Is there anything sweeter than the first days of a long holiday period? The weeks stretch out before me. I am generating lots of to do lists and pottering around setting little things straight around my home. I am preparing for our summer trip and excited about the adventure it will be. I am purchasing last minute gifts for Christmas and looking forward to the big day when I’ll feast with the family and give and get.
Yesterday, although it was the first day of my holidays, I went into work to tie up a few loose ends that in my rush to finish I had not managed to attend to. I tried to kid myself that it would wait until next year, but they niggled at me in the morning and I knew they would lose their significance if I didn’t have them done. I feel at peace now and complete with my year.
In reflecting on this year of teaching, it hasn’t been one of my better years to be honest. I have been cranky and haven’t managed to build positive relationships with as many of my students as I have in previous years. I am aware of some of the reasons for this, but can not excuse myself. I have made my work harder and feel I have not given my best to the kids. Over the holidays I want to redesign my thinking in this area. I like teaching because I learn so much. I am letting it go now though. It’s done. Next year I will be better for having learnt what I have this year.
Sculptures at Botanical Garden, Ballarat
When I was at Ballarat on the weekend we visited the Botanical Gardens and I got lots of little clips of the sculptures and statues there. I was really saddened by the ones that had to be housed in the greenhouse building and had been vandalised. I don’t understand why people would destroy public property that is so beautiful and a gift for everyone. This photo may need to be enlarged to read the history of the statues. I will be adding to the revver collection of Ballarat Sculptures so if you are interested check back.
Ballarat Wedding
I spent the weekend in Ballarat. My brother was married on Friday there and we spent the weekend, since we were there. It was a great family occasion. I feel pretty blessed by my large extended family. I was chatting to my cousin and a brother at one stage of the night and we all agreed we were pretty lucky in the family department. Our family gets together and has a good time. The wedding was very beautiful and I was proud of my brother and his wife and the way they expressed their committment to each other with such love and pleasure.
I haven’t been to Ballarat for a long time. In fact I think it was an excursion when I was doing my HSC (contemporary VCE or Year 12). I don’t remember much about my previous visits and I enjoyed seeing Ballarat now. It had a spacious and gracious feel to it. The old houses are distinctive and individual and the streets are wide.
We enjoyed the place we stayed at and visited the Botanical Gardens on the Sunday before heading home. I will put some video’s up on revver. I took mainly videos of the sculptures in the park.