Let the Celebrations Begin.

And breathe......

because the official countdown to the SSG Manor 2.0 annual season of celebration can now officially begin.

I've done my last weekend for work while the summer school holidays have also officially begun.

It's been quite a year for all of us but I think school life was probably the subject of the most change and disruption.  Remote learning, restrictions to how school activities could be conducted, the cancellation of competitions and events and even not being able to have parents visit school campuses.  In the background to all of this has also been the challenges parents have faced in their own lives as workplace and other routines have changed simultaneously.  

I still don't quite know how we all survived (and even thrived) through it all but we did.  Actually, I can hazard a guess.  We got through because of our collective efforts and willingness to lend a hand where it was needed or to support our communities by following the rules and obeying the health advice we were given.  We found the good in ourselves and in doing so brought out the good in others.

It was Speech Night for Master SSG's school on Monday. I have a different opinion of them as a parent than I did as a student.  I actually listen to the speeches with interest.  The performances move me for many reasons.  I marvel at how people so young can express themselves with such feeling and maturity through the spoken word, music and movement.  I appreciate artists like Dave Groll and the Foo Fighters for how their music transcends genres and cultural context so beautifully that their work brought the house down at a preparatory school speech night in Sydney, Australia.

In less exciting news from speech night, I managed to apply a full face of makeup for the first time in ...many, many months.  It's like riding a bike - you never forget!

And now, here I am.  Deep into my Christmas to-do list.

The annual Target Click and Collect Christmas toys haul has been clicked and collected.

I've found the perfect hair accessory for Christmas Lunch - I'll keep you guess as to which of these I chose.

The distractions of school holiday daytime iPad access allowed me to wrap all those toys.  As well as the little something something I bought for Santa to give me from my good friends at The Lemon.  

And my first Coles sloe gin fruit mince pie has been savoured.

Life is good.