

Happy Fathers Day.

The Fixit Shoulders

Climber is going to a party this weekend, a 14th birthday celebration for one of the girls in his class.  This is the same crew he went trick-or-treating with on Halloween, without adult supervision, to a vaguely specified location a few streets away, which was fine except he said he'd walk home and when it got to dark-time, he hadn't come home and wasn't answering his phone, and I got a bit anxious about him walking alone in the dark. Well, it turned out he'd lost his phone during the trick-or-treating because he'd gone dressed up as a ninja, and as such had done a lot of ninja dives and somersaults during their travels (quite understandable), and the phone had come out of his pocket.  That whole tale is very typical of Climber.  The phone was found and returned to us next day, so no harm done.



This is his crew, and for the sake of fairness, here is a picture of Cherub and his friends in their Halloween garb.  Cherub went as a pirate, arrrr.

 

I got to stay home at Halloween and hand out lollies to the local kids in the area.  I think Halloween is settling into being a thing here. The 'trick' part of 'trick-or-treat' seems to have disappeared, which is good, and the kids know to only knock at the houses where Halloween decorations are displayed, ie willing participants. (I prefer that, small children dressing up and asking nicely for sweets is one thing, but threatening harm to your property if you don't cough up is quite another!)  So as it stands, the Melbourne version of Halloween is quite a fun evening, with community spirit and friendliness and adorable dress-ups. My kids certainly enjoy it, and are still working their way through the substantial haul of sugar they received. Our dentist will be able to holiday somewhere nice.

Anyway, back to the party.  Climber asked if I could take him shopping to buy a new shirt to wear, so we did that yesterday.  It was actually really nice walking round shopping with him, although I could sense he was hoping he wouldn't run into anyone he knew, sigh.  We eventually found a shirt we liked in a department store, a boys' size 16.



We'd tried a few men's size-extra-smalls on, which were a good fit across his swimmer's shoulders, but were too long for him.  I was telling Fixit about this later and he shook his head and said the Curse of the Fixit Shoulders.  This made me laugh.  Shoulders like theirs will never be a curse. Climber just has to grow into his.

Puh-hickle Cha-hicken

Puh-hickle Cha-hicken is the current phrase that my boys use to make themselves laugh. It's in high rotation. Previous phrases in this series are: wheeeskers and: it's pronounced [insert opening of mouth and closing of eyes while touching index fingertip to thumb-tip] "neggie".  Yep. I don't really know either, but I do know I like how well they get on together. On the weekend when we drove out to visit the Fixit clan, the boys spent the journey making sentences or sums by taking turns to opera-sing a word. Climber: eight Cherub: pluuuuus Climber: seveeeen Cherub: equaaaaaaals Climber fifteeeeeen. The remainder of the journey was spent sticking their heads out of the window like dogs.





They laughed and laughed. I hope they get on this well as adults too, the loonies.

Basil is well. He's been helping me sew.  Not that I've been sewing very much, even when he doesn't sit all over my project.



Fixit seems pretty settled in at the job and it looks like they are treating him like the second-in-charge. I don't have a picture of this so here is one of Basil helping Fixit sort out his work toolbag instead.



They have not as yet made a firm offer for his long-term prospects (which I am cranky about) so he is still on a casual rate of pay and not eligible for sick leave or holiday pay.  He is not keen on rocking the boat, probably because 9 months of unemployment dented his confidence. Allegedly they will sort this out in a couple of weeks.  (Why? Why can't they do it now, since they know they want him?)  I don't have a picture of this, but I do have a picture of a new frock I bought as retail therapy for the stress I've been feeling about it.



I also bought a computer, but not as retail therapy, I bought it because we desperately needed one with an up-to-date operating system that could read modern websites.  I'd been meaning to do this just prior to Fixit being made redundant, so we've been making do for more than a long time.  It is such a relief to have something that works although I'm still ironing out a few bugs with software/organisation.  I have the makings of a new professional website that I'm really keen to get up and running, once the ironing out is done.



