Mr Nine-Year-Old's teacher is into giving homework, and she is most definitely into drumming in grammar - hallelujah!
There are benefits for all in this, and not just to Mr Nine-Year-Old as his poor Mummy has to try and keep up. So when he asks her to explain prepositions, she has to have a good hard think and come up with the goods (or at least know where to sneak a peek at a grammar book without being seen). It's damn good practice for a writer. And I always maintained the only reason I got a university education was so I could at least try and seem clever to my kids. So tonight my memory has been jogged on the adjective, preposition and adverb front, but now I'm feeling a little weary and need a cup of tea and a chockie bikkie to get over it...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
You give me the chills
The Met Service got it right!!!!!
Snow Day...
School's closed.
Roads are closed.
Airport is closed, so Mum's here for another day.
Work is closed.
Play ground is open!
.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Big Sleep
I've been enjoying reading so much about Raymond Chandler and his writing recently that when I saw this title in The University Book Shop for the miserly sum of $12.99 I simply couldn't resist. Especially when the first thing written on the back cover is the quote...
"Neither of the two people in the room paid any attention to the way I came in, although only one of them was dead."
Then when I was googling to find the right cover image I came across this article which talks about an Los Angeles Raymond Chandler tour.
I wonder if they'll ever have a Vanda Symon Dunedin tour, for all the interesting places I've dumped bodies and had, er, slightly dramatic events? Time will tell.
The met service have issued a heavy snow warning for Dunedin overnight. Lets see if they get it right this time!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Just in case
It is amazing what you find in the desperate hunt for something else.
In this instance I was searching out my old fencing jacket and pants. I had found all the other gear, foils, mask, glove, plastron, tin tits, but the clothing articles eluded me. They still do.
While I was hunting through some old suitcases, as well as finding articles of clothing I wore when I was pregnant (must learn to get rid of stuff) I found, used as lining in the bottom of the case, an old copy of the Otago Daily Times, dated Thursday November 15 1990.
The headline reads "Hours of terror end." Then "Gunman shot after killing 11 at Aramoana."
Wow, what an amazing find, and fascinating to read about it as reported at the time with photos, maps and diagrams. It also made me feel very sad. My main memory of that day, as I was living in Dunedin at the time was the thrumming sound of helicopters back and forth. I also remember thinking, god, I hope I don't know anyone out there, as although Dunedin is a large city, it's a small town.
In international news, Howe condemned Thatcher, The US planned to test-fire missiles in the Pacific and were meeting opposition, and Ronnie Woods, guitarist for The Rolling Stones had broken both legs after being hit by a car.
What treasures we find when we delve into the depths of the cupboards. I might go and see what else I can find, although the risk to life and limb from potential avalanche of junk is great . If no one hears from me for a few days, assume the worst and send out a search party...
In this instance I was searching out my old fencing jacket and pants. I had found all the other gear, foils, mask, glove, plastron, tin tits, but the clothing articles eluded me. They still do.
While I was hunting through some old suitcases, as well as finding articles of clothing I wore when I was pregnant (must learn to get rid of stuff) I found, used as lining in the bottom of the case, an old copy of the Otago Daily Times, dated Thursday November 15 1990.
The headline reads "Hours of terror end." Then "Gunman shot after killing 11 at Aramoana."
Wow, what an amazing find, and fascinating to read about it as reported at the time with photos, maps and diagrams. It also made me feel very sad. My main memory of that day, as I was living in Dunedin at the time was the thrumming sound of helicopters back and forth. I also remember thinking, god, I hope I don't know anyone out there, as although Dunedin is a large city, it's a small town.
In international news, Howe condemned Thatcher, The US planned to test-fire missiles in the Pacific and were meeting opposition, and Ronnie Woods, guitarist for The Rolling Stones had broken both legs after being hit by a car.
What treasures we find when we delve into the depths of the cupboards. I might go and see what else I can find, although the risk to life and limb from potential avalanche of junk is great . If no one hears from me for a few days, assume the worst and send out a search party...
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Horse and His Boy
By C.S. Lewis.
The boys and I have just finished for our bed-time story book one of my favourite Narnia tales.
Who could resist a run away from home story like this? Especially if you're a boy. Just look at it. Not only does our hero Shasta discover he's got a talking horse, he gets to team up with a pretty and feisty girl (my boys are at the we still like girls stage, not ew, girl-germs stage) and find out not only that he has a twin brother, but that he's a prince for heaven's sake! His long-lost Daddy is the king. What more could a boy want?!!!
Lovely stuff.
On to The Last Battle...
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
I made the mistake of finishing this book at bedtime. Sleep was not forthcoming. My mind kept mulling over the people in this book, what happened to them, their courage, their spirit. I ended up having to get out of bed and go get a cup of tea. I was up most of the night. Consequently I feel like a dead duck in a thunder storm.
It's all your fault Markus. It's all your fault for crafting such a remarkable novel. It's all your fault for making me care so much about these people, about Liesel, and Rudy, and Max, and Mama and Papa. It's all your fault for making me think about the plight of the ordinary German trying to survive in war-time Germany. It's all your fault for making me care about Death.
Damn you.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Write On Radio Show day
It's radio show time again - a month swings around very quickly! The show is broadcast live at noon on Toroa Radio 1575 kHz AM in Dunedin, or live streamed from their website.
Here's the bits on my guests today:
Raymond Huber’s children’s novel Sting buzzed out into the world earlier this year. Raymond had previously written science books for school children, and this is his first work of fiction.We’ll talk about Sting and bees and the pleasures of combining art and science.
Joanna Orwin is the 2009 Otago University College of Education Children’s Writer in Residence. She is an award winning writer of many children’s fiction and non-fiction books. We’ll talk about her writing and the residency, and also about her more recent works including My Story, Kauri In My Blood. The Diary of Laura Ann Findlay. The Coromandel, 1921-24.
Here's the bits on my guests today:
Raymond Huber’s children’s novel Sting buzzed out into the world earlier this year. Raymond had previously written science books for school children, and this is his first work of fiction.We’ll talk about Sting and bees and the pleasures of combining art and science.
Joanna Orwin is the 2009 Otago University College of Education Children’s Writer in Residence. She is an award winning writer of many children’s fiction and non-fiction books. We’ll talk about her writing and the residency, and also about her more recent works including My Story, Kauri In My Blood. The Diary of Laura Ann Findlay. The Coromandel, 1921-24.
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