A busy month

Lots to report in the last month. Jessye played in a pre-exam concert at school and then using her mother's traditional method, had a very productive last minute cram during the week or so before the exam and came out with an "A" for Grade 5 Viola! She was tickled pink as were we all.

Peter has been doing the early morning rowing dropoffs (6 am on the Yarra) but one morning I decided to go and take a pic or two. For a non-morning person Jessye has been remarkably keen on rowing.

I made an unprecedented 2nd trip in the same month to NZ, this time just to Wellington for the NZSO's 60th Anniversary concert and Alumni reunion. It was non-stop partying for 3 days and so good to catch up with current and ex players including Lesley Anderson, a violinist (1946 - 1948) who was one of the two Foundation members there.

Eleanor came over to show off her new car. She finally manged to get her license the week before.

Halloween seems to have caught on in the girls' peer group so off we went round the neighbourhood. This year I declined to dress up (last year I was a pumpkin).

Rosie's been doing well with her Pilates lessons and I managed to get a few pictures despite her objections. We also saw a paediatrician at Children's Hospital called Cathy Maraffa who is going to take over as case manager - more appropriate than Wirginia who is naturally preoccupied with acute surgery cases. She has arranged for Occupational Therapy followup (first appointment tomorrow) and an extensive psychological assessment (in a couple of weeks). She wants to make sure that Rosie has all the support she needs especially going into secondary school next year. She will consult with Wirginia and may involve one of the neurologists too.

Rosie and I and some of her friends from North Fitzroy Primary with their parents went to MLC's Orientation Day which was very nicely done. The girls went off into their class groups for the morning while the parents were informed and entertained. After the girls were dismissed Rosie and I hit the uniform shop and bought the summer uniform and sport basics which set us back a staggering amount! Rosie took out her new stuff as soon as we got home and strutted round the house in it.

Last week the MSO farewelled two long-serving members, John Jones (flute) and Ivan Sultanoff (bass) with more than 60 years service between them. The audience threw streamers after their last concert.

Jessye appeared as a shopkeeper in the chorus of the Year 5 - 8 musical "Aladdin". After months of rehearsals the production came together brilliantly. I went last Tuesday night and thoroughly enjoyed it and Peter took Rosie and Sophie and Joey on Wednesday night while I had to work. Pictures in the hall were banned and the dressing rooms were off limits so Peter did well to snap Jessye and a friend leaving after the second performance. We'll be getting a DVD to treasure.

On Thursday Rosie and Sophie and I went to see the orthotist, David Phillips, that Susan our physio had recommended for Rosie. She met us there and David watched Rosie walk and figured out how he would be able to help her. He made a plaster cast of her leg from the knee down with her heel making a nice right angle and will make a plastic brace for her to wear inside her shoe. It's important particularly during a fast-growing phase (and Rosie may have one soon if she's anything like Jessye) to help her muscles and tendons keep up with bone growth and not get impossibly tight. Because of Rosie's right-side disability her calf needs constant stretching (a large part of our physio work) and other muscles that she may not be naturally using need strengthening so to cut a long story short, it will help her if her foot is kept in the right-angle position rather than drooping which causes her to compensate in all sorts of ways which are not good in the long term. We'll be going back to David in couple of weeks to have a fitting. Rosie seems to be fine about wearing it.

Jessye's next big event (no wonder she seems to have been so busy lately!) was the girls' interschool regatta in Geelong. I volunteered for this one which meant getting up at 4:45 am!!!!!!!!!!!! for a 5:15 departure. The girls had to be in Geelong at 6:30 for a briefing on the days events and then to get the boats ready. Jessye's crew was in the first heat of the day, the 1000m coxed four, so all eyes were on the race. The various schools had their tents set up on the riverbank near the finish line so we were all screaming our heads off when the girls got close. Jessye's crew pulled ahead and won their heat convincingly which thrilled all the Lauriston parents to bits. The #1 and 2 teams were still to row so this augered well for Lauriston's chances. They had about 10 teams altogether and won nearly all their heats. Apparently the Lauriston girls start training earlier than the other schools (nobody else can face getting to the river at 6 am in the middle of winter!) and it certainly paid off. Jessye's crew came 4th in their final with 3 out of 4 of the first four boats being from Lauriston. She was completely exhausted after the second race - not surprising since this was the first time they had ever rowed 1 km at race pace - but very pleased with herself for having done it.

Yesterday we went to Dick Panting's belated 60th birthday party. Dick and Barb (Barb Glaser, now General Manager of the Auckland Philharmonia) were back in Melbourne for a few days so took the opportunity to celebrate with a few friends.