Tom starts school

Tess went back to school on Monday with the first 3 days back in her old class with her old teacher whilst they sorted out class lists.  Tom had a 1 hour session in his class on Tuesday, a 30 minute assessment with his teacher on Thursday and finally started school on Friday.  The upside of all this for me was that I took Tuesday and Thursday off work in what has been the longest continuous spell of hot weather since records began with temperatures of mid to high thirties during the day and mid to high twenties at night culminating yesterday in the hottest night ever recorded with the mercury still at 31 degrees at midnight.  I have spent more time in our pool this week than ever before and I've loved the heat although I have to admit that there was a certain sense of relief when the southerly started blowing this afternoon - I now have the energy to do all those chores I've been putting off!  


So you may be asking how did Tom's first day at school go?  So am I.  He's not the most communicative of fellows but he seems to have taken the whole going to school thing completely in his stride which is fantastic.  He has a brilliant teacher, Miss Cearns, whom I'm reliably told is firm but fair in class and amazing at making it all fun so that the children don't realise they're learning - perfect for Tom.  Tess was a little teary last week after finding out who her teacher is.  I think it's a combination of not being with her beloved Mrs Deppler anymore (Tess chucked a sickie on Thursday lunchtime and tried to convince me she was sick on Friday until she broke down and said how much she missed Mrs Deppler) and having a very different sort of teacher in Mrs Richardson who is very focused on the academic side of school which will be great for Tess but whom even the parents are scared of.  Apparently Tess will need to have neat hair and polished shoes each day which will be a real ask for both Tess and me!  


Jules had the Sydney-Newcastle race on St Jude which is an overnight race starting at 6am on Saturday morning and getting home at 6am on Sunday.  It was scorching on land and he said even out at sea it was like sitting under a hairdryer.  They did very well and came first on both sets of handicaps which the skipper and crew were very happy with.