Observations from a Dance Concert

Well another dance concert over and done with! Mr G had his 30yr school reunion last night so, while I initially intended to volunteer back stage again this year, I thought Miss R should have at least one family member in the audience, even though she was only doing tap this year, so only appeared twice.

So these are my observations from last night.....

• I just don't get hip-hop. A bunch of 8-9yo girls posturing like they want to have a street fight is just wrong on so many levels.
• It may well be as boring as bat shit, but the girls have worked hard for this all year so do you really need to play with  your iphone constantly?? And this was both parents....Dad I could perhaps understand but the mother as well? Just plain rude IMHO.
• No way did it look like Miss T had had a baby just 4 weeks ago!
• Dozens and dozens of raffle prizes but we didn't manage to win anything.....and yet 3-4 people won more than one prize??? How does that work?
• How do they make the bras look backless? I could tell the older girls were wearing them, because I could see the clear strap over the shoulders, but nothing at the (low) back. I spent most of those dances trying to figure it out.
• One little girl in the classical group was hilarious! She spent the whole dance pulling faces - but I don't think she was even aware that she was doing it. At first I thought she was yawning, then counting silently but I think that was how she was concentrating. Too funny!

So there you have it. I went thinking it was my last ever dance concert but on the way home, Miss R informed me that she wants to keep doing tap next year, and maybe pick up jazz again (if there is a Junior team; she struggled with Inters which is why she dropped it after first term). Oh joy!

Day Surgery.....and other medical updates

No, no day surgery for the human occupants of this household, but the youngest doggy member spent yesterday at the vet's having his teeth polished and his nails clipped.

 

Fortunately it wasn't as bad as we had anticipated and he didn't need to have any teeth extracted. (His breath was so appalling we figured there had to be a rotten tooth back there somewhere!) So it only cost just over $300 instead of just over $600. Phew! I was imagining a conversation along the lines of "yes, Miss R, I know you wanted a DSi for Christmas, but look, hasn't Neo got lovely shiny teeth??? Now go play with your lump of coal."

In other medical news, the blood tests showed that Miss R has a slight iron deficiency which may well account for her constant tiredness, so she's now on iron tablets. To help with absorption, she should also eat plenty of fruit. Hah! Miss R has NEVER eaten fruit.....we heard rumours once that she had eaten watermelon but I think that story is on par with the one about the Loch Ness Monster. I believe it is a sensory issue...she doesn't like the texture so who cares about the taste. Any attempts to get her to eat fruit are met with a staunch (and unwavering) "I don't like(insert type of fruit here) ". Short of prying her lips open and forcing her to chew, I can see no way of increasing her fruit intake. Apparently taking the tablet with a glass of apple juice (the only juice she will even contemplate) is better than nothing, so that's what we'll be doing. 

The GP also took a look at her acne-riddled forehead and put her on antibiotics and a cream to help clear her skin. The rash-like acne has only appeared in the last 6-8 months and - according the hairdresser - is due to her oily hair. (Which I tend to believe as the acne is also all over her back and chest.) Colouring her hair when she's older will help as that tends to dry the hair out. Miss R seems pretty oblivious to the acne, so I didn't want to make it an issue, but the GP said that it would be better to clear it up now before it gets any worse. I don't know quite how I feel about this - on the one hand, I'm happy to do anything to make Miss R's life easier, but on the other hand, I can't help thinking that it's a bit of an over-reaction, given that she's not yet 13. I've canvassed a few opinions from other parents of teenagers - some for, some against - but am still mulling it over.

Well, Miss R is due to be collected from her dance rehearsal - concert is next week - so I'd better be off.

Swoon!

Poor Miss R has to have a blood test so Mr G took her around the corner to Gribbles first thing this morning. The nurse had a very tricky time finding a vein (just like me!) and the poor love ended up passed out in the chair........no blood though, so she has to go back and try again tomorrow morning.

Then Mr G took her over the road to the nearby Hungry Jacks where she passed out again....not a good morning for her!!

Long Weekend

And it also coincides with Hard Rubbish collection in our council area. So the footpaths are full of dross (as Mr G refers to it) and the streets are full of cars with trailers, as people cruise around dredging through the rubbish looking for......gold perhaps??? I tell you, it's like a professional racket......the car pulls up, 2 men hop out and throw anything they deem worthy onto the growing pile in the trailer on the back. A part of me is happy - one man's trash and all that - but mostly I resent that most of the stuff ends up as scrap metal. Ideally, I'd like someone in need to take those bikes, not someone who is just going to strip them down. And I'd be MUCH happier if they didn't come trawling around at 4am!!!!

Not much left in our pile but I forget to take a photo yesterday.

And the baby quilt is now complete and all boxed up ready to give to the recipient. She doesn't start her maternity leave until November but I think I'll give it to her next week regardless. I hope she likes it; personally I think it's GORGEOUS.  :-)

 

I've cross hatched through the half square triangles and then "stippled" in the border. As the border is very geometric, I've stippled in straight lines using my walking foot, which looks very effective! The hearts fabric on the back is from Ikea and so cute. I've tried to make it gender-neutral, but unfortunately it is a little 'boyish' but I was influenced by the fact that she already has a boy. I really don't think it will matter if this one is a girl though.