What School Did You Go To?

Ever been asked a simple question, and realised that the answer is not so simple? For instance recently I was asked, “Where did your kids go to School”? Like, which kid and which year?
For me the answer is simple. Not only did I not go to Kindergarten, but I only ever went to two schools in my whole life. Three if you count Bible Collage! {They were Kangaroo Ground Primary School, and Watsonia Technical School. (&Bible Collage of Victoria @ Lilydale)}
However for our/my Children it is very different as they went to quite a few different schools in two different states of Australia and even overseas too.
The ones I remember are listed below, with whichever child attended them listed as 1, 2, or 3, standing for First-born, second-Born and last-Born respectively. Schools:
1 & 2. Diamond Creek East Kindergarten.
1. Diamond Creek East Primary School.
1 & 2. Lilydale West Primary School.
1 & 2. Wagga South Primary School
3. Wagga Ashmont Pre-School
1, 2 & 3.Kew East Primary School
1. Kew East High School
Then in South Africa:
1, 2 &3 Umtata High School in its original 3 subdivisions.
Then after it separated into its 3 separate main branches
2 & 3.Transkei Primary School
1, 2 & 3. Umtata High School.
Also: 2. Port Elizabeth Technikon.
Then back in Oz:
3. Belgrave South Primary School
1 & 2. Upwey High School
3. Lilydale High school
1 & 3. Swinburne University Lilydale Campus.
Enough of me and mine. How about you? Was your schooling as complicated as that? Or even worse? If so, please share it with us.
And also what are some other simple questions that are not so simple for you to answer? Your contributions welcomed, please?

That’s what Dad said!

Although a mature young lady and about to be married soon, I had occasion to council her recently on the death of a beloved pet. And of course, me being me, did it in my own unique style, which seemed to work okay.
A bit later, over lunch, I had the occasion to overhear her side of a telephone conversation. At that stage I had no idea who was on the other end, except to conclude that they must have been very wise indeed! Just like me! Because all I kept hearing on this end, was, “That’s what dad said!” “That’s what dad said!” Must have heard it 3 or four times at least, not that I was counting!
Anyway, later I found out that the party on the other end was my very own first born! And it seems even if I hadn’t taught her much, I had at least taught her to be like me.
Now, whether that is a good thing or not, I will leave that with you, but it does point to the fact that those closest to us, do both see and imbibe, even if by osmosis, what they see and hear in and from us. So one always needs to be careful of the example we are leaving with others and especially those closest to us, don’t we?
So, who is learning what from you right now, and is it something that you would be proud to hear them say, “That’s what ****** said"?

What Would It Take To Make You Happy?

If you have been following my blogs for a while you will know by now that I took up swimming about 15 months ago, at the initial suggestion from my then physiotherapist. That and the invitation of a previous employer of mine to join him in swimming once a week. You will also know that while I have finally been able to get some distance in and swim around 1 km each time, basically I suck as a swimmer, and am as slow as a wet weekend.
Last year our son decided to go scuba diving in the Whitsunday passage for a week with some of his friends and so went for His “Basic Diving licence” before hand. Despite not having swum since he left school and not even much then, he was soon doing the required 200 odd meters required before I was even doing 100.
Then a couple of months back our last born started swimming once a week with her friends and thought she would get some extra practice in with Dad. Well her mother decided she would come too, so the three of us went swimming. By the second week my wife was doing 600 metres and our last-born was doing even more, and much more than me, and much faster too!
A fact that I lamented to our first born, who replied, “ Well dad, what do you want me to do? Come swimming with you too, and drown in the first 50 metres, just to prove that you are not the worst swimmer in the Family?” (Now somehow, I rather suspect that rather than drown in the first 50 metres, it too would not be long before she would be swimming as far as the rest of us, if not better than me.)
However her comment made me wonder if sometimes we do focus too much on what we can’t do, or on what others can do better than us. Rather than on focusing on what we can actually do, no matter how poorly compared to others. After all, many have drowned simply because they could not swim, even as poorly as me.
So the lesson for today is, to be happy with what you have and with what you can do, and not to worry about what you don’t have and can’t do! So, get out there and enjoy your own achievements, no matter how limited they may seem to others and ENJOY the rest of your life.

