Christmas 2010

My First Project

I am just getting to grips with the video editing software on my new Mac pro desktop computer. It is so easy to connect and upload video and photographs to flickr and YouTube all with just the press of a button.

1st day of the Summer School Holidays

It is the beginning of the summer school holidays and as a mother I have survived the 1st half day! Chaos reigned at school pick up time, with parents dumping their cars in selfish, stupid places which caused a backlog of traffic outside of school along the road.
I promised the girls they could have two friends over each yesterday which didn't really work out as planned. I used this promise to extract good behavior from them ever since we moved into the house and I also wanted to see their school reports before I gave the final green light. This meant that they only got to make the invitations for their chosen friends two days before the end of term and Jemima went into a spin when she forgot to take hers to school. This meant that Jasmine just got to have one friend over and Jemima didn't get to have any friends. This resulted in a little sulking and a few tantrums but overall we all came through the afternoon rather unscathed.
I was very calm, explained things well and defused all arguments.
I attempted a Christmas artistic pizza, I cut pitta breads into Christmas tree shapes and topped them with pizza sauce, cheese and green pepper. I'm not sure any of them noticed but at least I tried!

I am grateful we have a pool.
Chris and I were talking yesterday and we haven't found so far there is too much upkeep involved in having a pool. After we moved in, I took a sample of the pool water to the local pool supply shop and they tested it. They gave me the appropriate chemicals to add along with clear instructions. All I have ever done since is dip a testing stick in every week, read the results and all has been great. Chris views his 'pool scooping' of all the leaves as therapy time. He wanders back and forth catching all the leaves in his net and seems to give a satisfying sigh when it is clear.
The girls and their friend yesterday had a great time swimming in the pool and creating a whirl pool in the spa. This meant there were no complaints of being bored and once they tired of that they were all happy to play a computer vet game on the laptop.

So roll on the next six weeks, I just can't believe it is Christmas next week!

Crisis in confidence

Professionally since arriving in Australia my feet haven't touched the ground and I have hardly had time to draw breath but I am beginning to have a crisis in confidence.
For the last three years I have had the one professional aim, to become a midwifery tutor. I began my post graduate qualifications with this goal in mind.
I was unsuccessful in achieving this goal in New Zealand and indeed it soon became apparent that 'my face didn't fit' and I wasn't 'one of the girls' and my career was dying a death.
As my feet touched the soil here in Australia I was asked by Griffith University to write some of the online material for their student midwives. This was an opportunity which came to me via Sarah Stewart, my great friend, best supporter and fantastic mentor.
This has been a great challenge for me, around organizing my writing, deciding objectives, learning outcomes and sourcing learning material. All this was occurring as we were settling into a new country, finding a new home, having financial worries and moving house once again once we had purchased our new house.
I do realize that I am not a good academic writer but I am hoping to overcome this with the phcred program I have gained at Melbourne university. This is a program that takes you through a research program of your own supporting you with study days and support through the ethics process and gives you the title of honorary research fellow.
Yet back to my crisis, over the last couple of weeks I have begun to re evaluate whether I am actually good enough to be a midwifery tutor. I have the clinical experience, I love educating student midwives, I love passing on my experience and empowering students through learning but I am not sure that it is enough. I am not sure I am good enough. I am not sure this is the path for me. The politics of midwifery in Australia is in a dreadful state and the politics within the university setting seems even worse.
I know I have plenty on my plate at the moment. Not only am I trying to finish off the modules for Griffith, I have also started a research assistant post with Professor of medicine and Dean of the medical school. This means I will be involved with a couple of research projects as well as my own over the next year. This will give me a number of published papers in the not too distant future.
So I am slightly drifting at the moment without a clear direction or map of where I am heading. I have a feeling that I may face some rough seas and for now I may need to see where things take me.

woof here and woof there, here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof woof

Meet Homie. We rescued him two weeks ago from Bendigo RSPCA. He is classed as a 'senior' dog as he is 9yrs old his owners surrendered him because they are moving interstate. Homie doesn't like to be in the sectioned off part of the yard he has already discovered that he can dig holes under the fence to get out. This has meant that I have had to walk him every morning before I go to work so that he can stay inside during the day.

The walking isn't a bad thing but I have developed the Aussie 'wave' wafting flies constantly out of my face. Why are Aussie flies like this? I am also covered in enormous mossie bites and even when I put on repellent before the walk they find a spot on me that hasn't been sprayed (ear).


Meet Abbey, she is a Labrador crossed with a poodle. We are also dog sitting for my boss, Professor of Medicine and Dean of the medical school, Dawn Dewitt. She has gone on holiday to the UK and America. Unfortunately Abbey developed kidney stones the night before her mums departure which meant a night at the vets. She was even more confused when we picked her up and brought her to a strange house.

The two dogs are tolerant of each other at the moment and just show signs of jealousy when one gets more attention that the other, this tends to result in a little growling and snapping at each other.

The girls are loving having two dogs but Abbey does insist in sleeping in our room which means I can hear her scratching and turning over in her sleep. I am sure I will become accustomed to it but for now I am extremely tired.