Next Chapter... Dear friends (if anyone still looks at this!) We came to Leongatha nearly four years ago. What a journey to get here it was. We have had four great years in many respects. Sam was able to go to CEDA for schooling. HE will finish there, almost, this year and wants to go to Melbourne for the final Year 13. So, we expect him to be gone from home next year. He wants to share with some friends, and his girlfriend. The latter part of that is not comfortable with us and could prove problematic for him in the future. But... he knows best of course. She is a lovely girl though, don't get me wrong. Jessie will be in Year 8 next year. She has a very restricted circle of fiend here at 'Gatha. It was Judith and my thinking that it would be good to get Jessie into a large church and school community soon, before the BIG years at school start in earnest. That's how we were thinking. LAst week I was told I don't have a job next year and Judith was offered only 1 1/2 days a week. It was a kick in the guts, to feel unvalued. I am not sure what else I could have done to be worth keeping, but obviously it was not enough. Consequently, we are now looking to where the next 'adventure', as Jude calls it, will be. We are leaning towards moving to the Peninsula area. Perhaps Somerville, Langwarrin or Narre Warren South. I have applied for several jobs already and am getting my resume done professionally. That means a move again, a new home loan, sad. We will never own a home now :-( unless something changes, which it could I guess. So, disturbing times. An adventure ahead no doubt. Who knows what we will be up to in the near future.

Pics.

Well, it does insert the pics after you publish the post. Good. Used to show it before publishing though. A bit annoying. The pic in the last post of the fire is using a feature of the new camera. On 'Nightshot' setting it take four pics quickly and mashes them together to form one pic. So that is a pic taken hand-held, no flash. I used to do that with film cameras, but it needed a tripod and someone to sit still for three or four minutes. How great is that. I have scanned many of our old pics now as well as all my slides. Ahhh. I used to have a red beard and hair on top. When I showed my photography students the old one of me on Little Horn, Cradle Mountain on one leg, they berated me for being so reckless!! (They pointed out that I tell them to be careful all the time). Cheers

Time flies

Has it really been that long since I was on the iMac?? I am now usually on the iPad, so don't get to this much, as you can see. Just re-read the last post. Pretty sad. I nearly deleted it, but it is how I often feel so, for the sake of history, I will leave it. What has been happening at the Clark's? Well, lots. Sam is nearly 18. He is flexing his authority a lot at times, and Jude is better at turning away than I am. He has a girlfriend, a nice girl, Holly by name. He seems to be taking his own course, as one should. Some aspects concern me, such as the deteriorating language. Jude says they all do it now-days, but I am worried about the eternal side of things. Jess is growing fast and developing into a little lady now. Seem sto be handling it quite well so far, occasional mood swings, but not too bad. Jude is great. There are some health issues that are a bit mysterious, she had a few pains that are strange and we don't know what they are, but overall she is fine. I am lighter than I used to be. Just reached the -11kg mark this week. I am aiming to lose another 5 or so kg. Might try to get further even, if that is possible. I walk to and from work each day, 14 mins. each way, eat less, keep away from potato, sugar and Jasmine rice. Slowly working. I snore less now and I have lost a couple of bra sizes as well! Bought a new camera (Canon 650D and second hand lens (28-135mm IS USM). It takes great pics. Still not a pro camera, but much better than the Canon 350D I had before. Been to a few weddings since last post. One on the Gold Coast, one in Tas. and one in Gippsland. All good, but I really liked the music from the Gold Coast one, the family in Tas. and the friends in Gippsland. All special in their own ways. Still no calls from the kids in Tasmania. Guess there never will be :-( School is about to merge with another one, so we are being interviewed for our jobs again. We are pretty unsettled as a result, as are the rest of the staff. Well, I tried to insert a few pics and I have the HTML code instead. I will post this now and see if it sorts itself out or not.