WHEN I woke up on Monday it was to a clear blue sky and sunshine coming through the windows.
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What a change from the grey, dull days of last weeks.
Then, of course, it struck me that Spring had actually sprung at last and I wondered just how long the break in the weather would last and hoped the ground would dry out a little and give the gardens time to get back on track.
Surely the farmers have had enough precipitation for a while by now and their paddocks also need to dry out a bit.
School report
BOOK Week was celebrated this year with a competition to find out just where a child can practice their reading skills and from the photos in the school newsletter last week it would seem the pupils at Mount George School can definitely read anywhere at any time and to anyone who will listen.
Ryan Hardgrave, it seems, invites his horse inside to hear his oral reading practice.
Ayla Turner lies along the back of "Nifty" who is well known as a part of a tandem harness duo which used to win the scurry races at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, pulling a four wheeled home built carriage round Sydney Show arena.
Jordan Aqualina reads as he bounces almost upside down on a trampoline.
Ethan Trafford practices reading and flying on a broomstick in preparation for getting in to replace Harry Potter at school and Darcey Fry even reads in the bath (I hope she remembers to wash behind her ears before she gets out).
I guess it just goes to show reading can be done anywhere at any time.
It was interesting to see that even the parents joined in the photo competition.
What a shame we didn't get to see the snaps of where they like to read.
What a great time the pupils must have had on August 26 when Aunty Mary, an Aboriginal Elder, visited and spoke with them.
I dare say they learned a lot about the culture and beliefs of the people who were here long before the Europeans landed.
I can remember the Elders preparing a barbecue lunch for the classes at Manning Gardens School once when I was teaching there and we had gone to Saltwater for the occasion.
My class loved watching the cooking over the open fire and hearing the Dreamtime stories they were told.
This type of interaction is, in my opinion, what is needed between all races making up our wonderful "Australian" culture if we want to get rid of racial discrimination and the young are the people we need to educate.
Let's get back to the future now, though.
It is wonderful that the school now has 10 iPods and a sync station which will bring our pupils further into the 21st century once the station is loaded with educational apps for use by the pupils.
If your family has this type of technology at home and is lucky enough to possess any educational apps your children enjoy using you are quite welcome to have them loaded onto the school sync station so the other pupils can also use them to develop their technological skills and be exposed to more educational material than just that which the school can provide right now.
Vale, Stanley Mills
THE thoughts of all the extended families and friends of Bruce Mills are with his family at present as they cope with the loss of Bruce's father, Stanley, last week.
I believe the family knew his passing was near but knowing is certainly much different to being able to accept the fact when it comes to pass.
Everyone hopes that all his relatives and friends can manage to remember only good times with him to help them through this difficult time.
May it help them to know that they are being thought of by their many friends right now.
Happy Birthday wishes
THIS month starts with equal numbers of both sexes celebrating birthdays.
Of course it must be ladies before gentlemen so we say Happy Birthday to Sally Johnstone (nee Murray) and Roslyn Mills who has moved over the range and is now a "Westie".
They are joined by Jye Kleindeinst and Trevor Poulton.
I hope you all have great birthdays and, who knows, maybe Trevor can even win at cards this week to help him celebrate.