Today was the last day of teaching for this term - so I can relax a bit this weekend and get ready for next week. We had our summer sports assembly today - whilst recognising all of the summer sports teams and their achievements (GPS Basketball champions amongst other things) it was the send off for the rowers. The assembly was conducted with an eight man rowing boat on the stage, which was named after a retiring member of staff, courtesy of a bottle of champagne. At the end of the assembly, the rowers processed on to the stage and then around the hall where the Year 12 boys, dressed in their blazers, gave them a guard of honour. It's still all very alien to me.


I went to the pub this evening to watch the Tigers beat the Eels (very much a derby match as both are inner west/west Sydey teams) but happily the Tigers ran out winners, with my neighbour, Lote, scoring two tries. I was in the pub last Saturday for the football ("soccer" or "the world game" as it's called, to distinguish it from NRL which is called football). It was the final playoff between the top two teams - Syndey beat Melbourne on penalties which, as you can imagine, went down pretty well here.


The cricket season is, finally over. It seems to go on forever here; but Birchgrove Oval is now finally laid out as footy pitches. Noone's  told the weather though, as it's still 30 degrees or thereabouts most days and sunny (about 35 today I think). I really need the weather to hold until Thursday when I get back from camp; it'll certainly be much cooler in the Highlands, I just need it not to be raining!


There's not been much in the way of bushfires so far this year, in the eastern states anyway, as there's been a fair amount of rain - if you're interested in the wildlife and the benefits that the floods have brought to southern Queensland/northern NSW and Lake Eyre region, check out this ABC video clip.


I hope you like the new design, colours and layout....