My poor Mother-in-Law in back in hospital AGAIN. She has had the worst year for health. On top of diabetes and chronic arthritis and an ulcerated foot which has meant months in a moon-boot, she spent the second half of last year in rehab hospital following a nasty fall in which she broke her leg and arm on one side.  Last month she had a heart attack (luckily she was already in hospital to check out what felt like an angina episode so they were able to perform CPR and bring her back to life) so that was another week in hospital.  And then yesterday she went to unlatch the door to let out the dog and fell and broke her hip.  Back in hospital again!  I don't have a picture of this so here is one of Basil helping me sort out the clean laundry instead.



It was Bookweek at Cherub's school and he chose to dress for the parade as The Joker, from Batman.




For form's sake I was heard to mutter that Batman isn't really a book, but both boys assured me that comics count as books for the purposes of Bookweek.  Cherub was very focused about this dress-up and made sure that I had plenty of notice and a clear idea of all the items required for his transformation.  Both of us were very pleased with the result.






Cherub also had his first turn at playing Goalie for his soccer team, something he has only been interested in this year, despite or perhaps because of his brother's prowess in that position.




Fixit and I and Cherub's coach all thought he did a really good job.  Being a goalie is a tough gig.



This week Climber has two school band competitions in Ballarat, as well as his first ever flute exam (Grade 2). Go Climber! He has been given a flute solo in the Junior Stage Band's rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow which is very lovely. I don't have a picture of him doing any of this, so here is a picture of him with fluffed up hair from sticking his head out the car window instead.



There are little pops of spring in our much-neglected garden.



Fixit was hired out as a Neighbourhood Fixit this month.  It felt like we never saw him when that project (hanging some doors and shelves for some friends-of-friends) was on, what with the 12 hour days he already puts in at work and him also being manager of Climber's soccer team. So he has only this week started to put our own garden to rights. Here is a picture of him multi-tasking, instructing Climber on the correct techniques of shoe-shining (the afore-mentioned band competition performances require shiny shoes) and weeding the little herb garden.  Now our Vietnamese mint can breathe again.



See how Basil is helping?

Assorted August

Fixit has manflu. I think he's had it extra badly because he's been laid off, that crash you get at the end of a long run of tension. I've tried to put up with it, and suggested Vicks Vaporub and steaming, and delivered cups of tea and hot dinners, but we're now up to Day 15 and I think someone needs to come and get him.  Maybe a Department of Human Services Intervention Unit? Because he and his sick-man noises have been around me pretty much ALL THE TIME (not going to work anymore, see) and I'm about to harm him. His mega-decibel cough, painful snoring and various disgusting snot related noises have made me so uptight that my chiropractor said there were tensed and locked muscles from the base of my neck, all up through my jaw and right to the top of my head. Enough is enough. The Top Of My Head is Tense. It's been much worse for me than for him.

Lots of Cherub doings at the moment: He had his first ever athletics carnival and came home with a 4th place ribbon in the Triple Jump. I tell my kids that Triple Jump is the one to work at, because they have dance experience and can master a step-hop-jump (or whatever the correct action is) without getting fouled, which lots of boys can't. Play to your strengths.



He also had a couple of school dress-up days. There was Dress As a Mad Scientist for Science Week, so we revamped the Graeme Garden from the Goodies outfit; the best Loony Scientist Ever.

 

Then there was the Bookweek Parade. It's all about Hobbitses for Cherub. Last year he was Bilbo Baggins, this year he was Frodo, and asked me to make him a new cloak. Ta-da! Green Frodo cloak with hood and cross-over tie in front.

 

He looks quite a lot like Frodo, I think.



I love that he still likes a dress-up. On his birthday list, he's requested a Superman Costume. We used to have one and gave it away to a smaller friend, so now I need to rustle something up. As if I don't have anything else to do. In his own quiet way Climber has also been dabbling in dress-ups. He has been very interested in soccer videos, particularly relating to the World Cup, and for many nights was wearing white shirt and shorts to bed because that's what David Beckham wore when he curved in an incredible free kick in an England World Cup Match. Then the other night he'd changed to all green because he was being an Ireland International. Pyjamas, pfft, who needs them?



Cherub has been reading his way through the 5 Rowan of Rin books. I read these to the boys when Climber was Cherub's age (Climber loved them) but Cherub does not really remember this. Another avid reader in his class got interested and borrows the books when Cherub finishes them, which lends a bit of competition to the reading endeavours and meant I woke up one morning to see this. Generally speaking I'd expect to see him playing lego before breakfast.



