I've been lynced

As you know I started a new job back in March.  The team I'm working with are based on the East Coast (of Australia) and while there is a company office here I don't have much to do with them, working generally either on client sites or from home.

Today I've had a number of "meetings" with people on the other side of the country held using a Microsoft program called Lync.  It's been great.  Easy to use and if you don't turn the video on you don't have to get out of your PJs.

My boss has just sent this through ... I loled ...

So very true ....

Kiddie Update #1

Here's Miss 8 at her horse riding lesson yesterday ....

It's the first time she's ridden without a saddle and it's on a horse she's never ridden before!  She did slide off twice - which was quite funny - but as you can see she's enjoying herself.

Welcome

Just wanted to say a quick welcome to all those popping in from Stephen's place "Standing outside looking in".

I've not written much this week - tied up with work and sick kids - but I generally try to post a couple of times a week.  So pull up a chair and have a look through the archives!

And for my readers who haven't visited Stephen's place - I recommend you do.  He's a great guy with lots to say!

Bucket Lists for Kids

Blogsurfing found me at "50 Things to do before you're 12" and "Bucket list for kids: 50 things to do before they're 12".

Reading through the lists and the comments was interesting and left me with the distinct impression that kids should get outside more and be responsible.

Some of them do concern me - especially the 'go swimming without a parent around' type.  I'm not sure I'ld be happy with the girls going swimming without adult supervision, even thought they're both strong swimmers.

I think the girls have done a lot of the things on the list - mainly because we, as a family, enjoy camping and Cubs & Scouts encourage a lot of the same activities.  However, when I get some time, I'll sit down with the girls and go through the lists and comments and see if there are any others that they want to do.

Camping is great

It is ... really ... but not in winter!  Somehow I've managed to sign up for 4 (yes FOUR) camps - all under canvas - between the beginning of June and the middle of August!?!

The first one is a three night camp with the Scout Troop; the second is a two night Scout Leader Training Camp; then there's a two night Scout Radio Operators Badge Camp (I wasn't planning on going on this, but Miss 10 couldn't register as they didn't have a female leader / parent going) and then finally we have a two night Cub Scout Camp!

There is also an overnight hike happening sometime within this period too - but I think I'm going to pass on that!

I'm hoping that this will be a very odd winter with unusually warm and dry weekends :)

Stay tuned for reports!

I know this ... but

Just got back from the range.  Sometimes it seems such a hassle to get there.  There's always other stuff to do, and sometimes it feels too hard.

BUT I KNOW that when I make the effort and actually get up there that I'll enjoy myself ... and then I wonder why I've put it off for so long!

To keep your firearms licence (handgun) here you have to shoot in a competition every 8 weeks.  My club runs weekly competitions on Saturday afternoon / Sunday morning (they used to also do it on Wednesday afternoons - which I really enjoyed).  To meet the one-in-eight requirement I had to shoot today.  Even up to 10 minutes before I left I really, really couldn't be bothered.

But Shooting Buddy was here (and he needed to shoot as well), so we headed to the range.

There weren't that many people, so we ended up squadding with three other people only - two were ex-trainees of ours, and the third was a recent graduate of the current trainer.  It was a great squad to be in.  Everyone was easy going (but safe), and they all jumped in and helped.  We also acquired a 'visitor' who ended up hanging out with us for most of the shoot and helped out as well.

There were four stages.  The first we shot was an 'el president'.  The second was all steel - shot from a little room with a foot activated door.  The door - metal - was a bit tricky as it swung hard open when you activated the foot pedal and then started to swing back closed - eek!  The third and fourth stages were larger stages (16 targets per) and trickier.  I didn't enjoy ROing the last stage as it you couldn't safely follow the shooter adequately.  This was okay for ROing the more experienced shooters (but not ideal) and with a recent graduate it wasn't good.  He however, did great and we had no issues.

At the end Shooting Buddy and I let the visitor have a go with our 9mms and then hooked him up with another member with an Open 38super gun.  He loved that :)  Nice to see the "new shooter smile".

So all-in-all a great day - just need to remember this for next time when I'm trying to talk myself into going!

[UPDATE]Just wanted to welcome all those coming via Tam's place.  Nice to see you here![/UPDATE]

Contacts lost ....

My phone died last Friday and with it all my contact details (yer, I know, I know).

So if you have my number (it hasn't changed) and would like me to have yours again, please message me with your name and number and I'll store it in the new phone.

(No it's not an iPhone - got one of those for work and that's enough!).