National Youth Week

Jack's entry of his feet dangling over a cliff on the Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory, taken last year on 3 October during the walk by Jack and Allan with Jack and Imogen Laing won first prize in the Secondary section of Palerang Council's photography competition to celebrate National Youth Week. The theme was "Be Active. Be Happy. Be You." and Jack's photo fitted the bill. Both Bec and I went to the Council Chambers this morning for the announcement of the winners and to enjoy morning tea. Riley Whitely won the Primary section of the competition and there were prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in both sections. Jack won a digital photo frame which is terrific.

Alexender the Great

Jack had a history excursion today to Sydney to see the Alexander the Great exhibition at the Australian Museum. He had a great time (not withstanding a day off school!) and after viewing the exhibition they had an hour to look at any exhibit they wanted to in the museum. Jack and his friends chose the dinosaurs.
Bungendore Public School had a fundraiser today for the Year 6 gift to the school. It was icecreams for $1. Meg participated with enthusiasm and joy although she did say they were small. I reminded her that it was a fundraiser and $1 wasn't a lot for an icecream. I think she was hoping for a Magnum!

Australian War Memorial Open Day

We decided to take Biggles to the Australian War Memorial Open Day as he hasn't been out and about for months due to his hip replacement. It was a magical Canberra day - cloudless, sunny and not too hot. The Open Day was fantastic - all the old guns, jeeps, canons, parts of ships, etc out on display and, as always, the items on display inside were fabulous. We saw many memorable items on display and with the stories from Biggles, it made them all the more interesting.
Allan and Meg came too and the highlight for Meg was going up in the tethered RAAF balloon with Allan. She loved it!

Hip Hop Workshop with Jack Keogh

Tomorrow Meg is doing a Hip Hop Workshop with Jack Keogh, a member of Team Rockit which is a Canberra based dance crew. Meg is very excited to be doing the workshop and when I told her that her teacher is from a "real" dance crew, she immediately asked if they were "going to the streets!" Not just yet, honey.

Biggles Flies Home

At last Biggles is home! It is great to have him back after over two months being in Sydney recuperating from his hip replacement and also being treated for Meralgia paraesthetica which is a chronic neurological disorder. He has severe pain in the outer thigh which is not caused by injury to the thigh, but by injury to a nerve that extends from the thigh to the spinal column. Biggles has had this disorder for years and there hasn't been a doctor, neurologist or other specialist who has been able to treat the problem until now. He has received treatment and hopefully it will ease the problem to a manageable degree.
We had a Chinese take-out dinner tonight to celebrate his return.

Wednesday, as usual

Well, just another Wednesday. Left around 7:30 to get Jack to Intermediate Band practice, back to Bungendore to take Meg to school, go to Kids Zone, drive to Eddies to collect Jack after Senior Band practice, drive Jack to Diana's for English tutoring, pick up Meg and drive home. Was ready to go in to pick up Jack but Allan was home in time and offered to collect Jack so I didn't have to go back into town again. A typical day.
At the National Gallery of Australia they have two fantastic sulptures on the entrance lawn. These are Eran 2010 by Thanakupi (1937-2011) of the Thaynakwith people. It stands 2.7m high and is made aluminium and metalwork. It is a wonderful sculpture and is distinctively Australian.
The second sculpture seen behind Eran is Pears by George Baldessin (1939-1978) who was born in Italy and died in Australia. Each of the seven pears is about 2.28m high and this sculpture has become iconic in the National Gallery of Australia's sculpture collection.

Aristide Bruant

Yesterday at the Australian National Gallery we saw the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition and the kids went to the children's activity room where Jack made his own copy of Toulouse-Lautrec's famous poster of Aristide Bruant, a French cabaret singer, comedian and nightclub owner.

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec at the National Gallery of Australia

Culture Day for the Donnellys. I am trying to go to one cultural event a month for both Jack and Meg during the 100 Year Centenary for Canberra as there are so many festivals and activities on, it would be a shame not to participate. So, with this in mind, we are getting in for April, albeit it for the last day of the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia. I have been meaning to get tickets for months but, as always, it is the deadline that spurs me into action.
It was terrific and the kids loved the children's activity room that the NGA always have at these major exhibitions. Meg dressed up as a French girl and also as a boy as she preferred the boy's clothes to the dresses they had available.