May I interrupt here?

I fear I am being left out of the blog experience and no, I don't have any deep thoughts at the moment to record, but perhaps I should communicate how I am spending my days here in Melbourne. Now that I am over my blackberry withdrawal, quite quickly I think, and I have been off work for officially one month now, I am focusing on the kids, their happiness, our family's daily life, and planning for our upcoming travels.

In the past two weeks while we have been here, I have been actively researching children's after-school programs that are within walking distance to our house for the boys. So far, Colin is doing futsal (indoor soccer) on Tues and Wed from 4:30 - 6 at the local high school (2 blocks from our house) and tennis on Sat morning from 930 - 1030 at the tennis courts in Princes Park (the big park at the end of our street). Alex is starting art classes today at a community centre right around the corner and will do them every Wednesday. He is also doing a gymnastics class on Sat mornings 1030 - 1130 at the local Y (near the kids' school) . The trick to all of this is to:

* book activities the kids enjoy and further their physical/emotional/mental development

* ensure the activities are on different days so there are no conflicts

* determine the program locations are all within walking distance

* make sure they have the right equipment/clothing/supplies for the program

AND figure all this out in a new city in a foreign country.

I am quite proud of myself that the program bookings are completed for this school term and the kids seem quite happy with it all. Now if you can believe it, I am already researching programs for the term that starts October 6th. If you are really paying attention to all of this, you will note a conflict on Wed but Alex's art class starts at 4 and Colin's futsal starts at 430, so I think I can pull the juggle off this term.

Today is the first day I have really had no plans while the kids are at school. By the way, both kids take their lunches to school and are there between 9 - 330. I was supposed to volunteer in Alex's classroom this morning but the school has a special assembly with African drummers so I got bumped. Instead, I decided that I was going to tidy the house, sweep up the possum poo in the garden, and confirm our campsites for our trip in September. I am very excited about our first trip that we have booked during our first school holiday break. From September 21 - October 5, we will be travelling down the coast of Queensland in a 4 berth Euro Campervan from Cairns to Byron Bay. I am now busy plotting out our driving route ensuring we hit all the amazing coastal places (Mission Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island, Brisbane...) and pre-booking our campsites. Our last 2 days of our trip will be spent at Australia's only themed resort at Sea World on the Gold Coast (near Surfer's Paradise). By then, we figure we will all need a break from camping and the kids are dying to go to Sea World.

For the next week or so, I plan to determine if I am going to be working a little or not. I am attending a Children's Miracle Network meeting with a past Canadian colleague at the Royal Children's Hospital here in Melbourne (again within walking distance from the house) on Tuesday. We will see if there is follow up work as a result of that meeting. And I am speaking to another Canadian colleague about some consulting work with unicef Canada.

My other job or my challenge to myself, is to get in shape. I went to my first fitness class on Monday at the local Y called Body Pump!! I liked the class but was the youngest one there - me and all the retirees. I have to admit I am still sore today, I wonder how all the seniors feel...I am continuing my running and hope to get in 3 runs per week. There is a great park right at the end of our street with a 3 km track around it.

So that is it for me for now. Thanks for continuing to read our blog and follow our experience.

Linton