Idol, shopping, family and all things good

I'll update my blog by writing about the most current thing first and then filling in the bits from my last post, or at least attempt too, because so much happens that I couldn't possibly write about it all.

First of all Congratulations Wes Carr, for realizing your dream! You deserved to win the title of Australian Idol 2008. I had you pegged from the very first episode - I knew you were a winner. Your awesome talent shone through every song you sang. Absolutely amazing. There are many who can hold a tune, but you are a true entertainer. I would watch you week after week and think that surely, this genre would prove to be a stumbling block, but they never were. I look forward to buying your single 'You' which will be released in early December. Luke Dickens, runner up - I love your story, and think you did a lot of growth during the series. For someone who has never performed before, you did amazingly well. Mark Spano - you came third, but to me, are an outstanding performer. I have both the Kings of Leon 'Sex on Fire' on my itunes collection and yours and both Peter and I admit your version is better! Not often another version is better than its original. I have never watched this series in its entirety before, but think this was a great showcase of Australian talent. I am really pleased, also, that my taste in music grows as I age, and that I can still appreciate young, new talent. I will look forward to Australian Idol 2009, but wonder in all seriousness whether or not it will even come close to this series. Wes Carr and Mark Spano, if either of you come to the coast - I'm there!!!

I did some Christmas shopping this morning. I bought the kids a Wii! It's going to be loads of fun, I will enjoy playing it. While I was at Joyce Mayne the guy I talked to about camcorders, offered me a job!! He said he would line me up an interview and I could have a job and work whenever I wanted. Pretty cool. I guess girls who know and love technology are pretty light on. So I know that if I ever got sick of teaching, I could work at Camerhouse and Joyce Mayne!! Just think of the staff discounts!

Work last week, was hard. Probably moreso, because it was my fourth week of almost full time work. I was tired this week. Thursday I took a class to bowling. It was interesting. I had a child who I had to sit out from bowling as she was all over the place. Between yelling and not following instructions, she wasn't deserving of a game of bowling. I thought I'd probably have to tie her to her chair, to restrain her, but she sat beside me the entire time. It was hot there, I think the a/c was floundering with the humdity of the day. I had to do my groceries that evening, and then came home and got ready to go out shopping with Suzy. I wasn't happy because Peter didn't come home early for me. So I was ready to go and there was a storm threatening and he didn't come home until 5.30pm. I was very happy to meet up with Suzy and go and sit down and have dinner. We looked in shops and just strolled around. We bought a few things, but the focus was more on enjoying being there rather than making a great dent in the Christmas shopping.

Friday was the day of the week I was dreading. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy one. The teacher I was relieving remained in the classroom and we worked together at some point. She was making a class Christmas DVD, (the whole school is making a segment, so I have been involved in more than one during my travels). She had organized that we would prepare a luncheon and she would decorate the room while I worked with the children in the kitchen. All sounds very simple, and had we not had the violent, unpredictable, ADHD or whatever kid, it would have been a cruisy day. Kids like that don't like it when things aren't kept tight and structured. Mind you, on a good, easy day, he's hard work, so I dont know why I'm making excuses. At one point he wanted his morning tea, and I said it wasn't quite time. He grabbed a small sharp knife to cut his mangoe and I told him to put it down and take a safer knife. Then later, he wouldn't wait his turn, or actually I can't quite remember what set him off. He grabbed a knife off the table, I yelled at my assistant to grab the child, and then the child grabbed another knife. They weren't pointy, but they were both sharp and serrated and he was waving them around wildly. Thankfully my assistant was a male, and he was strong enough to restrain him. I grabbed the child along the shoulder muscles and pinched, he dropped both knives to the ground. Policy dictates that we should remove all kids from the room and have left him in there. But that was impossible. There were six other kids in the room, one in a wheelchair, and instinct just overtook. My assistant wasn't the fasted moving person in the world, but responds well to whatever I say which is awesme. We got the child out of the room and both of us were shaking.

We had our lunch, and I had to film that part for the Christmas DVD. The kids weren't happy! The whole day had been spoilt. I really felt for them.

I went scrapping that night, but was home by 10.30pm. I was exhausted.

The office wanted to see me before I left that afternoon, and I wondered whether they were going to tell me not to come back - seeing as I couldn't control this kid and all.

They offered me more work.

I must have done something right!

I have more to talk about the weekend and some photos - it's late and I need bed.