We bought our first ever brand new fridge with a Family Allowance refund. It is very ace having a new fridge, that seals, and doesn't frost up, and has plenty of room, and all its shelves and doors and bits. We've always had hand-me-downs before. The fridge inspector gave it an A+.



On our shiny new fridge is a magnet war. The boys place magnets on photos of each other. Every so often we'll notice that a different boy is covered up. Makes me laugh.

 

Climber gave up technology for The Forty Hour Famine, which was his high school's philanthropic project for the year 7s. He raised $320 for World Vision. He was back on the technology pretty much straight afterwards but gave it up chererfully and with pride for the duration. I was very proud of him.

 

Fixit is doing lots of fixitty projects, and putting in a few resumes to industry people. His shed is getting organised within an inch of its life. I think, like the husband of a friend of mine who was also recently retrenched, he might be enjoying unemployment a little too much. Coffees, walking, crosswords, shed-play. Interestingly though, he had a get-together on Friday with the other guys who got laid off, and they're all missing being able to talk technical talk. Seems I'm not the only partner whose eyes glaze over.


Kitty!

We've been to see Horrible Histories, Hot Shoe Shuffle and Stomp! at the theatre recently. What cultured boys. Another tap show coming up next week called Bang! Crash! Tap! It is nice to take the kids to shows, I hope they grow up to be people who go out to enjoy and support the arts.

 
 
I cracked a tap plate on my trusty purple tap shoes. The store I bought them from replaced the plates free of charge. Cracking a tap plate is pretty rare I think, but I guess I work my shoes quite hard.



Today is the last day of winter, and the sun is shining. And Fixit is getting better. Slowly. And noisily.

 

Friller

Yesterday was the big day for Cherub; the day of the Grade 3/4 Concert featuring his star turn as Michael Jackson (when the time travellers visited the 80s).  Ever since I learned he was to have a small dance solo during the song, I have been ridiculously excited, and hounded him over the weeks to show me his moves.  I'm a card-carrying Stage Mother, of course I did. But he steadfastly refused, because he wanted it to be a big surprise.  The only thing he let me in on was that he'd be doing the famous moonwalk, so we've had ongoing impromptu sessions on that: Is this right, mum?  Nearly but you need to lift the other heel as you slide the foot back etc.  I was nearly as impatient as him for the day of the concert to arrive.



The theatre had been booked when the teachers were still implementing workplace bans on out-of-hours labour as part of their industrial action.  Which meant we had to have a daytime concert.  This was not quite as much fun, as the kids got bussed back to school straight afterwards and we parents had to rush back to collect them - no big hugs in the theatre foyer and chats with other proud parents over a glass of wine.  And no going off for a celebratory gelati afterwards, our family tradition.  Nontheless, it was fun as usual to watch all those happy, enthusiastic children giving it their all.



Another Mum and I collaborated on the zombie costumes for Thriller and I was very pleased with how cool they looked. It made that boring production line sewing and running around organising fabric dye worthwhile.  But better than pride in my own handiwork was the pride I felt in the children.  A friend of mine taught me a new word recently: Nachas, which is a Yiddish word meaning the pride or joy one feels for the success of another - often one's child - particularly if one took part in the process of achieving that success.  This concert gave me great volumes of nachas, not only for my kid but also for some of my tap students who popped up with tap-dancing solos that they'd obviously choreographed themselves.  None of them told me about it beforehand either, so I was very close to squealing when they started breaking out their well-executed moves.



As for Cherub, he did such a good job!  He was word-perfect with his lines and spoke clearly and confidently.  He danced well and sang loudly and tunefully.  And when he busted out his moonwalk the crowd went wild.  Fixit and I were bursting with pride.

 

My favourite moment though, was not his splendid moonwalk.  It was the moment just before he danced his solo.  He stepped forward and adjusted his jacket and glove. Then we saw him take a big, steadying, oh-my-goodness, here-I-go breath.  And then a little grin of excited pride crept over his face, and you can see him firmly repress it, just before he listened for his cue.  It was so cute, so very him.



Great job, Cherub!