Rocinante has been found

So what did you do this afternoon? Me? I bought a horse. But I do wonder about the fact that whilst I look more than a little bit happy (which alone will upset some folk), my trusty steed appears to be having a dry retch. Could this horse have a sense of humor, I wonder?

The Search for Rocinante

Yep, I've been reading a few books, some were pretty good, some were a bit ordinary. But what is even more important (at least to me, and at the moment) is my search for a suitable Rocinante. As the cat is unlikely to be happy sharing her litter box with a horse - regardless of how much I enlarged it - I've spent the last few weekends looking for suitable agistment within a reasonable driving distance. Not an easy task in urban Sydney. Happy to say now that one can now be ticked off the To Do List.

And in a quest to either recapture my youth (as if), or to try to prove something so nebulous that I'm not even sure what it is, I'm now in the process of looking for a suitable horse.

Of course, this presents a number of difficulties - I found out yesterday that whilst the knee operation made walking pain free, all that time limping around before the operation has left a considerable deficit in the knee's strength; enough to make mounting conventionally (via the near-side stirrup) just about impossible. Which pretty much eliminates any horses of height.

But in that ironic way nature has of playing with us, the deficits in knee strength seem to have been compensated by a surplus in girth - mine, not the horse. Which sort of makes vaulting onto anything bigger than a Shetland pretty unlikely.

And as if all that is not challenge enough, I find that after 5 minutes on two horses (I'm sure glad no-one videoed the tragedy of an elderly fat lady being hoisted onto long-suffering horses) the next day the good old back injury (L3, L4 and L5 for those with an interest in such things) says to me "Hey lady! That was not a good idea". I don't know why we don't pay more attention to what the voices say to us - they aren't always wrong, you know.

So for the moment it looks like it's back to Physio to see what if anything I can do to strengthen those body bits that are doing their best to shatter yet another dream - regardless of how practical it is, or otherwise.

Maybe it's something to do with the current Olympic Spirit; perhaps it's just sheer dogmatic stubbornness? Or are those two just different sides of the same coin?

Playing possum?

Here's something that doesn't happen every day - a possum capture and release. This little (?) beauty had been living in the roof space and sneaking folk's nibbles during the night. The cage-trap was professionally set, and it was a thrill to be part of the release party!

OK, I held the door open and took some pictures. But geez, someone had to. The funny thing was that the furry fury was released a short distance away from our building (they're territorial, and are required by law to be released within their territory) at the bottom of a tree that seemed to be ideal ... except being a typical creature of its type, it decided that it didn't like that tree. It sprinted across the grounds for some 50 yards/metres and found a tree more to its liking.

It hasn't been seen since yesterday, so it looks like everyone's morning tea is safe, at least for the moment.

"We're only a small library ..."

"We're only a small library". Worse excuse ever for cutting budgets and diverting staffing to non-library tasks (obviously NOT the case in this news story, but used elsewhere by someone else in the context of a school library).

And it becomes worse than mere dissemblance to then add " ... with little use" when no stats were referenced, nor even the most casual of observations made. Of course, it was a good thing actual figures weren't used ... because the statements would not have been consistent with the facts. Of course, this is in relation to just one particular case. Isn't it?

Mind you, as it has now been reported that our NSW Minister of Education announced on ABC Radio that government school principals will be free to dispense with credentialed school library staff altogether if, "for example if they'd rather have a speech therapist" it's pretty much a moot point anyway.

Why has it been so quiet?

Whilst "many a true word is spoken in jest", sometimes there just ain't no better way to say it. Thank you so much, Scott! For those who are wondering why there have been so few posts here, be very amazed to learn that there are postings from satirical blogs that have been used in official complaints. Be careful out there, folks. The world is full of trolls.

A Professional Learning Day

An excellent day starting with coffee (of course); "What's Hot?" in children's literature; judging criteria and other information about the judging of the Children's Book Council of Australia's annual book awards; then the Literacy Continuum and implications for same with the upcoming introduction of the (national) Australian Curriculum that will replace the current State-based curricula.

And that was the program just up until lunchtime!

I nearly missed out on lunch (not that that would have done me any harm) because I was 'gas-bagging' with a colleague after the last session - we came in the door to find the tables being cleared. Panic!!! But like Bill (Shakespeare) says, "all's well that ends well".

The biggest treat of the day was the presentation by Lisa Forest, former Olympian, media personality, and author - who proved that an hour is just not long enough for some things. Lisa is pictured here with me (she's the taller one - we won't even mention anything about being in shape here ... except possibly to make note of the fact that 'round' is also a shape).

In the background of the venue, you can see some of the wonderful paintings that decorate the walls of this high school library. I'll have to leave it unnamed here, for reasons of national security. Well done, and thank you to the organising committee of the Penrith, Mt Druitt, Blacktown, Windsor Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Group.

A literary 'chocolate box' ...

What can be nicer than a textual 'sampler' where one can laze around in the comfort of whatever furniture makes you happy, and dip at random into the assortment of offerings?

Sure, sometimes you have to bite into one or two chapters to find that they aren't to your taste, but if you wrap them up again no one will ever know that you've nibbled here.

In fact, even if they did, it would be unlikely that they'd care. Which opens up a whole smorgasbord of allusions and metaphors, most of which are best left alone at this time of the day - particularly if one has possibly had the odd glass or two of wine, it having just recently been my birthday. Like yesterday. Remember back in the day when one's birthday celebrations were limited to a mere few hours of joviality? Not these days, luckily.

And what's even better, one doesn't have to wait until one's birthday to pick up the odd book or two at the local stores.