The light at the end of the tunnel

Good Morning Bloggers,
It's a lovely Saturday Morning here in the Upper Hunter. There's lots of washing to do, cleaning and tidying to be done before Vegeboy and two of his friends arrive here for the next two days for a belated birthday soiree (ie sleepover and trip to the movies tomorrow). I can't wait. He's disappointed as 2 others that he really wanted to be with him have to go to their dad's for the holidays...ah the joys of the blended family.
My brother and his family will be calling in about lunchtime on their way through to Mudgee, so I'd best get some food in, and 3yr old-proof the place. I want to go the the church bargain bazaar this morning too. They have some of the best bargains around. And yet here I sit to blog.......
Yesterday was an emotional day for us. Gorgeous Girl had her last day at school... ever....before sitting her HSC exams in 3 weeks, and we attended her Yr 12 assembly. The atmosphere was quite "full". I managed to secure a front row seat next to a lovely lady, Anna. Beloved didn't think he'd be able to get there, but came in and stood up the back not too long after it all started.
This was not a formal, stuffy, ceremony. The kids set the tone early in the piece. A child had been chosen from each of the years to give a short speech to see the Yr 12's on their way. Scorpa-boy gave the obligatory 1 minute Yr 10 farewell speech and was entertaining and well received. A number of the seniors presented a speech reflecting their feelings re the last few years; all were marvelous. The principal paled in comparison with these kids; he was monotone and boring, but has improved over the last 3 years. By the time Vege-boy leaves in 6 years, Principal Boring might be half as good as his students. GG was supposed to give a quick welcome speech to the incoming school exectutive, but time ran out, so she didn't have to. She's not worried; she will be speaking at the Formal Dinner. GG's favourite teacher, the lovely Helen, has been their Year Co-advisor, has been with this group from year 7, was on the stage with them and was teary all the way through the ceremony. All awards were handed out; GG received a Platinum award for school service (and whatever else, she's not sure; she insists she hasn't done much; oh yeah, that's why she was elected vice-captain) and 2 firsts placings in Community and Family Studies and Hospitality.
Theirs in not a large group of Yr 12s, and even though there are groups within the whole, there is no competition or animosity between them. They are extremely supportive of each other both in and out of school life. And what a talented group they are: artists, singers, musicians and musos, sportspersons, actors, engineers in the making, writers, academics and more. These kids are Great! I can't wait to see where they are in 10 years.
There are a couple of take home messages from yesterday's assembly. These from the Year Advisor (my pick from his 9);

• Girls; forgive boys from any forgetting of birthdays and anniversaries: they can't help it, they're wired that way.
• Boys; when you forget birthdays and anniversaries, remember to apologise. Actually, apologise for everything, anyway. Remember, flowers and chocolates help.
• When you want to return or exchange a product, dress well and speak politely. There was another one which escapes me at the moment. This is typical of the way my mind works these days, which frustrates me no end. I used to have a very sharp mind, with fabulous recall, and these days I find I have a haze where my recall used to be. Scary.
  

Murray, yr 12 prefect quoted this one from Sara Henderson, author of "My Year at Bullo"

• "Don't bother looking for the light at the end of the tunnel; Stride on down there and light it yourself"

Hmmmmmmmmmm.......food for thought.......Strong word,"stride"......so positive......so full 0f action...
Anna and I had to be the first parents to leave after the Yr 12s and the pair of us had the leaking eye syndrome..it made quite a few others smile....and probably cry as well....arm-in-arm we went! I still get teary when I think about it. My mother always says that I have my bladder too close to my eyes!

Enough blogging...... life must go on........Have a great weekend!

Love, Bloggie ;) <3