Who is top dog now and why?

The other Night I received a phone call about 7pm and a women’s’ frantic voice came babbling on excitedly. Unfortunately the only words I could understand in her panic, was “blood every where.” Fortunately, I was able to recognise the frantic, high-pitched voice and so I said don’t panic I am on my way over now.

As I knew it was my/our own first-born and because I know that there are two dogs there, I guessed it was one of them’s blood and not our first-born’s brother or sister's blood everywhere. So I didn’t break too many laws getting there, although I didn’t waste any time either.

Well by the time we got the 5kms there, things had settled down and the blood had stopped flowing and in fact, was mostly cleaned up by the time we got there. As I had predicted, it was the dogs’ blood, or more correctly mostly from one of them. What I hadn’t predicted and would have been wrong had I tried, was who came out on top of the argument.

From previous experience, even though there is no door between them, they are fed in different parts of the house, as Charlie tends to gulp his food down, while George leisurely takes his time to eat his. Thinking that he is top dog there, Charlie often finishes his and unless stopped or otherwise prevented, comes along and pushes George out of the way and eats his too. Yes unless prevented by a human that is, that is what Charlie does, because George always let him.

Well did, may be more the operative word here, as this time, George not only fought back but came out on top. For now at least. I suspect that there may be a few more tussles in the future, but for now at least, George is top dog, much to Charlies chagrin.

Why? Because Charlie pushed his boundaries and his weight, one time two many and George, who had been co-operative till then, had had enough and not only fought back but won and took Charlie’s position at Number one spot. Now Charlie may never get it back again or if he does, it will be over a lot more spilt blood and probably a lot of his own again too.

How true of our lives is this too? Sometimes people just assume top position, and others will, even if unwillingly allow it without any real opposition, but when the people at the top, start to abuse their power too much, people eventually fight back and often like George, come out on top. And if you wish to replace them again, it becomes, bloody, messy and usually very costly to all involved.

So the moral today is, if you are already on top of the pile, learn from Charlie’s misfortune and don’t abuse your power, or you might just loose it unexpectedly and bloodily too, like Charlie did. Fortunately his two wounds were largely superficial but he still looked a mess. You may end up that way, or worse too, if you abuse your power, so don’t please?

Mismatched or complimentary?

I was recently reminiscing to my First Born daughter about a couple of the dogs from my childhood. At first sight, they were as a mismatched pair of male dogs that you had ever seen, four years apart in age. The oldest and smallest of the two was Bluey, who was a Queensland Blue Healer. (Now called, Australian Cattle Dogs.) The other was called Wimpy and was a brindle coloured Greyhound.

Now Wimpy was acquired because dad had always wanted a Whippet and thought that a Whippet would be better than Bluey in catching the abundant rabbits that abounded then. Unfortunately, when one of our Aunties purchased a Whippet pup for Dad at the Melbourne market, she was sold a pup! A greyhound pup that is!

Anyway we got Wimpy and when he grew up he was dynamite on rabbits! If the paddock was big enough for him that is! In an open paddock he was able to quickly run them down, far outpacing Bluey, who vainly followed far behind. In smaller areas however, Wimpy’s weakness was soon displayed to all. In confined spaces, the rabbits had a habit of turning back when he was nearly on them and he was unable to turn sharp enough to follow them. However that was where Bluey came in. He could never keep up with Wimpy but always followed along well behind and when the rabbits turned to escape from Wimpy, they often ran back into the open Jaws of Bluey.

Although mismatched in size, height, weight, colour, age and speed, they were a very coinordinated team, when it came to working a paddock.

What about you? Forget what your workmate, friends, or partner looks like, how well do you work together? As a team of two, complimenting each others weakness, working together for the common Good of all? Or as two individuals competing against each other?

Also don’t be discoursed by first appearances. Wimpy may not have been the dog dad wanted but he did the job dad wanted. And he did it well! Well, as well as his size would allow. So even though dad knew with one glance that this so called “3 month old Whippet”, was more likely a “3 week old Greyhound”, He stuck with him and never once regretted it. Although at first he was a big sook and whimpered all night, hence his name!

What about you? Are you prepared to give new-comers ago, even if they initially fall short of your previous expectations? Over to you: Walter