Railway kids continue

Just got home from visiting Nanny in Noosa. We had an action packed weekend – starting with a trip on the famous Gympie Rattler – a restored steam engine that winds its way around some beautiful countryside full of cows and alpacas..( the Australian countryside is nothing but diverse!)

We were very luck to be put into a private cabin – which seated six people. Both Adrian and I remember having to catch trains that had carriages like this – though he caught them more frequently than I did.

Its a bit of a worry when you remember things being in working order and now they are museum pieces. The thick stubby cardboard tickets brought back many memories for both of us as well.

Morgan and Lilly had a hoot on the train – we were able to go out on the balcony and watch the tgrees slowly go past us and watch the track whiz under us. The smell of the coal being burnt and the sound of the chuffing up the hill.. such a great days trip out for all of us.

Middway we stopped for a sausage sizzle and a leg stretch, while the engine filled with water and had to be turned around. Amazing engineering. I think they said the engine weighed 800 tonnes – would that be right? It had to be loaded on a big turn table and manually spun round.

Morgan and Lilly were very tired at the end and were very good cuddling each other waiting to go home.

We had a bit of a kip at Nannys before we went out to dinner –which of course we had to wear our finery to. The kids are looking so grown up now…

A trip into the Past

Have you ever visited a childhood site filled with memories and was shocked when seeing it with adult eyes?

Last weekend while visiting Mum and Dad, I decided to take Jodi and the kids to the Dalveen Tunnel. Jodi is writing a story on a woman who is stuck in tunnels and has never been in one before – so although it isn’t particularly long or dark like an underground pipeline tunnel, it would give her an idea of the oppressive feelings you have when consumed by darkness.

My sisters and I used to go down to the tunnel on a regular basis. Sometimes we were given 20c to go and by a banana bar ( not sure of the name – but it was a taffy like yellow banana flavored bar) which was pulled into three pieces as we walked along the tracks. The tunnel was huge, long and very spooky. It was cloven into the steep hillside by Scottish workers nearly 200 years ago with simple picks and shovels. Bricks were made on the site and some still lay by the small waterhole near by.

We drove down to the nearest spot and struggled to clamber over the fences – which as a child I remember bounding over. I decided to walk over the hill and we would climb down and walk through the tunnel and then wander back to the car. As we climbed over the last fence and looked over the side to the tunnel opening, I had my mummy eyes on and they were wide with horror. There is no way I would climb down the steep embankment now and couldn’t believe that we used to race up and down the edges so easily and with little fear. The ledge was at least 20 feet in the air and I remember sitting on it swinging our legs and generally chatting as we watched the clouds and birds go past. My feet tingled with that awful dread and I began to sweat. Good Grief! How was I going to lead 3 small children and Jodi – who was afraid of the dark and of heights down there?

We wandered down a little way and I found a small relief in the cliff face. I took a photo of it on the bottom and wondered afterwards what possessed me to think I could bring a three year old down that. In their defense though – they were perfect – and followed my instructions to the letter ( probably terrified to death) AND are still talking about the adventure.

The tunnel isn’t half as big or as long as I recall. However, in the middle of it – very cold and still a bit spooky. The echoes reverberate around you and the oppressive darkness sinks deeply into your psyche. Its hard to distinguish where you stop and the darkness begins. The hand cast bricks are starting to crumble with age and the smoke from fires long past is flaking off the ceiling.

We walked out into the fresh air and sunlight having chased away the past demons trapped in the constant night and breathed deeply. Neither Jodi or I wanted to let the kids know who freaked out we had been in the dark.

The kids thought it was a wonderful adventure and desperate to go back again.

Reading Eggs

Sunday again and summing up our week. Been a funny old week. Morgan has become very empassioned with reading- its great – really starting to understand that certain symbols carry meaning. He wrote a list today or the things he wanted to do in the day. Sounding out the first letter of the word. I am so proud – not only of him making a list and trying to write it - but in his time management skills and thinking about what others would like to do as well.

I'll just explain what this list is all about. the top left hand is a picutre of a game boy and the letter g. Morgan has put hte number 3 next to each item - as they are all important - he didn't know which was to be a number 1.

the next picutre on the right - is a slide - and P - for park

Under this is a his bike - and a b - well - its a d but kids get them mixed up all the time.

make sense??

There is a internet site called reading eggs which claims can teach your child to read in 6 weeks. So far I have been very impressed. It mixes games and repetitions and recognition. Lots of song and funny things both Morgan and Lilly have been delighted with…. And an annoying little ant that sings catchy songs that stick in your head….. On Friday he got himself dressed and ready for school and woke me ( at 6 am) so that I could log him on to do reading eggs. Now that it commitment and passion.. good on him!!

Lilly doesn’t quite have the hand control or dexterity required to use my mouse to do the program – she can point to things and tell me – so she certainly have the understanding. Its not only the letters of the alphabet – its sounds like the double ee or phonic sounds like ‘at’ and recognizing the combinations within other words. He is able to recognize a large number of words now – and after weeks of saying he doesn’t get to read or do anything at school – he is delighted to be doing this at home. I just have to smile when he gets in the car after school and is so upset that they didn’t do any writing or learning that day.. how cute is that?

Been planning my next few projects, now that the ebook has been launched.. However still need to get on top of the marketing for it. I seem to be making a habit now of staying up late – don’t seem to need much sleep. Its very cold at night and my fingers are all seized up – hardly able to type.. so will leave it here..My writing schedule has become quite busy with yahoo answers, a social commentary blog, 2 short stories a week and a review…I have also just downloaded the competitions for this month – and I have a load to get ready for – so will need to brush up the first drafts I have lying around…

Catch you all next week.